Author: Loki<3
The boy lay quietly on the seat across from me, chest slowly rising and falling. I hadn't stopped healing him since the knights found him collapsed on the road. His arms were scratched and bruised, and he looked like he hadn't eaten in days.
Outside the carriage window, soft rays of golden sunlight flickered through the trees. The road ahead curved into deeper parts of the forest. We still had days before reaching Alvareth.
Then — he stirred.
His fingers twitched slightly. His eyes opened, confused and cautious, scanning the space. When he saw me sitting nearby, hands still glowing with the remnants of a healing spell, he froze.
"It's alright," I said gently. "You're safe now. Do you remember your name?"
He hesitated for a long moment, then mumbled, "...Auren."
"That's a lovely name," I replied with a smile. "Do you remember what happened?"
Auren's eyes welled with tears as he nodded.
"Bandits… my parents… they— they tried to fight but..." he whispered, voice shaking. "They didn't make it."
He wiped at his face with his sleeves, but the tears kept falling.
"After that… I ran. I walked for days. People in the village nearby called me cursed. Because of my hair."
His fingers gripped the edge of his tunic. "They threw things at me."
I sat beside him and pulled a cloth from my satchel, gently wiping his tear-streaked cheeks.
"You've been through so much," I whispered. "More than a child ever should."
He sniffled but didn't look away from me — as if he didn't quite believe I was real.
"You're not cursed, Auren. You were just born into a world that doesn't always understand beauty when it's in front of them."
His head tilted slightly. His eyes, so similar to mine, studied me with quiet awe.
"You… look like me," he said after a pause. "But different. You feel... warm."
I gave a small laugh. "That's the magic, maybe."
The carriage bumped gently beneath us as the wheels passed over uneven dirt paths. I glanced down at his golden hair and pale skin — so close in appearance to my own. It was hard not to feel a strange pull toward him.
"Do you have a home to return to?" I asked softly.
He shook his head, shoulders curling inward. "Not anymore."
I found myself wondering, "how could a child carry such maturity?" My eyes lingered on Auren. I paused. My thoughts drifted for a moment — to the quiet estate where I was raised in Calvanthia, to the peaceful halls of my father's house, to the gardens I used to sneak into after lessons. Being born the only daughter of Duke Althas had granted me everything. Safety. Education. Affection.
And then the gods chose me.
"I live a life of perfection," I murmured, my gaze resting on Auren while thoughts of the slums I often visited lingered in my mind. Lowering my head in prayer, I entreated the gods once more and reminded myself to remain humble. Not everyone believed I deserved it. But they couldn't deny the miracles.
I returned my gaze to Auren, his eyes wide and uncertain.
"If you'd like," I said gently, "you may come with me."
He blinked. "With you?"
"Yes. Once my duties in Alvareth are complete, I will return to the Holy Empire. You may come with me to the Grand Temple — there is room for another. If you will allow it… I would like to raise you as my own."
His lips parted in disbelief. "You would really do that for me?"
"Of course. You deserve a warm bed and food every night. A place where no one throws stones at you for being different."
He wiped his eyes again, but this time it was through a shaky smile.
"Then… yes. Please. I'll stay."
Later that night, we camped in the woods. The holy knights had already set up a fire and tents. Auren leaned against my side, wrapped in a spare cloak, watching the sparks dance into the dark sky.
The wind was gentle. The trees whispered softly.
I looked down at the boy beside me and wondered — was this a chance? Coincidence? Or had something… or someone… brought him across my path?
Whatever it was, the result was simple:
He wasn't alone anymore. And I, Seraphina Everen Althas, had spoken words that would not easily be undone.