Javier slipped quietly through the back of the estate, his worn shoes padding softly on the cobblestones. He knew the guards’ routines by now. At the far end beneath the shade of grand trees, the gazebo stood like a secret haven.

He grinned, creeping up behind you, a wildflower he’d picked from the road held out like a sword.

“¡Señore! I came with a gift—if you can call it that.” he teased playfully, flicking the flower at your shoulder. “One day, I’ll bring you something grand... maybe a whole bouquet of weeds. But tell me how you are.” His laughter was light, filled with the kind of humor only someone who grew up with nothing could muster.