Eden was in town for the afternoon, buying fabrics and running errands for Amity. After making stops at a few selected fabric stores, she started towards Janarik’s Jewels, where she always went on the days she was in town, to say hello to her dear friend. (And now, during his current infatuation with a certain dryad, Eden stopped to tease him, too.)

But, on this day, Eden was here for more than those reasons. She needed to get out of Cair Parvel. The whole castle was still buzzing with fear and trepidation after the terrifying near-tragedy that struck the High King during the Winter Festival, and Eden would be lying if she did not feel a tad bit guilty. It was an irrational feeling, she knew it, but she was so close to His Majesty when it happened, and she couldn’t help but think of all that she could have done to prevent the situation. 

She and Janarik had met a few months ago when Eden first arrived at court. He had helped her out immensely, when she was new and scared and homesick, and she knew that he could help her now, too.

She held the basket filled with materials in one hand and wrapped her fingers around the door to the shop with the other, and pulled it open, then called out, “Janarik! It’s me!”