After She Left, Both Men Regretted It

After he left, she hired a lone tracker from the border packs. Watching the figures moving outside the carved stone window, she spoke in a calm tone, “Keep an eye on him.”

On the first day, she received an update about Drake’s whereabouts. He had gone to her mother’s trading hall, picked up Liora and then the two went to a mountain guest-den, not returning to the main den until late at night.

The following updates were a series of intimate and suggestive illusion-visions captured in spirit crystals. She stared silently at the stuffed pelt-creatures in the room. With a steady hand, she cleared them all out and cast them into the hearth-fire.

The next day, she learned that her brother had known all along about Drake’s affair with Liora behind her back and that he had even gone across the distant seas to buy a moonstone necklace for Liora.

She read the raven-carried message without a flicker of emotion on her face. She began to pack up everything in her mother's den and erased all traces of herself, even cutting herself out of the woven family tapestry and replacing it with Liora.

On the third day, she sold all the clothes in the three large travelling chests. When Drake and Evan walked through the door of the great hall, they froze upon seeing the packed gear.

Drake's right eyelid twitched involuntarily, a wave of frustration rising in him, as if something was slipping out of his control.

He strode toward Narissa, his eyes fixed on her with a look of unease. “Narissa, what are you doing?” His tone was tight with tension.

Evan glanced around and when he noticed many of the cloaks and robes were gifts he had personally given her, his brow furrowed in surprise. He looked at Narissa, waiting for an explanation.

Narissa felt their probing gazes on her, her heart tightening involuntarily. She maintained a calm demeanor, her expression giving nothing away. “We're about to get engaged, so I thought I'd start packing.”

The two of them relaxed, not giving it much thought. Evan casually took out a carved wooden gift box, revealing a moon-pendant inside. “This is the one I got for you from distant lands beyond the Silver Mountains.”

Narissa glanced at it for a few seconds, recognizing it as the same pendant he had given to Liora. Her tone was distant, “Thank you.”

Evan frowned at her cold response. In the past, Narissa had always been thrilled to receive gifts from him. She would always smile brightly when he brought something back.

He suddenly realized that it had been a long time since he’d seen her smile.

Drake, noticing her lack of enthusiasm, raised an eyebrow and took out a bright red engagement robe. “I know you don’t want to go out, so I thought I’d pick this one out for you.”

Narissa stared at the robe for a few moments. She had seen this robe in a painted likeness before, on Liora.

Narissa had always preferred softer, lighter colors. Only Liora would like such a bright color. Seeing she didn’t smile, Drake felt a pang of anxiety. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

“I don’t like such bright colors. This color is something only Liora would like.”

Upon hearing this, Drake's expression froze. His face shifted between different emotions before he finally spoke, “I thought you she-wolves would like something like this. I’ll take you to pick something you like instead.”

Narissa’s smile was faint. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s not like I’ll need it.”

“How could you not need it...” Drake started to protest, but just then, both their message crystals vibrated with pale light. They checked their crystals, exchanged a glance and then turned to Narissa. “We have to step out for pack duty for a while.”

Not long after they left, Narissa received spirit-visions of them visiting Liora.

It was the Winter Moon Feast and her father had taken Wilde out for a pilgrimage to the high Moon Shrine, leaving the den eerily quiet. Meanwhile, at her brother’s private hill-fort, skyfire spells lit up the night sky. In the vision, Evan was gently ruffling Liora’s hair with a look of fondness.

Narissa stood alone on the stone terrace, gazing at the skyfire lighting up the heavens. She thought to herself, if they no longer loved her, then she wouldn't need them either.

On the fourth day, she sold all her clothes for moon-coins, which she sent with a caravan to orphaned pups in famine-stricken border packs. As she looked around at the empty room, Elowen returned and was taken aback. “What's going on here?”

Narissa casually replied, “We're getting engaged. I’m just tidying up in advance.”

Ironically, the household maid had sensed she was about to leave, yet her family remained unaware.