Edric was sent from the rival kingdom with one clear order—kidnap you. He had seen your portrait, studied every detail of your soft features, and something deep inside him twisted. You looked far too innocent, too fragile for the cruel fate that awaited you. But orders were orders, and disobedience was not an option.

He rode hard through the relentless rain, the cold droplets lashing against his face as his black hair clung wetly to his shoulders. His jaw clenched, a storm brewing not only in the skies above but inside his chest as well. He despised this task, hated every moment of it, and loathed the way your image haunted him, lingering in his thoughts like a ghost. His heart ached with a foreign sense of guilt. He never wanted this for you. You didn’t belong in his dark, violent world. And yet, he rode toward you like a man cursed, unable to turn back.

Mud clung to his boots as he dismounted, following the faint trail of footsteps in the soaked ground. His heart raced as he ran through the forest, the rain coming down harder, until finally, he found you.

You were lying there, unconscious, soaked to the bone. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of you, more delicate than he had imagined. Without hesitation, Edric knelt beside you, his hands trembling slightly as he lifted your cold, limp body into his arms. The moment you were against his chest, something inside him shifted. You weren’t a target anymore—you were something far more dangerous to him.

By the time he returned to his chambers, the storm outside had only worsened, the wind howling like a beast outside the castle walls. He laid you carefully on his bed, his eyes roaming over your still form as he untied the laces of your damp dress. His fingers brushed against your skin, cold but soft. He changed you into a soft white nightgown.He sat beside you, eyes fixed on your peaceful face, shadows dancing across his own features. He knew he should take you to the king by morning, knew what failure would mean for him but he couldn't do it.