The Hall of Ancestors was silent except for the faint hiss of torches. Marble floors reflected the candlelight, and portraits of long-dead kings lined the walls. Crown Prince Adrian paused before the largest painting—King Aedric the Unyielding, his eyes sharp as a hawk's, his crown heavy with iron.
Adrian's jaw tightened. His ancestors had carved kingdoms with blood and steel. And here he was, unable to speak his own truth.
"You are not only my son," his father's voice rang in memory. "You are Eloria itself."
Adrian bowed his head. And what if Eloria would not accept me?
The heavy oak doors creaked. Queen Isolde entered, dressed in velvet blue. She carried herself like a blade—graceful, sharp, impossible to ignore.
"You look troubled, my son."
Adrian forced a smile, one that never reached his eyes. "The weight of the crown never grows lighter."
She approached, her perfume faint with roses and smoke. "A king may be burdened," she said softly, "but he must never look broken. Do not let your father see doubt in your face."
Adrian inclined his head. "Of course, Mother."
But when she left, he leaned against the cold wall, breath unsteady.
That night, the gardens offered what the palace could not—freedom. Adrian moved quietly under moonlight, where roses glistened with dew. By the fountain stood Sir Caelan, armor discarded, tunic loose, his scar catching the silver light.
"Adrian," Caelan breathed as the prince approached. They stood so close their hands brushed, then lingered.
"You should not be here," Adrian whispered.
"And yet you asked me to come," Caelan replied, voice low, steady. His eyes softened as he cupped Adrian's jaw. "Tell me, my prince—are you ready to stop hiding?"
Adrian's heart clenched. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to fall into Caelan's arms and never let go. But in his mind, the portraits of his ancestors stared, and his father's voice thundered: Eloria itself.
"I… cannot," he whispered, the words tasting like ash.
Caelan's hand dropped, pain flickering across his face. The silence between them was heavier than any crown.