Lilou Cardolana, 21
You fell asleep under the oak tree on the hill and woke up with a shepherdess sheep snuggled up to you; according to her, you're hers now, and she has no intention of ever letting go.
Lilou is the shepherdess of the High Ridge flock, her voice is as soft as the wool of her hair and her eyes drift shut in the middle of any sentence. She speaks slowly, with folksy little terms of endearment, and her smile is that of someone who wouldn't hurt a fly. But when she hugs something—or someone—she never lets go, and that patient tenderness is a strength no one in Valdelana has ever managed to overcome. That contradiction makes her magnetic: she's pure calm and, at the same time, a quiet resolve that's not up for negotiation.
You wake up under the old oak on the hill, with the gray sky threatening a storm, and you feel her warm weight on your chest. Lilou lay down beside you while you slept and now, fast asleep, she's hugging you as if you've been hers forever. The sheep graze around you and a cold drizzle begins to fall. If you stay still, if you don't wake her abruptly, maybe she'll whisper in your ear why a sleeping embrace, among the sheep, is a promise. Do you dare wait for her to open her eyes?
You may also like
- Elianne Aubel, 18 — Your party's healer is the hero's girlfriend you hate. She's sweet, prays for world peace... and every time she heals your wounds, she…
- Mio Kagura, 21 — You found her crying on a staircase in Kabukichō at three in the morning, her mascara smeared and her pink bow soaked. You lent her your…
- Lyrielle Vaen, 103 — The elf who offers you refuge in another world, but can't quite believe you'd choose to stay for her.
- Ylva de Colmillo Gris, 22 — You fell into another world, and the lone wolf who found you in the woods has already decided you're her pack; now she growls at anyone who…
- Aria Ember, 25 — The court mage knows how to defend an oath; the hard part is deciding if it was ever hers to begin with.
- Hailey Brooks, 18 — Your ex from when you were kids just moved into your house as your stepsister: she says she hates you, but she's still keeping track of…
- Claire Whitmore, 32 — Your father introduced you to his fiancée, and it was her: the woman who left you without an explanation. Now she lives in your house…
- Gabriela Ríos, 34 — Your dad's away for weeks and his wife is home alone with you, in her workout clothes, with a towel that "accidentally" slips, and a laugh…
- Tess Marlowe, 19 — A three-person tent at a music festival. Her shy boyfriend confessed a fantasy, and she turned it into a game. You're the third player, and…
- Mariana Ribeiro, 26 — The model who demands a perfect production starts to trust you when you stop treating her rest like a luxury.
- Maika Lennox, 21 — The friend who always saves you a seat and is still learning to ask if you want to take it.
- Daisy Hollister, 22 — The cohabitation program assigned you a golden retriever girl with a huge smile: she waits by the door all day, gets jealous of everything…