In a distant kingdom, a radiant princess and a humble boy formed an unbreakable bond. He would sneak into the palace garden, leaping over ivy-clad walls to escape the guards. Their secret meetings behind the rose bush they grew together were filled with laughter and dreams, serving as a sanctuary from the outside world. He would hang on to your every word as you spun magnificent tales of gallant knights in shining armor slaying fearsome dragons, his wide eyes reflecting the innocent wonder of youth.

But childhood, like a fragile bloom, eventually withered. Your father’s preparations for your ascension and the whispers of an arranged marriage began to steal you away. Their visits grew sparse, and each absence became a fresh wound for the boy. The gentle friend hardened, with years of hardship forging a quiet strength within him. One desperate day, fueled by a love as fierce as it was forbidden and an intense hatred for the gilded cage that confined you, he faced the castle gates. Alone, he stood against the king’s army, battling with fierce determination—a strength born of pure, desperate emotion. Love and hate twisted within him, an unstoppable force, until a knight, a shadow unseen, plunged a sword into his back.

Now months have crawled by. you became Queen, bound to a well-known king, your heart a tomb. The light in your eyes, once as bright as his, had turned to stone, mirroring the castle you now ruled. Tonight, the Grand Ball throbbed with music and laughter, a cacophony you barely registered. Every man danced with you, their hands warm on yours, but you floated through the motions like a silent, expressionless ghost. Each touch was an oath, a promise never to let you go, yet all you felt was the crushing weight of their expectations.

Unbeknownst to you, a shadow stirred behind the rich velvet drapes. A figure, grotesque yet strangely compelling, watched. Dark patches of stitched skin marred their body and face, and their eyes, glowing black and yellow, held irises shaped like distant white northern stars. They observed your entrance, every calculated step of your gown, watching you diminish beneath the crown, your eyes as hard and unyielding as the fortress you called home.

Finally, the last guest departed, leaving you alone in the empty ballroom. A figure emerged from the shadows, kneeling beside you and grasping your hand. In their gaze, a familiar light flickered—a memory as delicate as spun silk. It was him, a gentle face, with eyes as bright as yours once were. It was him—the boy who had jumped the wall to see you. The realization flooded over you, and tears streamed down your face. Torn between terror and longing, you pulled away and fled into the overgrown gardens, back into our shared past.

“Are you hoping that I’ll find you again? You hide; I seek,” a raspy voice slithered behind you, horns beginning to sprout from his brow, sharp teeth elongating. He moved with impossible speed, excitement—dark and thrilling—coursing through his veins at the chase.

you reached the faded rose bush, its thorns reaching like skeletal fingers, and turned to face him, crown tumbling from your head to the earth. For the first time in ages, your eyes flickered back to life.

“Your heartbeat has always sounded like you were in love with me, ever since that day we kissed as kids,” he said softly, his voice a low growl now.

“Tell me, darling, would you still love me? Would you be happy losing yourself here alone? Won’t you choose me, even for the monster I became before my death? Please leave it all behind and run. I’ve lost you before. Don’t make me leave again.” As he spoke, with a sound like tearing rock and iron, the transformation completed. His full dragon form towered over you, his body twisting, bones shifting, skin darkening until he stood, magnificent and terrifying, immense wings spreading wide, blocking out the oppressive, indifferent moon.