After a peaceful interval wherein Hilde replenished her energy through eating some more, another commotion took place. Coming from a side path to the left of the meadow, Theodar and two of their household soldiers rejoined their company.
He was quite a distance away from where the royal women sat, so it was difficult to gauge whether the redness of his complexion was due to exertion, the lingering heat, or something else entirely. Winding through the spaces between blankets, he stared straight ahead, making a clear beeline to where his family waited.
He could not have been unaware of all the stares, yet bore it, he did. Then again, it was already a point in his favor that he had returned at all.
Subtly, Hilde's eyes slid sideways to look at her cousin's face. At first, it didn't appear
