Elian woke slowly. Not peacefully-no. There was a strange heaviness in his body, like sleep had held him too tightly and only just let go. His brows drew together as he shifted beneath the covers, the silken sheets cool against his skin. Something felt... off. His lips hurt. He frowned, lifting a hand to touch them gently. A sharp, unfamiliar soreness lingered there, like a bruise that hadn't fully formed. He pressed lightly, confusion knitting deeper across his face. "...What?" It didn't make sense. He hadn't fallen. Hadn't been in a fight. And yet the sensation was real-subtle, but impossible to ignore. As though something had happened... something his mind couldn't quite reach. A faint unease settled in his chest. Before he could think further- Knock. Knock. Elian startled slightly, sitting up. "Come in," he called, his voice still filled with sleep. The door opened, and a familiar figure stepped inside. Mira. She entered with her usual gentle brightness, balancing a tray in one hand, though her eyes immediately softened when they landed on him. "You're awake," she said with a small smile. "Good. I was worried I'd have to drag you out of bed myself." Elian let out a quiet breath, some of the tension easing from his shoulders. "Mira..." There was comfort in seeing her. Something steady in the middle of everything unfamiliar. "You look like you didn't sleep well," she added, stepping closer and setting the tray down. Elian hesitated. "I... don't think I did," he admitted. His fingers brushed his lips again unconsciously. "Something feels strange." Mira noticed. Her gaze lingered-just for a second too long. But then she smiled, light and easy, as if nothing was wrong. "First night nerves, maybe. This place does that to people." "Maybe," Elian murmured, though he wasn't convinced. There was something he couldn't explain. Something just out of reach. Mira clapped her hands softly, shifting the mood. "Well, no time to dwell on it. I'm here to get you ready." Elian blinked. "Ready?" "For breakfast," she said, as though it were obvious. "With the King." Silence. "Elian?" she prompted when he didn't respond. "With the... King?" he repeated, slower this time. "Yes," Mira said, tilting her head. "You were summoned. Personally." That uneasy feeling returned-stronger now. "Why would he want to see me?" Elian asked quietly. Mira gave a small shrug, though there was something knowing behind her eyes. "That, I don't know. But when the King calls, you don't keep him waiting." Elian swallowed. King Kael Draven. Dangerous. And yet... For a brief, fleeting second, Elian's fingers brushed his lips again. A strange warmth flickered in his chest. Gone as quickly as it came. "Alright," he said finally, pushing the feeling aside. "I'll go." Mira's smile returned, softer this time. "Good. Come on-we don't want your first royal breakfast to start with you looking like you just rolled out of a storm." Elian huffed faintly at that, but allowed her to guide him. As she moved around the room-preparing water, laying out clothes-his gaze drifted toward the window. The Citadel stretched far beyond it, towering and endless. Beautiful. And suffocating. Something had changed the moment he arrived here. He could feel it. Like invisible threads tightening around him... pulling him toward something he didn't yet understand. ------------ In a chamber lined with dark stone and shadow- King Kael Draven stood by the window, watching the same morning light creep across the horizon. His expression was unreadable. But his fing ers lifted-just slightly-brushing over his own lips. A slow, almost imperceptible smile followed. "Wake up, little mate..." he murmured under his breath. "Let's see if you remember me."
