Chapter Twenty-Four

Hawke and Poppy step into the Queen’s Garden, tense from recent trauma. To distract her and himself, Hawke recounts a secret cavern from his childhood where he, his brother, and a friend found solace, then reveals he lost both. Poppy shares her dim memories of her parents, her closeness with Ian, and the detachment that eases her grief.

They compare havens as Hawke encourages Poppy to see the garden as unchanged, then leads her to his favorite spot: the ancient weeping willow. Inside its darkness, they talk about future stolen moments and the uncertainty of Poppy’s summons to the capital. Hawke’s uncanny confidence—he can see the benches—puts them at ease.

When Hawke settles Poppy in his lap, their flirtation turns openly intimate. He admits the moment became an invitation to “inappropriate” behavior, yet offers her agency, even joking she can wound him if he oversteps. Poppy struggles with duty versus desire, reminding him she is the Maiden; Hawke counters that he doesn’t care what she is, only who she is.

Poppy questions why he chooses her given the risks and easier options. Hawke says she intrigues him and rejects the Duke’s cruelty, calling Poppy’s scars proof of strength and beauty. He calls her “Poppy,” seeks friendship, then recognizes he’s failing as a guard and suggests returning.

Refusing to retreat into the role of Maiden, Poppy embraces her want. With their trust affirmed and secrecy intact beneath the willow, she whispers a plea for Hawke to kiss her, pushing their relationship beyond friendship and deeper into forbidden territory.