{Third Person}
The journey did not take long, but the closer they got, the more the atmosphere outside began to change.
By the ti the carriage finally slowed to a stop, the difference was clear.
The hunting grounds stretched wide and open, a vast field bordered by dense forest, with large tents already set up in neat formations.
Banners bearing the royal crest swayed gently in the morning breeze, and the area was alive with movent—guards stationed at intervals, nobles arriving in their own carriages, attendants leading horses, and clusters of werewolves gathering in groups, their energy noticeably heightened.
This was not just an event. It was a spectacle.
Alexander stepped out first. Amara followed shortly after, careful with her footing as she descended. The mont her feet touched the ground, she felt the shift.
Many eyes were on her. So were curious, so were assessing, while so were not even bothering to hide their disapproval.
Amara kept her posture steady, her chin slightly lifted, her expression calm despite the weight of attention pressing down on her.
Her outfit, though different from what the others wore, carried a quiet elegance that made it difficult to openly criticize without seeming petty.
Still, that did not stop the whispers.
"Is that her...?"
"The human bride..."
"She is dressed like that for the Hunt?"
Amara pretended not to hear. Beside her, Alexander said nothing, his presence alone enough to keep most from stepping out of line. But not everyone.
Queen Lysandra approached them. She moved with grace, her presence commanding without effort, her gaze settling on Amara almost imdiately. There was a faint smile on her lips, but it did not reach her eyes.
"So," she began lightly, her tone smooth, "this must be what you chose to wear."
Amara turned to face her and curtsied politely. "Your Majesty."
Lysandra’s gaze swept over her from head to toe, slow and deliberate. "I recall sending you appropriate outfits for today," she continued. "Or did they not et your standards?"
The words were gentle, but the intent was not.
For a brief mont, the air around them tightened, a few nearby nobles subtly slowing their movents, clearly listening.
Amara straightened her back. There was no panic in her expression this ti, and definitely no hesitation.
"My apologies, Your Majesty," she said calmly. "My pet ruined the outfits that were sent. I had no choice but to prepare sothing similar as soon as possible. Fortunately, the designer did not disappoint."
A very brief, but very noticeable pause followed as Lysandra’s expression stilled.
It was clear she had not expected that answer, both the excuse, the composure and the quiet confidence with which it was delivered.
She didn’t respond. And in that second, the shift in power, however small, was felt. Her smile faltered, just slightly.
Before she could recover, Elowen’s voice cut in, bright and cheerful as ever, "Mother."
She appeared almost out of nowhere, already moving, already smiling, already closing the distance between them.
Without waiting for permission, she slipped her arm through Amara’s and gently pulled her away.
"Excuse us," Elowen said lightly, not even giving Lysandra the chance to object.
Then, as if the mont had never been tense at all, she turned to Amara with an appreciative look.
"You look lovely," she said, her eyes lighting up. "I like this on you much better."
Amara blinked, slightly caught off guard by the sudden shift, then smiled. "Thank you."
Elowen leaned in a little, lowering her voice just enough to make it feel like a shared secret.
"My friends are here," she said, her excitent barely contained. "Co quickly before the Hunt starts."
And just like that, the tension dissolved.
Elowen didn’t wait for another word. She guided Amara along with her, effortlessly weaving them through the crowd, away from watching eyes, away from judgnt, and straight toward a familiar group waiting in the distance.
Where the energy felt entirely different, warr and lighter.
"There they are," Elowen said, her tone brightening as she lifted her hand slightly.
Her friends had already spotted them. A few of them straightened, others raised their hands in greeting, and just as expected, Kael moved first.
He stepped forward without hesitation, closing the distance between them in a few strides. His gaze settled on Amara almost imdiately, and there was a clear warmth in his expression.
"You made it," he said, his voice carrying that sa easy familiarity as before.
Amara nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "I did."
Kael’s eyes briefly swept over her outfit in open curiosity. "You look..." he paused, as if searching for the right word, then gave a small nod. "Different. But it suits you."
Before Amara could respond, one of the others chid in from behind him.
"You are just in ti," one of them said. "We were arguing."
"Debating," another corrected.
"It was not a debate," a third cut in. "You were wrong."
Amara blinked slightly, caught off guard. Elowen rolled her eyes. "Ignore them. What is it this ti?"
"Which route gives the best advantage at the start?" Soone asked imdiately. "Forest edge or open field."
"Elowen, tell them I’m right," another added quickly.
"You are not," she said without hesitation.
"That’s because you always take the risky path," Kael said, glancing at her.
"And it works," Elowen shot back.
"Until it doesn’t," soone muttered.
Amara watched them go back and forth, the ease in their conversation pulling her in before she even realized it.
"You have done this before?" she asked, looking between them.
"Every year," one of them said.
"Since we were old enough to keep up," another added.
"So of us still can’t," soone else muttered, earning a shove.
Amara smiled faintly. "It sounds intense," she said.
"It is. But that is the whole point," Kael replied, his tone more grounded now.
"There is strategy," another added. "You don’t just run in blindly."
"You should co riding with us again before winter," one of them said so suddenly. "Properly this ti."
Amara nodded. "I would like that."
"You say that now, but wait until you see how cold it gets," another said.
"She will manage," Kael said simply. There was certainty in the way he said it.
Amara glanced at him briefly, then looked away. ’I’m not misreading these signals, right?’
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