Evening fell slowly on the palace training grounds, coloring the sky with shades of orange and purple. The ranks of soldiers had dispersed, leaving only the iron smell of sweat and a thin layer of dust in the air. In the middle of the field, Princess Knight Alicia still stood, rolling her shoulders and groaning softly. Today's training had been harder—a series of repeated slashes that had stiffened her back muscles like cold iron.
Ren waited at the edge of the barracks, carrying a small tube of herbal ointment and a clean cloth. He watched as Alicia tried to pat herself on the back—an awkward motion that failed to reach the sore spot. When Lumenheart's sword was sheathed and the guards had moved away, Ren stepped closer.
"Your Highness," he greeted softly, maintaining a polite distance. "It looks like you have pulled a muscle in your shoulder. Allow me to help massage it, if you please."
Alicia turned, sweat still dripping down her temples. She hesitated for a second, then let out a tired sigh. "I won't be able to lift my sword tomorrow at this rate," she muttered. "Alright… but hurry, before Hiro gets here."
Ren led Alicia to a wooden bench at the side of the field, under the shade of a large tree. The dusk cast a golden light, highlighting Alicia's training armor that she had removed and set aside. Now, only a tight black undergarment wrapped her body, highlighting the strong lines of her shoulders and the curves of her slender waist. Ren stood behind her, pouring a little herbal ointment into his palm, rubbing it until it was warm.
"A little cold," he whispered, touching Alicia's shoulder gently. Alicia blinked as the warm skin pressed against the tense muscle. The ointment smelled of mint and frangipani mixed with the scent of training sweat, forming an oddly soothing aroma.
Ren started with light pressure, rolling his thumbs along the sides of her neck, down to her shoulders. The muscles beneath his fingers were hard as stone, but they slowly softened as he rubbed rhythmically. Alicia held her breath, then exhaled slowly, as if letting the burden fall with the exhale.
"Does it hurt?" Ren asked when he felt Alicia wince.
"A little... but it feels good," she replied shyly. Her voice was hoarse from the long training. She looked down, her blond hair falling over her cheeks, disguising a blush that had nothing to do with the heat of the afternoon.
Ren continued, tracing her shoulder blades, searching for tight knots. Each time he found a tight spot, he increased the pressure, massaging slowly until Alicia let out an uncontrollable sigh of relief. When all the knots in her shoulders began to relax, Ren lowered his hands, pressing gently along her spine.
Alicia stiffened for a moment—her lower back was more sensitive. She opened her mouth to speak, but no protest came out. Ren was silent, waiting for her breathing to stabilize before exploring further. His palms rubbed circles around her waist, just above the cloth belt. His movements were slow, as if afraid of breaking something fragile.
The princess didn't move, but Ren could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. In the dusk air, every touch felt hotter. When Ren's thumbs pressed against the muscle on the side of her spine, just below her last rib, Alicia let out a soft sound—not words, just a sigh filled with relief and a foreign feeling that was hard to describe.
"Feels… better," she whispered, her voice thinning.
Ren didn't answer; he took a half-step closer to make the massage angle more comfortable. His body shadowed Alicia, filtering the fading sunlight. His hands now moved to the midpoint between her waist and tailbone, the kneading motion turning into a warm caress—not only soothing, but lighting a soft ember beneath the Princess's skin.
Alicia closed her eyes, white teeth biting her lower lip. She knew this was just a massage, but every gentle pressure on her lower back resonated up to her stomach, igniting a thin vibration that had nothing to do with muscle. Her breathing became shallower, and Ren could feel her chest rising and falling rapidly.
The evening breeze blew carrying the scent of wet earth, caressing both bodies that were stilled in the echo of heartbeats. Ren loosened his fingers, gently patted the last point, then raised his hand. "That's it," he murmured, his voice hoarse than his intention. "The Princess should stretch slowly."
Alicia opened her eyes, looking up—her face flushed, sweat mixed with golden light. For a few seconds she just stared at Ren, her lips trembling as if to say thank you, but all that came out was a soft sigh. She rose slowly, reaching for the armor with hands that now felt light. Her back was still hot, but the pain had disappeared, replaced by another sensation that throbbed silently.
"Thank… you," she finally whispered, looking at the slit in Ren's forehead. "Your touch… is warm."
Ren bowed politely, hiding the gleam in his eyes. "The Princess's relief is my honor." With practiced movements, he tidied the tube of ointment into his pocket.
They stood facing each other in a short silence. The last rays of dusk shone on Alicia's blue eyes—eyes that now reflected Ren's image more clearly than anyone else's. At this close distance, Ren could see the pulse in the Princess's neck, fast but steady, like a war drum starting to sing a different tune.
From a distance, Hiro's shout could be heard calling the Princess to have dinner together. Alicia flinched, turning her head. "I have to go," she said softly, as if regretting it.
"Okay." Ren stepped back, making way. When Alicia picked up the steel gloves, she paused for a moment—her right hand touched her lower back that had just been massaged. A faint smile appeared on the corner of her lips before she quickly wiped it away. She turned and jogged, carrying the holy sword, but her chest felt both light and heavy.
Ren stood looking at her retreating back, warm eyes reflecting the last of the twilight. In her mind, she added a new dot to the emotional map: Lower back—the secret storehouse of the Princess' feelings. A door was half open; all she needed was time, and the warmth of her hands.
In one of the towers, another figure watched from a high window—Akira's lips thinned as Ren picked up a tube of ointment before leaving. Meanwhile, on the side of the courtyard, Hiro ran over to Alicia, not realizing the blush on the Princess' cheeks was warmer than usual.
That night, Alicia lay in bed, her hands moving slowly along her own lower back—searching for traces of the massage that still felt warm, even though the sun had long since set. At the same time, Hiro slept in the knight's barracks room, his lips murmuring "Alicia" in deep sleep... but the Princess's heart called out another name that she did not dare to whisper.
And in the servants' dormitory, Ren stared at the tube of ointment, his fingers still scented with the Princess's skin. He closed his eyes, imagining the next step—a deeper touch, a higher heat, until the steel armor could no longer separate them.