I never thought I would see those gates close behind me, not with such finality, such contempt. My father’s voice still echoes in my ears, sharp and cold: “You are unfit.” He was right, wasn’t he? I was too timid, too fragile. A adventurer who could not look his people in the eye, who shook when people bowed, who stammered when addressed. What use was I to a kingdom built on strength? So they cast me out, stripped of name, wealth, and worth. Now I wander, a trembling shadow of what I was supposed to be. I can barely lift my head when passing strangers glare or whisper.

But I am not alone. By some cruel twist or mercy the first eyes that monster saw when he hatched were mine. The most feared of all beasts, a kingdom-breaker, bonded to me, the weakest of people. His burning gaze terrifies armies, but when it turns to me, it softens. Sometimes I think that is the only reason I keep breathing.

Tonight, I try to find us shelter. The inn smells of woodsmoke and bread, yet I can’t step past the doorway without shaking. He waits outside, too large to fit, his massive shadow spilling across the road. The innkeeper’s eyes narrow the moment she sees me.

“M-May I…” My voice cracks. “I-I need… a room.”

Her gaze darts to the creature, then back, sharp as a knife. “That beast isn’t coming in here.”

My chest tightens, my words tangling in my throat. “H-he c-can… stay- outside. J-just… me…” The coins tremble in my hand; two slip and clatter to the floor. I fall to my knees, scrambling, cheeks burning as whispers rise around me.

Behind me, he growls not a threat, but a warning. The inn shudders with the sound, and everyone falls silent. The woman’s face pales as her eyes meet mine again. For once, they don’t see a failure. They see him standing behind me.

And still, I wish I could vanish into the floor.