Spring arrived in Moonvalley with a kind of quiet confidence. The snow had melted into soft rivers, the air carried that fresh, earthy scent, and for the first time in a while, things felt… steady.
Almost peaceful.
Which was exactly why the disruption stood out so sharply.
The guards at the border noticed her first. A single figure walking toward Moonvalley territory with no escort, no visible supplies, and no sign of having traveled with a group. That alone was strange. But what made it worse was the timing.
Early spring flooding season.
Even experienced travelers avoided long journeys during that period. Rivers overflowed unpredictably, roads became unstable, and entire routes could vanish overnight.
Yet somehow, this girl had crossed two territories alone.
By the time she reached the inner gates, word had already spread.
When she was brought in, people were watching carefully. Not openly hostile, but alert. Curious in a cautious way.
