Chapter 18: A Moment Shared

Hours later, the distinct crunch of snow under heavy boots echoed through the clearing, signaling the return of the hunting party. Prince Leopold emerged from the forest path, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion, yet a satisfied smile played on his lips. Behind him, a line of weary hunters trailed, their faces etched with fatigue but their spirits high from the victory.

Caspian, his usually immaculate royal blue suit now dusted with snow and a few stray pine needles clinging to his silver hair, followed closely behind his brother. He moved with a measured grace that belied his weariness, his sapphire eyes scanning their surroundings with a practiced vigilance.

Despite the thrill of the hunt and the relief of their triumph over the snow troll, a knot of worry tightened in Caspian’s chest. His gaze swept over the gathered onlookers, searching for a familiar face, a head of messy black hair. Please let him be alright. He chided himself for the surge of relief that coursed through him when his eyes landed on Sonne, standing beside Elura, who was thankfully sitting on a fallen log, her ankle carefully propped up.

As they drew closer, Leopold clapped a hand on Caspian’s shoulder, his voice laced with exhaustion. "A successful hunt, wouldn’t you say, brother?"

"Indeed," Caspian replied curtly, his attention already on Sonne. He noticed the way Sonne’s eyes followed Elura, a gentle concern etched on his features. How…peculiar.

"Our unexpected visitor certainly caused quite the stir," Leopold chuckled, referring to the snow troll that had unexpectedly barreled out of the forest, sending the onlookers scattering. "Thankfully, no one was seriously injured."

Caspian merely nodded, his gaze lingering on Sonne for a beat too long before he turned his attention to his sister. "Elura, how fares your ankle?"

Elura offered a brave smile, "Much better now, brother. The healer worked wonders." Caspian gave her a curt nod, his expression unreadable. "See that you remain off it until it is fully healed," he instructed, though a hint of genuine concern softened his usually severe tone.

He turned back to Sonne, his expression unreadable. "You handled yourself well back there," Caspian acknowledged, his voice betraying none of the relief he felt seeing Sonne unharmed.

Sonne's quiet reply drew Caspian's attention back to him. "I didn't do anything," Sonne admitted, a hint of amusement in his eyes. He gestured towards Elura with a slight tilt of his head. "Your sister, however, demonstrated impressive bravery and quick thinking, ensuring everyone's safety."

Caspian, though slightly surprised by Sonne's self-effacing demeanor, quickly schooled his features into a neutral mask. It wouldn't do for Sonne to think he'd made any sort of impression on the prince. "Indeed," Caspian replied coolly, "My sister is known for her courage."

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As the sun sets, a decision was made to set up camp while awaiting the arrival of carriages for the injured soldiers and weary nobles. A flurry of activity ensued as servants, dispatched earlier from the hunting lodge, began setting up tents and kindling fires, their movements efficient and practiced.

Caspian, still feeling the chill of the hunt linger in his bones, found himself standing close to a crackling fire, his gloved hands outstretched towards the warmth.

"The carriages should arrive soon," Leopold announced, his voice carrying over the buzz of activity as he addressed the group. "Until then, I suggest we all rest and restore our energy."

There was a murmur of agreement from the gathered nobles, many of whom looked ready to collapse from exhaustion.

Sonne ambled towards the bonfire, his movements betraying a weariness that his composed expression hid well. He settled down near the fire, his back resting against a stack of logs, his eyes flickering shut for a moment. "I should be taking a nap…" he mumbled, stifling a yawn with the back of his hand, "But I don’t want to close my eyes."

Caspian, who had been subtly observing Sonne’s every move, raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Fearful of missing some grand spectacle, Mr. Dial?" he asked, unable to resist the slight barb in his tone.

Sonne’s surprisingly frank admission caught Caspian off guard. "Afraid I might get left behind if I sleep," Sonne admitted, a hint of genuine concern flickering in his eyes. It was a valid concern, Caspian had to admit. They were, after all, in the middle of nowhere, miles from the capital of Snowfall.

"Hardly a fate worse than death," Caspian remarked dryly, though a flicker of amusement danced in his eyes.

"And I’m getting hungry, too," Sonne added, patting his pockets as if searching for something. "Good thing I packed my dried strawberries." He pulled a small pouch from his pocket and produced a handful of bright red, dried strawberries. With a shrug, Sonne popped one into his mouth, seeming perfectly content with his simple snack amidst the flurry of servants and weary nobles.

Caspian watched Sonne with a mixture of amusement and a strange sense of fascination. He, who was accustomed to lavish banquets and meticulously prepared meals, had never considered carrying around dried fruit as a snack. There was a certain…earthy appeal to it, he supposed.

"You seem to have quite the fondness for strawberries," Caspian observed, his tone neutral despite the genuine curiosity swirling within him.

Sonne met Caspian’s gaze with an amused twinkle. "I’m a strawberry merchant," he replied, his tone laced with playful reminder, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He gestured towards the pouch in his hand, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "It’s important to represent the brand, even in the wilderness."

Caspian, despite his attempts to maintain a cool and aloof demeanor, felt a rare smile tug at the corners of his lips.

"Indeed," Caspian finally replied, his voice carefully modulated to convey his usual aloofness. "One must always maintain a professional image."

Sonne, with a nonchalant air, continued to munch on his dried strawberries. His gaze drifted from the small pouch in his hand towards Caspian. "Want some?" he offered, extending the pouch towards the prince.

Caspian found himself momentarily surprised by the gesture. It was a simple act, offering a snack, yet no one had ever offered him food so casually, let alone dried fruit from a half-eaten pouch. He hesitated, his usual instinct for decorum warring with a sudden, inexplicable urge to accept.

He was Prince Caspian Frostheart, second in line to the throne of Snowfall, known for his icy demeanor and sharp wit. Accepting a humble snack from a strawberry merchant, even one as intriguing as Sonne Dial, felt…unorthodox.

Yet, as he met Sonne's gaze, a look that held both amusement and a hint of challenge, Caspian found himself reaching out, his gloved fingers brushing against Sonne's as he took the pouch.

"Thank you," Caspian murmured, his voice betraying none of the unusual turmoil he felt. He examined the dried strawberries in his hand, their bright red a stark contrast against the pristine white of his gloves. Despite his initial reservations, a flicker of curiosity tempted him. He selected a plump strawberry and brought it to his lips, the sweet, slightly tart flavor a pleasant surprise.

Sonne, who had been watching Caspian with an unreadable expression, suddenly spoke. "You have something…" he began, his voice drawing Caspian's attention away from the sweet taste of the dried strawberry. Caspian paused mid-bite, a flicker of curiosity in his sapphire eyes as he looked up at Sonne.

Without waiting for a response, Sonne stood up and gracefully moved to sit beside Caspian, their shoulders brushing against each other. Caspian's gaze never left Sonne, a hint of surprise mixed with intrigue in his expression.

Sonne gently took Caspian's hand in his own, his touch surprisingly warm against Caspian's gloved fingers. Caspian's eyes followed the movement, and there, on his hand, he saw a reddish bruise peeking through the pristine white fabric of his glove. The adrenaline from the hunt and the subsequent encounter with the snow troll had masked the pain, and Caspian hadn't even noticed the injury. It was a minor bruise, a common occurrence for a warrior prince, but Sonne's attention to it was… unexpected.

Sonne then reached into his pocket and produced a neatly folded handkerchief.

"This…" Caspian began, his voice laced with a hint of confusion as he looked down at his own hand.

"Oh, I've been meaning to return this to you," Sonne explained, a playful smile dancing on his lips. Caspian instantly recognized it as his own, the very one he had offered to Sonne when he'd orchestrated the spilled drink at the engagement gala. A faint blush crept up Caspian's cheeks, a rare occurrence for the usually stoic prince.

Ignoring Caspian's surprise, Sonne carefully pulled the damaged glove, revealing the full extent of the bruise. With gentle movements, he proceeded to wrap Caspian's hand with the handkerchief, securing it by tying a small ribbon knot. Caspian watched, mesmerized, as Sonne's nimble fingers worked, a warmth spreading through his chest that had nothing to do with the fire crackling nearby. "Cute," he thought, a rare smile gracing his lips as he admired the unexpected touch of domesticity from the enigmatic strawberry merchant.

The scene was a far cry from the usual formality and rigid etiquette of Caspian's world. Yet, in that moment, surrounded by the wilderness and the unexpected kindness of a strawberry merchant, Caspian felt a sense of peace and connection he had rarely experienced before.