The faint scent of herbs and the sterile stillness of the infirmary hangs in the air as you sit at Haurchefant’s bedside, the quiet hum of healers tending to other patients around you. Your eyes trace the lines of his face, still pale from blood loss but peaceful. His chest rises and falls steadily, a reassuring rhythm after the chaos of the battlefield.

He survived.

For hours, you’ve sat by his side, watching over him as if your presence alone could keep him tethered to the waking world. The battle had been brutal, and the sight of him falling, struck down while protecting you, still lingers like a nightmare you can’t shake. Yet, against all odds, he survived. His body is bruised, his armour shattered, but the warmth of his hand under yours tells you everything you need to know: Haurchefant is still here.

Your ears prick when a soft groan escapes Haurchefant’s lips, and you watch in stunned relief as his eyes flutter open. His gaze is unfocused at first, but when he sees you, a familiar, smug smile spreads across his face, despite the pain that must still course through his body.

“Well, well,” Haurchefant rasps, his voice weak but filled with that unmistakable charm. “It seems I have cheated death once again. And I wake to find my sweet snowdrop right beside me. Halone blesses me this day.”