With a dismimssive sigh, Asher finished dressing and promtly headed out. He was glad that the training session was indoors, likely a consideration on the Vice Captain’s part. 

He headed to the indoor training grounds, bumping into some trainess on the way. When they spotted him, their faces dimmed. 

“Agh... We have that loafer again.” They muttered under their breaths while sighing boredly.

Asher’s greeting smile twitched, perfectly hearing their whispering complaints. 

None of the trainees took him seriously. Still, he tried his best. 

“Good afternoon.” Asher greeted them anyway as they walked past him with a dismissive wave. He sighed lightly, then heard a murmur voices from down the corridor. Sparing a glance, he spotted some familiar knights walking across. 

Sir Rowan and Javier?

And then, a short woman in a fluffy cloak covering her entire frame walked by them in step. Pink and green thread embroidered the white velvet in a floral design. Hair like gold threads glinted under the candlelight in the dim corrido as she walked past. He thought he caught a pair of eyes like pink diamonds. 

A sensation washed over Asher as his eyes landed on her. 

That person…

The briefest glimpse he caught of the lady disappeared as quickly as it had come. He wanted to look more, his heart twisting with an unknown feeling. It was something like curiosity…, rather, he wanted to know if it was merely curiosity. 

There was something about the new princess he couldn’t land.

Asher wanted to take another look. He had the sense that this confusing emotion would be cleared if he could just see the princess’s face clearly.

“Heyy, Sir Asher!” The trainees from earlier, now a few paces ahead, had stopped and turned. They looked at Asher with waiting eyes, wondering why he had suddenly stopped on the way to training.

Asher’s shoulders dropped slightly in defeat. He sighed, mentally shaking his head. It was fine. He would run into the princess eventually. 

He buried the sense of intrigue in the back of his mind, and headed towards the training ground. 

***

Lunaria gazed aimlessly at her surroundings. Tall walls of a bone-white stone, occasionally supported with dark mahogany planks and decorated with flower vases or long swords mounted onto them, surrounded her. She could feel a slight coldness in the air of the corridor she walked down, though she couldn’t tell whether it was a draft, or simply the chill of the North that was now covered in snow. 

Under the flickering candles, which had been lit even during the greying day, she walked between two knights.

In front of her was the man she had first met after some people who appeared to be the head butler and head maid. The man was dressed formally in a dark red suit and a black cape with embroidered hems hanging from his shoulders; rose gold buttons dotted his suit and braided cords strung from one shoulder to another. He was dressed similarly to the bear-like knight guarding behind her, whose name she didn’t catch. The mute knight simply arrived and followed seemingly predetermined instructions. The only difference between the two was the number of medals strapped to the knight’s chest in front of her. Lunaria couldn’t catch all of them, but the knight had a number of medals.

But of course, because he was none other than Sir Javier Bloom. Sir Javier the Slayer of Darkness. Sir Javier the Storm Knight. She had heard whispers of his many names during the few times she spent at the Imperial Palace in the Capital. Sir Javier, who had helped defeat the demonic beasts of the north during the Great Subjugation. He had become the Vice Captain of the Northern imperial order, the Benesse Guard, after his many achievements. 

More notably though, he was the Chief Aide to His Royal Highness, the First Prince, Lucien Avery Benesse.

In other words, her husband who she had just married. 

Perhaps that was why Lunaria couldn’t stop her heart from pounding in her chest. 

“We apologise for the lack of preparation, my Lady.” Javier spoke while slightly looking over his shoulder. He seemed to speak purely out of courtesy, as if it was his duty to apologise. 

“You arrived earlier than expected, so the preparations hadn’t been completed. However, your bedroom has been arranged. If there is anything amiss, please inform Sir Rowan.” 

So that was the big knight’s name. 

The bedroom Javier had mentioned was the place the three were heading to. At the very least, they had readied that much. Lunaria could still see maids and manservants quietly running around the castle. But there was something which bothered her. 

“Ah… Will I not be staying with His Highness?” Her innocent voice rang out. Javier slowed, almost halting before realising that reaction would have been too much. 

He cleared his throat unsurely. 

“That… It’s customary for the Lord and Lady of the castle to sleep in their respective rooms.” He spoke carefully as they approached a curving staircase. On the walls, windows showed images of the white outside under the dark sky. The castle grounds with shovelled snow were slowly beginning to be painted white again. 

Lunaria went red in the face. 

“Oh! I’m sorry…! I’m not aware of the North’s traditions…” She flustered out, clutching at her skirt under her velvet robe.

Javier looking back shot a glance at Rowan. They seemed to share a gaze. It was a gaze which couldn’t believe what it saw, and had become more cautious than ever. 

“Even in the Capital, there are noble families which practice it...” Javier said. “Though there are also some who don’t. It’s understandable if you didn’t know.” He had a tone of consideration for her lack of knowledge, though it only made Lunaria more embarrassed, her pink eyes creasing as her brows furrowed. 

They walked a little more. Soon, They arrived in a large corridor with a pair of doors. The mahogany planks were large and elaborately carved, the golden handles equally intricate. To her surprise, there was a maid standing outside.

As soon as the three approached, the maid bowed. 

“This is your room, my Lady.” Javier stated. The maid opened the doors for them. Sure enough, the room was sparkling clean, every inch of the large space. There was a grandiose bed, and expensive looking furniture. It was a big difference to the rest of the castle. The dark wood floor was covered with a reddish carpet with colourful patterns. The windows which seemed to be refurbished, reached ceiling height, allowing what little light the winter allowed to flood in. Battling the darkening day was a large chandelier that had been lit already. 

With a flushed face after walking through the extensive castle, Lunaria stopped in the room. 

She wondered if her husband’s room looked similar. Being the Prince of the Empire and leader of the north, surely his room would be even more beautiful than hers?

“Then, please get some rest, my Lady.” Javier then gestured to the maid who bowed again. “If you need anything, call on Elene. Sir Rowan will also be outside.” 

For a while Lunaria said nothing. Then she nodded with her red cheeks.

“Thank you, Sir Javier.

Javier stared at her. Her coral gaze had seemed to have dulled since they entered the bedroom. A flicker of wariness passed through his jade green eyes, one that Lunaria had missed. But he promptly bowed his head. 

“Yes, my Lady.” With that, he walked out of the room with Sir Rowan, Elene staying behind. With a click, the room fell into silence, as silent as the northern snow that drifted to the ground.