[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/O3U4SBx.png[/img][/center][sub] In collaboration with [@The Muse]
Location: Elara's Home-->Royal Cabin[right]Interactions/Mentions: Eris, Kira ([@The Muse]) [/right][/sub][hr]
[indent]Elara’s gaze lingered on the diminishing silhouette of Flynn as he ventured into the frigid night, Amaya cocooned securely in his embrace. Her heart constricted as the door clicked shut behind them, leaving an almost tangible void in their wake. The room, though still bathed in the amber glow of the hearth, felt achingly hollow, the crackling fire a feeble balm against the icy tendrils of unease that coiled in her chest. Her fingers, trembling faintly, clung to the weathered doorframe, its rough grain pressing into her palms as she stared into the deserted street beyond. Flynn’s parting command reverberated in her mind, a beacon amidst the storm of her thoughts: “[color=#337d71][i]Find Eris Hightower.[/i][/color]”

Squaring her shoulders, Elara turned toward the hearth, her gaze briefly ensnared by the erratic dance of the flames. The gravity of the night pressed against her like a leaden shroud, but she willed herself to cast it off with a resolute inhale. There was no luxury of faltering, no room for hesitation—Amaya’s very survival hinged on the choices she made in these fleeting moments.

Making sure she had everything to deal with the cold first, Elara stepped out into the frosted night, her breath visible in the cold air. The faint creak of the door opening snapped Kira’s focus into place, causing her to straighten against the wall. The village lay shrouded in an uncanny stillness, each crunch of her boots against the frost-laden snow resonating like an intrusion upon the silence. Shadows sprawled across the narrow, deserted streets, their distorted shapes elongating beneath the feeble luminance of flickering lanterns. Overhead, the moon loomed in solitary majesty, its alabaster glow spilling across her path like an ethereal guide. She moved with a measured cadence, her head bowed, while her thoughts churned in relentless motion. Flynn’s urgency, so vividly etched into his voice and manner, lingered in her mind, and though his gratitude had been genuine, the enormity of his expectations settled heavily upon her shoulders.

Allowing Elara a moment to gain distance from the house, Kira silently moved into action. Her steps, quiet as a predator's, carried her deeper into the shadows as she began to trail her from a careful distance.

The memory of Kira’s admonition surfaced unbidden then, her words a spectre of caution piercing the still night: “[color=#dc561e][i]You’re not safe yet.[/i][/color]” 

The recollection sent an involuntary tremor coursing through her, an icy ripple that seemed to harmonize with the frozen air around her. But Elara’s resolve did not waver. With every step, she steeled herself, her focus narrowing on the distant silhouette of the tower Flynn had described—a promise of answers, sanctuary, or perhaps another peril awaiting her arrival. Only time, and hopefully a bit of luck, will tell. 

The rhythm of Elara’s heartbeat thrummed in Kira’s ears, quickened by nerves and fear, each beat part of a siren song that begged her to inch closer. Her pupils dilated, a chill running down her spine. It was maddening how easily Elara could be overpowered in this moment. With just a few strides, Kira could close the distance, pin her to the ground, and… Kira clenched her jaw, tilting her head sharply as if to physically banish the thought.

When Elara reached the Alchemy Chambers, Kira slowed her pace, slipping behind the shelter of a nearby tree. She pressed her back against its bark and turned away, lowering her head to keep her cursed, glowing eyes from betraying her position.

Steadying her breath, she attuned her senses to sound rather than sight. The faint knock of Elara's hand against the wooden door reached her ears, followed by a brief pause. Then, the door opened. 

[color=B1E4FC]“Lady Moonshadow,”[/color] Eris greeted, her voice tinged with surprise. She instinctively bowed, immediately recognizing Elara—the striking white-haried woman who was often seen at Princess Amaya’s side. [color=B1E4FC]“To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”[/color]

The invocation of her formal title elicited a faint but perceptible tremor of disquiet within Elara, though her outward demeanour remained a mask of composure. “[color=royalblue]I must extend my apologies for this unheralded arrival, Lady Hightower,[/color]” she began, her voice a balance of decorum and veiled urgency. “[color=royalblue]There’s been… an incident. I’ve come on behalf of the Prince. He requested that I inform you of the Princess’s condition and seek your aid.[/color]”

[color=B1E4FC]“An Incident?”[/color] Eris repeated, concern flashing in her eyes. Without hesitation, she stepped back from the door, reaching for a satchel and her heavy jacket hanging on a nearby coat hanger. Throwing them on, she stepped out into the chill. 
 
Locking the door behind her, she turned to Elara. [color=B1E4FC]"What happened? Are they safe? Where are they now?"[/color] The questions spilled out as she fell into step beside Elara, letting her take the lead. 

Elara adjusted her cloak against the biting cold, her breath puffing into the night air as she quickened her stride. “[color=royalblue]They’re safe for now,[/color]” she assured, though the tension in her voice hinted at the fragility of that truth. “[color=royalblue]The Princess is at their home. The Prince is with her. But the attack… It was unlike anything I’ve seen before.[/color]”

Eris’ breath hitched, and she whispered in shock, [color=B1E4FC]“You were there?”[/color]

Elara’s hands clutched the edges of her cloak tightly as she recounted the day’s events. “[color=royalblue]We were ambushed by a Blightborn.[/color]” Her words faltered momentarily as the image of Amaya’s blood-stained sleeve flashed in her mind. “[color=royalblue]He injected her with his own blood, claiming it was to communicate with her. But it was more than that. He invaded her mind, twisted her emotions…[/color]” She shook her head, her voice dropping to a whisper. “[color=royalblue]It was horrifying.[/color]”

Eris felt the blood drain from her face. Her mind raced, spiraling through every scrap of information she’d studied from the Prince’s interviews with the Blight-born. She grasped for any memory of such powers, but her thoughts came up empty, leaving her with only dread. This was something new.

She looked at Elara, spotting the distant look in her eyes. [color=B1E4FC]“Were you hurt at all?”[/color] she asked softly, frowning. It felt wrong to ask if Elara was okay—of course she wasn't. The look on her face was evidence enough. 

Elara’s stride faltered, her poise momentarily disrupted by the weight of Eris’s inquiry, but she recovered swiftly, her composure a fragile veneer hastily restored. Her glacial blue eyes flickered toward the Sage, their usual clarity clouded by an undercurrent of unease. “[color=royalblue]No,[/color]” she answered at last, though her voice trembled, a faint quaver betraying the tumult beneath her calm exterior. “[color=royalblue]Not in body, at least. Amaya shielded us, but…[/color]” Her sentence unravelled, her words dissolving into the stillness like snowflakes melting upon contact. The memory surged unbidden—jagged shards of ice hurtling through the air, crimson streaks unfurling like blossoms in the frost—each fragment sharp as a blade slicing through her consciousness.

She drew in a tremulous breath, the sound barely audible, her chest rising as though the effort cost her dearly. Her fingers curled tightly around the edges of her cloak, the fabric a poor barrier against the storm raging within. “[color=royalblue]It was close.[/color]” [i]Too close[/i]. 

Eris slowed her pace, hesitating briefly before resting a gentle hand on Elara’s upper arm. [color=B1E4FC]“I’m so sorry,”[/color] she murmured, her voice soft as she met Elara’s gaze, her brows knit together with genuine empathy. For a moment, she faltered, searching for the right words, though nothing felt adequate enough to ease whatever it was that Elara had witnessed. 

[color=B1E4FC]“I’m…. I’m glad you and the Princess are alive.”[/color] she said at last, withdrawing her hand as they continued down the dimly lit pathway. [color=B1E4FC]“If there’s anything I can do to help, anything at all…”[/color]

Elara offered Eris a faint, grateful smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “[color=royalblue]Your presence is already a comfort,[/color]” she said softly. 

The two women walked in silence for a time, their footsteps crunching softly against the frost-laden ground. The distant glow of the Prince’s cabin grew brighter with every step, standing out like a beacon against the darkened village. The biting chill of the air was tempered by the soft sound of the wind weaving through the trees, though neither spoke, their minds heavy with the weight of the day’s events.

As they rounded the final bend in the pathway, the cabin came into full view. Eris noted the unusually high number of guards patrolling the perimeter, their torches cutting through the darkness in the distance, and a sense of unease settled over her. 

The royal home’s sturdy frame was lit by the warm flicker of lanterns hanging by the doorway, their glow spilling across the fresh layer of snow like golden pools. Smoke curled from the chimney, a silent promise of warmth and shelter within.

Upon reaching the cabin’s threshold, Elara extended her hand and rapped lightly against the timeworn wood.

The door swung open almost immediately, revealing a guard who had clearly been on his way out. He straightened upon seeing the two women, his gaze flickering between them before offering a respectful nod.

[color=FA8072]“Lady Hightower, Lady Moonshadow,”[/color] he greeted them, though he offered no sense of warmth in his expression. He stepped back, allowing them to enter and escape the cold. [color=FA8072]“The Prince and Princess are upstairs, in the Princess’s chambers,”[/color] he continued, gesturing toward the stairs. [color=FA8072]“You may go right up.”[/color]

[color=B1E4FC]“Thank you,”[/color] Eris said softly, her voice touched with concern as she glanced toward Elara before stepping inside. She paused for a moment, her eyes scanning the candlelit interior of the cabin, taking in its heavy atmosphere. It was the first time she had ever set foot in the Prince’s home—she had always met him in the Alchemy Chambers, and she had little reason to be here. 

As she looked around, her thoughts turned to the Princess, someone she had heard much about but never truly held a conversation with. She had never seen the quiet, intimate side of their lives, nor felt the weight of their burdens as she did now. 

Elara followed Eris inside, pausing as a wave of familiarity mixed with unease swept over her. The cabin’s warm yet sombre atmosphere felt welcoming and heavy, like an echo of past moments shared within its walls, now overlaid with a fragile tension. Her gaze roved across the room, noting the subtle nuances she had come to recognize on previous visits: the mantle, intricately carved and adorned with modest keepsakes; the faint, lingering trace of Amaya’s favoured fragrance still clinging to the air; the neatly folded blankets draped over the back of a well-worn chair, a testament to enduring care despite the circumstances.

Having resumed his post by the door, the guard watched them silently as they removed their cloaks and stepped farther into the room. Elara’s hands moved on autopilot, carefully folding her cloak as her thoughts drifted. Her pale eyes flicked toward the staircase, her mind conjuring an image of Flynn’s probable earlier ascent, Amaya cradled protectively in his arms. The memory of his worried expression lingered, stirring a pang of guilt deep in her chest.

And yet, the ache wasn’t just guilt—it was layered, complex. Something about knowing Amaya was upstairs, her vitality sapped by the tribulations she had endured, tugged at Elara in ways she couldn’t fully articulate. She could almost see her friend now, a fragile silhouette of her once-resilient self, resting under the same roof yet feeling heartbreakingly distant.

Still, she straightened her posture, her hands folding together as she glanced at Eris. “[color=royalblue]Shall we?[/color]” she asked softly, her voice steady despite the undercurrent of emotion in her expression.

Eris nodded wordlessly, her eyes briefly meeting Elara's before she followed her up the stairs. The silence between them felt heavy, and as they ascended, a tight knot of anxiety began to form in her chest.

When they reached the Princess's chambers, a lone guard sat outside the closed door. He straightened at their approach, rising quickly and offering them a respectful nod. Without a word, he turned toward the door and knocked softly. 

[/indent]