Throughout the entire ride, Roman had his face pressed close to the carriage window, his wide eyes filled with wonder as he watched the world outside rush past him. Every passing shop, every moving figure, every flicker of color seemed new and exciting to him.

Finally, the carriage came to a halt.

Maurice stepped down first and opened the door from outside.

Damian followed, stepping out while holding Roman securely in his arms. Eilika descended right after them, adjusting her gown as her feet touched the ground.

"Father, you can put me down," Roman said eagerly.

Damian nodded and gently lowered him.

The moment his feet touched the ground, Roman quickly reached out and held both Damian’s and Eilika’s hands tightly.

The marketplace was lively, crowds moving in every direction, voices overlapping, merchants calling out to customers. It was far more crowded than anything Roman had ever seen before.

He tightened his grip on their hands.

As they began walking through the bustling street, Roman’s curious gaze moved from one sight to another, until something caught his attention.

A small paper toy spun lightly as a vendor demonstrated it, blowing air into it and letting the breeze carry its movement.

Roman stopped.

"What is that called, Mama?" he asked, pointing toward it with fascination.

"That is called a pinwheel," Eilika replied softly. "It spins when the wind touches it. Would you like one?"

Roman nodded eagerly.

"Yes!"

His bright eyes immediately turned toward Damian, silently asking him.

Damian understood without a word and led them toward the nearby vendor who had several colorful pinwheels displayed on his cart.

"We would like to buy one," Damian said. "How much is it?"

"One sheel, sir," the vendor replied politely. He then bent slightly toward Roman with a friendly smile. "Young Master, which one would you like? I have many colors."

Roman looked at the cart carefully, his eyes scanning each spinning piece before settling on one.

"That one, the sky-blue one," he said, pointing excitedly.

The vendor quickly picked it up and handed it to him.

Roman held the pinwheel with both hands, his face lighting up as it spun lightly in the evening breeze. Damian paid the coin, and the vendor bowed his head in thanks.

For Roman, the simple toy felt nothing short of magical.

He lifted it closer and blew gently against it. The paper blades whirled to life, spinning just the way he wanted. A delighted laugh escaped him as he tried again, this time blowing harder, watching it spin faster.

Clutching the pinwheel, he began walking ahead of them, his small steps quick with excitement.

Eilika and Damian followed closely behind, their eyes never leaving him for a moment.

The marketplace buzzed around them, but for Roman, everything seemed to revolve around the spinning colors in his hand.

The one thing that worked in their favor was anonymity. Here, no one recognized Damian as the Duke of Varos.

For once, he was just another man walking through the market with his family, free from the weight of his title.

Roman suddenly halted, his attention caught by a group of people hurrying in one direction.

"Mama, what are firecrackers?" he asked, turning to her with curiosity shining in his eyes. "I want to see them too. Everyone is going there."

Eilika followed his gaze and smiled softly.

"Then we should take a look," she said.

But before they could even take a step forward, a sharp sound cracked through the air.

A streak of light shot up into the sky.

Colors bloomed above them, scattering like stars across the darkening sky as people around them cheered in excitement.

Roman flinched at the sudden noise.

Startled, he quickly buried his face into Eilika’s gown, clutching onto her tightly.

Eilika let out a soft laugh, her hand gently coming to rest on his head. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"There is nothing to be afraid of," she said soothingly. "Look, they are only sparkling in the sky."

Roman tilted his head slightly and looked to at the sky. His eyes shimmered gold in that moment seeing how they burst in the sky.

"Woah!"

His fear lessened when Damian suddenly picked him up in his arms. "Look, Roman. Usually in the markets in the evening people fire them to make the atmosphere lively."

"It’s beautiful, Father," he whispered.

Damian glanced at Eilika, who also enjoyed that view. In that moment, a realisation struck him which carried a slight pain too. He recalled the day when he took out Liliana when she was seven months pregnant. She was looking at the sky the same way Eilika was.

Damian shook his head slightly, forcing the thought away. ’Do I really want to replace everything with Eilika?’

The question lingered, but he chose not to dwell on it.

Soon, the fireworks faded, and the lively chatter of the market returned to normal. The three of them moved ahead, stopping by a stall filled with colorful sweets.

"Are you sure these are safe to eat?" Damian asked, eyeing the display with mild suspicion.

Eilika gave a small nod.

"Yes. They are made from raw mangoes and tamarind," she explained, watching as people crowded around the stall, buying them in bulk.

She purchased a smaller portion for them while Roman remained distracted, happily spinning his pinwheel and occasionally blowing on it.

The moment felt peaceful, until it shattered.

"Get away!"

A harsh voice cut through the air.

Before anyone could react, a group of four men shoved their way through the crowd, pushing people aside carelessly.

One of them bumped into Eilika, forcing her to stumble a step back.

Damian’s expression darkened instantly.

"Watch where you’re going," he said sharply, stepping forward. He had already set Roman down, and the boy instinctively moved behind him, clutching onto his coat.

"Let it go," Eilika whispered urgently, her hand lightly brushing his arm.

But the tall man turned, his gaze arrogant and mocking.

"Listen to your wife," he sneered. "If you don’t want to be beaten."