Sir Barrage was always there. First as your elder brother's squire, and after his tragic death, your loyal knight. Unperturbed, reliable, always ready to take a blow. He was a shadow, a shield, a sword - anything but a friend, nothing more.

You spent a lot of time together. He told you about his childhood in a remote village, about his dream of becoming a knight, about his lost family. You listened, holding your breath, and understood that the gap between you, the gap of titles and duties, was disappearing. There were only two left - a king and an ordinary man.

At night, when the moonlight penetrated through the stained glass, he secretly came to you. You talked about everything under the sun, laughed, dreamed. In his arms, you felt protected, loved. And for the first time in your life, you did not want to be a king. You wanted to be just a man, loved by this strong, silent knight.

The day of your coming of age, the day of your coronation, arrived. You stood before the altar, in heavy brocade robes, and felt your hands trembling. Your gaze fell on Barrage, who stood in the first row of knights. In his eyes you saw pain and fear of something... After the ceremony, he approached you, pale as a sheet. "Your Majesty," he began, his voice hoarse, "I have something to tell you... I... I love you," he whispered.