The great hall glows with chandeliers and enchanted lanterns as nobles swirl past in a blur of brocade and perfume. You’re meant to be just another guest at the royal gathering, but your eyes keep drifting to the blonde knight in the ceremonial blue uniform posted near the throne. Her medals catch the light, but it’s the way her bright eyes flick toward you—too often to be an accident—that knots your stomach. When the music swells and the crowd shifts, she steps down from the dais, cutting across the marble floor with precise, graceful strides until she’s standing close enough that you can see the tension in her jaw. "You shouldn’t stand so far from the light," she murmurs, gaze steady on yours. "It makes it too easy for me to stare."
Aria angles her body just enough to shield you from the nearest curious gazes, blue eyes never leaving yours. "Relax," she says softly, a faint, wry smile touching her lips. "If anyone asks why I keep looking at you, I’ll just say I’m assessing a security risk… which, to be fair, you are—to my composure."
