As the days lazily slipped into weeks, the weight of tension and danger that had once pressed so heavily against Raya and Kaius's shoulders finally began to lift, melting into something they both barely recognized at first—normalcy.
It was cautious at first, tentative as a newborn fawn, but slowly, day by day, a routine rooted itself into their lives, simple and sacred: quiet breakfasts stolen before the day could claim them, long walks through the castle gardens with their pup bundled between them, soft laughter echoing through halls once accustomed only to the click of boots and sharp commands.
It was a peace that felt almost fragile, as if one wrong move might shatter it all over again, but neither of them dared question it, holding onto it as if it were the most precious thing in th
