"How much time until we arrive?" Sillia asked, half-dozing, forcing herself to stay awake.

"In just a few more minutes, little sister," her brother replied, ahead of her, next to Night and Hirana.

Behind her was Zirar, whom she hadn't spoken to since that moment by the river. She felt so embarrassed. What would have happened if they hadn't been interrupted by Night coming out of the water? Would they have kissed? Or would he have done nothing?

Sillia felt herself dozing off, lulled by the trotting steps of her unicorn on which she was seated. She stopped paying attention to what was happening around her. Suddenly, she felt herself falling to the right, but she was unable to stop herself. Two strong arms caught her just in time.

"Princess! Are you okay?" Zirar asked.

She nodded slightly, exhausted. She couldn't make any movement, no matter how slight.

"Guys, I think Sillia is too tired to continue. I'll take her with me, but can someone hold the reins of her mount? I can't do both," Zirar said.

She recognized Z's smell and voice as he held her close. She clung to his shirt with one hand, near his heart.

"I'll take Oxya with me," Night said, volunteering to help.

Sillia finally heard before drifting off to sleep, this time cradled by Zirar's heartbeat that she felt under her hand and his warmth surrounding her.

"L'lIa! Sillia, can you hear me?!"

What's going on? Where am I?

"Sillia, wake up! I must talk to you at all costs!"

Who's there?

She managed to open her eyes and look around. She was sitting on the ground, and she could easily make out the place where she was. It was the clearing from yesterday! But it looked much more magical now, with fireflies flying all around her and bubbles of blue light, reminding her of Aoi's.

"Aoi? Is that you?" Sillia asked, still seated on the ground.

They then appeared before her, in the same form as this morning. They extended their hand with a smile on their lips, but their eyes revealed worry and regret.

"Wake up, princess. I forgot to tell you something," they started as she grabbed their hand to help herself up. "The power stones need energy to give energy. And in your case, since you've never had any powers, while most elves have powers from birth, your body doesn't have a reserve of energy, so to speak, and therefore, the stone takes directly from your life force. That's why you fell asleep without being able to control it."

Sillia looked at them, now understanding why she fell asleep so quickly.

"I was lucky Zirar was there then. Otherwise, the fall would have hurt. But, wait? What am I doing here? Shouldn't I be with the others?"

"You are in a dream, princess. I believe you are still in the arms of your handsome prince," Aoi replied.

"Zirar is not my handsome prince. I'm not even attracted to him, to begin with!" Sillia exclaimed, feeling herself blush with embarrassment.

"Perhaps, but he almost kissed you, and you didn't budge. Proof that it wouldn't have bothered you if he had," Aoi pointed out.

"M...maybe, but he didn't, and it's better that way... Besides, I don't have the right to fall in love," she said, lowering her head. "I'm going to be married to a stranger in a few days."

"If you could choose your husband, what kind of person would you choose?" Aoi asked, taking her hands in his, making her lift her head to look at them.

"Well, I've never really thought about it. I would say someone caring, taller than me, willing to help others, adventurous, and loyal, both to me and to his friends or family," Sillia said, blushing again as she imagined the perfect person.

"Well, if we forget about the physical aspect, you just described Zirar," Aoi remarked.

"Oh, stop it! I'm not in love with him. And who's to say that, for example, if I were in love with him, he would feel the same?" Sillia asked.

"The fact that he tried to kiss you? The fact that he saved you from falling? The fact that he lent you his shirt when you were uncomfortable going into the water in your underwear?" Aoi listed, smiling at her.

Sillia didn't reply, knowing that no matter what she said, they would find something to contradict her.

"So, the stones take my life force to give me their energy? So if I use them too much, I could die?" Sillia asked, changing the subject.

"Exactly. But no, you won't die, well unless you force it too much. The more you train, the more your body will get used to magic, and the more it gets used to it, the longer you'll be able to use the stones. Today, I'd say you used the stone too much for the first time, but I'm surprised you didn't pass out sooner," Aoi explained.

"The more I practice using the stones, the more I will get used to their energy, and thus be able to use them for longer. I understand now," Sillia said with a smile. "Even though I wish I had known this earlier, thank you for clarifying it for me. At least, I'll have an explanation to give to the others when I wake up."

She looked at Aoi, and they smiled before starting to disappear.

"It seems my time is up for tonight, princess. But don't worry, I'll stay by your side. As long as you have the stone with you, I will follow you. After all, it's my stone, the stone of the wind," they announced before vanishing completely.

Sillia then felt dizzy before everything went black, and she woke up in a dimly lit room, illuminated by what she assumed to be moonlight. She sat up in the bed, and the room was rather simple with just a bed and a wardrobe as furniture. The black wooden floor and beige walls added a charm to this plain room. The bed was covered with sky blue sheets and a light blanket of the same color. She was surprised to find herself only wearing a large shirt that reached just above her knees.

Hearing some noise coming from behind the door, she decided to get up, which she immediately regretted as dizziness took over, forcing her to sit back down. She took a few seconds to allow her body to fully wake up and then attempted to get up again, successfully this time.

She walked towards the door and opened it, only to be blinded by the artificial light in the room, making her close her eyes. She slowly opened them, trying to adjust to the bright light before finally being able to see the room. The pastel green walls at the top and pine plank for the bottom gave the room a vintage look, contrasting with the dark wooden floor. A fireplace on the left wall, made of brick and stone, emanated warmth, thanks to the logs burning inside.

A sofa faced the room Sillia had just exited, with a large television —technology brought by the Earthlings and adopted by all species on Unpia— broadcasting a reality show that her mother loved to watch.

Hirana, Night, and Joshua were seated on the three-seater couch, and Sillia could only see the top of Zirar's head peeking out between Night and her brother. She assumed he was sitting on the floor. All four of them were watching this terrible reality show that she couldn't stand, and they didn't seem to have noticed her. She walked closer and stood on their right side. Zirar noticed her first, as she sat down next to him.

"Princess! I was worried! Why did you suddenly fall asleep? You could have hurt yourself," Zirar exclaimed.

"I'm sorry for worrying all of you. I honestly didn't know what was happening to me. I wanted to react, but I couldn't. I saw Aoi in a dream, just like when I was younger," she explained to her brother. "They told me that it was the stone of the wind that drained me of my energy. Since I've never had any powers, my body doesn't have any reserved energy for magic, so by using the wind stone multiple times, I used up too much energy in one day."

"My sister also had this problem. Unlike you, she just had her powers delayed, so when she finally got them, she was euphoric and used her magic too much, sometimes fainting just like you did," Hirana shared as she sipped her cup of hot chocolate in her hands.

"I should have thought about it earlier. Mom always told me to keep an eye on my little sister in case she suddenly got powers, like your sister Hirana, but it never happened, and when it came time to tell 'Llia, she was devastated," her brother continued, looking at her with a sad expression as he recalled the memory.

Sillia smiled sadly back at him as memories flooded back, reminding her of that horrible day when she learned that she would never be the princess the whole kingdom had hoped for.

It was a summer evening, and her brother had been watching her closely because she had been told that her powers might appear late. Typically, an elf received their powers on their fifth birthday, but she was already six, and there was no sign of any power emerging. She had hoped with all her heart to have the power of water. She loved water, the sea, the ocean, and everything connected to that element. Whenever she had the chance, she would go to the library and learn about everything related to water. She dreamt of seeing a mermaid with her own eyes.

Unfortunately, on her seventh birthday, Sillia's parents and her brother realized that she was one of the rare elves who had no powers. When they told her, she felt lost and empty. Without saying a word, she ran through the castle's corridors, trying to escape the reality that was unfolding before her. She locked herself in what she liked to call the "aquarium room." Although it was small, its walls, floor, and ceiling were made of thick glass. Behind those walls were an aquarium and many creatures from the ocean. Fish, miniature jellyfish, axolotls, octopuses, and little squids were all gathered behind those glass walls.

Her mother had arranged this room as her next bedroom, with a seashell-shaped bed in the center and a small fountain flowing with pure water. A dressing table with a mirror was placed on the only wall without glass, just between the two doors. One door led in and out of the room, while the other led to a large walk-in closet. Entering this room, to the left between two shoe storage shelves, was another door leading to a spacious and fully equipped modern bathroom.

She laid down on the bed and watched the fish gracefully swim above her. She sighed, sitting up on the bed, when she heard a knock on the door, and it opened.

"'Llia... I knew I'd find you here. You know, even though this news isn't the best, remember that it doesn't make you a bad or useless person," her brother said.

"I don't think I'm useless, but-"

"I know you, 'Lila," Joshua interrupted, sitting next to her. "You think you won't be able to prove to others that you belong with them, even without powers. You fear being alone, with no one to support you when things get tough. But I'm here, Mom is here, and so is Night. And who knows, maybe your prince charming who will come to save you will be that dear Prince Z that Night talks about every time you visit him." He said this, and she felt her cheeks turning red.

"What are you talking about?! Fool, I'm not getting married anytime soon, I'm too young, and besides, I know I'm not alone," she replied, wiping away her tears. "Look at me closely because in a few years, I won't be the same! I'll have become a strong and independent young woman who doesn't need a prince to save her! Just like in my favorite movie!" she announced, standing up and striking the same pose as her favorite heroine, one hand on her hip and the other raised in a fist in the air, which made Joshua laugh.

"Come on, Princess, Mom is worried, let's go join her. Besides, it's almost dinner time," Joshua said, hugging his sister and leading her out of the room.

"I was devastated when I heard the news, but you managed to lift my spirits in no time," she told him. "Anyway, what happened while I was asleep?" she asked, looking at Zirar.

"Well, honestly, nothing much. Zirar carried you in his arms, and your brother took care of Oxya," Night replied.

She blushed at the memory of being close to Zirar and clinging to him. She heard her brother and Night chuckle, and Hirana commented on how cute she was when she was embarrassed and that Zirar and her would make a great couple.

Feeling extremely embarrassed, she quickly got up and headed towards what she assumed was the kitchen.

"After Aoi trying to convince me of my supposed feelings, Hirana saying we would make a good match... No wonder I'm mentally lost," she muttered to herself.

She opened the refrigerator and found a soda can. She grabbed it, opened it, and poured it into a glass she found nearby while talking to herself out loud. As she put the can in the recycling bin after rinsing it, she turned around and came face to face with Zirar.

Her heart raced uncontrollably, and her cheeks felt like they were on fire, probably as red as tomatoes. She nearly dropped her glass of soda. She quickly stepped back after a few seconds to regain her composure.

"I-idiot! Don't scare me like that again! I almost had a heart attack!" she told him as he smirked playfully.

"Sorry, Princess, I won't do it again, I promise," he said, taking her free hand in his, making a small bow, and then kissing the back of her hand, which made her blush even more.

"Idiot! Stop it, you're embarrassing me..." she confessed, averting her gaze and pulling her hand out of his grasp.

She turned around and sat at the table, holding her glass between both hands and staring at it intently, trying to compose herself.

"Tell me, did you hear me talking to myself? Because I said some personal things out loud, and it would be awkward if you overheard them," Sillia asked. She heard him sit down beside her, leaning on the table with his elbow and resting his head on his hand. She could feel his gaze on her, and her heart started racing again, even though it had just returned to a normal pace.

"Don't worry, 'Llia... Well, Sillia..." he began, and she interrupted him, encouraging him to continue.

"'Llia is fine," she said, giving him a glance.

"I didn't hear anything. I may be playful and like teasing others, but I don't eavesdrop," he assured her.

"Thank you... I mean, for not eavesdropping," she said, relieved.

"I guess I arrived just after you finished your monologue. I would have liked to know what you were thinking about, after all," he said with a teasing smile.

"And you'll never know! It's confidential! You'll never find out!" she retorted playfully.

"Never say never, Princess. Never," he said as he reached for her ear and tucked a strand of her hair behind it.

"People have probably told you this before, but you are beautiful. And I'm not saying that to flirt, not at all! I just genuinely think you're beautiful," he complimented.

"Oh... Th-thank you... It's the first time someone has said that to me directly... It's nice to hear," she replied, blushing slightly but smiling.

"Alright, lovebirds! We're going to bed! We're leaving early tomorrow morning. It's about a day's ride from here, not counting the breaks we'll take! Don't stay up too late," her brother announced, sticking his head into the kitchen. "Good night!"

"Good night," they both replied simultaneously to her brother before he disappeared into his room.

A moment of silence settled in. Sillia finished her soda and headed to wash her glass. Suddenly, fast footsteps were heard, followed by a door opening. Her brother reappeared in the kitchen.

"I forgot to mention, there are only four available rooms, and three of them are already taken. The sofa can be turned into a bed, I've already set it up if you don't want to share the same bed," Joshua announces before disappearing back into his room.

Zirar and Sillia exchange glances, and a nervous, awkward chuckle escapes them upon hearing the news.

"I'll take the sofa, Princess. You can have the bed," Zirar says, getting up and heading towards the family room. "Good night."

"Good night to you too," she replies, wiping her glass dry.

She follows the same path Zirar took to get to the living room, remembering that she needs to pass through there to reach her room. Once out of the kitchen, she sees Zirar standing in front of the sofa-now-bed. She joins him, facing this disaster.

The mattress is riddled with holes, a spring is sticking out from the bottom left, ready to pierce their flesh during the night. Not to mention the misshapen pillows. She holds back a shudder before saying, "I... It doesn't bother me, you know... We can sleep together... I can't let you sleep on... that..." She gestures towards the makeshift bed.

"Don't worry, I'll survive," he says calmly.

"Oh no! You're not sleeping on that thing!" She grabs his hand with hers and leads him towards her room, not allowing him to get a word in. "No way am I letting you sleep on that... uh... thing. I may be a princess, but I'm not demonic!"

"I know you're not demonic... It's just that I tend to move a lot during the night, and I don't want to make you uncomfortable, so I'd rather let you sleep peacefully," he says as they arrive at the door to her room, now their room. She turns to face him.

"I'm telling you, it doesn't bother me. Don't act all shy now!" she says with a smirk, crossing her arms, teasing him a bit, before entering the room.

"Me? Shy? What a joke! I'm dying of laughter! I don't mind sleeping with you, Princess, but don't come complaining if you find yourself on the floor tomorrow morning!" he says, starting to take off his shirt and then rummaging in his bag, which he had brought from the living room and placed at the foot of the bed, to get a fresh one.

"Addressing me formally now, my dear? We can both play this game, you know!" she retorts.

"I prefer to be respectful towards you, Princess. Maybe my guilt will be lighter tomorrow morning after what I'm about to do to you..." Zirar says with a mischievous grin.

"Okay, that's enough!" Sillia lets out a small laugh, finding it ridiculous that they're playing this role-playing game, before grabbing her night clothes and heading towards the bathroom. "I'll change and be right back."

She hears him chuckle as she leaves the room. She changes in the bathroom, regretting not being able to take a nice, warm bath. She puts on a loose-fitting shirt, not feeling comfortable in her nightgown when she's sleeping with someone else. Now that she thinks about it, it's going to be the first time she'll be sharing a bed with someone. She tries to gather her thoughts, not wanting to be embarrassed and blushing when she returns to the room. Once dressed in her oversized t-shirt and loose pajama pants, she makes her way back to the bedroom.

She finds Zirar lying on one side of the bed, on his back, one arm behind his head and the other on his stomach, shirtless. She can't help but look him up and down as she closes the bedroom door and approaches the bed.

"Do you enjoy the view, Princess?" Zirar asks, opening his crimson eyes and turning his gaze towards her, making her blush for the umpteenth time in just two days.

"I do appreciate the view, but I assume you're wearing pants under the covers?" she says, trying not to stutter to hide the embarrassment caused by her own words.

Raising his eyebrows as she glances at him, he looks her up and down with widened eyes.

"What have you done to my shy and non-perverted princess? Give her back to me before I force you to do so!" he says with an amused smirk.

"You idiot! You have no idea how embarrassing it is to say that, but I managed to surprise you and take away your words for a moment!" she settles into the bed, lying on the right side, facing Zirar, their eyes locked.

They gaze at each other for a moment, a comfortable silence settling in the room. She studies his facial features, her gaze passing over a slight scar just above his left temple, pausing at his magnificent crimson eyes, framed by his white eyelashes and eyebrows, moving down to his well-defined nose and his slender, rosy lips, and finally resting on his strong jaw framing his face, before anchoring her gaze in his eyes once again.

"You are beautiful, Princess... And not just physically..." Zirar lies back on his back and places his arm behind his head. "Your unique personality, fun but straightforward, caring for the people around you while expecting the same in return. Though you may seem selfish at first glance, you are not at all. You'll do anything to help others, and you'll go to great lengths to succeed, even if it leads to fainting. I've never met anyone like you, Princess, but I'm glad I got to know you. Your brother talked so much about you as a little princess spoiled by her parents, and I never imagined you would be so selfless." He smiles before fixing his gaze back on her.

As Sillia looks at him, her cheeks most likely red, as they always were whenever she found herself talking to him, a smile on her lips, she feels tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

"It's the first time someone has said all of that to me. It means a lot," she says, smiling at him, as he reaches his hand towards her face, wiping away a small tear that had escaped her eye.

"Come on, let's sleep, Princess. Goodnight..." he says, and she replies with the same before closing her eyes and falling into the arms of Morpheus.

The night passes peacefully, and when Sillia wakes up the next morning, she finds herself wrapped in the warmth of Zirar's embrace. Her heart skips a beat, and she blushes slightly, but she doesn't want to wake him, so she carefully disentangles herself from his arms and gets out of bed.

She quietly makes her way to the kitchen, where she finds her brother and the others having breakfast. They look up and smile as she enters the room.

"Morning, Princess. Did you sleep well?" Hirana asks with a knowing grin.

She blushes a little but manages to reply, "Yes, I did. Thank you."

Zirar joins them a few moments later, and they all have breakfast together. Afterward, they prepare for the day's journey, and Sillia can't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation.