IV. New Booty

                                    

                                          
Samaria's POV
The carriage rocked gently as we made our way back to the castle, but my thoughts were anything but steady. 
Elias.
I couldn't stop thinking about him, the stranger I'd met in Solidara. He was unlike anyone I'd ever encountered—so casual, so... normal. He didn't treat me like a princess, didn't tiptoe around me with the usual guarded deference. He spoke to me like I was just another person, and there was something refreshing, almost exhilarating, about that.
His demeanor was disarming, to say the least. Most people around me were careful, calculating, always aware of the power dynamics at play. 
But Elias? 
He seemed oblivious to all that, or if he was aware, he didn't care. He was direct, honest in a way that felt almost jarring. There was no pretense, no hidden agenda that I could sense. And maybe that's what intrigued me the most.
And then there was the moment when I touched his hand.
I couldn't help but blush as the memory resurfaced. His hand had been warm, strong, and rough—calloused in a way that spoke of hard work and experience. When I had placed my hand in his, there had been an electric connection, something that sent a shiver down my spine. It was as if the world had narrowed to just the two of us, and for a brief moment, nothing else mattered.
The feeling of his skin against mine lingered even now, making my heart race just thinking about it. I'd never been that close to someone outside of my family, and certainly not to someone like Elias. The way his presence had filled the space between us, the quiet intensity in his gaze, it all felt... different. 
You just met this man. Please pull it together. You're reading way to much into this.
"Elara, Mae, what did you think of Elias?" I asked, my voice softer than usual as I tried to piece together my own feelings.
Elara wrinkled her nose, her pink eyes narrowing slightly. "I don't trust the man," she said, crossing her arms. "He's too... weird. And he didn't even bow properly. I don't like him."
I smiled at her bluntness. Elara was always the more skeptical of the two, quick to judge and fiercely protective.
Mae, sitting quietly beside her sister, shook her head. "I thought he was kind," she said in her usual soft tone, a shy smile tugging at her lips. "And... kind of cute."
Kind of cute. 
I bit back a smile, feeling a little warmth spread across my cheeks. Mae wasn't wrong. Elias was definitely easy on the eyes. His black hair contrasted sharply with those golden eyes, giving him an almost otherworldly appearance. And his skin, tanned from what must have been countless hours under the sun, added to that rugged, outdoorsy look.
As the carriage continued its journey, I found myself lost in thought, replaying our brief interaction over and over in my mind. The way he looked at me, like he was seeing me for the first time, not as a princess, but as a person. It was unnerving and thrilling all at once.
And then there was his smile— it was genuine, softening his otherwise stern features. It was the kind of smile that made me want to see it again, to understand what lay behind it.
"Do you think we'll see him again?" Mae's voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.
"Highly unlikely," I admitted, though a part of me hoped we would. "But if we do, we'll have to keep an eye on him."
Elara huffed, clearly still not convinced. " Yeah I'll be watching," she said firmly, her little chin jutting out in determination.
I couldn't help but smile at her fierce protectiveness.