Just as Ambra and Lune were lost in the gravity of the moment, a voice broke through the emotional atmosphere like a comet through the night sky.
"Hey! What are you two doing out here?" Emil, his eyes twinkling in delight, seemingly oblivious to the emotional current that had been filling the air.
Lune shot him a look that mingled boredom with a slight edge of annoyance. "Contemplating the complexities of existence. What's it look like?"
It was then that Emil noticed their interlaced hands. His eyes widened just a fraction, and his roguish grin evaporated into a self-mocking look. "Ah, sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt anything important."
Lune exhaled a dramatic sigh, clearly unimpressed. "Well, you already have, so what's done is done."
Ambra, her crimson eyes still twinkling from the deeply emotional exchange she'd had with Lune, shook her head. "You're not interrupting, Emil. What brings you out here?"
Emil's eyes narrowed into a wry smile, his initial embarrassment now fading. "I was sent to fetch you two. Lady Camila wants to discuss some logistics about the Baroness' visit to the estate tomorrow. Do you mind if we head inside?"
Ambra paused, taking a deep breath as if absorbing the serenity of the night one final time. "Alright," she agreed, her voice tinged with reservation but also noticeably lighter—her earlier conversation with Lune having lifted some of her burdens.
Lune, not one to be thrilled by matters of nobility and etiquette, rolled her eyes. "Fine. Let's see if there's any way I can be useful in this aristocratic circus."
The two girls stood up, their hands reluctantly parting but the silent promise they had made remained deep in their consciousness. Together, they followed Emil along the moonlit path that led back to the mansion, their silhouettes cast long and mysterious by the celestial glow as the heavens above quieted down.
As they made their way inside, Lune and Ambra's steps were lightened by their conversation under that expressive sky. And for Emil, who followed closely behind, it was clear something had changed between his two friends—even if he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.
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The grand hall was the usual mix of lavish and cozy, which was kind of funny considering the serious discussions that often took place there. Ambra and Lune walked in with Emil, finding Grant deep in thought about something or other, Laura buried in a book, and Lady Camila looking like she was preparing for a speech she hadn't studied for.
"Ah, there you are! Thanks for fetching them, Emil," Lady Camila said, standing up quickly and trying her best to look composed.
Lune just shrugged. Ambra, noticing Camila's anxiety, leaned over and whispered to her with a smile, "Hey, Camila, relax. No need to be nervous."
Camila exhaled a big sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. I was worried you might be mad about earlier. I do apologize for that."
Ambra shook her head. "No, don't mind it anymore, no need to apologize."
Grant catching sight of the new arrivals boomed out, "Ah! Welcome back! What's the news?"
Laura reluctantly put her book down, bookmarking her page. "Really, Grant? Right at the climax?"
"Well, real life has its climaxes too, you know," Grant replied, laughing.
Laura rolled her eyes and then looked at the now-present Ambra, Lune, and Emil, raising an eyebrow at the still sheepish Emil. "Okay, spill it, Your Highness. What's so urgent that I had to pause reading my book?"
"We're about to discuss some logistical things concerning the Baroness's visit tomorrow," Lady Camila said, motioning for everyone to take a seat. "It's a big deal, so try to stay awake, Laura."
"Only if it's more exciting than my book," Laura said, smirking as she took a seat.
As they all sat down, and took a seat on a comfortable couch, with Lune at her side.
Lady Camila cleared her throat before she started. "The Baroness is a... let's say, a rather unique individual, if you've met her, you know. Please be in your full attention when she visits. She's in charge of many logistical elements for the mourning ceremony."
Laura, still a bit miffed about leaving her book, chimed in. "She didn't seem all that bad when we met her. Asked some strange questions, though. A bit on the nosy side, if you ask me."
Grant leaned back in his chair, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Aye, I thought she was lovely. Showed a keen interest in our adventures, she did!"
Lune, however, was less forgiving. "She's creepy at best and highly suspicious at worst. The whole estate she governs has a strange, unsettling atmosphere. I could barely stand to be there with the other Nuberian envoys."
Lady Camila sighed, looking a bit distressed. "Please, Lune, keep those thoughts to yourself when she arrives. The last thing we need is unnecessary diplomatic tension."
Lune shrugged but nodded, making a mental note to bite her tongue for the sake of harmony. Ambra chuckled softly, clearly amused by Lune's reluctant compliance.
As the group returned to discussing logistical issues—security, food, and other ordeals—Ambra suddenly broke in with a question of her own. "Would it be possible for me to visit the Adventurers' Guild tomorrow? I'm thinking of joining officially."
A palpable silence fell upon the room, punctuating the gravity of her statement. Everyone—Camila, Grant, Laura, Emil, and even Lune—looked at her with a mixture of astonishment and curiosity.
Camila was the first to break the silence. "You want to join the Adventurers' Guild? Are you serious, Ambra?"
Grant seemed to catch on next, his eyes lighting up. "Well, that's certainly a turn of events!"
Laura closed her book entirely now, her full attention on Ambra. "Okay, this is definitely more interesting than my book."
Even Emil, who was usually unflappable in these official situations, looked taken aback. "That's a big decision. Are you sure?"
Lune looked at Ambra, her eyes not betraying her emotions but somehow intensifying the weight of the moment. A deep flare ignited within her eyes, and Ambra could tell as she directed a soft smile her way.
Ambra met each of their gazes in turn, her own eyes filled with a resolve that had been absent for some time. "Yes," she affirmed, her voice steady. "I think I'm looking forward to staying around a bit longer, and want to join the adventurers guild to make some stuff more stable, more long-term."
Laura, ever the perceptive one, zeroed in on Lune, who seemed uncharacteristically flustered. She smirked knowingly. "So, Lune, what do you think caused her change of heart?"
Lune met Laura's gaze but didn't respond, maintaining her enigmatic expression.
Meanwhile, Ambra offered an explanation that was only half the truth. "Being an associate of the guild has its limitations. Official membership would make it easier for me to help out when needed."
Her other, more heartfelt reason—finding a place where she was truly wanted—she kept to herself, safely guarded behind a veiled smile.
Emil, pleasantly surprised by the development, turned to Lady Camila. "Your Highness, if I may, I don't see why Ambra can't go to the guild tomorrow. The Aegis are more than capable of providing all the security we need for the Baroness's visit."
Grant, ever the jolly support, lifted his thumb in approval. "Aye. Absolutely, I second that. No harm in it!"
Camila seemed torn for a moment, taking in all the different opinions. Then, with a small sigh, her face broke into a warm, approving smile. "Alright, Ambra, you have my blessing. Feel free to visit the Adventurers' Guild tomorrow."
Ambra's eyes met Camila's, and she saw a sincerity there that made her feel hopeful. "Thank you, Camila," she said, her voice tinged with gratitude.
And as the conversation shifted back to the preparations for tomorrow's visit, Ambra felt a growing sense of excitement. Tomorrow was another day, another adventure, and for the first time in a long time, she was looking forward to embracing whatever it would bring.
With a sense of anticipation hanging in the air, the discussion of the Baroness's visit finally wrapped up. People began to excuse themselves, yawning and mentioning the lateness of the hour. Lune and Ambra made their way to their shared room, the ornamented door closing behind them with a soft click that seemed to separate them from the rest of the world.
Ambra began to unwind, unfastening the clasp of her cloak and letting it fall to the ground. Her silver hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of moonlight.
"Lune, I'm turning in for the night. Are you—" she started but was interrupted by Lune's hesitant voice.
"Ambra, are you sure about joining the Adventurers' Guild?" Lune's voice faltered a little, her wavering peering through the cracks of her stoic demeanor.
Ambra turned to face Lune, her silver hair shimmering in the pale moonlight that filtered through the window. Her face broke into a bright, confident smile. "Absolutely," she said with palpable enthusiasm.
For a moment, Lune looked stunned, her eyes widening and her mouth slightly agape. It was as if she had seen a flash of something she thought was gone.
Snapping back to her senses, Lune exhaled a sigh of relief. "Good. That's... that's good."
Trying to add a lighthearted twist, Lune then joked, "So, planning to become a diamond-ranked adventurer again, are you?"
Ambra chuckled at the thought. "Oh, I'm aiming much higher than that." She paused, her expression softening. "But honestly, I'm not that interested in ranks or the type of missions and quests I end up doing."
Lune looked intrigued, her eyebrows slightly raised as she took a seat on the bed. Ambra joined her, lying down and staring up at the ceiling, her arms outstretched as if trying to touch the sky. Her crimson eyes glowed softly, reflecting a sincerity that words could hardly capture.
"What I want now," Ambra began, her voice tinged with a heartfelt earnestness, "is to put down roots again. To be around people who value me, who want me there with them. And if I can't have that as the Ambra everyone once knew, well, then I'm more than content with this. With being here, with being me, however that turns out."
Lune looked over at Ambra, her eyes softening. "I'm really glad you want to join the guild again. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised you'd choose to."
Ambra propped herself up on one elbow, feigning shock. "Surprised? My dear Lune, I am surprised at myself!" She burst into laughter, her eyes twinkling in the dim light.
"Oh, stop it," Lune chided playfully.
In response, Ambra reached over and poked Lune's cheek, eliciting a surprised giggle from her. "Fine, fine, I'll stop," Ambra said, a mischievous grin stretching across her face.
Lune shook her head, attempting to remain a bit serious. Yet, a smile began to betray her stern facade. "You're impossible," she murmured as her smile slowly became a grin she could barely contain.
Ambra smirked at Lune, who broke into laughter again. "Stop looking at me like that, or I might just reconsider joining the guild too."
Ambra's eyes widened, her mouth forming an 'O' of surprise. She practically bounced on the bed in childlike glee. "Wait, are you serious? You'd really consider joining again?"
Lune's eyes met Ambra's, a smirk playing at her lips. "I don't know yet. But I'm considering it."
"That's good enough for me!" Ambra cheered, flopping back down on the bed and closing her eyes in delight, her whole body seeming to shimmer with the thrill.
Shaking her head one last time at the whirlwind of emotion that was Ambra, Lune reached over to turn off the bedside candle. "Goodnight, you bundle of enthusiasm," she said with a gentle tone.
As darkness filled the room, a comforting silence descended. Both girls lay there in silence. Despite their different pasts and the complexities of their individual journeys, the thought of future adventures, side by side, filled the night with a sense of promise.
"Goodnight, Lune," Ambra murmured back, her voice soft but still inked by ecstasy.
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Ambra Needs a New Pet! Lune Would Volunteer I bet!
Ah yes the royal pet. Each Queen needs one