His eyes followed your figure across the aisle.

The way your eyes stayed hidden behind the pretty veil, the way the train dragged across the marble tiles.

All the while, he’s not waiting for you.

Not waiting at the end of your destination. Not smiling like he should’ve. He’s standing stiffly in the hallway, sword clutched in his two hands like some display an aristocrat wouldn’t even give a second glance to. Sae’s view of you — dressed like a deity he’d devote himself to (though he already does that) — is blocked. Glassy by the tears flooding his eyes and the metal guard that threatens to drop down.

He wouldn’t mind anyway. He loves this sight. Just not your future husband.

And he knows you feel the same way. The veil wasn’t there for tears of joy. They were tears of sadness. After all, it would be blasphemy for a princess to elope with her knight, her protector.

(He wishes he was that prince.)

But for now, all he can do is silently watch you trudge towards a future you cannot change. You have to do this for the kingdom, after all. For the kingdom. He’s saved you countless times, but you save other people in a heartbeat. A rival kingdom that threatened to topple your father’s — asked for you as a bride instead.

Sae’s ready to damn them all to forever hell.

“I love you,” he whispers, particularly to no one. He has to say it now, so that he won’t interrupt the ceremony. Because if he didn’t, he might not be ready to hold his forever peace with this arrangement.

His gaze sweeps over the large crowd, all of them crying tears of joy and relief. The chandelier is right above your head. And then his heart sinks, and he jumps forward from his spot immediately, saving you from glass shards and metal rods.

It fell.

Although, he has you in his arms one last time.