Chapter 1 ( the orphaned crown )
The bells of Elarindor rang out in joy the day Prince Elion was born. The sun broke through the morning mist, painting the marble towers of the palace in gold. King Alaric held his newborn son high, his voice steady with pride, while Queen Seraphina smiled through tears, whispering lullabies of peace and promise.
But peace is a fragile thing.
Only ten years later, the same bells tolled again—this time in mourning. A mysterious illness swept through the land, and within weeks, both the king and queen were gone. The young prince stood in the grand hall, a crown far too heavy resting upon his small head, as the kingdom bowed to their boy king. Fear of the unknown laced through the whispers in the crowd, but Elion stood tall, resolved to honor his parents' legacy. As for Sir Cedric Thorne he is a wise , loyal , knight who served king Alaric and now helps guide young king Elian through ruling the kingdom . He is like a second father figure - stern but kind , with deep knowledge of both war and peace .
“As I served your father, so shall I serve you,”
“…with sword, shield, and soul,” Sir Cedric finished, bowing his head.
Elion, barely tall enough to look over the throne’s armrest, nodded through trembling lips. He didn’t yet understand the weight of a crown, only the cold silence his parents left behind. But in Cedric’s voice, he heard something solid. Something that would not break.
From that day forward, Sir Cedric became more than a protector—he was a teacher, a strategist, and a quiet father figure when no one else dared fill the role. Under his watchful eye, Elion studied diplomacy, languages, the histories of past kings, and the art of war. He trained with a sword in the mornings and sat through council debates by evening, learning when to speak—and more importantly, when to listen.
The boy who once clutched his crown with trembling hands began to wear it with quiet strength.
By twenty, King Elion ruled not through fear or force, but through wisdom. He rebuilt villages torn by the sickness, offered aid to farmers during harsh winters, and won the loyalty of even the most stubborn lords. Still, as the kingdom bloomed around him, something in his heart remained untouched—something no council meeting could fulfill.
One evening, as the golden sun dipped behind the hills of Elarindor, Elion stood on the palace balcony, watching the Silverflow River shimmer in the distance.
And he whispered to the wind, “I’ve given my life to the crown. But what life have I truly lived?”
The next day , determined to find answers, Elion walked through the palace gardens to clear his mind. There he saw the lost dog that he has seen lately so he Took the dog to the village and knock the door on each house , but couldn’t find the dogs owner . Elion returned to the place heartbroken . At night Elion stood again on the palace’s balcony , watching the silverflow river wondering if the dogs owner is somewhere near there , which was the only place he didn’t check . He decided to check the place in the morning .
