A week after Mira became a concubine at Prince Reuben's palace, Lara quietly left the capital for Calma, joining a caravan of merchants.
Surprisingly, two unexpected companions joined her: her mother, Lady Freya, and the genius metalsmith Hephastus. Their presence lent weight to the otherwise humble procession.
They were not the only ones on the move. General Odin and Gideon also rode with them, heading toward Carles on duty—to allow Galahad and Bener, to return to the capital. The general and his men traveled on horseback, while Lara, her mother, and Reya remained comfortably inside a carriage that rocked gently over the uneven terrain.
As they passed through the southern gates and the dense noise of Savadra faded behind them, Lara leaned out slightly, inhaling the crisper, cleaner air of the countryside. She turned to her mother and said with a trace of humor, "Mother, Calma is nothing like the capital. It's quiet. Peaceful. You might even find it boring."