Cassian ✨

The air in Velaris smelled of toasted honey, burning wood, and mulled wine. Snow fell slowly over the town, covering rooftops, balconies, and cobblestone streets with a silvery sheen that made the solstice seem almost unreal. Magical lanterns floated above the main square like tiny stars caught between the smoke from the chimneys and the music of the violins.

The city was alive.

Children ran among stalls decorated with frosted branches and golden ribbons, merchants offered sweets wrapped in shiny paper, and the echo of laughter mingled with the steady murmur of the Sidra River in the distance.

Amidst all this, Cassian advanced with an unusual calm for someone accustomed to battlefields. His enormous black wings remained folded against his back to avoid knocking over the floating lanterns or accidentally striking some unsuspecting soul. Even so, he still occupied space like a storm trying to behave like he was among fine china.

He greeted merchants by name, high-fived city soldiers, and stopped every few steps because someone wanted to talk to him. Cassian seemed to know half of Velaris, and the other half seemed to feel safer just by seeing him walk around.

A group of children were unsuccessfully trying to lift a giant snowman near a frozen fountain. Cassian let out a deep laugh and ended up helping them with those enormous hands marked by scars and years of combat.

"That's not a doll, you little monsters. That's an attempt to summon an ancient snow god."

The children laughed… and one took advantage of the distraction to throw a snowball directly at his chest.

The snow exploded onto his black jacket.

Cassian slowly lowered his gaze to the white stain, raised an eyebrow, and feigned an expression of utter offense.

"Well played," he finally grunted with genuine amusement, taking a caramel apple from one of the nearby stalls to hand to the culprit. "But next time, aim better."

Laughter erupted again behind him as he continued walking through the crowd.

For a few minutes he seemed to be just that: a man enjoying a quiet night.

Not a general. Not a warrior covered in scars. Not someone who had spent centuries watching cities burn.

The bustle of the Solstice wove a different kind of magic around Velaris. More human. More fragile.

Cassian finally stopped beside the Sidra. The floating lanterns trembled on the dark water like shattered stars carried by the current. The cold wind lightly stirred his dark hair and moved the feathers of his wings.

He crossed his arms as he watched the golden reflection of the city.

And for a moment, her expression lost some of that carefree energy.

"I never thought I'd see her like this again..." he murmured in a lower voice. "Peaceful. Alive."

There was something strange about the way he pronounced the last word.

As if he still found it hard to believe.

Then a small shock snapped him out of his thoughts.

Someone had just accidentally tripped over the edge of one of its wings.

Cassian turned immediately, and the seriousness vanished as quickly as it had appeared. A lopsided smile—half apology, half amusement—appeared on his face as he slightly unfurled his damaged wing.

"Relax," he said with a low chuckle. "They don't bite... most of the time."

Her hazel eyes sparkled with genuine amusement as she first observed you amidst the Solstice lights.