The young man fidgets, his eyes darting between Kaylin and the assortment of herbs, incense, potions, and tinctures on display. His shoulders slump slightly at Kaylin’s gentle suggestion, his nervous energy palpable.

“I... I’ve tried,” he mutters, staring at the ground, his voice barely above a whisper. “But she just... I don’t know. She doesn’t seem interested.”

Kaylin tilts their head, observing the boy with empathy. "Love isn’t something that can be forced or manufactured with spells or potions. It’s something that happens naturally. If she’s not responding, it might not be the right time- or the right person.”

The young man’s face crumples in frustration. "But... But it’s so hard. I just want her to look at me the way I look at her.  I know that she's the one for me."

Kaylin exchanges a glance with Brycen, who has been watching the exchange quietly. He can see Kaylin searching for the right words, their brows knit in concern.

"I understand," Kaylin says softly, resting their hand on the edge of the stall. "Unrequited feelings are painful. But if you try to force her to feel something that she doesn't, it will only hurt you both in the end. Maybe... instead of trying to change her, focus on being someone she might naturally notice. Be kind, patient, and honest about your feelings- without expecting anything in return."

The young man bites his lip, clearly not satisfied but seeming to sense the truth in Kaylin's words. He fumbles for a moment, then looks up with a weak smile. "I guess... maybe you're right."

Kaylin offers him a kind nod. "If it’s meant to happen, it will. But if it doesn't, there’s someone out there who will see you for who you are. Just... give it time."

The boy looks down at his feet again, but there’s a hint of something softer in his eyes now, a quiet understanding, even if disappointment still weighs heavy on his shoulders. He nods once more before turning to leave the stall, disappearing into the crowd of villagers milling about the market.

Brycen watches the boy go, his heart aching just a little. He knows too well what it’s like to want something you can’t have- how that ache can twist and gnaw at you, how it can make you desperate to change something, to make things different. But Kaylin’s words resonate with him too. Some things can’t be forced, no matter how much you want them.

"You’re good at this," Brycen murmurs, his eyes still lingering on the crowd before turning to Kaylin.

Kaylin looks up at him, their brows lifting slightly. "At what?"

"At seeing people," Brycen says simply. "At understanding what they need, even if it’s not what they want to hear."

Kaylin smiles, though it’s a little wistful. "It’s something I’ve had to learn. People come to me with all sorts of needs, thinking I can fix everything with a remedy. But sometimes, the answers they’re looking for aren’t in a potion bottle. It’s in themselves."

Brycen leans against the stall, watching Kaylin thoughtfully as they turn back to sorting herbs. "You could’ve just sold him the cologne or something and sent him on his way. Why take the time to explain all of that?"

Kaylin shrugs gently, but there’s a deep care in their eyes. "I don’t want people to think magic or potions can solve everything. It’s dangerous to believe that. It’s a shortcut that doesn’t exist."

Brycen considers that for a moment, then chuckles softly. "You’re too kind. If only everyone thinks the way you do."

Kaylin raises an eyebrow, a hint of a smile tugging at their lips. "I’m not sure the world would be any better off if everyone thinks the way I do."

"I don’t know," Brycen counters, watching them closely. "I think it would be a lot gentler, at least."

There’s a quiet moment between them, a soft breeze stirring the scent of the herbs and the bustle of the market fading into the background. For a second, it feels like it’s just the two of them, standing there together in their little corner of the world. Brycen’s heart swells at the thought of Kaylin’s kindness, their quiet strength, and how deeply they care for others.

But the moment is interrupted when another villager approaches the stall, looking for a remedy for a common cold. Kaylin shifts seamlessly back into their role, offering advice and selecting herbs with practiced hands.

Brycen stays by their side, helping when needed, but mostly watching Kaylin in their element. There’s something deeply comforting about being here, seeing how Kaylin interacts with the people of the village, how they genuinely care for every person who comes to them for help.

He realizes, not for the first time, just how special Kaylin is.

And how lucky he is to be standing here, with them.

As the day wears on and the crowd begins to thin, Brycen can’t help but think about how much more there is to Kaylin than he ever expected. They are more than just a healer. And every new layer Brycen discovers makes him want to know them even more.

By the time they start packing up the stall for the evening, Brycen finds himself reluctant to leave the village, even though he knows he’ll be back at the cottage with Kaylin soon enough. He helps them pack the last of the herbs and remedies into the small cart, watching as the sun dips lower in the sky, casting a warm, golden light over the village.

"Ready to head back?" Kaylin asks, glancing up at him as they pull their hood over their head, preparing for the ride back through the forest.

Brycen nods, but as they begin riding, he can’t shake the feeling that there’s something more he wants to say. Something about how much this day, this time with Kaylin, means to him. But the words feel too heavy, too big to express right now.

So instead, he just rides beside them, his hand brushing against theirs every now and then, the silence between them comfortable, but charged with the unspoken connection that’s growing stronger with each passing day.

"Is it possible to make someone fall in love using magic?" Brycen asks curiously. Kaylin looks sideways at him. "Like, is it possible and you just aren't able to do it?"

"There are spells," Kaylin says hesitantly, all but confirming that they are a mage, "And I could perform them, but I wouldn't. I would never interfere with someone's free will."

Brycen's question seemed innocent enough, but Kaylin had immediately tensed, their grip on the reins tightening slightly. The forest trail they ride along is quiet, with only the sounds of their horses’ hooves and the rustle of leaves in the cool evening air. Brycen notices the shift in Kaylin’s demeanor, and though he didn’t mean to make them uncomfortable, his curiosity got the better of him.

Brycen frowned, digesting the weight of Kaylin’s words. There is a certainty, almost a defensiveness, in the way they speak. "So... it’s possible?" he presses, his tone curious but careful, as if he were treading on thin ice.

Kaylin sighs, their shoulders sagging a little as though the conversation has burdened them. "Possible, yes. But it’s dangerous. And wrong." They pause, as if to choose their words carefully. "Magic that alters emotions- it can’t create real love. All it does is twist feelings, force something that isn’t natural. It might feel like love for a while, but it’s an illusion. And when that illusion fades..." They shake their head. "The aftermath can be... devastating."

Brycen stares at them, his brow furrowed. He isn’t sure if it is the idea of such magic existing or Kaylin’s clear disdain for it that unsettles him more. "But people do it?" he asks. "They cast spells like that?"

Kaylin hesitates again, their gaze dropping to the path ahead. "Yes," they admit. "Some people do. Desperation drives them to it. They think magic can solve everything, that it can give them what they desire most. But magic has limits. And it’s dangerous when people forget that."

There is a darkness to Kaylin’s words that make Brycen uneasy, as if they are speaking from experience. He wonders if Kaylin has ever encountered someone who has used such magic, or worse, if they have been the victim of it. The thought makes his chest tighten uncomfortably.

"I’m not saying I thought you would do something like that," Brycen adds quickly, not wanting Kaylin to think he was accusing them. "I just... I didn’t realize magic could work like that. It seems... scary."

Kaylin nods. "It is scary. That’s why people like me, we don’t meddle with those kinds of spells. At least, not if we’re responsible."

Brycen’s mind races with questions, but he bites back most of them, sensing that this is a touchy subject for Kaylin. Still, one thing gnaws at him, and he can’t keep it from slipping out.

"You said ‘people like me’," Brycen begins carefully. "So you’re confirming that you’re a mage, then?"

Kaylin turns their head slightly, their eyes meeting his for a brief moment. There is no surprise in their expression, just a quiet resignation. "I thought you might’ve figured that out by now," they say softly.

Brycen lets out a breath he didn't realize he’d been holding. It isn’t a shock, not since he had talked about the possibility with Soren, but hearing Kaylin acknowledge it aloud feels... significant. Like another piece of the puzzle that is Kaylin Eilaro has just clicked into place.

"I did... sort of," Brycen admits, offering a sheepish smile. "Soren actually pointed it out to me. Your eyes, they..." He trails off, suddenly feeling awkward about mentioning how much he has been staring at Kaylin’s eyes.

Kaylin chuckles, and the tension between them eases slightly. "Yes, my eyes tend to give it away." They tug the reins lightly, slowing Tria to a more relaxed pace. "Not everyone notices, though. And honestly, I don’t go out of my way to tell people. Being a mage comes with its own set of... complications."

"I can imagine," Brycen says, his voice soft with understanding. He wants to ask more- so much more- about Kaylin’s life, about what it has been like to live with that kind of secret. But he doesn’t want to push too far. Not yet. Kaylin has already opened up more than he has expected, and Brycen doesn’t want to risk ruining the moment.

"So," Kaylin says after a pause, their tone lighter now, as if trying to steer the conversation away from the heaviness of magic. "You’re really curious about love spells, huh? Any particular reason?"

Brycen flushes, feeling heat rise to his cheeks. "No! I mean, I was just... curious after that guy at the stall. You handled it really well."

Kaylin hums. "Thank you," they say, their voice soft but warm. "But, no. Love can’t be created with magic. Real love... it has to come on its own."

Brycen nods, feeling his heart ache with a strange mixture of relief and longing. He doesn’t know what exactly he feels for Kaylin yet, but whatever it is, it is real. He doesn’t need magic to tell him that.

They ride in silence for a while after that, the sound of the forest around them calming Brycen’s restless thoughts. He glances over at Kaylin occasionally, catching the way the light filters through the trees and illuminates their masked features, and he knows- whatever comes next, whether it is love or something else entirely- he will take it as it came, without forcing anything.

He won’t need magic to tell him what he is beginning to feel.