The Primordial Dragon Artificer System.

Sigrid and Rune sat side by side watching the sunset. They were supposed to head back out of the forest the day after tomorrow so they will have to start their journey tomorrow if they were to make it in time to receive their tokens that marked their success of survival in the forest.

That night, they slept under Lenthandra's wing. Despite the biting cold weather, with her tail curled into a loop on her side,it was warm and comfortable under her wing. Sigrid fell asleep in no time.

The past three days had been very hectic. They had killed a lot of magical beasts and obtain all kinds of cores.

The next morning, Sigrid woke up feeling a bit energized at the prospect of going home. She had enjoyed the time she spent with Rune, but to say she didn't miss home would be an understatement.

"Let's pack up and go home Rune. We will have to go back in that direction and check if my horse is still there though." Sigrid said with some enthusiasm.

" It's okay, let us head that way" Rune wasn't feeling very happy about going back. He had nothing to look forward to other than some bullying. And in an orphanage at that! No. He wasn't going back.

After finding out that the horse wasn't there, they headed straight for the forest entrance.

By sunset, they were a few miles from the forest entrance. Along the way, they had met countless groups of people heading for the entrance.

They made camp and stayed the night with others. Everyone was in high spirits at the prospect of meeting their loved ones back home except for a few, who had lost their friends at the clutches of the forest and its ruthless beasts. They moved about with their heads looking down, finding the surrounding joyous mood unbearable.

.....

Everyone woke up early the following morning eager to get out of this forest. They took off camp and one by one, trickled onto the assumed pathway to the forest's entrance.

In another tent at the fringes of the forest.

"Take this, this is my gift to you Sigrid" Rune stated with a solemn voice, his eyes betrayed the emotions raging beneath the indifferent tone and visage.

Rune had crafted a coat with spacial space pockets with the aid of the system

" Wow, where did you get this from?" Sigrid was surprised at the unexpected gift. "It's so beautiful and doesn't compare less to her highness's heirloom, the Winter Bloom" she unknowingly said too much.

She looked at Rune, seeing the indifferent visage, she heaved a sigh of relief that he had not made any deductions. She didn't want her status to push him away.

On second thought, she looked at Rune again. She frowned. He looked sad. And then realization dawned at her.

" Why this gift now? Are you...."

" I can't go back, I have no where to go back to." He cut her off.

" Rune , please , don't say that," she moved closer to him and took his hands in hers. "You can come with me, you can live with us" her eyes brimmed with tears as realizations of her inconsideration came crashing into her.

She had been happy about going home and telling him all about the things she couldn't wait to do back home. Lost in her fantasy, she had forgotten about him, she had forgotten about his life situation.

While she goes back to her mother and love, he will be going back to scraps and bullying.

She had thought he was happy, and he had been happy until now when she looked deep into his eyes.

So he was pretending to be happy all along, but never really cared about going home. He must be really disappointed in me,

Tears streaked down her beautiful cheeks. Rune instinctively reached out and tentatively wiped away the tears.

He wasn't far away from crying himself. Hearing the commotion outside of people happy of going back home nearly undid him.

The only thing that kept him together was the girl in front of him. She was the only reason he had not broken down.

Without her, he would have died at the hands of his orphanage peers.

He took a deep breath and smiled, a smile that she saw didn't reach his sad but determined eyes.

"I will come back to civilisation when I'm strong enough to take care of myself Sigrid, you should take care of yourself"

Sigrid sobbed. Her tears formed rivulets down her cheeks. She was going to lose him again.

" Promise to come for me Rune, swear on Lenthandra"

Rune nodded. He knew he would look for her. This wasn't their last meeting.

" I will wait for you then Rune." She didn't specify. She left an ambiguous statement between them. He will have to choose the meaning he prefers. One would make her happy, while the other one would hurt her but still leave her content that she was still part of his life.

She hugged him.

"Come for me within six years Rune." She smiled through the tears, sending his heart into overdrive.

She was just so beautiful.

With that, she turned and walked out of the tent adorned in the black and blue coat of exquisite make.

...

Sanders and his entourage soon arrived, having camped a little distance away from the crowd, and saw Sigrid walk out of a tent not far away from where they were riding from.

....

The commotion outside the tent brought Rune to reality. This was the same guy who had nearly killed him with a punch.

He wasn't going to wait for a repeat of events. He shrouded himself in the void and caught up to Sigrid.

...

Sigrid stopped and turned at the call of her name from the Crown Prince. Her eyes were puffed from crying.

She looked at the horse being led by him, her horse. She had thought that her horse had ran back home, as it has been trainined to do if lost, but alas, fate had its own script.

"I love you Sigrid, keep safe for me"

A voice that send shivers and warmth all over her body said beside her ear . This was of course Rune. She had seen him go invisible multiple of times during their time together.

He lightly kissed her forehead and walked away, leaving a foolishly smiling Sigrid behind.

.....

Seeing Sigrid's face break into a smile and her demeanor change to happiness looking at him, Sanders was flattered and he also broke into a foolish smile as he eagerly walked forward.