Perched on a small rock, Sophie stared blankly at a tiny puddle of water.
This was a path she hadn't taken before. After just one day of travel with the caravan, they had stumbled upon a small oasis. Still unfamiliar with the merchants, Sophie had wandered off alone to this quiet spot when the group decided to rest, lost in her thoughts.
The reflection in the water seemed to morph into Sir Ray's face. The longer she stared, the angrier she grew. Snatching up a pebble, she hurled it into the puddle, shattering the illusion and sending ripples across the surface.
Alone at last, she decided to vent—or she'd go mad.
"Stupid Sir Ray! You're a big turtle! A toad! A rotten egg! An ugly monster!" She cursed under her breath, but the flood of longing hit harder than ever, especially when she remembered the scene she'd witnessed earlier. Tears spilled down her cheeks before she even realized it.
"Stupid Sir Ray! Why did I have to meet you? Why do you love someone else and not me? Why did I fall for you?" Her icy tears rolled down, vanishing into the hot sand. One particularly mischievous tear rolled behind her—only to be caught in a large, waiting hand.
"Sir Ray, do you know? I love you! I love you—dark, skinny, unremarkable you! But you don't belong to me. I had to watch you kiss another girl. If only you'd say you love me..." Her muttering bordered on delirium, so much so that she almost believed she heard those three words.
"I love you." A deep voice, heavy with emotion, came from behind her.
The moment she felt arms encircle her from behind, Sophie whirled around and punched.
"Ow—!" Sir Ray collapsed onto the sand, clutching a rapidly blackening eye.
"Sir Ray?" Sophie froze, staring dumbfounded at the man writhing on the ground.
"Ahhh! That hurts!" He groaned dramatically, rolling in the sand.
"Sir Ray, are you okay?" Panic surged as she knelt beside him, trying to pry his hands away from his face.
A smirk flickered across Sir Ray's lips. In one swift motion, he yanked her down, sending them both tumbling across the sand. Sophie barely had time to yelp before she found herself sprawled on top of him.
Gazing at the face he'd longed for, Sir Ray whispered, "Sophie, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you like this. I love you."
Sophie went utterly still, her mind blank except for those three words echoing endlessly.
"What... did you just say?" Her voice was barely audible, as if afraid the dream would shatter.
"I love you, Sophie. I've finally understood my own heart. It's you—only you." His words were soft, gentle, as if speaking too loudly might scare her away.
Staring down at him, Sophie felt tears welling up again—but why did dream-Sir Ray have a black eye? Pinching herself sharply, she gasped. *Not a dream.* He was real. And if he was real, then his words were real. *He loves me. He loves me!*
"You look ridiculous," she burst out laughing, shattering the tension.
"If you'd said that *without* the black eye, it might've been more romantic. Now I just want to laugh!" Clambering off him, she sprinted away, laughter trailing behind her. Whoever he'd loved before didn't matter. Right now, he was hers. And from now on, he would stay hers. The realization sent her heart soaring.
"Hey! Don't run, you brute! You ruined my face—you have to take responsibility!" Sir Ray scrambled up and gave chase.
Laughter filled the desert twilight, so infectious even the distant caravan and monibeasts seemed to smile.
"Looks like Kirisya's about to have a wedding!" an elder chuckled.
"Next year, we might even have a little prince!" another added cheerfully.
---
"Sir Ray... am I dreaming?" Curled against his chest, Sophie still half-expected to wake up alone, tears on her pillow.
"Want me to bite you to prove it's real?" Grinning, he lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
"Even if it is a dream, I never want to wake up. I'd fight anyone who tried—because in this dream, I'm happy." She sighed contentedly, her smile radiant.
Gazing at the enormous moon hanging low on the horizon, Sophie thought of an old legend.
"Sir Ray, in my homeland, there's a story about the moon. They say the most beautiful goddess in the world lives there, with her jade rabbit. Her palace is called the Moon Palace, and the only other person there is a man punished to endlessly cut a laurel tree. So the entire moon has just three lonely souls. Do you think that goddess is happy?"
"What do you think?" Sir Ray already knew her answer.
"I think she's the most tragic of all. What does being the most beautiful matter if you're alone? No family, no love. Her palace could be vast and magnificent, but it would only echo with emptiness. Even if she feasted every day, who would share it with her? I'd rather have simple meals with the one I love than all the splendor in the world. Back home, so many people chase glory and forget what true happiness is."
She looked up at him earnestly. "Sir Ray, as long as I'm with you, anywhere is heaven. Even crossing deserts forever would feel like bliss—if being a merchant is what makes you happy."
"Thank you." Touched by her sincerity, Sir Ray felt a surge of gratitude for the twist of fate that had brought her into his life.
"Silly. Between us, no thanks are needed." Reaching up, she booped his nose, savoring the moment.
Bathed in moonlight, the two lost themselves in whispered words and shared dreams, the desert night bearing witness to their love.
---
Dawn had barely broken when the caravan prepared to move.
Nestled in Sir Ray's arms atop the towering monibeast, Sophie dozed peacefully, a smile playing on her lips. Sleeping against his chest had been a fantasy of hers—one she'd never imagined would come true. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat was pure bliss.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the distant city of Yiyu, a small figure darted furtively toward the desert.
"If I make it to the sands, they'll never find me!" Odile giggled to herself.
Despite being Yiyu's underground queen, her grand plans had hit a wall. For the first time in her life, her whims had been denied—every elder, even the king himself, had protested her desire to travel. *"Your safety is paramount!"* they'd insisted. *"Without you, Yiyu would wither!"*
But Odile was no puppet. The more they forbade it, the more determined she grew. *She* was Odile—unrivaled, unyielding Odile!
And far away, a certain handsome elf—long forgotten by Sophie—was also trekking into the desert, seeking the final ingredient for his potion: the elusive Lifebloom, a flower that grew only in the sands. Once he found it, he could finally brew the draught to alter Sophie's constitution. He could already picture her delighted face...
---
Blinking sleepily, Sophie found Sir Ray smiling down at her. "Morning," she beamed.
"Morning." He chuckled, nodding toward the sun already high in the sky.
"Did you make this?" She marveled at the green canopy shading them, its wooden frame woven with broad oasis leaves. "No wonder I didn't feel the heat!"
"Do you like it?"
"I love it!" Her smile could've outshone the sun.
"Sophie, come to Lamipor with me. I want to introduce you to my family."
Her heart leaped—but then sank. "I can't! The children are still in Bell." Biting her lip, she brightened. "What if we fetch them first?"
Sir Ray nodded without hesitation. "Where in Bell are they staying?" As Bell's founder, he knew every corner of the city like the back of his hand.
"Seaview Manor!"
"Seaview Manor?" Sir Ray's jaw dropped.
"Yes! It's Prince Andrew's estate. I went to Bell to find Master Marifao, and the king gave me a letter for Prince Andrew. But when I arrived, the prince wasn't there, so I stayed at the manor. Then Master Marifao came, and after that—"
"HAHAHA—!" Sir Ray's booming laughter made Sophie want to vanish into the sand. *So what if my magic backfired? No need to laugh that hard!* She eyed him darkly, then decided to shut him up—with a kiss.
"Mmph—!" His laughter cut off abruptly as her lips met his. When they finally parted, both were flushed.
"Sophie," Sir Ray murmured, breaking the dazed silence, "did the king... not tell you Prince Andrew's full name?"
"No? Does he have another one?"
"His full name is Sir Ray Andrew Elberta."
"Sir Ray Andrew... *Sir Ray*?" Sophie's eyes widened. Grinning down at her, Sir Ray—no, *Prince Andrew*—waited for the realization to hit.
**Will Sophie ever stop being surprised by fate's twists?**