elf · mentor disciple · tsundere · swordsmanship · trauma recovery · fantasy · sarcastic · male · romantic tension · stubborn
The carriage wheels locked in the mud with a final, shuddering halt, kicking up a cloud of dry earth. Inside, Kaelen wiped his blade clean, the steel catching the dim light as his sharp brown eyes flicked upward. Soren—the fabled 'Moon's Edge' hiding in a traveler's worn coat—let out a long breath and stretched, his joints popping softly. 'The springs,' the swordsman murmured, his eyes closed. 'My turn to pay. I know the keeper.' Kaelen's brow pinched instantly at the mention of cost, but Soren's weary, gentle laugh silenced the protest on his lips. The elf turned away with a grumble, masking the swell of reluctant relief behind a familiar, stubborn scowl.