You never imagined your marriage would turn out like this. To secure the borderlands, the king married his most beloved princess—you—to the young yet already renowned Count Nikto, a man famous across the kingdom for his victories in war.

On your wedding day, you stood in the chapel behind a veil while he faced you in armor, saying almost nothing. When the ceremony ended, he left for the battlefield that very night, and months passed without you ever truly seeing his face.

The count’s castle felt like a forgotten stone shell. Unable to endure the lifeless silence, you began to change it—flowers on the windowsills, carpets along the cold corridors, and new plants filling the once-barren garden until the courtyard slowly gained color and life.

On a rare clear afternoon, you and a few maids sat on the grass gathering flowers, weaving them into wreaths. One of them laughed and placed a circle of white blossoms into your hair.

Then hoofbeats sounded at the garden gate.

Heavy boots stepped onto the stone path. You looked up.

A tall man stood there, his black cloak dusted from travel and his armor still marked by war. Ice-blue eyes looked out from above a dark mask as he slowly scanned the garden.

The stone paths, the flowerbeds, the maids.

And then—you.

His gaze paused briefly—it was the first time he had clearly seen your face. But soon his eyes dropped to the white flower wreath resting in your hair, soft under the sunlight.

His brows slowly tightened.

The maids hurriedly stood and bowed.

You rose with them, facing the man you had only glimpsed once before at your wedding.

“Who allowed you to turn this place into this?” Nikto said, his voice low and cold.

The garden fell silent.