The days that followed were quiet but warm. Alina and Elric stayed hidden in the forest, moving from place to place, living simply, away from royalty and responsibilities.
Alina laughed more now. She teased Elric when he tried (and failed) to cook, and he secretly watched her as she braided her hair by the river. He called her stubborn, she called him dramatic—and somewhere in all that bickering, they were falling deeply.
One night, as they lay under the stars on a hilltop, Elric asked softly, "Do you ever wonder how different your life would've been… if Lily had raised you?"
Alina blinked at the stars. "Every day."
She turned to him. "But if that had happened... I don't think I would've met you."
His heart skipped a beat.
"But," she added, eyes narrowing playfully, "I also wouldn't have had to deal with a grumpy king who talks in his sleep."
Elric groaned. "That was one time."
Alina laughed, but the moment shifted as Elric gently took her hand.
"I don't care where we come from," he said. "Or how broken our pasts are. I want to build something new—with you."
She stared at him, stunned, her heart fluttering in a way it never had before.
"Elric…" she began, but her voice trembled.
Suddenly, a shadow passed behind the trees. Elric stood immediately, protective. Alina followed, alert.
A cloaked figure stepped out, holding a scroll.
"For the lost princess," he said. "A message from the woman who raised you."
Raelynn.
Alina took it slowly, her fingers shaking as she unfolded the scroll. Her eyes widened.
"It's… an invitation to the palace. A peace offering," she whispered. "She says she wants to meet me again. As her daughter."
Elric's jaw tightened. "It's a trap."
"I know," Alina said. "But I need answers. About my mother. About everything."
Elric placed his hand over hers. "Then I'm going with you. Whatever happens… we face it together."