Chapter 103 Peaceful
The whole day passed... and Alina didn’t see Dante even once.
She wondered if he was still working on the shield or if he had left for some high council meeting again but no one mentioned anything.
Still, the silence didn’t feel heavy. Lucien had kept her company.
They spent the afternoon painting together on the balcony, where the sun poured in gently, warming the floor beneath their feet. Lucien wore a tiny black shirt, sleeves pushed up, carefully dabbing sky-blue paint onto his paper with an almost comically serious expression, pretending not to enjoy it—though the tiny curve at the edge of his mouth betrayed him.
Alina told him stories as he leaned against her side, his little head growing heavier with sleep, his hair brushing against her arm as she spoke. Her voice softened naturally, words flowing slower as he blinked up at her with tired eyes.
Later, in the grand old library that smelled faintly of dust and old books, they built a tower out of thick books—stacking and re-stacking with focused determination until it nearly toppled.
For a boy who rarely spoke... Lucien stayed surprisingly close to her all day.
And Alina smiled more times than she could count.
Evening came quietly.
The castle grew dim again, with its usual moody lamps and hushed corridors.
After helping Lucien get ready for bed—gently combing his hair, straightening the covers—she leaned in and brushed his bangs back from his forehead. He blinked up at her slowly, eyes heavy with sleep, and in the softest voice, he whispered, "Goodnight, Teacher."
When she returned to her guest room, the air felt still. Peaceful.