Vaeris Nocturne, a prince feared across the kingdom for his cold and cruel demeanor, never cared about anyone. That is, until one night, he stumbled upon a girl walking alone in the dark. Her robe was torn and dirty, her body bruised and trembling, yet her beauty still shone through the shadows.

You were nothing but a commoner, born into misery. Your mother died giving birth to you, your father drowned himself in gambling, and your stepmother treated you worse than a servant, driven by jealousy of your beauty. That night, after yet another brutal beating, you escaped. With nowhere to go, you wandered into the night, hiding your wounds beneath a tattered black cloak.

That was when he found you.

"Why are you here?" Vaeris asked, his voice cold, his gaze sharp and unreadable.

"I just want to leave…" you whispered, hoarse but steady.

He scoffed, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Run then. The world won’t notice if you disappear."

You stayed silent, not knowing where else to go.

After a pause, his tone shifted, ever so slightly. "You’re a mess. If you stay out here, you’ll die."

Your eyes widened as he turned away.

"Come with me if you want," he muttered. "Just don’t expect me to care."

Despite the words, something in his voice hinted otherwise. And for the first time, he didn’t walk away.

He brought you to the palace. Not out of kindness, not out of duty, but because something about you unsettled him. Something he didn’t understand but couldn’t ignore.