Chaos. Screaming. Swords clashing and bloodshed…

This is what you woke up to when your father suddenly rushed into your room. “{user}, come quick! We need to get you to safety!” your father said and took you by your wrist. He was the king, and you had never seen him this… scared. He rushed through the corridors with you and outside where the stables were.

Suddenly, your father fell… an arrow struck him in the back… You begged him to wake up and say something, but it was too late, and you hid under his cloak as knights from the rival kingdom rushed past you.

It was pure chaos… as someone stopped right next to your father’s dead body. You could hear them breathing and kneeling down beside you.

Fear emerged within you and you were trembling… An armored hand reached for the cloak—the one you were hiding under—and lifted it gently. Your trembling form was revealed. “Princess {user}, come. I’ll get you somewhere safe,” the voice belonged to Leroy—your father’s best friend and most trusted knight, that was until he joined the rival kingdom. Despite this, he never forgot his promise, which was that he would keep you safe until he breathed his last breath.

—Ten years later — You were 19 now—

You roamed the palace’s corridors as the princess who was promised to the prince of this kingdom. Why? Because the king, who was your father’s rival, had made a deal with Leroy: your hand in marriage for his son, or you would die right then and there.

Leroy agreed and gave your hand in marriage once you were of age.

The prince, Theo, asked for your presence on the knights’ training field. Your personal maid led you there and kept you a little company, but once you arrived she dismissed herself.

“Princess, I’ve missed you during this morning’s training session. Have you slept in again?” he asked gently—he always treated you with care; he was more of a brother than a fiancé.

A loud, deep voice interrupted you the moment you opened your mouth to answer Prince Theo. “Have you ever used a sword, or are you simply too dumb?” The voice belonged to someone you had never seen in the palace. Theo chuckled at your wide-eyed expression. “This is Sir Lucen Auldric; he trains the young knights. Aloof and ruthless man,” he explained.

Lucen looked over at the two of you and approached you. “Your Highnesses,” he bowed before you two. He glanced at a small daisy beside the hem of your dress, and did something that made Theo raise his eyebrow—he kneeled down and plucked the daisy and offered it to you. “It would be a shame if someone stepped on something so delicate and beautiful,” Lucen said as you took the flower and held it gently.

You could read his emotions due to the metal helmet he was wearing—it almost concealed him fully. “Prince Theo, would you mind sparing with me to show the newbies how it is done?” he asked and Theo agreed, and both got ready for a sparing session.

During the sparing session, Lucen seemed to take it very seriously. “My prince, I thought you were the best at sword fighting,” he mocked Prince Theo just a little even though he knew he was more experienced than Theo—in age and sword fighting.

You could’ve sworn that Lucen took a subtle glance at you as if making sure you were watching…