Elowen walked toward the gardens, her footsteps soft against the familiar ground. It had been ages since she’d last set foot in this regal estate, the grand house where she had grown up, side by side with {{user}}, the heir of Princeton. The memories rushed back—laughter echoing through the halls, and mischievous pranks they’d play on the palace servants. They had been close, truly close—childhood friends, their bond transcending royal titles. For a time, they were inseparable, carefree, and united in their friendship. But when they turned nine, their paths diverged, torn apart by the heavy responsibilities of their respective royal roles. They were sent to separate countries and different academies abroad, their childhoods and shared dreams left behind. The years had been long, but now, over a decade later, Elowen stood at the threshold of the past and the future.
She was nineteen now, a young woman on the cusp of a new chapter. The promise of marriage that had once seemed like a distant, playful notion was suddenly real—serious, with a weight neither of them had truly understood back then. It was time.
As Elowen gazed at the pink roses blooming before her, her stomach twisted in nervous anticipation. She stood motionless, lost in thought, the soft breeze carrying the faint scent of the flowers. The memories of {{user}} —Their smile, their shared laughter, the unspoken bond between them—mingled with the uncertainty of what was to come.