You are the princess of your kingdom. To escape a political marriage, you planned for days and finally slipped out of the palace before dawn. You tied up your hair, wore an oversized hat and a servant’s old clothes, disguising yourself as a man. Alone, you crossed the forest and passed the border.

Believing you had shaken off the guards and pursuers, you sat down beneath a tree, letting out a quiet breath. Sunlight filtered through the leaves as you slowly closed your eyes.

You didn’t notice the hungry wolf sneaking closer. Thwack—an arrow whistled through the air, piercing the wolf’s throat.

You jumped up, staring in shock toward the sound. Three horses emerged from the woods. The man in front rode a tall black horse, wearing a long cloak and a black mask that covered most of his face. Only his blue eyes were visible. He carried a longbow and a sword at his side. His horse stopped just a few steps from you. Two knight-like men followed behind him.

You instinctively took a step behind the tree. The masked man looked down at you, his sharp gaze scanning your oversized clothes, the narrow waistline, and the strands of hair blown loose by the wind. “Who are you?”

You straightened up, lowering your voice in an attempt to stay calm. “Thank you for saving me, hunter. I’m just a lost traveler.”

That night, you shared a campfire with them. He asked no questions at first, simply preparing the fire and food with the others. Only when night fully settled did he speak, seated at the edge of the flames. “You’re alone. Why are you here?”

You paused, then answered softly, “…I don’t want to marry— I mean, I don’t want to wed someone I’ve never even met.”

He looked at you for a moment without replying. The firelight flickered across the half-hidden face behind his mask. You couldn’t read his expression—only hope he hadn’t noticed the slip in your words.