Extra Chapter 17 – Precious Little Moments (POV Luna)
The morning light filtered through the tall windows of our chambers, casting golden streaks over the plush carpet. The air smelled of lavender and honey, the faint scent of morning tea lingering as I cradled Aurora against my chest. She was warm, soft, her little body curled against me as if I were her entire world.
Maybe, for now, I was.
I had always believed that happiness was something fleeting—something to be chased but never truly held. I had spent years fighting, surviving, carving my path through blood and war. Even after peace came, after the crown settled upon my head, I still felt that unshakable instinct to fight, to defend.
But now, as I sat on the velvet chaise by the window, Aurora's tiny fingers wrapped around mine, I realized that happiness wasn't some distant victory to be won.
It was this.
It was the way the morning light turned Rhydian's hair to liquid gold as he stood by the crib, watching us with a tenderness that made my heart ache.
It was the way Aurora's tiny chest rose and fell, her warmth seeping into me, anchoring me in the moment.
It was the sound of quiet laughter, the kind that only belonged to homes filled with love, not battle.
I had spent so long preparing for war. But now, I was learning how to exist in peace.
And I was beginning to love it.
The soft cooing sound drew my gaze downward, and I smiled as Aurora blinked up at me, her bright, curious eyes taking in the world with a wonder I had never known.
"Good morning, my little star," I whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
A deep chuckle rumbled across the room. "She looks at you like you hung the moon," Rhydian murmured, his voice still husky from sleep.
I looked up to find him leaning against the bedpost, arms crossed, watching us with the kind of expression that made my stomach flutter.
"You say that as if it isn't true," I teased.
He pushed off the bed and walked toward me, reaching down to trace a finger over Aurora's cheek. She made a soft sound, kicking her legs in excitement at her father's touch.
Rhydian exhaled softly. "She's getting so big already."
I nodded. "I know." My voice was barely a whisper. "It feels like just yesterday she was small enough to fit in the crook of my arm."
His hand found mine, threading our fingers together. "Time moves too fast," he murmured.
I squeezed his hand. "Then let's make sure we don't waste a second of it."
The garden was quiet in the late afternoon, the air heavy with the scent of blooming roses and freshly cut grass.
Aurora lay nestled in a woven bassinet beside me, her tiny breaths even, lost in dreams. The sight of her—so perfect, so peaceful—made something deep inside me unfurl.
Across from me, Rhydian lounged on the grass, leaning back on his elbows, watching the clouds shift overhead. For once, there was no tension in his shoulders, no weight of responsibility pressing down on him.
I wanted to bottle up this moment, tuck it away somewhere safe where war and duty could never touch it.
"You're staring," Rhydian mused, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Maybe," I admitted, tilting my head. "It's rare to see you looking so...relaxed."
He laughed, reaching out to tug playfully at the hem of my dress. "You act like I don't know how to enjoy peace."
I arched a brow. "You didn't. Not before."
He didn't argue.
Instead, he shifted, turning his gaze toward Aurora. "You changed everything."
I followed his gaze, my chest tightening at the sight of our daughter.
She had, hadn't she?
She had turned us from warriors into something softer, something whole.
"She's the best thing we've ever done," I murmured.
Rhydian sat up, leaning in, his breath warm against my cheek. "You both are."
I closed my eyes, savoring the warmth of his touch, the quiet peace settling between us.
For so long, I had believed that happiness was something fragile, something that could be stolen away in the blink of an eye.
But now—
Now, I chose to believe that this was real.
That this peace, this love, this family we had built, was ours to keep.
And for the first time in my life, I wasn't afraid to hold onto it.