Clara and Erik sat one across the other, waiting for their food.

  This was a simple place, away from all the commotions you could see on the main streets, a place she used to go to eat with her family. and now wanted to share with him.

  They had chosen a table near the window as it provided a nice scenery.

  Clara glanced at Erik, wondering if this was his first time in such an unassuming place. He seemed so out of place yet oddly at ease, his piercing eyes scanning the room as though memorizing every detail.

  “I used to come here all the time,” she began, tracing a finger along the wooden edge of the table. “My dad said it’s where they make the best honey-glazed roast in the city. You’ll see—the food’s amazing.”

  Erik nodded. “Really?” he said with some enthusiasm. “I never had that, but it sounds nice.”

  It was often hard to know what went through his head. If his smiles were genuine, if his words were truthful, or if his expressions meant anything. Only in situations like just ago, when he was close to breaking down, could she truly understand what was going on inside him.

  It made her nervous, honestly, she didn’t know what to expect from him despite his usually outgoing and friendly nature.

  When their food arrived, Clara’s thoughts momentarily shifted as the plates were set before them. The roast was golden and glistening, paired with a side of steamed vegetables and a thick slice of buttered bread. Her stomach growled, betraying the composed face she tried to keep.

  As they ate, Clara began asking Erik questions, starting with light topics. “So… what’s it like growing up in the north?” she asked between bites.

  It occurred to her that they didn’t know that much about each other. Most of their talks were about what was happening at the moment, not so much the past or future.

  Erik stopped eating for a moment, however, he didn’t answer immediately. He seemed to hesitate, his fork pausing mid-air. “Cold,” he said simply. “My village was… quiet. We didn’t have much, but it was enough.”

  She raised her eyebrow. That would be a fine answer in most cases but it sounded wrong here. He was one of the most amazing people she’d ever known, but his answer was as generic as it could have been.

  However, she wouldn’t press on matters he didn’t want to talk about at length.

  “For me, Auryndale’s always been home,” she said, deciding to lighten the mood herself. ”My parents have a simple store so that’s our family business,” she said, sheepishly. Then, she glanced outside. “I’ve never left this place.”

  Erik’s gaze followed hers out the window. Today’s silence was not unusual for he had been like this ever since he came out of that place. She wanted to help him, make him feel something, say something, anything.

  “It must be strange for you,” she said softly, trying to imagine what it was like to come from a quiet village to a city like Auryndale. “Being here, I mean. Everything’s so fast, so loud…”

  Erik looked back at her, his expression contemplative. “It’s different,” he admitted. “But it’s not bad. I like seeing how people live here. How lively it is.”

  Clara raised her eyebrow, awaiting any kind of continuation.

  ‘Please just say something,’ she begged internally.

  To her pleasure, he continued with the thought process. “Back in the village and town I’m used to, you kinda know everyone,” he said, motioning with his food on the plate. “You know what’s happening in every house. It’s good in a way but it's also easy to be disliked by everyone…” he said, pausing for a moment. It was as if those words came from experience. “I’m glad I had that experience in there, though,” his lips curled into a small smile.

  Ba-dum.

  Clara flustered slightly, seeing his smile. Her cheeks warmed almost immediately, she could swear that it must’ve shown.

  “Why… would you say that?” she said, trying to not quiver in her speech.

  His gaze locked with hers. “Well…” he started, and for the first time on the date, he excitedly took initiative.

  Clara’s heart raced as Erik spoke, his words shifted from the until now reserved tone to something a little warmer, a little more personal. Now he was showing a rare kind of sincerity that she hadn’t expected to see.

  Clara honestly wasn’t too sure why she started liking him. At first, maybe it was gratitude for what he did—or she simply got a crush from how cool he looked all the time. Then she got to know him and saw that he was a kind, determined, smart person. How could she not like him, right?

  Maybe now though, she could finally try to understand him and realize those fleeting feelings into something more.

  "I see," she said softly, breaking the moment of silence as he stopped talking. Her voice was soft. She wasn’t sure if he would understand what she was feeling, but she knew she couldn’t hide it anymore

  As the pair moved together along the winding streets of Auryndale, Clara led Erik toward another place he had never been to.

  From the glow in her eyes, the tenderness in her voice, and her hurried movements, it seemed to be a place she held dearly.

  As they finally arrived, she pointed towards it and looked at him.

  “Ta-da,” she said, happily. “This is the Echo Bridge.”

  Erik raised his eyebrow slowly. “What is so special about it?” It was just a bridge inside the city. Sure, a small river cutting across the place was interesting but this wasn’t what she wanted to show, right?

  "You’ll see," Clara said, her eyes glinting with mischief. "This place is kind of a tradition for me."

  They reached the middle of the bridge, and Clara leaned over the railing, her breath escaping in a quiet sigh. She leaned in and whispered something soft, almost inaudible to the passing wind.

  The moment her words left her lips, they twisted into a melody—a smooth, lilting tune that danced in the air and echoed back toward her in a gentle chorus.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Erik widened his eyes, fascinated by the transformation of her voice into something musical. He’d never seen anything quite like it before.

  Seeing his reaction, she grinned before nudging him on. “Your turn,” she teased. “Go on. Whisper something.”

  Erik hesitated, slightly, fearing that it would look awkward but he still leaned over the edge of the bridge. He muttered a few words, testing the magic. His voice returned in a deep, resonant tone that vibrated in the air, sending ripples down the river below.

  “That’s… a little dramatic,” Clara said with a laugh. “I think it’s only fitting for you to try something else.”

  With a shrug, Erik tried again, this time letting the words spill out in a higher pitch. The sound rang through the air, light and unexpectedly melodic. He grinned as this was a better result.

  They took turns after that, whispering everything from silly phrases to strange sounds, their voices intertwining in a harmonious jumble that filled the air with an enchanting melody. The bridge seemed alive with their laughter, each echo giving them a little more courage to keep experimenting.

  Finally, Clara’s laughter subsided as she held on the railing, looking down at the flowing river below. She whispered something softer this time, something more vulnerable.

  “I always loved coming here when I needed to clear my head,” she said quietly, her gaze distant as she seemingly lived the past moments in her head.

  “I think I understand,” Erik did the same as her, watching the streets across.

  “You do?”

  “Yeah, no matter what is bothering you, it all turns into nonsense once you lean over,” he said, chuckling in the end.

  “Oh, you little,” she laughed too, slightly tapping him on the shoulder. “But you’re kinda right, I guess that’s why it’s so comforting.”

  Afterward, there was a moment of silence between the pair. Erik slowly glanced at her, only to find her eyes on him.

  His face immediately heated up, a feeling he had never felt before. After but a moment, he diverted his gaze.

  ‘Why… what is this…’ he questioned the strange, foreign. This warmth, this easyness of being around her. He was genuinely enjoying spending this time together, in a way, he had never done before—despite having spent time with girls, he just fooled around, never felt any sort of connection or attachment whenever he’d go with his flirting tactics.

  For a moment, the world around them seemed to be still, allowing contemplation.

  "Why… the academy?" Erik asked after a few moments, his voice gentle as he tried to change the topic. “I mean, why’d you choose to come here?”

  "I... I guess it was always something I felt I had to do," she said, her voice quiet. "I wanted to help my family, and I thought this place would give me a chance to make a difference. I wanted to be more than just the quiet daughter in the background. I wanted to be… someone people could rely on.”

  Though he wanted to see her face and know what she was thinking, he couldn’t dare when he felt so weird. Then, after a moment of silence before she spoke once again,

  "I didn’t know what I was getting into, but now, I guess I’m glad I did."

  He looked at her once again, their eyes meeting with uncertainty before softening. Erik grinned, it was a natural movement that came from the heart.

  There was a beat of silence, and then, he spoke. “You’re kind. You have always been. I think you’ll do well in the future.”

  Clara coughed a few times into her arm, her cheeks being tinted by a rose tone. “R-Really?” she quivered, moving strands of her bangs, revealing her red ears.

  Erik chuckled at that reaction. Yeah, that was the easily embarrassed Clara he knew.

  After another moment, she sighed, slumping forward slightly. “Thank you,” she said.

  They stayed there for a while longer, side by side, each lost in their thoughts. Erik wished that feeling from the inside he felt now would keep on forever.

  Then, she broke the silence. “You know…” she said in a soft voice.

  Erik could feel a tug on his sleeve, looking to his side he could see her gaze peering at him—her eyes gleaming.

  He swallowed hard, wondering what was to come.

  “I…I really like you, Erik,” Clara said, her voice trembling just a little as she looked at him, eyes wide with vulnerability. "I wish... I wish we could be more than just friends.”

  The world seemed to stop at that moment. The rhythm of his heart, the soft hum of the city, the steady flow of the river beneath them—all of it faded into the background as her words hit like a sudden storm.

  He had suspected it briefly but never tackled the topic.

  Now, however, he could feel the full weight of the declaration. His throat cramped, a tight knot forming in his chest.

  ‘She really liked me.’

  He opened his mouth to answer her, but the words got stuck. ‘What could I say?’

  Erik swore he did feel something just right now. He couldn’t deny that. Something about the way they spent time together, the way we talked, the way her laugh made the air feel warmer, the way she cared... It had made something shift inside him. He saw her differently than just a couple of days ago.

  But.

  ‘Could I really be that person for her?’ he honestly doubted it. Erik Blake was a mess, he knew it, everyone around him knew it, and he couldn’t afford to like someone that way right now.

  He had to do the right thing. He couldn’t lead someone with a kind soul when he already knew it wouldn’t work.

  “I—” he started, but his voice came out rough and hesitant. She waited, looking at him with wide, hopeful eyes. It pained him.

  “I’m not… ready for this,” he said with a voice thick, trying to keep it steady. Erik could feel a slight burn inside of him, he wanted to at least give it a chance, but he couldn’t.

  She frowned slightly, but there was no anger in her expression. Just a quiet hurt. Her lips quivered, and she looked away. Her shoulder slumped down slightly.

  “I don’t want to drag you into my mess, Clara. You deserve someone who can be there for you, someone who can... really be there. Not someone like me.” he clenched his fist, he couldn’t stop now. “I have to get stronger. I can’t be weak. Not now. Not after everything.”

  Erik paused, trying to find the right words, the ones that wouldn’t make her think he just didn’t care, but nothing else came to his mind. Anything else Erik could say felt desperate, it would probably only make this worse.

  The silence that followed felt like an eternity. She stood still, looking away, occasional shivers went through her.

  “I’m sorry,” he muttered, cutting the silence

  He could hear a sigh coming from before watching her hands tremble, tightening for a moment, before releasing.

  “I understand,” she said, her voice quiet, so quiet that it barely reached his ears. “Honestly… I almost expected that to be your answer.”

  As she finished talking, she fully turned away and started walking.

  Erik could feel the knot on his chest tightening once more, the pain making him grasp his chest, frowning.

  “Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. Just like that, two friendships had been ruined in such a small amount of time.

  She walked past out of the bridge but then stopped.

  “I just…” her voice faltered before she could finish, silence over for but another moment. “I just... wanted you to know how I felt.”

  Before he even had time to say another word, she disappeared into the streets.

  Erik knew he would regret his decision for the time being, but deep down he thought it was the right thing. As for the date, he would make sure to cherish it as one of the most joyful moments he had felt since coming to the capital.

  Soon, Erik made his way to the academy. Along the way, he couldn’t stop thinking about the sad ending with Clara. His eyes lay low on the ground, not caring about his surroundings in the slightest.

  Then, he heard the sounds of hoofbeats echo through the stone streets.

  His gaze lifted, just enough to watch a coach stop ahead of him—right near the gates of the academy.

  Then his eyes widened as he noticed the intricate patterns of it. it was Duke Phillip’s coach. What could he be doing here? Was it because of the dungeon incident?

  Erik would soon have his answer, as a second later both the Duke and his mother left the carriage.

  “Mother?”