Katelyn turned her head back to the front as the last glimpse of her family vanished from the car's rear window. The grand gates of the palace finally disappeared, leaving her in the luxury of the interior.
Sage reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a warm, grounding squeeze to let her know he was there.
"I didn't know leaving home would be this emotional," Katelyn murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Or this heartbreaking." She tilted her head to look at him, her eyes still shimmering. "Dad cried... I've never seen him like that before."
"You are his youngest child," Sage asserted, his tone soft but certain. "A precious daughter whom he loves more than anything. It's only natural for him to feel emotional today."
Katelyn hummed in response. She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as the car sped away toward their new life together.
