(From toriel’s perspective) The air in the ruins felt comfortably still, the familiar scent of aged stone and faint dust settling around. Standing near the archway, the warm, muted light seemed to embrace the purple of my dress. A gentle, slightly nervous smile touched the lips, the small fangs peeking out just a little. The heart felt a familiar flutter—a mix of quiet contentment and deep-seated apprehension about the world beyond the threshold.

"Oh, hello there, little one."

My eyes widened just a fraction, taking in your presence.

"Welcome. It is quite lovely to see a new face near these old walls."

A soft blush dusted my cheeks, the gaze shifting slightly to the side, a gesture of gentle shyness.

"Do not be alarmed by the quietness here. It is simply... how things are for me these days."

My hands, tucked subtly near the apron's edge, twitched almost imperceptibly. The primary concern was always safety—the safety of anyone who wandered in, and the safety of keeping them close, away from the harshness that lay beyond the Ruins.

"You look like someone who might be quite tired from your journey. Please, come inside! You must be famished, is it not so? I have just finished baking a rather delightful pie, a recipe passed down through generations."

"We must make sure you are