The past few days passed like warm wind drifting through the valley.
Morning after morning, the planting fields grew greener.
Tender sprouts pushed through the soil with a stubborn joy, lifting their tiny leaves toward the sun. Beastn gathered around the rows of crops each dawn, amazed that food could grow from the earth instead of the forest. They watered. They weeded. They guarded the fields as if guarding treasure.
And every afternoon, the stone hall echoed with the chatter of females sewing.
Needles flashed. Bright threads ran through soft hides and woven cloth.
Clothes, bags, straps, wraps—beautiful things began to appear everywhere.
Word spread quickly through the forest.
A village with crops.
A village with skilled won.
A village protected by a goddess.
A village that would survive winter.
Every two or three days, wanderers approached the gates, hoping to migrate, but the guards turned most away. Only those Isabella approved were allowed inside.
The fences grew higher.
More houses were built.
Storage pits deepened.
The village was starting to feel... alive.
Isabella’s stomach grew rounder too, firm beneath her light hide dress.
Walking too much tired her now, so she sat often in the courtyard under the large tree, its shade warm and soft and gentle.
Today was such a day.
She sat beneath the broad leaves, leaning back slightly, munching on roasted nuts Cyrus had prepared that morning. The earthy aroma mixed with the scent of sun-ward stone.
Cyrus was out organizing new building plans.
Zyran had vanished, probably causing trouble sowhere.
Osiris had finally run out of things to say and left to "brood dramatically," as Isabella liked to call it.
For once, she had a mont to herself.
Glimora curled on her lap, tail flicking lazily as she cracked open nuts with her tiny teeth.
Isabella leaned her head back against the tree trunk and sighed.
Then a shadow moved across the sunlight.
She opened one eye.
Kian.
His tall fra approached with silent steps, the sa way shadows moved before a storm.
His aura always seed colder than the mountain nights, and yet the mont he stood near her, she felt her chest tighten in a way she didn’t like to acknowledge.
She looked away.
Kian stopped by her side.
He did not speak imdiately.
He simply lowered himself to sit next to her beneath the tree, his movents quiet and restrained.
Isabella continued cracking nuts, pretending he wasn’t there.
Glimora peeked at him cautiously and then hid her face in Isabella’s dress.
A long mont passed.
Finally, Kian exhaled softly...not in annoyance, but in sothing that resembled... defeat.
"How long," he said quietly, "are you going to keep ignoring ?"
Isabella did not even lift her eyes. "I am not ignoring you, my king."
Kian’s brow twitched.
She continued, "Besides, I have completed everything I promised you. So I do not owe you anything anymore."
Kian turned slightly to face her. "But I owe you sothing."
Her fingers paused over a nut.
He leaned his arm casually against the tree behind her, his voice lower. "You saved my sister. And I promised you... if you succeeded, I would belong to you."
Isabella stiffened.
Glimora froze.
She slowly turned her head, eting his steady stare.
Then she snorted. "Oh, no. No, no, my dear king. You cannot belong to anyone. Especially not ."
Kian’s eyes narrowed. "And why is that?"
She lobbed a nut into her mouth. "Because anyone who tries to get close to you gets pushed away. Every single ti. You act like your heart will fall out if soone touches it. So no, thank you. Keep your ’belonging’ to yourself."
Kian’s face darkened.
The shadows under the tree seed to tilt with his mood.
Isabella glanced at him again, eyes sharp.
She didn’t know it, but her words cut straight to the wound he carried...
a wound ford long before she ever arrived.
Because the truth was simple:
Kian was not allowed to love.
Not allowed to claim a mate.
Not allowed to let anyone close.
A curse placed long ago.
A fate tied to his bloodline.
If he claid soone, if he fell in love fully,
if the bond completed...
He would die.
That’s why his father died too, leaving his mother so early. And now that sa curse was passed on to him.
But Isabella did not know that.
She only knew he had pushed her away that night.
And the hurt had settled in her heart like a bruise refusing to fade.
Kian looked away, jaw tight.
The air between them grew heavy.
Isabella shifted, uncomfortable. "Look, if you ca just to brood under my tree, go find your own shade. I’m busy."
"You’re eating nuts," Kian said.
"It is very important work," she said without sha.
Glimora nodded as if backing her up.
Kian stared at her for a mont longer, then exhaled sharply.
A small breath of air, yet it held a weight she couldn’t decipher.
"I ca to apologize," he said quietly.
Isabella’s hand stopped midair.
Glimora blinked rapidly, shocked.
Isabella stared at him suspiciously. "You? Apologize? Did Zyran hit you on the head?"
"No."
"Did Cyrus threaten you?"
"No."
"Did Osiris finally annoy you so much that you lost your mind?"
"...No."
"Then why are you apologizing?"
His eyes flickered.
"I behaved wrongly that night before you left," he said. "You deserved better than my silence. I should not have pushed you away."
Isabella looked down at her nuts again. Her voice was soft but firm.
"Well, you did."
"I know."
"And I did not like it."
"I know."
"And I do not intend to forgive you anyti soon."
Kian’s lips twitched into sothing that was almost...almost...a smile.
"I know."
She glared at him. "Then why are you still sitting here?"
"Because," he said calmly, "if you keep being mad at ... I will simply announce to everyone that you are now my queen."
The courtyard wind stopped.
Isabella froze, eyes widening. "You...what did you just say?"
Kian tilted his head, expression annoyingly serene. "I said, if you continue to ignore , I will inform the entire village that you are the queen of my tribe."
Isabella nearly choked on air. "Are you threatening ?!"
"It is not a threat," he said smoothly. "It is a fact. One way or another, it is bound to happen, is it not?"
"It is NOT!"
Kian leaned closer, voice dropping to a soft rumble. "Are you sure?"
Her ears grew hot. "Kian!"
"Yes?"
"If you say one more shaless thing—"
"You’ll forgive ?"
"NO!"
Glimora covered her eyes as if this embarrassnt was too much.
Isabella shoved a nut at him. "Eat this and shut up!"
Kian actually accepted it.
He bit into it like she had handed him treasure.
Isabella stared.
Glimora stared.
Even the tree seed confused.
Then Kian said quietly, "Isabella."
She refused to look at him.
"You do not have to forgive today," he murmured. "But I will make sure you do."
Her breath caught for a mont.
But before she could respond, a familiar voice shouted from across the courtyard:
"ISABELLA! I FOUND A FRUIT THAT LOOKS LIKE YOUR FACE!"
Osiris.
Kian’s entire expression darkened like a storm swallowing the sun.
Zyran popped out from behind a pillar. "Isabella! Kian is bullying you again, right? Blink twice if you want him removed!"
Cyrus appeared behind them with a basket. "Food is ready."
Kian closed his eyes as if wishing for death.
Isabella laughed.
She couldn’t help it this ti.
Kian opened his eyes slowly.
Her laughter softened sothing in him...
a quiet place inside that had been frozen far too long.
Isabella stood, brushing off her dress. "Well, my king, as you can see... you are surrounded."
He rose to his feet, towering over her but strangely gentle.
"So are you," he murmured.
She stepped away quickly. "Enough. I am going inside before one of you says sothing stupid again."
Behind her:
Osiris yelled, "I NEVER SAY ANYTHING STUPID!"
Zyran added, "That is the stupidest lie I have ever heard."
Cyrus sighed, "Please do not run. I just cooked."
Kian simply watched her leave, eyes calm... but burning.
And Isabella?
She pretended not to notice.
Her heart pretended too.
But both failed miserably.
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