Fenglan had remained beside her.

He wasn't entirely sure when the decision had been made. There had been no conversation, no formal promise, no grand declaration of loyalty. He had simply... stayed.

Something within him had insisted that leaving her now would be wrong. That after finding her, after the strange connection that had formed between them, he could not simply turn around and walk away as though she were another stranger encountered along his journey.

He needed to stay. To care for her. To protect her.

The last thought made something cold settle in his stomach.

Protecting her should have been simple. It was something he had been trained for his entire life. As the eldest prince, he had been raised with the expectation that he would one day protect an entire kingdom. Yet the idea of protecting her felt different. More personal. More terrifying.

Because suddenly there was something he could lose.

Fenglan walked quietly alongside Sindri, his dark figure keeping close without crowding her. He had listened more than he spoke throughout their journey, finding himself strangely content simply to exist beside her. She was kind. Patient. Somehow, impossibly, she had made him feel understood without demanding that he explain himself.

And that was dangerous.

Because Fenglan had arrived in Mythris with a purpose.

He was supposed to find allies for his homeland. He was supposed to gather information, make connections, and accomplish the duty entrusted to him.

Instead, he had found Sindri.

...And he had stayed.

Perhaps that wasn't such a terrible thing.

There was no one here to watch him. No tutors correcting his every mistake. No courtiers waiting for him to say the wrong thing. No parents reminding him what a prince ought to be. His kingdom was far away, his mission uncertain, and for the first time in his life there were no watchful eyes demanding that he perform.

Surely no one could fault him for getting a little distracted.

At least, that was what he told himself.

When Sindri finally pulled herself from the water, Fenglan glanced toward her, his ears flicking at the happy wag of her tail. He caught the bright expression she gave him before she turned her attention toward the others.

Then came her song.

Fenglan listened in silence.

There was something almost mesmerizing about the sound of her voice carried beneath the cloudy sky. His expression softened, though exhaustion remained evident around his eyes. He had spent so long being responsible for everything that simply following someone else's lead felt strangely restful.

And, thankfully, Sindri seemed perfectly willing to do the talking.

Fenglan was deeply grateful for that.

He looked toward her, then toward the unfamiliar figures awaiting them, and his stomach twisted.

Oh.

So this was the part where he had to meet her family.

His gaze lowered briefly. Perhaps he should say something. Introduce himself. Explain why he was here. Explain why he had remained at Sindri's side for so long.

The thought alone made his anxiety spike.

Instead, Fenglan merely looked down at Sindri and offered her a small, weary smile. It was nervous around the edges, almost apologetic, his crimson eyes quietly asking for assistance without actually having to say the words.

His shoulder brushed her body lightly, gently. He stayed close. And then, very quietly, he murmured beneath his breath—

...Please do most of the talking. His ears flattened. I don't know what I'm supposed to say.

Sindri