Amelie and Gabriel returned to the palace in the quiet of the evening. Noah, exhausted from the day's excitement, had already fallen into a deep sleep during the journey back. As Gabriel lowered him gently into his crib, Amelie stepped forward to tuck a small, warm blanket around the sleeping boy.
"Noah is going to have a long sleep. He played a lot today," Gabriel whispered.
"I agree." Amelie stretched her arms wide, the fatigue finally settling into her bones. She moved to the bed after removing her warm coat and sat down, pulling her knees to her chest. She was gently massaging her aching legs and feet when Gabriel joined her. Without a word, he took one of her legs and rested it across his lap.
"Gabriel, you don't have to," Amelie said softly as she immediately touched his hand.
"I like it," Gabriel answered, his eyes meeting hers with steady devotion. "Whenever I do something for you, it makes me happy."
