Aurora sat beside her vanity, her pale blue hair brushed out by her handmaiden. She gazed at the evening sky through the window briefly before turning her head slowly to look into the nearby mirror. Striking ruby red eyes stared back at her, her facial features were majestic, typical for an elven woman like herself.

  Once her hair was brushed, her handmaiden started on a simple french braid, a typical style for Aurora to have for these family dinners. While waiting, she decided to read through a book on etiquette, one of the subjects her parents emphasized she needed to study. She sighed after reading through the rules regarding ballroom etiquette and placed the book back on the table, turning her gaze to the intricate silver and red dress hung nearby.

  “Are you nearly done, Sasha?” Aurora asked the woman standing over her.

  “Yes, my Lady. I just need to secure the braid, and we can then work on getting you dressed for tonight.” Sasha grabbed two hairpins and expertly placed them to keep her hair from coming undone. Once she stepped back, Aurora stood up and stretched her legs, a downside from sitting still for so long.

  She let out a long sigh and walked over to her dressing area, removing her casual clothing while her handmaiden prepared her dress. She stripped down to just her undergarments, the cool air making her shiver slightly. Sasha came around the corner holding the dress out.

  Once she was changed, she carefully sat down upon her bed, letting out a sigh when doing so.

  “Sasha, have my parents returned yet?”

  “No, my Lady. From what the head butler said, they won't be returning until late this evening.” Sasha walked over holding a tea set with some light snacks. Aurora picked at a few with disinterest, sipping tea occasionally.

  “Tonight, huh? Seems mundane for something that's supposedly important to mothers' culture.” She absentmindedly swung her legs rhythmically as she finished the last of her snacks. “Could you inform the kitchen to make tonight's meal special?”

  “As you wish, my Lady.” Sasha cracked a small smile as she bowed before making her way out of the room. After a few moments passed Aurora fell back flat on her bed, letting out a groan, her thoughts drifting to Camilla, her closest friend since she moved here alone almost 10 years prior.

  “What could she possibly be up to? Training again? No, no, that can’t be it since she usually takes today off…” She slowly sat back up and rose to her feet, carefully straightening out her hair and dress.

  “Forget it. I need to take a trip outside.” She grabbed a nearby rope and pulled it a few times, ringing the bell meant to summon maids. The sound of knocking was soon heard before a younger maid entered.

  “How can I be of service?” she asked with a bow.

  “Please inform Mr. Dale to ready my carriage to take me to the market at once.”

  The maid bowed again before running off to complete her task. Aurora turned her attention back to her wardrobe, grabbing a nice silver sun hat to match her dress. She stepped back and admired herself in the mirror, stunned slightly by how well Sasha had done with her hair.

  “Impressive work as always, huh…well, time to head out,” She made her way out of her room and into the bustling hallway. Maids were running back and forth, preparing the small mansion for the evening event following the butler's instructions.

  Aurora moved past them and proceeded down the main staircase towards the front door. Mr. Dale, the head butler, stood there awaiting her arrival. “Lady Aurora, your carriage is waiting just outside for you.”

  “Thank you, Dale. I can always count on you to be quick with tasks.”

  “I’m honored by your humble praise. Ms. Sasha left to do her own work, but we prepared your escort in her place. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should get back to overseeing the party preparations.” He bowed before heading back inside.

  Aurora smiled as she climbed into the carriage through the door her driver held open for her. “Thank you, Oliver. I trust you know our destination already?”

  “Off to the market, correct?”

  “Yes. Please make haste.”

  “As you wish,” he said as he shut the door. A few moments later they begin to move down the driveway and out onto the main road. Aurora leaned her head against her palm and stared out the window at the passing buildings.

  The nearby ones were made from expensive hand-carved marble, well constructed, and adorned with all sorts of decorations, typical to human nobles. Mostly made from gold and silver with detailed engravings, marble statues scattered around their yards as if trying to flaunt their pointless wealth.

  The nature of these greedy nobles disgusted her, rather than using that money to improve the conditions of the town as a whole, they would waste it on pointless items to improve their fragile “social standing”.

  She clicked her tongue as she turned her attention to the buildings on the other side of the street. These homes and shops were more often made of wood and stone, covered slightly in low-hanging moss and ivy, the stark contrast showing how bad the monetary division was.

  Despite the cosmetic differences, she only ever saw joyful expressions on the faces of the inhabitants. It brought a bit of joy to her thoughts before her eyes caught a glimpse of the real reason she had made this trip today. Behind a bakery at the end of the street was the orphanage her family sponsored upon her insistence.

  I hope the kids will like their gifts today. I’ll be heading off to the academy soon so today is probably the last time I can visit them for the foreseeable future. Her mood grew somber before she patted her cheeks and shook her head. Let’s not spoil the mood for them.

  “My Lady, we’ve arrived!” her driver called from upfront before coming to open the door for her. Aurora grabbed his hand as she stepped down

  “Thank you. Please start bringing the gifts inside while I talk with Madame Elise.” She let out a breath and stretched her lips into a thin smile as she approached the front door. One of the children out front happened to notice her while playing and squealed in excitement.

  “Rora! You came!” The little girl ran over and jumped towards Aurora, who caught her in her arms, giggling at the girl’s antics.

  “Hey there, little Susie. Are you doing well? You are starting to get so tall!” Aurora carried the girl inside as they talked.

  “Yes! Mama Elise gives us plenty to eat!” The girl grinned widely.

  Aurora stopped walking for a moment. “Susie, isn't your birthday soon?”

  “Hmm? No, I turned 4 three weeks ago. Silly Rora.” She folded her arms and pouted.

  “Pfft, so I missed it, huh? Guess I'll have to make it up to you then, huh?” Aurora poked Susie’s nose as she set her down. “Do you know where Madame Elise is right now?”

  Susie hopped up and down excitedly, “I DO! I DO! Should I go get her for you?”

  “Would you please? Afterwards, can you gather everyone else in the mess hall?”

  “You can count on me!” She ran out of the room, quickly disappearing from her sight. Aurora turned back towards the entrance to direct her driver, who was still unloading the carriage. She placed her hand on her chin as she went deep in thought.

  Perhaps I should send a few people to help Elise. She’s not as young as she used to be. She’ll need to train a successor to take over soon.

  Aurora walked over to the carriage and grabbed a small wooden box wrapped in a bow, a special gift she got just for Elise, meant to show her deep appreciation for all the work she had done. She made her way back inside, hearing the giggling of the children.

  Seems they are all gathered. She took a deep breath to compose herself, and a confident glint flashed briefly in her eyes, and stepped through the door. Aurora’s eyes slowly scanned the room before her gaze met Elise’s, a soft smile on her face. A few of the older children sat beside her quietly waiting to see why they were gathered.

  “Aurora, dear. It's so good to see you again.” Elise patted the spot beside her for Aurora. “What brings you here today?”

  Aurora slowly sat down, placing her hands in her lap. “Well, as you know, Elise, I just hit adulthood today. Knowing this, my parents probably plan to send me to the academy.”

  “The academy, eh? So the time has come, huh? Seems you will be-”

  A thud interrupted them as Susie dropped the doll she was holding. “Huh? No! NO! Rora can't leave! Please don't leave!” Sob sob. Tears were starting to form in her eyes, slowly running down her cheeks.

  Aurora’s initial shock slowly melted away as she motioned for the boy named Tommy behind her to bring Susie over. “Oh Susie, don’t be upset. I’ll make sure I come to visit you all during my breaks.” She pulled Susie into an embrace, rubbing her hand up and down her back.

  Sniffle. “P-promise?” The tears slowly stained the shoulder of Aurora’s dress.

  “Yes, I swear I'll come back. Now then, who here wants to know why I came here today, hmm?” A chorus of me’s were heard as the children surrounded her.

  “Alright, everyone. Give Aurora some space!” Elise finally got the children to sit back down calmly. “Alright, Aurora. What did you get for them this time?”

  Aurora’s hands fidgeted, her cheeks burning slightly with embarrassment. “Just some of the typical things.” She clapped once, surprising all the children. “How about everyone forms a line and I’ll hand out your gifts?”

  The children hurriedly formed a straight line, careful not to push anyone for fear of losing their present. Aurora slowly passed out the gifts one by one, the children running back to their spots, waiting to open them once everyone had theirs.

  Susie was the last child in line, and she gave Aurora a long hug before running off to her seat. Aurora grabbed Elise’s gift, which was inside an ornate wood box, and walked over to sit beside her.

  “I got this specifically for you, Elise. I hope you’ll accept it.” Aurora slowly passed to Elise, who accepted it with grace.

  “Of course, dear.” Elise placed her hand in position to pull the bow tied around the box. “ Alright, children. Let’s unwrap them together. On three kids.”

  “One. Two. Three.”

  All the children ripped the wrapping off the presents, revealing an assortment of items. Some younger boys got wooden toys, and the older boys received wooden swords. Most of the younger girls got dolls while the older ones each received a tailored dress to each of them.

  Elise pulled the bow off the box and slowly opened it revealing a small silver key along with a deed for a home.

  “Aur-. How? Why? You didn't need to give me anything like this!” Elise’s hands were shaking while holding the key. Aurora shook her head at this.

  Aurora grabbed her shaking hands. “That's not true. You’ve done more than I could ever pay back.” She tilted her head as her lips stretched into a thin line. “I can't think of anything less than I could give you. Have you decided on who will take over for you once you retire?”

  “Oh, no no. I still have quite a few years in these aging bones of mine. No need for me to fret over it.” She rubbed her thumbs on Aurora’s palms, unsure of how true what she just said truly was or not. She glanced at the old wooden clock that was ticking away, seeing the time was close to 5 in the evening.

  “Aurora, dear. As much as I’m sure the children would love to have you stay for dinner tonight you best run off. Can’t be the reason you are late for your own party.” Elise made a shoo-ing mothing with her hands.

  “Everyone say your goodbyes, and be sure to thank her properly.” Her expression turned stern as she spoke before she slowly stood and walked towards the kitchen.

  Susie was the first one to sprint over, latching on to Aurora’s leg tightly. The other children followed shortly after, all thanking her for the new toys. The children slowly filtered out of the room until only Aurora and Susie, still not releasing her hold on her leg, were left alone.

  Aurora poked her nose, getting a small giggle mixed with some sniffling. “Susie, I have to go or my parents would get mad ok?” She gave her hair a short ruffle.

  Sniffle. Sniffle. “I know that Rora…I just…Happy birthday.” Susie then ran off to join the others in the kitchen. Aurora let out a sigh of relief.

  “Such a handful, that one.” Her soft expression lingered for a few moments as she made her way back to her carriage, the driver sporting a worried expression. “Let us make haste back home. We can’t afford to be late today.”

  He bowed with a simple, “Yes, Ma’am,” and began to drive the carriage once she was aboard. She flopped into her seat, her thoughts drifting to tonight’s event. I’ll have to have Sasha do a touch-up on my hair and makeup once we arrive. She felt her eyes growing heavy before she drifted off to sleep.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Aurora’s eyes snapped open at a sudden blinding light. Her head swung wildly left and right, taking in what was happening around her. A nightmare. That was the only word that she could think of to describe what she was seeing.

  A swarm of beasts and monsters caused carnage everywhere she looked, blood-soaked the streets while fires raged, consuming all the homes close by. The high walls that once surrounded the town were not just a pile of rubble.

  Hiss~

  The sudden sound caused her to freeze and turn her head slowly. Peeking over a roof was the head of a large basilisk, but that's not what caught her attention. No, rather, she was staring at the cloaked figure standing on its head. The figure was holding a staff that was glowing green at the tip, a sign of magic being used.

  As she tried to peer closer to see the figure, the basilisk lunged, and her vision went dark.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Aurora jolted awake, drenched in sweat, panting heavily while shivering in fear, the experience still fresh in her mind. What the hell was THAT? She wrapped her arms around herself; the fear and anxiety she felt was overwhelming.

  She glanced up briefly as a shadow passed overhead as the carriage pulled back into her home and came to a stop in front of the main entrance. Sasha was there waiting and opened the door, her expression shifting to panic as she noticed Aurora’s state.

  She turned back and shouted towards the butler standing at the door. “I need some help over here!” The butler ran over, confused at her panic while Sasha helped Aurora slowly exit the carriage.

  “Carry her to her room.” Sasha made her way through the door first. Several maids were crowding the door, trying to see what the commotion was. “Move aside! Clear a path!” The maids scattered at her harsh tone. Her position as the next head maid in training granted her a bit more authority around the house.

  She made her way upstairs to Aurora’s bedroom, the butler trailing just behind. Aurora groaned as her eyelids fluttered, the image of the figure still running in her head. Just who could that be? Should I tell my parents about this? But even if I did, would they even believe it? Or would they just wave it off as a nightmare like I did?

  Several other questions with no answers ran through her mind as she lay on her bed. The butler left swiftly after to return to his duties, leaving Sasha and Aurora alone. Sasha kneeled down beside the bed as she grabbed Aurora’s still shaking hand gently, causing her to instinctively flinch.

  “My lady, what happened to frighten you this much?” Sasha’s voice was somber and filled with regret. “I should’ve gone with you.” Her fingers curled, gripping her lady’s hands securely.

  “I-It’s fine…I would like to be alone for a bit.” Aurora stood up and walked over to the window, standing with her arms crossed, not looking her maid in the eye. “Could you inform my parents that I'll be a bit late for dinner?”

  “Understood.” Sasha stood up as well and walked over to the door. She turned and bowed before leaving. Aurora’s eyes twitched as she couldn’t stop thinking about the identity of the figure. I swear I'll stop it if that wasn’t a dream.

  Camilla returned to the mansion late after her day out and made her way upstairs. She reached the top and turned down the hallway, heading to her room. She passed by a few maids who were whispering among themselves.

  She barely heard the words “Lady Aurora” and “sick” before she turned and rushed off towards Aurora’s room, startling the maids. She ran up the stairs to the 3rd floor and turned the corner, stopping hard in her tracks before she collided with Sasha.

  “L-Lady Camilla? What’s wrong?” Sasha looked at Camila, who was panting slightly from her haste.

  Camilla placed her hands on Sasha’s shoulders, looking her dead in the eyes. “Tell me what happened to her.”

  Sasha looked down dejectedly, “I-Im not sure myself…she…refused to say anything about it. Just that she wanted to be alone.”

  “Tch. That fool, always trying to handle everything herself.” She turned and marched off to Aurora’s door, knocking a few times before she slowly opened the door. She stepped into the room and looked up, catching a glimpse of an angry expression on her friend’s face, one that immediately vanished.

  “Camilla! You’re here!” Aurora leapt into her friend's arms, giving her a long hug. Camilla shut the door behind her and dragged Aurora to the bed. She gave her hair a small ruffle before pulling it apart.

  “Aurora, please tell me what’s bothering you. You can’t fool me by acting cheerful.” Camilla frowned towards her while she simply giggled.

  “Whatever could you mean? It was just a dream. Don't you worry your pretty little face about it,” She reached out and poked Camilla’s nose as she spoke. Camilla could only sigh at her answer.

  “I see, well, if you decide to truly talk about it, just… don't forget I’m here for you. Ok?” Aurora’s smile faltered for a moment at her words. She leaned her head on Camilla’s shoulder, her expression softening.

  “I know that, thank you, Camilla. Is Sasha still outside? I doubt she went far, knowing her.”

  “Do you want me to go get her?” Camilla massaged Aurora’s shoulders gently.

  “If you don’t mind. I need to get changed into a new dress.” She motioned to her sweat soaked front.

  “Alright. Then I'll take my leave since you seem to be fine now. I have swordsmanship training early in the morning.” She turned to leave before pausing as if she remembered something.

  “By the way…” She turned her head back, her lips stretched into a thin line, “Happy birthday, Aurora.” She left the room immediately after, and Sasha entered in her place, quickly performing her duties to help Aurora become presentable again.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Two figures sat next to each other at a long table littered with plates of food. A fire-glazed roast drake rested in the center, surrounded by platters of herb-crusted venison, buttered root vegetables dusted with crystal salt, and loaves of warm bread steaming in the candlelight. Bowls of jeweled fruits shimmered like treasure, honeycakes dripped with golden syrup.

  The woman, Aurora’s mother, sat elegantly while occasionally taking sips of wine. She had dark red hair with blue highlights at the ends, striking purple eyes, and long pointed ears. A testament to her pure elven ancestry.

  She wore a deep purple silk dress that clung nicely to her lithe figure, black gloves that went up past her elbows. Her hair was tied up in a neat bun, secured with an ornate hairpin with a wolf head on the end.

  Next to her, at the head of the table, sat a middle aged human male. His face was framed by short cut, light blue hair, matching Aurora’s, and a well trimmed full beard. His brown eyes glared at the door straight ahead of him, elbows resting on the table, his chin resting on top of his hands. He wore a white button-up shirt with a black vest and a red overcoat.

  The door finally creaked open after what felt like an eternity, revealing Aurora in her new snow-white dress. Her redone makeup made her eyes pop. She walked up next to her chair and curtsied, raising her dress up on both sides.

  “Mother. Father. I apologize for the delay in my arrival. An unexpected situation caused me to have to change clothes.” She stood back up and slowly slid into her seat. A few moments of awkward silence followed. She shifted occasionally as she rubbed her palms together under the table.

  “Aurora.” Her father’s gruff voice cut through the silence, causing her eyes to snap up and meet his.

  “Y-yes, Father?”

  “Explain to me what happened a few hours ago.” His eyes narrowed at her, causing her to freeze up.

  “E-explain what, exactly, father?” Her voice came out shaky, not wanting to talk about her random nightmare.

  “Haaa…Alaric, really? Don’t you think that’s enough teasing? Dale already made his report of the incident. Why bring it up again?” Her mother’s exasperation had reached its peak, leading her to scold her husband. Once she had given him an earful, she turned back to her daughter.

  “Aurora, shall we eat before we talk about your future? Now that you’ve come of age, there are a few different paths you can take.”

  Aurora blinked several times before rubbing her ears. “I’m sorry? I don't think I heard you correctly. Aren’t you sending me to the academy? But I’m-” she cut her words short when Alaric raised his hand.

  “Well, that is certainly a choice you could make, and one I’d recommend to you. We never planned to force you on that path. Sabri-. I mean me and your mother decided to give you the freedom to choose how you’ll live long ago.”

  “But won’t it affect how the nobles here view you if I don't attend? All of their children are going…” She looked down at her empty plate, her stomach rumbling silently.

  “Hahahah!” Sabrina, her mother, broke out laughing at her silly worries. “So that’s…that’s what worries you? It won’t affect us one bit. After all, we’ve never cared for our “social image,” unlike these backwater nobles.”

  “But-” Aurora tried to respond, but the words refused to come out.

  “No buts, Aurora. Our reputation is our own problem. There is no need for you to worry about it. Just live for yourself.” Alaric’s expression softened as he spoke those words.

  Tears slowly started to form in her eyes, feeling overwhelmed by her parents' unconditional support. Hic hic. She placed her face in her hands as the tears started to fall, an action that caught her parents by surprise. They looked at each other before nodding to each other, their expressions hardening.

  Sarina stood up and walked over to Aurora, pulling over a chair next to her and sitting down. She then wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her into her embrace, resting her head against her chest.

  “There, there.” Sarina ran her hand in a slow rhythm across Aurora’s head. “Go ahead and let it all out.”

  Several moments passed before Aurora finally calmed down and dried her eyes. “Thank you Mother. Father. I apologize for my poor display.” She bowed her head forward, causing her parents to frown.

  Alaric’s voice was firm as he spoke, “Stop that. You have nothing to apologize for!”

  “He’s right. We should be the ones apologizing.” Sarina had moved back to her original seat.

  Aurora quickly waved her hand before they erupted into a war of apologies. “No need! No need! Let’s eat!” She started piling food on her plate, wanting to move past the somber mood.

  Her actions brought a smile to her parents, who followed in preparing food. Aurora was about to place a bite of the drake into her mouth when Sarina dropped a surprise topic on her.

  “I guess it's time we talked about your future marriage, huh? Is there anyone you are interested in?” Aurora nearly choked on her food, coughing a few times before taking a drink of her wine.

  “P-pardon?” Aurora just stared at her mother with a blank look. Marriage?! What brought this up?! I only just came of age today. “What brought this up so soon, Mother? Isn’t it way too soon for me to even be considering that?”

  “Huh?! If not now, then when? You aren't planning to make this old, frail woman wait centuries just to have some grandbabies to spoil, are you?” The pout on Sarina’s face caused Alaric to try not to laugh out loud.

  “You want me to have children already?! And what do you mean by frail? You aren’t anywhere near as ancient as the elders!" Aurora couldn't believe what she just heard.

  “Of course I do! What? You think we have all the time in the world to sit around peacefully?”

  Huh? What does she mean by that? Is something going on? She immediately thought of her nightmare as a possible reason, but quickly dismissed it. It couldn’t be that. Foresight isn't something I'm capable of after all. The dinner dragged on through the night until Camilla arrived.

  Camilla entered the room, pushing a cart with a massive, multi-levelled cake on top. Aurora stared at the majestic multilayered birthday cake; it was made from soft ivory and pale roses, with cascading buttercream ruffles that resembled flowing silk. Delicate sugar roses and hand painted gold accents wind around each tier, while tiny edible pearls shimmered along the edges.

  At the top, a sculpted sugar dragon sparkled above layers of fluffy vanilla sponge filled with raspberry cream that would create an elegant and enchanting surprise in every slice. Aurora felt her mouth water from just looking at it.

  They really went all out this year, huh? But…why a dragon? I know our town has a famous legend about them, but seriously? My parents were never the type to believe in myths. She eyed her parents, her suspicions growing.

  Camilla carefully stopped the cake next to Aurora, lighting the candles around the side.

  She then bowed to Aurora's parents, "Lord and Lady Frostwind, it is a pleasure to see you again."

  Her parents nodded before turning back to Aurora. "Go ahead and make your wish."

  Aurora blew out the candles, silently making her wish. She then cut 4 slices and passed one to each person still in the room. They all ate in silence and ended the meal.

  "Goodnight Mother, Father. Sleep well." She curtsied and then left, collapsing on her bed as soon as she returned to her room. Sasha entered shortly after and forced her to change before she drifted into unconsciousness.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~

  The next day

  Aurora sprinted toward the river after running away from her daily classes. The strong smell of nature filled her nostrils, which forced her to stop, as she listened to the waterfall in the distance. Once she reached the waterfall she noticed her friend, Camilla sitting on a rock while she read a book. Her feet were in the water and her black hair fluttered gently in the wind. Aurora sneaked closer, however she slipped and fell with a grin on her face.

  Her friend closed the book with a sigh. “So what brings you here today? I thought you had lessons to attend to?”

  Aurora stood up and dusted herself off, “Oh, forget about those today! We need to celebrate you finally becoming a squire! C’mon, I even reserved a table at Silver Fish Inn.” She grabbed her friend by the arm, which caused her to drop the book, and pulled her towards the city.

  Camilla tugged back a bit in feigned resistance. “Aurora, wait, my book is still back there! Let me just grab it real quick!”

  “Oh forget it for now! We’ll come back!”

  “Aurora, it’s miles to town!” However, she was simply ignored as they moved through the trees.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Back in the city they moved through the crowds, wandering through the bustling streets in silence. Several street vendors displayed wares around the main square of the city. In the middle of the square sat a giant fountain with a statue depicting 2 dragons fighting. Aurora stared at the statue admiring the detail it was made with.

  No one knew how the statue got there, people say it was there when the city was first settled. She turned away and headed back towards the restaurant so that they wouldn't miss their appointment.

  The crowds slowly thinned out as they walked through the town and admired all the different fancy marble shops that lined the street. Aside from the odd sweet shop or blacksmith here or there, most of the shops were mainly general stores and boutiques for noble ladies.

  Aurora was taken aback at how clean the alleys were in this part of the city before she turned to look at the next main mysterious statue of their city. It depicted 3 dark black dragons that were trapped in a sort of cage. The statues appeared to be made out of some sort of metal but she couldn't be sure.

  Camilla urged Aurora to head to the restaurant as she felt anxious around all these upper class folks. After another brief moment of walking they arrived outside the tavern door when Camilla suddenly pulled away, unable to shake her unease as a look of worry adorned her face.

  “Are you sure about this? This place seems too expensive for us...” Her voice trailed off as she looked at the extravagant building before her. Gold and silver ornaments and decorations were plastered all over the sides of the marble building. Two stone statues of giant fish sat adorning two small ponds next to the entrance.

  They approached the fancy building; the two girls admiring just how fancy it was, Aurora turned heel towards Camilla and puffed out her chest. “Of course I am! I've been saving up for this day all year to give you the best!” A radiant smile shone in the eyes of the squire, which prompted a chuckle from her.

  “Fine, you win. Let's go eat then.”

  The duo swung the doors open, as they made their way inside they noticed a table in the back. They approached the table and took a seat, after a moment of looking through the menu. Aurora raised her hand and called for the waiter. "Hey sir!" The waiter approached them and bowed slightly, "What can I get for you?" Aurora hummed, "I’ll take a bowl of stew, a lean cut of meat, mead and bread."

  He nodded and turned to the other lady, “And for you miss?”

  Camilla thought for a moment, "I'll just have the same as her, sir.”

  “Very well, I’ll have that out shortly.” The waiter bowed and rushed back into the kitchen with their order, which left two girls alone to wait for the food. However they weren't left waiting for long as the waiter soon returned carrying the plates with their orders.

  The two girls smiled at each other as they dug into the food, after eating their fill they waved for the waiter to come and collect the empty dishes. Aurora patted her stomach, "That was delicious."

  Shortly after he dropped off the dishes the waiter returned “That will be 6 gold coins, please miss.”

  Aurora reached into her satchel and retrieved 6 gold coins. After handing them over, she turned and noticed her friend's pale face.

  Camilla shook as she mumbled to herself. “S-s-six gold c-c-coins…..”

  Aurora giggled at the sight before her ears twitched upon hearing snippets of nearby whispers.

  “Did you hear about what happened over in Arkend?”

  “No, what happened over there?”

  Her focus was broken by Camilla nudging her and gesturing for them to leave, however, Aurora turned back to hear more of the grim news, ignoring her in the moment.

  “I heard they were attacked by the Crimson Savages; they razed the entire place to the ground overnight.”

  “No way! Arkend has some of the best guards around! How could they lose to some mere bandits?”

  “Has anyone asked the city lord what we’re to do? Arkend is only a few miles south of us.”

  Aurora snapped away from eavesdropping once Camilla shook her shoulder. “Come on, it's time to head home.”

  “Come on, Camilla, do we really have to?” Aurora threw her arms up wide and gave the squire a bright smile. “It's not even noon yet. Why don't we go dress shopping or something? I know a great boutique that's just around the corner.”

  “You can do whatever you wish; however, I will be going to retrieve my book.” Camilla got up and made her way out of the tavern.

  Aurora crossed her arms before pouting. “Fine, let's go get your stupid book!” She got up and followed after her, catching up rather swiftly. She threw her arm around Camilla’s, interlocking them as they walked. The squire gave a strange look to her friend, shaking her head and walking ahead.

  As they walked towards the gates, they noticed more guards in the area than usual. Lots of supplies and weapons could be seen being moved to different areas atop the wall, and soldiers ran back and forth relaying orders.

  Camilla thought to herself It feels as if we’re preparing for a war, but that couldn't be right, could it? She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, she turned her attention back to the blue-haired elf who clung to her arm. She's cute like this. She sighed, not brave enough to actually voice her thoughts to her.

  They made their way along the riverbank, arms still linked at Aurora’s insistence to do so. Looking ahead, Camilla spotted her book still on the rock and let out a breath of relief. She rushed forward to retrieve it. Aurora’s lips formed a small pout at the loss of an arm to hold, yet she said nothing and followed after her.

  “Alright, now that you have your book, can we go dress shopping?” Aurora’s pleading tone sounded like honey in Camilla’s ears.

  Looking at her friend's face, she couldn't find it in her to deny it. “Fine, but only if you don't take eight years to decide on a dress.”

  “Yay! Let's go!” Aurora tugged at her arm as she bounced slightly in excitement. She paused when she looked at the expression of terror on Camilla’s face. “Hey, what's wrong? Don't tell me you've gotten cold feet so soon?” She teased.

  Camilla looked at her with a blank stare and in a low voice said, “The town’s on fire, Aurora.”