Don’t Let Me Go

Harmony and Evander stepped together into the royal dining hall. The atmosphere was bright and warm; sunlight poured through the tall windows, scattering across polished wooden surfaces and glinting ornaments on the walls. The scent of freshly baked bread and warm dishes mingled with the soft murmur of servants quietly arranging plates and pouring drinks. The air carried a subtle aroma of candles and tea, calming and comforting the space even further.

At the head of the table, the royal canine family was seated. The queen calmly watched her son and his new companion, her eyes softening as she observed Evander sitting beside Harmony. Her heart warmed at the sight of the pair, and she felt that the peace and happiness now present in the hall were truly the right choice. Every breath she took was full of satisfaction, her chest swelling with the quiet joy of serenity she had not experienced for years.

The king barely lifted his gaze from his plate, too absorbed in the enjoyment of his meal. His face, usually so serious, relaxed for a fleeting moment, until he suddenly raised his head, his expression settling into that familiar, thoughtful look.

“What shall I do this afternoon?”

Everyone paused, caught off guard. Harmony, ever thoughtful and respectful, leaned slightly forward, her fingers brushing gently along the edge of the table. Her ears twitched forward subtly, attentive to the king’s tone, while her tail flicked lightly, a soft reflection of her own curiosity and concern.

“Your Majesty, perhaps you could take a walk in the castle gardens with the queen,” she suggested softly. “Just the two of you, and the quiet surrounding you… I believe it would do you good.”

The queen blushed lightly, her ears tilting forward in a delicate twitch. A quiet, warm smile spread across her face – the very smile Evander always recognized, the one that revealed a heart truly at peace. The king paused, clearly considering, but Harmony’s calm voice and sincere concern nudged him toward a decision.

The meal continued, yet the air was now imbued with a sense of calm, satisfaction, and gentle happiness – for the first time in a long while, there was no tension, no plans, no battles to strategize. Only family, food, and serenity. As the plates gradually emptied and the servants began to withdraw, the king set his napkin aside, and for a moment, his gaze softened, unexpectedly tender.

The queen rose beside him, her eyes glistening faintly, yet her smile remained warm and genuine – the same smile Evander had known since childhood. It was the kind of smile that could light up a room when her heart felt completely calm.

“Come,” the king said, his voice awkward, almost shy. “Show me the gardens again. It’s been far too long since I last saw them.”

The queen tilted her head slightly, her ears twitching forward with delicate grace, while her tail swayed in a slow, elegant arc, perfectly in rhythm with her steps. She accepted his hand, and together they moved through the tall doors toward the castle gardens, leaving behind a faint echo of footsteps that lingered in the hall – a ghostly sense of emptiness, but also a quiet, tender hope filling the room.

Harmony and Evander sat back at the large table, now nearly alone. The hall, once full of voices and movement, had grown hushed; only the soft murmur of the remaining servants remained, fading into the background. Candlelight flickered warmly against the walls, softly illuminating Harmony’s face, still glowing with a gentle smile. Her ears twitched occasionally, subtly signaling her thoughts and feelings, while her tail swayed lazily, mirroring the calm rhythm of her breath.

Evander shifted slightly, ears angled forward, attuned to every subtle sound she made. His tail moved slowly from side to side, a quiet, rhythmic response to the calm he felt beside her.

“Interesting,” he murmured softly. “My father spent his life talking about duties, battles, and plans. And today… you’ve convinced him to take a walk. With the queen.”

His voice trembled slightly with warmth and admiration, disbelief dancing at the edges.

Harmony looked toward the doors where the king and queen had disappeared, then rested her chin gently in her hand. Her tail curled slightly, brushing the table in a subtle motion, while her ears twitched with quiet attentiveness.

“Sometimes,” she said softly, “the greatest victory is when someone remembers they are only human. That it’s enough to forget the weight of the world for a moment and simply… breathe.”

Evander’s lips curved into a gentle smile, but his eyes never left hers, as if searching for magic in every movement she made. He leaned closer, tails brushing almost imperceptibly, ears flickering in response to the warmth in her voice.

“And you,” he whispered, “always remind me how to breathe.”

Harmony’s cheeks flushed softly, ears twitching forward instinctively, tail flicking gently against him in a shy, affectionate gesture. A soft cloud of silence wrapped around them, thick with energy, warmth, and unspoken promises.

Before Harmony could reply, the hall’s doors swung open. Lysar entered, his steps echoing across the polished floor, breaking the moment of intimacy.

“Ah, I see you’re having your little moment,” he said with a teasing smile. “I just came to check on you now that we finally have peace.”

Harmony’s ears flattened slightly, tail leaping instinctively in surprise. Evander pulled back just a touch, tail still moving, ears tense – but his heart thundered, every beat echoing the tremor of their shared touch, still caught in the memory of the kiss.

Suddenly, Harmony felt a surge of warmth and energy radiate from her body. At first, it was a small, quiet glow, like a whisper of light sliding along her skin, ears, and tail. But in an instant, the light intensified, spilling across the hall, bouncing off walls with radiant brilliance.

“Harmony!” Evander shouted, eyes wide, ears upright, tail trembling with tension. “What’s happening?!”

Lysar stepped back, alarm flashing in his expression. “It seems… she’s returning to her own world…” he murmured, voice breaking under the weight of astonishment and fear.

Evander and Harmony refused to accept those words. The vortex of light expanded, filling the hall with dazzling waves of energy. Harmony felt herself being pulled, pushed toward the unknown, but every heartbeat screamed she could not leave Evander.

“No… I can’t be without him,” she whispered, ears upright, tail coiling tightly around his hand. Every fiber of her being trembled with panic and power. The light intensified, her hands still clutched tightly in Evander’s, eyes wide with fear and longing.

Evander tried to hold her steady, his tail wrapping protectively around hers, ears twitching in response to every pulse of light. “Harmony! I can’t lose you! Stay with me!” he cried, voice full of terror and refusal. Lysar hovered nearby, struggling to contain the force, knowing he could not intervene sufficiently.

Suddenly, the light exploded into its brightest, most dazzling form – a swirl of gold, white, and blue energy. Harmony felt her body dissolve, the space around her stretching into the unknown. Yet her heart remained, anchored in the feeling she could not abandon: Evander.

“Stay with me, please…” she whispered, hand still clutched in his, ears quivering, tail coiled around his. Her form slowly dispersed, the waves of light lifting her as if guiding her through the veil between dimensions.

In a moment that was both eternal and instantaneous, her body vanished from the hall – leaving only the echo of her breath, the soft quiver of ears, and the gentle tremor of tails left behind by her and Evander’s touch.

Evander still grasped at the empty space, staring into the void, eyes wide with fear and astonishment. His heart ached, yet he felt that Harmony was not completely gone. “Harmony…” he whispered, “wherever you are, I will find you… your heart remains with me.”

Silence enveloped the hall. Only the faint glow remained, slowly fading, like a whisper promising a future – a future where they would meet again, heart to heart, despite the distances and worlds between them.

Lysar stepped closer, still stunned. “She… she hasn’t been lost,” he murmured. “The Earth pulled her back.”