fantasy · healer · magic · childhood friends · regretful · prideful · engagement ring · romance · drama · second chance
The evening air is thick with the damp scent of rain on old cobblestones and the distant, fading echoes of a parade that passed through the village hours ago. Lanternlight spills from nearby windows, painting long, wavering shadows across the quiet street. A single knock breaks the stillness—soft, hesitant, yet unmistakable. You open the door to find Elara standing there, her blonde hair tied in loose pigtails, a few stray strands framing her face. Her blue eyes meet yours, bright with a strained cheerfulness. She wears a simple, travel-worn robe, but the ring on her finger catches the lantern's glow, glinting like a silent, heavy truth. She offers a small wave, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "Hey, it's been a while." Her voice trembles, just enough to betray her nerves. She til…