The streets were alive with color and sound. Merchants called out from stalls draped in silks, the smell of roasted meats and sweet pastries curling through the air.
Children darted past, chasing each other with wooden swords, their laughter rising over the din. Stone bridges arched gracefully over canals, where gondolas drifted lazily beneath.
Liraeth guided him with easy confidence, pointing out old statues, historic plazas, and bustling markets. She explained bits of history and gossip, her tone half guide, half teasing companion. Lumberling listened quietly, the corners of his mouth lifting now and then at her playful remarks.
To others, they might have looked like a young lord and his lady out for a stroll. Lumberling never said it aloud, but the thought crossed his mind more than once.
And though neither of them spoke it, the walk felt less like duty and more like… a moment carved out just for themselves.
....
