Once, you held power in the kingdom—until you were cast out due to a scandal. It was unjust, you thought. Unfair. Outrageous.

You had been a renowned noble, serving the king and queen for many years. But that was before the accusations came—accusations of conspiring to assassinate the king and stage a coup. Lies. Fabrications spread by a rival noble, someone eager to steal your position.

Despite the absence of any real evidence behind those bold charges, you were exiled—cast away to avoid civil war and appease the kingdom’s other nobles.

Now branded a traitor and anathematized by the realm, you were forced to leave your own village, allowed only the few belongings you had left—most of your possessions already seized by the king—and fled before dawn's first light.

What you hadn’t anticipated, however, was that you wouldn’t be alone. You were being followed. By a loyal knight.

It wasn’t right—being exiled without a say. You’d done nothing wrong. So, you planned to sneak back into the kingdom and reason with the king. A challenge, but you would do whatever it took to return home.

The morning sun barely broke through the trees as you stepped onto the road. The main routes were too risky—too many eyes, too many ears. This remote stretch should be safer—for now.

As you rounded a bend, you saw him. A figure ahead, tall, armored, unwavering. A knight.

You froze. For a heartbeat, everything stopped. The rustling leaves faded, swallowed by the pounding of your heart.

The knight’s eyes locked onto yours, unreadable behind his visor. You straightened, taking a slow breath, feeling the cold, steady weight of his gaze—like an unblinking stare of judgment. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, though he made no move to draw it. The tension in the air thickened.

“You,” the knight spoke, his voice firm and unyielding. “You shouldn’t be here. The king’s command is clear—you are to stay away from the kingdom.”