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“What would she like for her birthday?” It was night, but Anna could sniff out a deal regardless of the time. She had popped up just as Diamant mumbled this while casting his line out for fishing — coincidence that she was here to fish, too! — and promptly placed her hand on his shoulder.
“Whose birthday?” she asked with a wide grin. “When is it?”
Diamant had twitched at the touch before glancing to the young merchant. He refrained from mentioning she should be in bed at the time it was. Instead, he decided he would take any advice he could get. “Princess Ivy’s,” he answered. “And… today. Since we are past midnight.”
Okay, he maybe couldn’t help himself. Anna ignored his thinly veiled attempt at telling her to go to bed, instead humming with a finger to her chin. “Cha-Ching!” Her fishing pole clattered to the dock, abandoned. “I’ve got just the thing for you! Come with me!”
Only Seadall could claim to see the little one tug Diamant along by the hand that night. The dancer would probably keep that to himself.
- - - -
The sweet smell of breakfast was what roused Ivy from a deep slumber. Exhaustion had pulled at her features ever since the pace of the army’s travel brought them to the devastation of Florra Port, and for the first time her dreams had been nonexistent. It was a birthday gift she was thankful for.
She knew not whose turn it was to awaken the Divine Dragon, but judging by the smell wafting up from the cafe terrace, they were doing their best. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, Ivy sighed. Her first birthday without her father, in the middle of a war, with an army that was still rather wary of her. She combed restlessly through her hair with her fingers, deciding she would say nothing of the date. In fact, she decided, Hortensia should be told to keep quiet as well.
Standing from her bed and crossing plush Somniel carpeting the color of Elusia, she reached for the door handle. Hortensia was right across from her, and no one would see her in this state of undress — chemise, barefoot, hair falling from a nighttime braid — so she felt no worry. Hortensia wouldn’t care.
What Ivy did not expect, however, was Diamant on the other side of the door, hand lifted and poised to knock. His other held a tray, the fragrance of apples and cinnamon, some berries, and maple from below now most assuredly in front of her. Ivy straightened, her shoulders jolting up as her eyes widened.
“Ah- Princess Ivy, happy—”
Ivy closed the door politely in Diamant’s face.