“Well…” Loren sighed and trailed off.
Soon after the Sagnian people came to crowd around her, congratulating the princess and thanking them all for saving them from the wrath of the mountain, Lind woke from his short rest, stood, and roared. The dragon’s mighty roar shook the earth, startling everyone and forcing them to cover their ears from the sheer volume of the sound. The wall of dragonfire that held back the cooled lava dispersed, letting some small gushes of molten rock through the gaps. They cooled quickly and were not a threat.
The dragon roared a second time, drowning out the sound of Loren’s cries of confusion. Lind glanced at the princess with his shining golden eyes, and took to the sky without her. He flew towards the western sky, back to where Loren knew Castle Aldoran lay.
“I really don’t know.” Loren continued. “I asked Lind to calm and stay, maybe to help us. But he went off on his own. I don’t know, Spymaster. It was like I couldn’t hear him anymore, when just minutes ago I could, so clearly.”
“Hear him, my lady?” Spymaster Isran looked at the princess curiously.
Loren struggled to hold the Spymaster’s gaze. “An effect of the dragon magic, I think. It was mother who explained to me that the Cyrael bloodline itself carries a tie to the dragon. Or was it Seraphis?”
“Seraphis? How curious.”
“Anyway. Lind flew off on his own. I don’t know where he went, probably back home without us. Do you think he would communicate with mother the same way he did with me?”
The Spymaster’s head swayed on his shoulders, unsure. “I noticed your pendant is shattered and gone, my lady. And you mother the queen has not been the bearer of the pendant for years. Who knows what magics are gone and what remain. I am no mage, there are limits to even my own information.”
Loren nodded, deep in thought. She stared at a spot just above her horse’s head, letting the repetitive motion of the horse’s gait soothe her as her imagination wandered. Her attention snapped back to the present after a few minutes of staring at the path by the sound of a bag being shaken.
When she looked up, the Spymaster was holding out a small bag to her. “I’ve forgotten I still had this. For you, my lady. May it ease your troubled mind, even for a while.” His kind smile stretched the scar above his eyebrow. Loren beamed, already knowing what was in it.
The princess snatched the bag from Spymaster Isran’s hands and looked inside. She pulled out a round, red piece of candy and popped it into her mouth. Loren let out a childish giggle as she pushed the candy into her cheek. “Cherry candies! Spymaster, thank you!”
Spymaster chuckled. “Your favorite candies since you were a child. I’m glad something as simple as candies can still bring a smile to your face, my lady. Especially since you have gone through so much.”
Loren tilted her head, letting the cherry candy melt in her mouth and coat her tongue. “It is a simple thing, and I suppose that is why, Spymaster. It reminds me of when things were simple, I suppose.”
The princess had such a look of melancholy on her face, that the Spymaster could not help but smirk and raise a brow when he saw the movement of another horse coming up behind her. Isran chuckled. “Do not despair about these current times, my lady. Though I understand your view, things are much, much better than they were for you.”
“What?” Loren asked. Spymaster Isran only laughed and spurred on his horse to catch up with Warmaster Sairus at the front. The princess clutched the bag of candy closed with one hand, the other holding the reins. “Spymaster! What did you mean by that?” she called.
“Princess!” Kae called as she unsteadily pulled her horse up beside Loren’s. “Princess, are you alright?” she asked.
Loren looked to her side when Kae came up, and immediately realized the meaning of the Spymaster’s words.
“Loren?” Kae asked curiously. “Seriously, are you alright? Your face is red.”
“W-What!” Loren hurriedly looked away, rubbing awkwardly at her burning cheeks. She held out the bag from the Spymaster to Kae. “Here! Spymaster gave me candy! Have some!”
“Oh? Huh, thanks.” Kae took the bag, a concerned look written on her face. She slowly popped a candy into her mouth. “This tastes good. Thank you, princess.”
“Loren.”
“Excuse me?”
“Please Kae, just call me Loren. We’ve been through enough to do away with formalities.”
Kae said nothing at first. She looked to the princess, her eyes searching the other woman’s face as if seeing her for the first time. Then, she smiled. It was a small smile, honest and joyful. “Loren.”
“Yes?” Loren felt the blush rising in her cheeks again.
“Would you like to know something I’ve noticed about you?”
“Of course I would!” Loren huffed. “What are you hiding?”
“You look a lot calmer now.” Kae mused. The huntress moved the hard cherry candy around in her mouth. “Your shoulders are less tense, your guard is down while you’re surrounded by the soldiers and the Masters. You look good.”
“I…look good?”
“Well, yes.” Kae’s horse walked into a dip in the road, and the huntress started, trying to catch herself. “You’re more relaxed now that you’re on the way home. You’ve done so much good, princess. Not just for other people, or an entire kingdom, but for yourself.”
“For myself? I don’t understand. Everything I’ve done was for my mother, or for Kaiten or—“
Kae laughed. “Calm down! You’re selfless to a fault, Loren. Lighten
