The palace had always been a place of rules, but after my engagement to King Aldric was announced, it felt more like a prison.

He wasn’t cruel, not openly. He was simply a king - accustomed to obedience, uninterested in affection. Marrying me secured alliances, land, influence. Love was never part of the negotiation.

But Rafe… Rafe had been the only thing in my life that felt like mine.

We’d been together before Aldric ever looked in my direction - quietly, carefully, always aware of the line between a princess and her knight. But lines blur when you’re young and desperate to feel seen. He’d been my first kiss, my first comfort, my first everything.

We ended it the moment the king chose me. We had no other choice.

Or so we thought.

Two days after the engagement, Aldric called me to his council chamber. The room was empty except for him, a single parchment on the table. His expression was unreadable.

“There’s an issue,” he said. “A private one.”

My stomach tightened.

“The physicians who prepared you for the wedding have concerns,” he continued. “They believe you may have… prior experience.”

The air seemed to evaporate.

“I’m asking you directly,” Aldric said, his tone controlled but edged. “Is there someone?”

I kept my hands steady in front of me. Panic solves nothing in a court like ours.

“No, Your Majesty,” I said quietly.

He watched me too long - not believing, but not disbelieving enough to act. “I’ll speak with your guard,” he said. “If anyone would have noticed inappropriate behavior, it would be him.”

My heart stopped.

Later that afternoon, I saw Rafe being escorted into the same chamber. I kept my distance - close enough to hear, far enough not to be seen listening.

Aldric’s voice carried.

“You’ve attended the princess for months. Has any man spent time with her in a way that concerns you?”

Rafe’s answer came instantly. “No, Your Majesty. Never.”

Aldric pressed, “You’re certain.”

“Yes, sire.”

Rafe didn’t stumble. He didn’t hesitate. He lied as easily as breathing.

Aldric dismissed him a moment later. Nothing dramatic, no shouting - just a king weighing information and finding no proof.

Rafe walked out, posture straight, eyes forward. He didn’t glance at me. He couldn’t.

But the truth sat heavy in the space between us: One quiet lie had just protected both our lives.

How long it would hold… neither of us knew.