The afternoon light in Bahari shimmered soft through the tall grass, filtered by the wide leaves overhead. Lyra and Saraya walked a little ahead of the others, boots brushing against the dew-slicked trail. Their voices were hushed—not out of secrecy, but in reverence to the hush of the woods around them.

They crested a small rise where the trail curved gently to the left, and there—just off the path in a patch of sun—stood a single flower. Crimson red, with narrow petals that arched like a heart mid-fall.

Saraya caught her breath. “Lyra,” she said softly, “look at that.”

“I know what it is,” Lyra murmured, stepping close enough to see it clearer without touching. Her voice held that rare note—gentle awe, and a little disbelief. “It’s a heartdrop lily.”

Saraya turned toward her, brows lifted. “ A Majiri thing?”

Lyra nodded. “Yeah. It’s used as… sort of a proposal to begin a romantic relationship. You don’t give one of these to just anyone.” Her tone was soft, but there was something guarded in it too.

Saraya tilted her head, eyes twinkling. “Then it was waiting here for you.”

Lyra gave her a look. “You think the woods just planted it special?”

“I think if the world makes any kind of sense, yeah,” Saraya grinned.You have to give this to him. If fate drops something like this in your path, you don’t leave it behind.”

“To Hassian?”

“No,” Saraya said dryly. “To Tau.”

Lyra laughed, but there was color blooming on her cheeks. “You really think this is necessary? We’ve—he brought me to his Grove. He gave me a key.”

“Sure. But maybe it’s about making it clear. Not just waiting for him to admit what he feels,” Saraya said. “You know Majiri tradition better than any of us. If this matters in their culture, it’ll mean something to him.”

Lyra glanced at the flower again, then to Saraya. “You should pick it. Give it to Simon.”

Saraya snorted. “Simon’s not Majiri. I could hand him a briar daisy and he’d act like I’d given him the moon. But with Hassian? This carries weight.” She leaned in, smirking. “Girl, you know you’re crazy about him.”

Lyra sighed and crouched carefully beside the flower. “It’s almost too perfect,” she murmured. “Like it doesn’t belong here.”

“Neither do you. And yet… here you are,” Saraya said softly.

With careful fingers, Lyra picked the flower, wrapping the stem in a strip of cloth from her bag and tucking it into a side pocket where it wouldn’t get crushed. She stood, the bag pressed close to her side like it held something sacred. “I have to give it to him today, before it wilts.” she said quietly, but with resolve.

Saraya smiled, eyes warm. “Good. Go get that man!”

The sun dipped low as the group made their way back from Bahari, their packs heavier and the buzz of a successful day in the air. The trail forked ahead—one path winding back toward Killima, the other curling off toward the Grove. Lyra slowed her pace.

“You guys go on ahead. I’m going to stop by the Grove,” she said, not looking at them. “I want to give Hassian something.”

Rex raised an eyebrow. “You don’t think he’ll have us all over for drinks, do you?” he joked.

“We know what you want to give him.” Simon smirked.

They laughed, but Lexi’s frown lingered. “We came out here together,” she said. “We leave together.”

Saraya nodded, more serious than usual. “Yeah. No matter who you’re going to see, Lyra. We don’t peel off and scatter. That’s just not us.”

Lyra turned, smiling at them with a touch of affection. “You don’t have to wait.”

“We know,” Lexi said, firm but kind. “But we will.”

Simon gave a lopsided grin. “Besides, you’re probably just hoping not to leave the Grove at all tonight. We can’t allow that.”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to smother him. I just… want to give him something. That’s all.”

“We’ll wait nearby,” Lexi repeated, steady. “Together.”

“Alright.” Lyra replied “It shouldn’t take long for me to humiliate myself.” She lingered at the edge of the path, holding the Grove key in her hand.

Saraya caught her arm before she could move, her thumb brushing over Lyra’s sleeve. “Go on,” she whispered, eyes warm. “He’s yours.”

Lyra’s throat tightened. She nodded, and with that small encouragement, turned toward the Grove.

For You

She stepped off the trail toward the path. The Grove key was cool in her hand. She unlocked the wooden door and let herself in. The light here was soft and golden, trees dappled with early moonlight. Tau lay curled beside Hassian near the firepit. Hassian was writing in his journal but looked up the moment she stepped inside. He stood quickly. His journal lay forgotten beside him, all his attention now solely hers.

“Hello, beautiful.”

“Hello, handsome,” Lyra said, smiling.

She crouched to greet Tau, slipping a bit of grilled chappa from her pack. “Saved this for you.” Tau accepted it with a lazy wag of the tail. Hassian watched her.

“How’d it go today?”

“We did well,” Lyra said. “Lexi tracked a herd early, Simon fell in the river, Rex got mud up to his knees, and I didn’t miss a shot.”

He gave her a small grin. “I’m proud of you.”

She stood, brushing her hands on her trousers. “I can’t stay. They’re waiting for me.”

Hassian raised an eyebrow. “Are they guarding your honor, or just not sure they trust me alone with you?”

“Neither,” she said with a light laugh. “They just said... we came together, we leave together.”

Hassian nodded, the grin slipping into something more serious. “That actually makes me like them much more.”

“I have something for you.”

He tilted his head. “Food?”

She smiled. “No, Tau got all of that.”

She pulled the cloth-wrapped item from her bag, unwrapping it to reveal the flower. Crimson red, fresh as it had been when she’d picked it. She held it out, her hand trembling just slightly. “I found this today,” she said. “In a field. All alone and perfect.” She drew in a breath, steadying herself. “Just as you were when I found you six months ago.”

Hassian looked at the flower, then back at her. “Do you know what this is?”

“I do.”

“But…. Do you know what it means?” he asked.

Lyra looked him in the eye, taking a moment to answer. “Yes, I know.”

For a long moment he didn’t move. Then he stepped closer, both hands rising to gently wrap around her slightly trembling little hand that she held the flower with. He didn't take it. Not yet.
“Lyra,” he said, voice low. “I’ve done things wrong before. And it ended….badly. I don’t want to repeat that this time.”

He paused.
“This is too important. You’re too important. I don’t want anyone to be able to oppose our union.”

Her breath caught.

“I need you to understand,” he went on. “Our traditions… what this flower begins. There’s a book in the library, on Majiri courtship. Will you read it for me?”

“Of course,” she said quietly.

He finally took the flower, eyes locked on hers. ‘I accept this rare, extraordinary heartdrop lily... and the rare, extraordinary woman who offers it.”

Lyra exhaled sharply, the breath she’d been holding releasing in one loud whoosh.

Hassian’s smile broke wide, something boyish flashing through his usual quiet reserve. He lifted a hand, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face, fingers grazing her cheek for the briefest moment before falling away.
“I should go,” she said softly.

He nodded.

Lyra turned toward the door, stepping out into the waning light.

“Lyra,” he called behind her.

She turned.

“Just, stay safe.”