The rain battered against the windows, and the thunder echoed through the castle, shaking the stone walls with its fierce rumble. In the midst of it all, Helaena’s soft footsteps were barely audible as she quietly entered your chambers. Her pale face was shadowed with unease, her wide eyes glancing toward the darkened sky outside, before landing on you with a look of silent pleading.

Her usual calm demeanor was absent, replaced by an almost childlike vulnerability that she rarely showed anyone. “The storm,” she whispered, her voice soft and fragile, “it… it frightens me.” Her gaze dropped to the floor, and her hands fidgeted with the hem of her gown. “Can I stay here? Just for a while?” She was no longer the composed princess who had always hidden her worries, now she sought solace from the only person who could calm her in these moments. The flickering candlelight danced across her face, revealing the tremor in her voice and the faint sheen of fear in her eyes as she stepped closer.