"Please come this way," Captain Ravel said in a firm but polite tone.

Star followed without resistance, the golden chains on his wrists and ankles jingling softly with each step. Lady Elara walked beside him, her own bindings removed only moments ago. The backstage corridors felt colder now that the auction was over. The bright lights and roaring crowd were gone, replaced by quiet footsteps and the occasional murmur of guards. Star’s mind was still spinning. Seven million gold coins. That number felt unreal. He had been sold for more than some small kingdoms were worth.

Madame Velvet waited near the exit, leaning against a pillar with her usual elegant smile. She looked pleased, like a merchant who had just closed the deal of a lifetime.

"Prince Lirien, what an honor," she said smoothly as the prince approached. "Your purchase today has broken every record in our Syndicate’s history. I trust you will find both assets... satisfactory."

Lirien gave her a cold nod. "You have always known how to present quality goods, Velvet. Just make sure there are no hidden defects."

Velvet laughed lightly. "None at all. The Silver Prize is as pure as the day we acquired him. And your cousin is in perfect condition. Enjoy your new prizes, Your Highness." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Star felt a wave of disgust at being referred to like livestock. He kept his face blank, but inside the humiliation was burning hot. Relief that the stage was behind him mixed with deep dread about what came next.

Captain Ravel led them outside to a grand carriage waiting in the shadowed courtyard. It was luxurious, with dark wood panels, enchanted runes glowing faintly along the sides, and thick velvet seats inside. Heavy curtains covered the windows. The guards helped Star and Elara into the carriage before locking the doors from the outside with a heavy click. Moments later, the carriage lurched forward, joining a larger caravan of mounted elven warriors.

Inside, the space was quiet. Star sat on one side while Elara sat across from him. The silence stretched for several minutes before she finally spoke.

"I never thought I would see a familiar face from my bloodline again," Elara said softly. Her voice was graceful, carrying the musical tone common among high elves. "Let alone be bought together with someone like you."

Star looked at her properly for the first time without the blinding stage lights. She was beautiful in an ethereal way. Silver-blonde hair, delicate pointed ears, and features that almost mirrored his own delicate beauty. They looked similar enough that it was unsettling.

"I recognized you from the holding cells," Star replied. "You always looked like you were waiting for something. Now I understand why."

Elara gave a small, tired smile. "Four years. Four long years of being hidden away, groomed, and preserved like fine wine. They told me my bloodline made me rare. When they brought me out today and paired me with you, I knew it was my only chance." She studied him curiously. "You are not fully elf, are you? Yet your beauty rivals even pure bloods. How did you end up here?"

Star leaned back against the soft cushions. The silk outfit still clung to his skin, a constant reminder of his new reality. "I was captured by some bandits and brought here...My looks... they have caused me nothing but trouble. People see me and want to own me. It is tiring."

Elara nodded slowly, understanding in her eyes. "I know that feeling too well. As an elf, beauty is expected. But when it becomes your only value, it turns into a cage. We are both prizes now. At least with Lirien I have family. Blood. That might offer some protection." She paused. "Do you think he will be kind to you?"

Star gave a short, bitter laugh. "Kind? I doubt it. He looked at me strangely on that stage. I do not think he likes being outshone in beauty, even by accident."

"Hey, you said something about still being property even to your cousin. Isn’t he going to release you once you get back to your kingdom?" He asked, curious.

Elara’s expression dimmed to a sad one.

"Believe me, it doesn’t work that way" she said simply and looked out of the window.

Star looked at her and felt like he understood her.

"It’s okay" he told her.

They talked quietly as the carriage continued its journey. Elara shared fragments of her old life in the elven borderlands. Star opened up a little about Greenhaven, Lena, Rian, and the strange path that had led him to the stream where everything went wrong. A fragile understanding grew between them. Two beautiful souls trapped by the same curse. For the first time since his capture, Star felt like he might have an ally.

The caravan stopped a few hours later at a secure forest outpost. Guards opened the carriage doors and escorted them out into the cool night air. Torches flickered around a clearing where Prince Lirien waited.

He stood tall and magnificent under the moonlight. Long flowing hair the color of pale moonlight cascaded down his back. His features were sharp and elegantly handsome, with high cheekbones and piercing silver eyes that seemed to see through everything. An aura of ancient royalty surrounded him, yet Star could sense the obsession and envy simmering just beneath the surface.

Lirien first turned to Elara, his expression softening slightly. "Cousin. It has been decades since the Vale branch was scattered. I am glad to have you back where you belong."

Elara bowed her head. "Thank you for coming for me, Prince Lirien."

Then his gaze shifted to Star. The envy was unmistakable. He studied Star’s delicate face, soft curves, and shining silver hair with a mixture of desire and resentment.

"You," Lirien said, voice smooth but cold. "The one who caused such chaos. You bested elven blood in beauty without even trying. That alone makes you dangerous. But you now belong to me. Both of you do. You will travel with the caravan to the Elven Kingdom. There you will live under my protection and serve the Vale name."

Star met his eyes directly. "I am not a servant, Prince. Nor am I a trophy."

Lirien’s lips curved into a cold smile. "Yet I paid seven million gold coins for you. In my kingdom, beauty like yours has its place. You will be well cared for. Dressed in the finest silks. Protected from those who would ruin you. But you will learn your position. Both of you will."

Elara stayed silent, but Star could sense her discomfort. She was grateful for rescue, but wary of her cousin’s true intentions.

Lirien continued, his voice carrying clear authority. "The journey will take weeks. You will ride in a separate carriage. Any attempt to escape will be punished severely. Do not test my patience, Star. Your pretty face will not spare you from consequences."

Star felt his resolve harden. "I have survived worse cages than yours, Prince. I will not simply accept being owned."

Lirien chuckled softly, the sound holding both amusement and warning. "We shall see. Many beautiful ones say the same thing at first."

The grand caravan departed before dawn. Heavily guarded wagons and mounted elven warriors formed a protective circle around them. Star and Elara were placed in a luxurious carriage of their own, even finer than the previous one. Soft cushions, enchanted windows that showed the outside world, and subtle magic that kept the interior comfortable.

As the caravan moved through the night forest, Star stared out at the passing trees. His mind wandered over everything. The peaceful mornings in his tent. The moment Jezebel’s voice disappeared. The horror of the auction stage. The way powerful people had fought and screamed for him. His beauty had become both his greatest weakness and a strange kind of power.

He touched the golden chains still on his wrists. They felt lighter now, but no less real. Elara watched him quietly from the opposite seat.

"You are thinking about escape already, aren’t you?" she asked softly.

Star gave a small nod. "Always."

The carriage continued rolling forward into the unknown. The Elven Kingdom waited somewhere ahead.