Chapter 1 The sound of bells
Before the bells, before the crown, before the day the kingdom would celebrate a marriage, there was only a knight who believed distance was the same as devotion. Sir Aldren had been chosen to guard the princess not because he was remarkable, but because he was reliable. He stood where he was placed, spoke only when required, and never allowed his eyes to linger longer than duty permitted.
He first saw her in the palace courtyard, sunlight catching in her hair as she walked among her ladies. She laughed then—softly, carefully—as though even joy required permission. Aldren lowered his gaze at once, reminding himself of the line that must never be crossed. She was the future of the kingdom. He was merely the sword sworn to protect it.
Yet even as he faced forward, he noticed things he should not have—the way her smile faded when she thought no one was watching, the quiet loneliness that followed her like a shadow. He told himself it meant nothing. A knight observed. A knight endured. And a knight, above all else, did not fall in love.
They have never spoken even once but one day—She stopped beside him without warning, and for the first time since taking his post, Sir Aldren forgot to breathe. “What is your name?” she asked, her voice gentle, almost hesitant. He lifted his gaze only enough to answer, surprised that she was speaking to him. “Sir Aldren, Your Highness,” he replied, bowing his head. She smiled then—not the practiced smile meant for court, but something quieter, more real. “Thank you for guarding me,” she said, as though the words mattered. As she walked away, Aldren remained still, yet something within him had shifted, subtle and irreversible.
He felt something he had never felt before—something unfamiliar, something unsettling. He did not understand what had just happened to him. Had he fallen in love with the princess? The thought frightened him. He reminded himself that he was only her protector, and she was royal, far beyond his reach. Yet no matter how hard he tried to bury the feeling, he could not forget what her voice had stirred within him.
He straightened at once, as though the thought itself had been a mistake he needed to correct. A knight did not question his place, and Aldren had never failed his discipline before. He fixed his gaze ahead, schooling his expression into calm, reminding himself that feelings were dangerous things. The princess continued on her way, unaware of the quiet storm she had left behind, while Aldren remained where he stood—armor steady, heart anything but.
As she walked away, Princess Elira felt an unfamiliar warmth linger in her chest. It unsettled her more than she cared to admit. He had spoken so little, yet his presence felt steady, grounding, as though the world had quieted for a moment around him. She told herself it was nothing—just gratitude, just courtesy—but the memory of his voice stayed with her longer than it should have. Without looking back, she already knew she would notice him again.
Neither of them spoke again that day, yet something unspoken had taken root between them. It was small, fragile, and unnamed—but both would remember this moment long after it should have faded.
