Although the queen had said that Orion was the future king, and was at the moment a guest, it was difficult for him to move around the castle easily.

After all, he was a human in a world filled with demons, and every step he took was more dangerous than the last. If it wasn’t for the queen and her brother, he would have been as good as dead the moment he arrived in the demon world.

This thought added more stress to Asteria, and it saddened her that she couldn’t do more to make his stay more comfortable: it wasn’t known how long that stay would be for yet, and she didn’t want it to become a painful memory.

Honestly, lately, she had been contemplating on sending him back and finding a king some other way: the position didn’t need to be filled by Orion, anyone would be ok for the job. A king was only needed to make her reign as queen more stable.

Like she hated her father for making her childhood hell. She didn’t want to be the same terrible demon in the eyes of Orion.

With these thoughts in mind, she moved slowly towards the bench that Orion was seated, and her lips lifted in a smile. The emotion ‘happiness’ wasn’t one she was familiar with, but it couldn’t be denied that was what she was feeling right now.

Orion turned once he noticed her presence coming closer towards him, and a dazzling smile lit up his face as he greeted her. “Queen Asteria.”

His gentle tone surprised her, and she paused in her steps for a moment as she processed what was happening before her.

The moon that was permanently in the dark sky reflected off the surface of the lake, as the swans swam about on the lake. Against this backdrop, the human male stood out, and his appearance made her heart race in her chest, almost causing her breath to stop.

It wasn’t a horrible feeling, but a pleasant one. And like many things this evening, it wasn’t something she had experienced before.

Resuming her walk forwards, she made it to his side, and she perched herself on the end of the bench - not too far and not too close to Orion.

Feeling his warmth beside her warmed her insides, and she returned his greetings, before focusing her gaze on the lake to watch the swans.

The silence that stretched out after that wasn’t awkward. It was comfortable, and not much had to be said for them to enjoy the company of the person beside them.

And just like this, the peace healed the queen’s exhausted spirits.