Brycen stares in shock, frozen in place as Kaylin stand before him, arms crossed, their amethyst eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. The last thing he’d expected after weeks of silence was for Kaylin to show up at his estate, unannounced, in the flesh.

And certainly not to scold him.

"Brycen Vardell," Kaylin says, their voice stern, though a hint of playfulness tugs at the edge of their tone. "How dare you tell me that you love me in a letter?" They take a step forward, and Brycen finds himself unable to move, still too stunned by the sight of them.

"Wait- what?" he manages to choke out, his mind racing to keep up with what is happening.

Kaylin’s eyes narrow, though they sparkle with a teasing light. "You can't just drop something like 'I love you' in a letter and expect me not to have an emotional meltdown while reading it."

Brycen blinks, his thoughts stumbling over themselves. “I mean, I didn’t-” He pauses, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “I didn’t think it would cause... a meltdown?”

Kaylin huffs. They step closer until they are standing directly in front of Brycen, looking up at him with mock indignation. "You know how I get. You write me a beautiful letter, tell me you love me, and then what? Leave me to deal with that alone?"

Brycen’s mouth opens and closes, still trying to process the situation. His heart has been heavy with dread for days, but now Kaylin is here- very much alive, very much themself- and he doesn’t know whether to feel relief or guilt for having caused them distress.

Kaylin sees his internal struggle and sighs softly, their expression softening. "I’m not mad, Brycen." They reach up and touch his cheek, the warmth of their hand immediately grounding him. "It was just... a lot to take in. I needed time to think."

Brycen feels some of the tension leave his body at their touch, though he still feels like he's playing catch-up with the conversation. "You didn’t respond," he says, the vulnerability creeping in.

Kaylin’s fingers linger on his skin as their eyes flicker with an emotion Brycen can’t quite place. "I didn’t know what to say. Not right away.  Plus I knew I had to come see you, to respond in person, so I had to find somebody to watch my cottage for me, then I had to find a caravan to ride with.  I wouldn't dare make the trip on my own."

Brycen’s breath catches, fear tugging at the edges of his heart again. “And now?”

Kaylin lets out a soft sigh, stepping even closer until their forehead rests against his chest. "And now... I’m here." They pause, as if gathering their thoughts, before continuing. "I’ve never been told I’m loved before. Not like that.  Not from anybody but family."

Brycen’s arms instinctively wrap around them, holding them close, his heart thudding in his chest as the truth of their words sinks in. He leans his cheek against the top of their head, breathing them in. "I didn’t mean to rush you," he whispers, the guilt returning. "I just wanted you to know how I feel."

"I know," Kaylin murmurs into his chest. "That’s why I came."

He feels a weight lift from his shoulders, but before he can respond, Kaylin gives him a gentle shove, stepping out of his arms with that mischievous glint returning to their eyes. "But next time," they tease, "don’t make me have an emotional breakdown because of a letter. If you’re going to say something like that, at least say it to my face."

Brycen’s lips quirk into a smile, his heart swelling with affection for them. "Duly noted," he says, raising his hands in mock surrender. "No more love confessions via letter."

Kaylin chuckles softly, the sound like music to his ears. "Good."

They stand there for a moment, both of them quiet, then Brycen reaches out, taking Kaylin’s hand in his, squeezing gently.

"I love you, Kaylin Eilaro," he says, with all the certainty in the world, right where it belongs- between them, face to face.

Kaylin looks at him, their eyes bright. "I love you too, Brycen Vardell."

Brycen’s breath catches, his heart skipping a beat. "You do?"

Kaylin chuckles softly, the sound like a gentle breeze breaking through the tension between them. "You think I would come all the way here if I didn’t?"

Brycen lets out a shaky breath, relief and joy washing over him like a wave. He hadn’t realized just how much he needed to hear those words until they left Kaylin’s lips. He squeezes their hand tighter, pulling them back into his arms without hesitation, holding them close.

"I just..." Brycen trails off, burying his face in the crook of their neck, his voice muffled. "I was scared. When you didn’t write, I thought I’d ruined everything."

Kaylin sighs softly, their hand coming up to stroke his back in slow, comforting circles. "I’m sorry for that. I didn’t mean to make you worry. This is all so new for me, and it took me by surprise."

Brycen nods, not pulling away, not daring to let go. "I've been impatient. I’ve been thinking about you every day."

"Well, I’m here now," Kaylin whispers, their words a balm to Brycen’s fears.

Brycen finally pulls back just enough to look at them, his hands resting on their waist. He gazes down into Kaylin’s eyes, those brilliant amethyst orbs that have captivated him from the moment they met. "You have no idea how happy I am that you are," he murmurs, his voice rough with emotion.

Kaylin hums happily, and Brycen swears he can feel his heart swell in his chest. For a moment, they stand there in silence, holding each other, the world outside fading away. Nothing matters in that moment except for them- the two of them, together, with no letters, no distance between them. Just Brycen and Kaylin, heart to heart.

"I wish I could kiss you," Brycen murmurs, his gaze shifting to where some of his servants are peeking into the room curiously. They quickly duck out of sight upon realizing they've been sighted. 

"I thought it would be best for your servants to believe me a woman," Kaylin responds softly. "It's natural enough for me after all these years."

Brycen frowns slightly, his gaze flicking to the spot where his servants had been peeking in just moments ago, knowing that they're likely still there trying to listen. He sighs. "I don’t care what they think, Kaylin," he says softly, his hand still resting on Kaylin’s waist. "I want to be with you, just as you are."

"I know you don’t care. But it’s easier this way, for now." Their voice is gentle, but there is an underlying note of weariness in it, as though they’ve had to justify this a thousand times before- to others, and to themselves.

Brycen’s heart aches at that. He hates that their world forces Kaylin to hide so much of who they are, to wear masks both literally and figuratively. But he also understands that there are reasons for it- reasons that go beyond what he can change with a few comforting words. Kaylin has lived like this for years, and undoing that won’t happen overnight.

"I don’t want you to feel like you have to hide around me," Brycen murmurs his thumb brushing over their edge of their mask. "You’ve spent enough of your life behind a mask. You deserve to be yourself."

Kaylin looks up at him, their eyes soft but unreadable. "I know you accept me. But I’ve been hiding for so long... it feels like second nature now. Like armor."

Brycen’s heart clenches. "I’ll protect you," he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. "You don’t need that armor anymore."

"I know you will," they say, their voice a gentle echo of his. "But some armor is hard to take off, even when you trust the person beside you."

Brycen sighs, pulling them closer. "I just want you to feel safe. That’s all I want."

"I do," Kaylin whispers, their fingers gently tracing the edge of Brycen’s collar. "But for now... let’s keep the peace."

Brycen presses a kiss to the top of their head, feeling the weight of their shared silence settle around them. "Okay," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. "But just so you know, I’ll be counting down the moments until I can kiss you properly."

Kaylin chuckles softly, the sound light and warm, and they press their covered lips to his cheek. "I’ll be counting too," they whisper back, their voice like a soft breath of wind. "I won’t make you wait forever."

Brycen smiles, holding them close, wishing the moment could last forever. Even though they are in a room full of prying eyes and nosy ears, even though there are unspoken secrets lingering, this too-large estate finally feels like home.

"How did you find my estate, anyway?" Brycen asks curiously. "It's not like this is a small city." 

"Oh, I went to the Paladin barracks and spoke with Paladin Ashford, and he guided me here. He actually seemed to find it incredibly amusing. I didn’t know how else to find you. He was at the barracks and- well, he seemed more than happy to help me."

Brycen groans inwardly, already picturing the teasing smirk on Soren’s face when he inevitably confronts Brycen about this. "And... he guided you here?" he repeats, the realization sinking in.

"Oh yes," Kaylin replies, their tone entirely too nonchalant. "He insisted on escorting me the entire way, in fact. Said something about how this was 'long overdue.'"

Brycen buries his face in his hands, half-exasperated, half-amused. "Of course he did," he mutters. "Soren’s been giving me grief for weeks about moping around."

Kaylin chuckles softly, their eyes crinkling with humor. "Well, he seemed to find it incredibly amusing that I’d come all the way here just to see you. He even asked me if you’d finally confessed."

Brycen’s face flushes as he looks at them, his heart stuttering in his chest. "He what?"

Kaylin shrugs, their lips curving into a playful smile. "He might’ve implied that you’ve been a little... distracted," they add, their voice softening.

Brycen groans again, shaking his head. "Great. That’s just what I need.  He already knows I’m head over heels for you."

Kaylin’s eyes soften at his words, a warm blush spreading across their cheeks. "I don’t think he minds," they say quietly, their gaze meeting Brycen’s. "In fact, he seems... supportive. And happy for you."

Brycen pauses, taking in their words. Soren is his closest friend, after all. He should know the man would be supportive, even if his teasing is relentless.

He reaches out, taking Kaylin’s hand in his own, squeezing it gently. "Well, as long as he didn’t scare you off," he teases, his voice low.

Kaylin chuckles, their thumb brushing over his knuckles. "It’ll take more than a few teasing comments to scare me off."

Brycen smiles at that. "I’m glad," he says softly, his thumb tracing slow circles over the back of their hand. "Because I don’t think I can stand being away from you any longer."

Kaylin’s eyes soften, their gaze full of understanding. "Well I'm here right now," they whisper.

For a moment, the room is silent, save for the crackling of the fireplace in the background. They stand there, fingers intertwined, the weight of their feelings hanging in the air between them.

Brycen’s heart races, and he knows- despite the challenges, despite everything- that this is what he wants. He wants this. He wants Kaylin.

Vincent’s polite but firm clearing of his throat snaps Brycen out of the moment, and he instinctively straightens, as Kaylin is already stepping back, their warmth slipping away from him. It takes everything in Brycen not to close the distance again, to pull them back into his arms. But he has to remind himself where they are.

"Dinner, my lord. My lady," Vincent says, his tone as proper as ever.  If he had been spying with the others, he makes no sign of it.

Brycen notices Kaylin’s quick glance down, their cheeks flushed as they tuck a loose strand of hair behind their ear. The moment between them had been charged, and now the weight of the estate’s protocols loom over them.

"Thank you, Vincent," Brycen replies, his voice a touch more curt than usual.

As Vincent disappears, Kaylin lets out a quiet chuckle, glancing around the grand dining hall before looking back at Brycen with a small, teasing smile. "Everything is so formal here," they muse, their eyes twinkling behind the mask.

Brycen laughs softly, his eyes meeting theirs. "Yes. But I’ll be honest- I’d trade all of this for one more evening in front of your hearth with you."

Kaylin’s gaze softens, and they take a step closer, though they don’t close the distance fully. "Careful," they tease, their voice lower now, more intimate. "You’re going to ruin your reputation as a proper lord with talk like that."

Brycen shrugs, his lips quirking into a half-smile. "Maybe I’m done being proper."

Kaylin chuckles again, their eyes bright with amusement. "I’ll believe it when I see it, Lord Vardell."

Brycen groans at the title, but before he can respond, Kaylin gestures toward the dining table. "Come on, let’s eat before Vincent comes back and scolds us for standing around like children."

Brycen chuckles, nodding as he offers them his arm. "Shall we?"

Kaylin slips their hand into the crook of his arm, their fingers resting lightly against his forearm. The contact sends a warmth coursing through Brycen. They make their way to the grand dining table, where two places have been set, the formal spread of plates and utensils more than Kaylin is used to. Brycen pulls out Kaylin’s chair for them, earning a raised eyebrow from them as they take their seat.

"See? I knew you could be proper," Kaylin teases, their voice lilting with humor.

Brycen smirks as he takes his own seat across from them. "Don’t get used to it."

As the servants bring out their food and they settle into the meal, the conversation flows more naturally, a comfortable ease returning between them despite the formal setting. Kaylin comments on the richness of the food compared to their usual simple meals, and Brycen finds himself laughing more than he has in months.

By the time the meal ended, Brycen finds himself almost reluctant for the evening to be over. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed this- truly missed Kaylin- until they were here, sitting across from him, their presence filling the once-empty space with warmth and life.

"Do you always eat like this?" they ask with a touch of amusement.

Brycen shakes his head, leaning back in his chair. "Not really. This is more for show. Half the time, I eat with the other Paladins and soldiers."

Kaylin smirks. "I think I'd prefer that. Less... formal." They glance around the room again, their eyes lingering on the ornate decor before adding, "It’s a bit much, don’t you think?"

Brycen lets out a soft laugh. "More than a bit. Believe me, I’d much rather be having stew in front of your hearth."

Kaylin’s smile softens at that, and for a brief moment, they look down, a hint of vulnerability crossing their features. "I’m glad I'm here, though," they say quietly, their voice sincere.

"I’m glad you came," Brycen replies, his voice equally soft, his gaze never leaving theirs.

For a moment, the grand dining hall, the formal setting, the heavy weight of his estate- all of it fades away, leaving just the two of them in the quiet intimacy of the moment.