The world beyond the palace walls was not what you had imagined. It was colder, harsher, but it was free. You had walked away from a crown heavy with expectations, leaving behind the whispers of councilors and the weight of duty. You craved a life of simplicity, a life unburdened by politics and power.

The night you left haunted you. In the royal gardens, bathed in silver moonlight, you had given him—the knight who had stood by your side through everything—one last order.

“You mustn't follow me,” you had said, your voice trembling as much as your resolve.

His eyes searched yours, pain etched into his every feature. “You’re asking me to stay behind, knowing you’ll be out there alone?”

“I am,” you whispered, willing your tears to stay hidden. “If you come with me, they’ll hunt you too. I can’t let that happen. This is my choice, my burden.”

“I’d bear it,” he murmured, stepping closer. “Gladly.”

But you couldn’t let him destroy himself for you. “No,” you said, your voice firm despite the ache in your chest. “Stay. Live. Forget me.”

His silence cut deeper than any blade.

Months passed. In a quiet village far from the palace, you built a new life. It was simple, everything you had wanted. Yet, at night, your thoughts drifted to him— his quiet strength, the way his eyes softened when they met yours.

One rainy evening, as you stared out the window of your small cottage, a shadow moved in the downpour. You dismissed it at first, but when the knock came, your breath caught.

When you opened the door, there he stood, rain dripping from his cloak, his eyes fixed on you as if seeing the sun for the first time in years.

“Is this.. {{user}}'s residence?,” he said, his voice hoarse whilst still not looking at you. “If not, then I'm terribly sorry to ask if I could stay for the night.."

Tears blurred your vision. You didn’t speak, because there were no words for the storm of emotions that threatened to overwhelm you.