It had been a month since Sylas, Cassian, and Elira last saw one another.
Elira's days at Joana's house had followed the same gentle rhythm. Some mornings, she would sweep the backyard, other times the front yard, or wash clothes and dishes until her hands smelled faintly of soap and lavender. Occasionally, she accompanied Joana to the market to buy whatever food they could afford.
She had also stopped selling her handmade bracelets for now — Joana was worried that Elinor might come looking for her again and cause trouble, especially since Joana's son was away from home.
"Elira, do you have something you'd like to buy?" Joana asked, walking beside her through the capital's busy market. The air was thick with the smell of baked bread and roasted chestnuts. Silvia and Lucien, along with young Luke, had gone to Joana's house earlier to fetch some things. Silvia had decided to stay at her mother's home for a while, so Elira and Joana were assigned to do the shopping.
"No, I'm all right, Mrs. Joana. I've got everything I need," Elira replied with a smile, carrying a basket full of wheat and vegetables. The basket looked far too heavy for her, but she carried it with quiet determination. Joana, walking beside her, carried her own basket just as full.
After a while, Joana stopped, rummaged inside her basket, and pulled out a small brown box tied with a white ribbon. She handed it to Elira.
"My dear girl," Joana said softly, pressing the box into her hands. "Here… I know you'll love this."
"What is it, Mrs. Joana?" Elira asked curiously as she carefully untied the ribbon. When she lifted the lid, her eyes widened — the box was filled with glossy brown chocolates. Her golden eyes sparkled like candlelight, and she nearly drooled right then and there.
"Chocolate? Isn't this expensive, Mrs. Joana?" she asked shyly, though her fingers were already picking one up. She took a bite, her eyes closing in delight, one hand resting dramatically on her cheek.
Joana chuckled at the sight. "I'm glad you like it. Sylas asked me to buy you some if we ever visited the capital — he said chocolate was your favourite."
Elira froze mid-bite, her eyes blinking in surprise. "Sylas told you that?" she asked softly, her voice faltering.
She hadn't expected that — that he'd even remembered such a small thing about her. Her smile faded into something wistful as her thoughts wandered back to those quiet moments when Sylas used to hand her chocolates without a word, just because he noticed her staring at the shop window. She smiled faintly, half in longing, half in embarrassment at herself.
"Sylas can be so mysterious sometimes, Mrs. Joana," she murmured, her tone playful but gentle.
Joana smiled to herself, her gaze fixed ahead. "Not really…" she said, her voice tinged with warmth.
Elira tilted her head. "Why? How was Sylas before I came to live with you?" she asked curiously, adjusting her basket as they walked through the afternoon light. Her beige dress swayed slightly as she moved, the brown floral bodice fitting neatly around her waist. Her brown hair, tied back in a ponytail, caught the sunlight, and her delicate golden eyes gleamed with curiosity.
Joana, in her vintage lace-trimmed dress, looked every bit the kindhearted matron she was. Her silver hair was tied neatly in a bun, and her yellow eyes softened at the memory.
"Sylas was the same as you see him now," Joana began, "but when you came into our lives, my son started showing emotions I'd never seen before. He's always been a gentleman, especially to me — but since you arrived, there's something… different about him." She chuckled softly, shrugging her shoulders as if she couldn't quite find the right words to describe him.
Elira listened quietly, half smiling, half puzzled, trying to make sense of what Joana meant about Sylas's change.
"Anyway, Mrs. Joana," Elira continued, "how old are Sylas and Cassian now? And… how did you end up being Cassian's nanny?"
Joana's face brightened with amusement as she recalled the past. "Ah, that was a long time ago. Back when I worked as a war medic for the Royal Empire. Cassian was five years old then — fragile little boy, always ill. He caught fevers easily, coughed endlessly, poor thing. So, the Emperor and Empress appointed me to care for him personally, since I was skilled with herbs and remedies."
Elira's eyes widened slightly. It was hard to imagine Cassian — the strong, composed young man she knew — as a sickly child.
"I remember Sylas was eleven at the time," Joana continued, her tone softening. "He used to help me whenever Cassian fell ill — my little assistant, running around fetching herbs and bandages."
Elira laughed quietly. "And how did the two of them become so close?"
Joana's eyes twinkled. "Oh, that's a story. Every time I was called for another duty, Sylas would stay behind with Cassian. And whenever Cassian got scolded by his mother — the Empress could be quite strict — he'd come running to me, crying. If I wasn't around, he'd run straight to Sylas instead."
Joana laughed heartily, and Elira couldn't help but laugh too, covering her mouth with one hand. "Poor Sylas, always saving the crying Cassian," she giggled.
"Indeed!" Joana said, wiping a tear from laughing too much. "I still remember the time they went swimming at the lake behind the royal mansion. It was late at night, and they heard a strange noise in the bushes. Both of them bolted back to the mansion — stark naked!"
Elira burst out laughing, nearly doubling over. "Oh heavens, I can't even imagine Cassian like that!"
"And the funniest part," Joana continued between laughs, "was that it was the Emperor himself who scared them! He only wanted them inside before they caught a cold, so he made a little growling noise from the trees. From that night on, neither of them ever dared to go near that lake again!"
Elira laughed until her stomach hurt, her golden eyes glistening with mirth. "Their childhood sounds so precious, Mrs. Joana — and hilarious!"
"It truly was," Joana said fondly, still smiling as they walked.
As their laughter faded, Elira grew quieter. Deep down, she envied that kind of childhood — one filled with warmth, love, and silly memories. Her own had been far from it. Her mother had neglected her, leaving her to fend for herself in the slums, to find work while other children played.
Still, she smiled through the ache. "They're lucky, Mrs. Joana. To have grown up together like that," she said softly.
Joana looked at her kindly. "They are, my dear. But I think you'll find your own warmth soon enough."
Elira smiled faintly and nodded, clutching her basket a little tighter as they continued their peaceful walk down the golden street.
The sun was sinking low behind the rooftops of the capital, painting the streets in shades of amber and gold. After hours of wandering through the market, Elira and Joana finally decided it was time to head home. Their baskets, once heavy with goods, proof of a long but fruitful afternoon. The warm scent of roasted chestnuts and fresh bread still drifted through the air as they made their way toward the row of carriages waiting by the roadside.
Joana, ever the graceful lady, lifted her skirt slightly and stepped carefully into the carriage. "Come along, dear," she said warmly, settling herself by the window.
"Yes, Mrs. Joana," Elira replied, balancing her basket on one arm as she climbed the small carriage steps.
But before she could set foot inside, a familiar voice — soft yet trembling with excitement — called out behind her.
"Elira?"
The name echoed faintly over the noise of the market. Elira froze mid-step, her heart skipping. That voice… she knew it. Slowly, she turned around.
Her eyes widened. "Bea?!" she cried out, her voice a mix of disbelief and joy.
In an instant, she dropped her basket, ran down from the carriage, and threw her arms around Bea — the woman who had once been her companion and savior during their captivity in Mr. Morgan's bar.
Bea's eyes shimmered with tears as she hugged Elira tightly. "Elira… you're all right!" she breathed, her voice breaking with relief.
Elira pulled away slightly, holding Bea's hands in both of hers, her eyes bright and trembling with emotion. "How have you been? I thought I'd never see you again!" she said, smiling so wide that her cheeks ached.
"I'm fine now," Bea said softly, wiping the corners of her eyes with a shaky laugh. "It's just… I can't believe it's really you."
From inside the carriage, Joana leaned slightly out of the door, brows knitting in curiosity. She had been waiting for Elira to climb in, but the girl hadn't moved an inch.
"Elira, are you not coming?" Joana called out, tilting her head as she tried to see who had stopped her young companion.
Elira turned back, still smiling like a child who had just found her long-lost friend. "Oh! Mrs. Joana, this is Bea — the girl I met in the tavern… when we were abducted from the illegal auction." She gestured toward Bea proudly, as if introducing a hero.
Joana's expression softened immediately, her lips curling into a kind smile. "Oh, my dear… so you're the brave young lady who helped them escape?" she said warmly. "Would you mind joining us for dinner tonight?"
Bea blinked in surprise, her eyes wide. "D-Dinner? Oh no, I couldn't possibly—" she stammered, her hands fluttering in front of her in embarrassment. Her cheeks had already turned bright pink.
"Oh, come now, my girl," Joana said with a playful smile, waving off her refusal. "I insist. I owe you thanks for helping Elira and the other girls. You've done something I'll never forget."
Bea hesitated for a moment, her lips parting as if to argue — but Joana's eyes were so kind, so motherly, that she couldn't bring herself to say no. "Well… if you really don't mind, Madam," she said shyly, bowing her head.
"Splendid!" Joana said, clapping her hands once in delight. "Come, hop in before the driver grows old waiting for us."
Elira giggled and tugged Bea gently by the hand. "You heard her! Come on, before Mrs. Joana changes her mind!"
Bea laughed softly, still blushing, and followed her into the carriage. As the door shut and the horses began to move, Elira and Bea exchanged a look — one that spoke of relief, nostalgia, and the unspoken comfort of finding a friend after so long.
The road hummed beneath the wheels as they rode through the golden streets. Elira leaned closer and whispered with a grin, "You look even prettier than before, Bea. I almost didn't recognize you!"
Bea rolled her eyes with a little laugh. "Oh, stop it. look at you now, living like a proper lady."
Elira chuckled, pretending to fan herself dramatically. "A lady? Only when Mrs. Joana's watching."
Joana, overhearing, smiled and shook her head. "I heard that, young lady."
Both girls laughed, their laughter filling the small carriage with warmth and joy — a sound so pure that even the driver couldn't help but smile as he guided the horses home.
For the first time in a while, Elira felt something she hadn't in months — the soft, familiar feeling of being surrounded by people who truly cared for her.