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The palace was unusually calm that afternoon, the last traces of sunlight slanting across the windows. Helene balanced a tray of linens in her arms, moving quickly but carefully down the corridor. She had served in Weissburg for several years now, yet every time she caught sight of Prince Kai, her heart skipped.
That expression—sharp, cold, terrifying. The one that made even veteran servants avert their eyes. At first, she had lived in constant dread of it. But with time—two years, now—she had noticed something different. The glare had softened, just barely. His words came with less harshness. He had changed.
And she had grown used to him. At least…mostly.
"Helene."
His voice came from behind her, deep and clipped. She nearly dropped the linens. Turning, she bowed quickly. "Y-Your Highness."
Kai stood there, posture perfectly straight, a folder tucked under his arm. He didn't say anything else at first, only looked at her with that same piercing gaze. Helene fought the urge to fidget.
Finally, he stepped closer and held something out.
Helene blinked, lowering the tray to free one hand. She accepted the object carefully—a slim booklet, hand-bound, with a falcon inked neatly across the cover.
"For you," he said.
Inside were sketches. Foxes, deer, falcons, even a family of rabbits—each drawn with surprising care, small notes in Kai's precise handwriting beside them.
Her breath caught. "You…you made this?"
He gave a short nod.
"It's beautiful," she murmured, running a thumb along the edge of the page. "Truly. Thank you, Your Highness."
Kai's face didn't change much, but she thought—just for an instant—the tension around his eyes eased.
She hesitated, then gathered her courage. "Would…you like to join me for tea, Your Highness? It's nearly time for my break, and—well…" She trailed off, suddenly embarrassed.
A pause. His gaze lingered on her, heavy as always, but no longer frightening.
"…Yes."
The small sitting room was quiet, the tea steaming gently between them. Helene poured, her hands steadying as she worked. Kai sat opposite, silent, watching the rising steam.
"Do you…like falcons most?" she asked softly.
"…Yes." A beat, then: "But rabbits. Too."
Helene blinked, surprised. "Rabbits?"
He gave a faint nod, looking down into his cup. "Gentle. Quiet. Stronger than they seem."
Helene smiled before she could stop herself. "That sounds…a little like you, Your Highness."
He looked up, startled. She flushed, quickly shaking her head. "I-I didn't mean any disrespect—"
But instead of anger, there was something else in his eyes. Not warmth, exactly—but something softer, quieter.
They sipped their tea in silence after that, yet it didn't feel uncomfortable. For Helene, the fear she once carried had melted into something steadier. And for Kai, perhaps this—sharing tea with someone who understood him—was its own kind of courage.
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