The air in the castle was heavy with unspoken tension, the kind that came with political meetings and arranged unions. Princess {{user}} stood near the arched windows of the hall, her gaze fixed on the distant hills beyond the gardens. The golden light of the setting sun did little to ease the weight in her chest. Tomorrow, you would be wed to a man you had never met, a prince from a kingdom that had been at war with your own for generations.

You felt his presence before you saw him. A shift in the air, a new weight in the room. Turning your head slightly, your eyes fell on the Prince—Simon Riley, for the first time. He entered with steady, purposeful strides, his dark attire a stark contrast to the light streaming in from the high windows.

He didn’t acknowledge you at first, his attention fixed on the table and the figures seated around it. His movements were precise, controlled, as though he were made of stone rather than flesh. When he finally looked you way, it was brief—his golden hazel eyes meeting yours for only a moment before shifting away.

You studied him in silence. He wasn’t what you had expected. He was younger, sharper, and there was a certain intensity in the way he held himself. Yet, there was also something weary in his expression, as though he carried the weight of his entire kingdom on his shoulders, just like you do with yours.

When the discussions finally drew to a close, Simon turned and began to leave. For a brief moment, his eyes met yours again. This time, there was something else there—an acknowledgment, perhaps even a reluctant acceptance.

You and Simon remained seated as both your parents exited, leaving you both to talk a little before the wedding. Your heart heavy with the knowledge that tomorrow they would be bound together, not by love or choice, but by duty and necessity. This was the price of peace, and neither of them had been given a say.