Alauna POV
Alauna woke before dawn, as she always did, and headed for the shower. A few minutes later, she emerged refreshed and dressed for training. She pulled on a black sports vest, fitted black yoga pants, and a pair of black joggers. Slipping a headset over her ears, she made her way toward the gymnasium assigned to their group.
Training before sunrise was a discipline she had imposed upon herself years ago, and she rarely missed a session.
As she approached the gymnasium, a flicker of movement caught her eye through the transparent walls of the building.
Someone was already inside.
A puzzled frown crossed her face as she quickened her steps.
Who would be training this early?
Alauna narrowed her eyes, trying to make out the person's features.
Huh?... Isn't that Leo?
Her brows rose slightly in surprise.
Of all the people she had expected to find in the gym before sunrise, Leo was not one of them.
She stopped for a moment, watching him through the glass as he continued his workout, unaware of her presence.
The determination in his movements was unmistakable.
Alauna remained where she was for a few moments, observing him. It was only after a while that she realized she had been staring.
A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
"What am I doing?" she muttered under her breath.
Shaking her head, she tried to push away the thoughts forming in her mind. Taking a steadying breath, she pushed open the gymnasium doors and stepped inside.
The spacious hall was quiet, save for the faint hum of the equipment and the soft rhythm of Leo's breathing.
He sat near one of the training stations, his head tilted slightly upward, his eyes closed as though lost in thought.
Alauna slowed her pace as she approached him.
"Leo," she called softly.
There was no response.
Her brows furrowed.
He hadn't heard her.
She took a few more steps forward. Up close, she could see that he seemed far away, completely absorbed in whatever occupied his mind.
"Leo," she called again, a little louder this time.
Still nothing.
For a moment, she simply stood there, studying him. The usually composed young man looked strangely vulnerable.
Alauna hesitated before reaching out her hand toward his shoulder.
She gently tapped Leo on the shoulder.
Leo jolted slightly, his eyes snapping open as he turned toward her.
"Oh... Alauna."
An awkward smile found its way onto his lips as he scratched the back of his head.
"I didn't hear you come in."
"I noticed," Alauna replied with a small smile as she lowered herself onto the bench beside him.
For a few seconds, silence hung between them.
"You seemed... somewhere else," she said at last, her voice calm. "Is something bothering you?"
Leo glanced at the floor before letting out a quiet chuckle.
"It's nothing serious," he replied with a shrug. "Just thinking."
Leo turned to her, a hint of curiosity replacing the distant look in his eyes.
"Enough about me," he said. "How about you tell me something about yourself?"
"About me?" Alauna asked, slightly bewildered as she pointed at herself.
Leo nodded.
"We've been grouped together, but I barely know anything about you. So... who exactly is Alauna Saccharo?"
Alauna blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the question.
"That's true."
She looked ahead at the empty gym, a thoughtful smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she wondered where to begin.
"Alauna began."
"So, as you already know, I am Alauna Saccharo, a daughter of the Saccharo family and the only child of the current family head."
Leo lifted an eyebrow. He hadn't expected her to have such a prestigious background within the Saccharo clan.
"Why are you reacting like that?" she asked with a small laugh. "It's the same with that crush of yours."
Leo's eyes widened.
He and Avril had been friends for years, and he could confidently say that he knew her well. But he had never imagined that her background ran that deep.
Alauna smiled at his expression.
"Let me continue."
"I grew up in this very city, experiencing all its wonders. People might think I lived the life of a princess surrounded by comfort."
She paused briefly.
"Well, they wouldn't be completely wrong. I did live the life of a princess... but not one surrounded by comfort alone. More like a princess of a warrior tribe."
A wiry grin appeared on her face.
"As the heir of the Saccharo family, everything I did was reflected on the clan. Everywhere I went, people didn't see me as Alauna. They saw me as the sole heir of the Saccharo family."
Her eyes softened slightly.
"My dad treated me like his little princess, but he also made sure I understood what it meant to be an heir of a Legacy family."
Her expression grew slightly melancholic.
"My mum went missing some time ago. No one knows whether she is dead or alive."
Leo's expression dimmed as he heard those words. Before he could say anything, Alauna continued.
"I learned the ways of the Saccharo clan, quickly internalizing the precision, agility, and stealth that we are known for in the martial world."
"People think it's because I'm talented. Well... I am talented," she admitted with a small chuckle, "but where I am today wasn't achieved through talent alone. It was built through hard work."
"Not just me either. All six of us worked hard to get where we are."
She looked at Leo and giggled.
"Of course, you are a different beast altogether."
Leo gave a small smile at the comment.
"Avril has been my closest friend since childhood, and our families have always had a good relationship as well. She is one of the few people who sees me as Alauna without the title."
Alauna touched the headset resting over her ears.
"I love listening to music. As you can see..."
She gestured toward the headset.
"And I love everything purple."
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
"Especially purple plushies. They are soooo cute!"
Leo looked at her with a strange smile.
Who would have thought that this seemingly proud and disciplined girl, the heir of one of the most influential Legacy families, liked something as cute as plushies?
{Geez man, allow her. She's a girl, you know.}
Primo's voice suddenly sounded in his mind, reprimanding him.
"Well, that's pretty much all there is to know about me," Alauna said with a soft chuckle. "I'm a pretty plain person."