Chapter Text
The warmth of the campfire flickered and danced in Opeli's peripheral vision, casting long shadows across the tents at the Banther Lodge. The night air was crisp, and though she sat close to the flames, the coolness still crept under her robes, biting at her skin. But she barely noticed the chill, her mind far from the comfort of the fire.
Opeli stared into the flames, her thoughts turning again to the day of the attack on Katolis. It felt like a lifetime ago, but the memory was vivid, etched into her mind with startling clarity. The heat of the fire, the crackling of stone as Sol Regem’s flames ravaged the castle, and the sheer chaos of it all. She had been standing by a window in the throne room when it happened, the heat of the flames so sudden that she barely had time to register the danger.
But then—then there had been Soren.
She could still feel it, the jolt of his body hitting hers, the way he had thrown her to the ground, covering her with his own weight just as the firestorm crashed through the window. She hadn’t even seen him coming. One moment, she was standing there, watching the inferno spread, and the next, his arms were around her, dragging her down to the floor.
It had all happened so fast. Instinct. Reflex. Of course, that’s all it was. She had no doubt that’s what it was.
So why, then, did it keep replaying in her mind? That moment when he had called her name. The urgency in his voice.
Opeli! Get down!
She could hear it now, echoing through her mind, cutting through the chaos, as clear as if it had just happened. The way he had sounded—so determined, so desperate to make sure she was safe—was not something she could easily ignore.
Her stomach tightened at the thought, and she quickly squashed it down, pushing it to the back of her mind. It was ridiculous to even think about it. He was simply doing his job. She didn’t need to read into it. He had a duty to protect the people of Katolis, to safeguard the royal family. She was no different than any of them.
Still, it nagged at her, this sense of something more, something in his voice that suggested it wasn’t just duty driving his actions. Something in the way he had thrown himself in harm’s way for her.
Opeli let out a small, frustrated sigh. She had no time for such distractions. She was High Cleric, sworn to Lady Justice, and she couldn’t afford to get caught up in questions that had no place in her life. She had responsibilities—important responsibilities. There were always prayers to be led, decisions to be made, the balance of the kingdom to maintain.
And yet, there was that nagging thought, tugging at the corners of her mind, as persistent as the flickering fire before her.
Soren, ever the faithful Crownguard, was dutiful and competent. She had seen it countless times—the way he could joke, make light of things, and yet always remain steady when it mattered. He was the kind of person who would always act when needed, without hesitation. But this... this felt different. She hadn’t seen him act like that before, not for her.
It wasn’t just the dive into the flames. It was the urgency in his voice, the way his focus had sharpened the instant he saw her in danger.
He hadn’t shouted to the others—only to her. Was it because she was closer? Or was it something else?
The thought unsettled her. She had never allowed herself to linger on these kinds of feelings. She was a servant of Lady Justice, first and foremost. She had seen the relationships others formed—bonds of loyalty, camaraderie, even deep affection—and she understood them, even admired them from afar.
But they had never been for her. Her life was been one of duty and service, not personal attachment.
And yet, in that brief moment, something had stirred within her. Something that felt almost like... gratitude. Or perhaps something deeper. She was loath to name it. It felt wrong to acknowledge such thoughts when there were so many greater concerns at hand. The kingdom was recovering from an attack, refugees were being cared for, and there were matters of diplomacy and law to tend to. The last thing she needed was to be distracted by whatever this was.
But still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that had settled within her chest.
Opeli shifted slightly, her fingers curling around the edges of her robes as she glanced toward Soren. The firelight danced across his face, illuminating the ever-present calm in his expression. She could still feel the heat of that moment from earlier, when he had dove at her so effortlessly, as though it had been the most natural thing in the world.
Her voice was steady as she spoke, but there was a small tightness in her chest that she couldn’t quite ignore. “Why did you protect me?” she asked, her words deliberate, but the question carried weight. “You’re sworn to protect King Ezran, not the High Cleric.”
Soren’s gaze softened for just a moment, before the usual calm of his expression settled back in. “I’m sworn to protect Katolis,” he replied with a quiet certainty. “And that includes its people, all of them.”
Opeli nodded, absorbing his words. It made sense. But something about the answer felt... incomplete, as though there was something more there he hadn’t said. Her eyes met his, searching for any sign of hesitation.
“I understand,” she said, her voice measured, professional. “But you’re sworn to the king specifically, not to me.”
Soren paused, his gaze locking onto hers, and for the briefest second, Opeli thought she saw something flicker in his eyes—something deeper than duty, something... almost personal. But then he cleared his throat, shaking his head as he spoke again, this time his voice unwavering. “I am sworn to both the kingdom and the king, Opeli,” he clarified, a subtle emphasis on the word kingdom, as though he wanted to make sure she understood the full scope of his responsibility.
Opeli blinked, momentarily caught off guard. There it was again—the faintest shift in his tone. She couldn’t quite place it, but it made her pause. For a moment, there was something else in his words. Something that hinted at a deeper understanding, an unspoken implication that went beyond the simple facts of duty.
But she quickly dismissed the thought. Focus, she reminded herself. This wasn’t the time to be distracted by... whatever it was. They had their roles to play. His actions, his duty—they were all part of their responsibilities, nothing more.
She met his gaze once more, her features neutral as ever, though a flicker of something more vulnerable stirred beneath her calm exterior. For a moment, they sat in silence, the crackle of the fire filling the quiet between them. Opeli glanced toward the flames, the flickering light reflecting in her eyes, and tried to ground herself.
It was just duty. Nothing more.
Still, a small part of her—one she refused to acknowledge—wondered if it really was that simple. But she buried that thought deep, unwilling to entertain it further. She was a professional, after all.
With a soft sigh, she turned back to Soren, giving him a small, measured smile. “Thank you, Captain,” she said, the words feeling more like a dismissal than a genuine expression of gratitude.
Soren returned the smile, his usual ease returning. “Anytime,”
The warmth of the fire did little to melt the tightness in her chest, but as the night wore on, she found herself settling into a comfortable silence beside him. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed, but whether that was a good thing or not, she couldn’t say.
For now, at least, she would let the moment pass, just as they always did.
As the fire crackled between them, Opeli sat in silence, her mind swirling in quiet contemplation. Soren’s words, his steady presence beside her, all of it had unsettled something within her—something she didn’t have the luxury to confront at this very moment.
She glanced at him again, his face bathed in the warm light of the fire, his expression one of practiced calm. Just duty, she reminded herself. That’s all it had been. Soren’s actions had been the mark of his unwavering commitment, as it always was. He was sworn to protect the kingdom, to protect the people, and that was his sole concern in that moment.
But then why did she feel... different? Why did it feel like more than just a reflex to him, to throw himself at her like that?
Opeli’s breath caught slightly. She tried to dismiss the thought, but it lingered—his voice, calling her name—so urgent, so focused on her. And in that split second, he hadn’t hesitated. No more than he would have hesitated for anyone else. That was how it should have been, wasn’t it? She had seen him act in countless situations with the same speed, the same precision. But this… this had been for her.
A soft sigh escaped her lips before she could stop it. Ridiculous. She should have never let herself think that way. She was the High Cleric of Katolis. She had responsibilities, duties far more pressing than pondering the motivations of a Crownguard, no matter how… close they might have been, no matter how often their paths crossed.
Opeli refocused her gaze on the fire, the flickering light dancing in her eyes. She was being foolish. There was no room for this kind of distraction, especially now. The kingdom had been attacked, refugees were still arriving at the camp, and there was much to be done in the aftermath. She had to keep her attention on what mattered. The fires of war were far from extinguished, and she needed to remain vigilant.
Her eyes flitted to Soren again, the subtle tension in her chest tightening as she realized he had been looking at her—just for a moment, but long enough that it made her heart skip. She quickly looked away.
It’s nothing, she told herself firmly. Just duty.
She was an adult, a professional. She had seen many moments of heroism, many instances of selflessness from soldiers, from leaders, from those bound to protect their people. It was nothing to be surprised by, nothing to read into. That’s who Soren is—someone who acted without thought, someone who always did his duty, even in the face of danger.
Yet, as she sat there beside him, a small part of her wanted to believe, just for a moment, that there was more behind it than that. A fleeting glance, a slight shift in his voice when he clarified his duty to both the kingdom and the king. It had been subtle—too subtle for anyone else to catch, perhaps—but Opeli, ever attentive to the smallest of details, had noticed.
But no. She couldn’t afford to entertain those thoughts. Not now. Not with so much at stake.
Opeli took in a deep breath, steadying herself, and when she exhaled, she did so with a quiet sense of resolution. Just duty.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting the weight of the world settle back around her, the flickering light from the fire casting long shadows against the ground. She would focus on what needed to be done, and when the time came, she would deal with everything else—everything else—later.
For now, there was only the silence, the steady crackle of the fire, and Soren’s calm presence beside her.
Just duty.