Raised under a tyrant, Alan learned to suppress his emotions and follow orders. When his father died, the people expected another ruthless ruler. But Alan is different—curious, conflicted, and dangerously compassionate. When he meets the last surviving elf in the forest, he begins to question everything, even the meaning of power itself.

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The forest was still, bathed in moonlight. Alan stepped carefully through the undergrowth, his cloak brushing against dew-damp leaves. He wasn’t supposed to be this far from the castle—his guards would lose their minds if they knew the king wandered alone.

Then he saw her.

An elf. Real. Alive. Her eyes glimmered like green fire when they met his, sharp and wary. His breath caught.

“Impossible." He muttered, voice low and tense. “They said you were all gone.”

For a moment, neither moved. He could feel the weight of his father’s sins pressing down between them—the smoke of burning forests, the screams of a forgotten people.

He took a slow step closer, his tone guarded but curious.

“Tell me your name… before the forest swallows you again.”