Morning light spilled through the tall windows of the eastern wing, thin gold slipping across polished stone floors.

  Birds chirped beyond the castle gardens, their song drifting through half-open shutters. Somewhere down the corridor, maids moved quietly, their hushed voices blending with the faint clatter of porcelain.

  Vlad stirred beneath his blankets.

  For a moment, he lay still, staring at the canopy above his bed.

  He pushed himself upright and rubbed his eyes, listening.

  The rhythm of footsteps.

  Distant laughter.

  The quiet hum of a castle already awake.

  He dressed quickly.

  By the time he reached the dining hall, the long table was already set.

  Elarys sat at the center, posture elegant as always. Lysera was speaking about something from the previous day. Cassian listened with mild disinterest, cutting into his food with measured precision. Maelis sat beside Vlad's usual seat, glancing up as he entered.

  "You're late," Lysera teased.

  "Only by a minute," Vlad muttered, sliding into his chair.

  Elarys offered him a gentle smile. "Good morning, Vlad."

  "Good morning, Mother."

  Servants poured tea. Plates shifted. Conversation rose and fell like a calm tide.

  Cassian spoke briefly about squad drills.

  Lysera mentioned her instructor's praise.

  Maelis remained mostly quiet, though once or twice she glanced at Vlad as if waiting for something.

  Vlad ate in silence.

  He listened.

  He observed.

  He measured himself against them without meaning to.

  After breakfast, chairs scraped softly against stone.

  Cassian stood first. "Iam heading out to training grounds."

  Lysera followed soon after, offering Elarys a small bow before leaving.

  Elarys dismissed them with a nod, then rose gracefully herself, already turning toward her duties.

  The hall slowly emptied.

  Vlad lingered, finishing the last of his tea.

  "Vlad."

  He looked up.

  Maelis was still there.

  She leaned slightly toward him, lowering her voice.

  "Meet me behind the castle. Near the old oak."

  Her eyes held something unreadable excitement? Mischief? Determination?

  "Now?" Vlad asked.

  She nodded once. "Don't you dare to be late."

  And just like that, she slipped away.

  Vlad blinked, then stood quickly.

  He hesitated only a moment before heading toward the back corridors, heart beating just a little faster.

  Behind the castle meant privacy.

  Behind the castle meant no instructors.

  No siblings watching.

  He wasn't sure what Maelis wanted.

  He haded a bad feeling about this.

  Vlad took the longer route around the courtyard, keeping close to the stone walls.

  He walked slowly.

  Not suspiciously slow—but careful.

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  He paused once near the archway, pretending to adjust his sleeve while glancing behind him. A pair of servants passed. A knight turned the corner in the opposite direction.

  No one seemed to care.

  Still, he waited a few extra seconds before continuing toward the rear gardens.

  The old oak stood near the forest line, its massive branches stretching wide like protective arms. Morning light filtered through its leaves in broken patches.

  Maelis was already there.

  Arms crossed.

  Foot tapping.

  The moment she saw him, she marched forward and smacked the back of his head.

  " I told you not to be late."

  "Ouch!" Vlad rubbed the spot immediately. "I was making sure no one followed me!"

  "Good."

  Without another word, she tossed something at him.

  A dark overcoat with a deep hood.

  "Put it on."

  Vlad caught it clumsily.

  "Sister… what exactly are we doing?" he asked, slipping one arm through as he examined her carefully.

  Maelis leaned closer, lowering her voice.

  "You know the youngest children aren't allowed to go out unattended, right?"

  "Yeah," Vlad replied slowly.

  A slow grin spread across her face.

  "So we're sneaking out today."

  Vlad blinked.

  "…Sneaking out of the castle?"

  He stared at the cloak in his hands.

  Then, very deliberately, he began taking it off.

  Maelis smacked him again.

  "Put it on!"

  "Alright, alright!" he yelped, quickly pulling the hood over his head this time.

  She adjusted it roughly so it shadowed his face.

  "We'll go through the forest," she said. "I know the route. Stay behind me."

  Vlad hesitated for half a second.

  Sneaking out.

  If they were caught—

  Maelis had already started walking.

  He sighed.

  "Yes, yes," he muttered, hurrying after her.

  The castle walls loomed behind them.

  The forest path narrowed as they moved deeper between the trees.

  Branches brushed against Vlad's shoulders. Dry leaves crunched under their boots.

  After a few minutes of walking in silence, Vlad finally spoke.

  "What if Mother asks for us?"

  Maelis didn't slow down.

  "Don't worry," she replied casually. "I already took care of it."

  Vlad frowned beneath his hood. "What does that mean?"

  "It means," she said, glancing back at him briefly, "no one will come looking for us until afternoon."

  That didn't entirely comfort him.

  Still, he followed.

  The trees gradually thinned. The scent of damp earth gave way to something warmer spices, baked bread, roasted meat carried faintly on the breeze.

  They stepped out from between the trees into a narrow alleyway of worn stone.

  Ahead of them, light spilled in from the far end.

  Voices.

  Laughter.

  The distant call of merchants.

  "Stay close," Maelis said quietly.

  They walked through the darker stretch of alley, boots echoing softly against stone walls.

  And then—

  They stepped into the open market.

  Color exploded into view.

  Cloth banners hung overhead in vibrant reds and golds. Stalls lined both sides of the street, overflowing with fruits, fabrics, trinkets, polished weapons, and steaming trays of food.

  Vlad's eyes widened immediately.

  "So this is what it looks like…" he whispered.

  He had seen the capital from carriage windows before.

  But never like this.

  Never in the middle of it.

  Maelis grabbed his sleeve before he could wander off.

  "Don't stare like that," she muttered. "You'll look suspicious."

  "I am suspicious," he whispered back.

  She ignored him and pulled him toward the nearest stall.

  They moved from shop to shop.

  Maelis haggled over sweet pastries, handing one to Vlad before he could protest.

  He bit into it and froze.

  "…That's good."

  "I know," she replied smugly.

  They tried skewered meat brushed with glaze. Bought candied fruit. Laughed as a group of children raced past them chasing a wooden hoop.

  At one stall, Maelis examined embroidered gloves while Vlad absentmindedly tried on a ridiculous wide-brimmed hat. She turned, stared at him, and burst into quiet laughter.

  "Take that off."

  He grinned and set it back.

  Time slipped by without him noticing.

  For once, no instructors corrected his posture.

  No siblings compared strengths.

  Here, he wasn't the youngest prince. He was just another boy in a crowd

  He was just—

  Vlad.

  Eventually, his stomach growled again.

  Maelis looked at him flatly. "We just ate."

  "That was snacks," he argued. "I'm actually hungry."

  She rolled her eyes but nodded toward a smaller building at the edge of the street.

  "Fine. But somewhere quiet."

  They entered a modest local inn tucked between two larger shops.

  The interior was warm and smelled faintly of broth and herbs. Only a few patrons occupied the wooden tables.

  An elderly woman stood behind the counter.

  Her hair was silver, tied neatly behind her head. Her eyes were sharp despite the wrinkles around them.

  "Well now," she said kindly. "What can I get for you two?"

  Maelis kept her hood low.

  "Two bowls of stew. And bread."

  The old woman studied them for a moment longer than comfortable.

  "Travelers?" she asked casually.

  "From the outer district," Maelis answered smoothly.

  Vlad kept quiet, suddenly aware of how easily he might say something wrong.

  The woman hummed but didn't press.

  When the food arrived, steam rose gently from the bowls.

  Vlad took one bite—

  And nearly forgot himself again.

  "This is amazing," he said before catching himself.

  The old woman chuckled softly from behind the counter. "Eat slowly. No one's taking it from you."

  Maelis glanced at him with a faint smile.

  They ate quietly after that.

  Outside, the sun dipped lower.

  The market noise softened slightly as shadows grew longer across the street.

  When they stepped back outside, the sky had begun to warm with evening light.

  Maelis adjusted her hood.

  "We should head back."

  Vlad nodded, though reluctance tugged at him.

  As they reentered the alleyway leading toward the forest, he spoke quietly.

  "Will we come back again?"

  Maelis slowed.

  She looked at him for a second.

  Then she turned toward a small jewelry stall near the alley entrance.

  Without explaining, she purchased something small.

  She returned and pressed it into his palm.

  A simple necklace.

  A thin cord with a small green stone set in the center.

  Vlad blinked. "What's this?"

  "So you remember today," she said lightly. "Of course we'll come back."

  He stared at the stone as it caught the fading light.

  "…Thank you," he said quietly.

  They resumed walking.

  The alley felt darker now.

  Quieter.

  Their footsteps echoed faintly against stone.

  Maelis slowed.

  Then stopped.

  Vlad almost walked into her back.

  "Don't panic," she said under her breath.

  His chest tightened.

  "…What?"

  "I think we're being followed."

  The air shifted.

  The distant market noise felt farther away.

  Maelis didn't turn around.

  Instead, she raised her voice just enough to carry down the alley.

  "Who is it?"