This man who'd somehow become the most important person in her life without her even realizing when it happened.
"I'm fine," she said, and surprisingly, she meant it. "I'm tired. I'm frustrated. But I'm fine."
Larus smiled at her—that warm, genuine smile that always made her feel like everything would be okay.
"Good," he said. "Now, shall we have breakfast? I'm starving, and you must be too."
"I haven't even washed my face yet," Heena pointed out.
"Then wash your face, and I'll order breakfast to be brought to your chambers," Larus suggested. "We can eat here, away from everyone else. Just the two of us."
Heena felt something warm unfurl in her chest at the suggestion.
"That sounds perfect," she said.
---
An hour later, they were sitting together in Heena's private chambers, eating a simple breakfast of rice porridge, steamed vegetables, and fruit.
It was peaceful. Quiet. Just the two of them, with no political intrigue or court drama or scheming consorts to worry about.
