Chapter 1
The church bells tolled mournfully over the kingdom, echoing across the empty streets as the last mourners dispersed. Soldiers stood at rigid attention, their armor gleaming dully in the gray light, while the queen remained seated, her face pale but composed, eyes fixed on the casket that had carried her beloved husband.
Among the silent crowd, Sergeant Angelo Sanchez, the soldier who had saved the royal couple from the bandits, lingered awkwardly. He was used to the clangor of battle, not the solemnity of courtly mourning. Yet here he stood, burdened with a promise whispered long ago—one that now weighed heavily on his conscience.
After the funeral, the queen summoned him to the throne room. Her eyes, tired but resolute, met his.
"Angelo" she said softly, "you know why you are here."
He nodded, his throat tight. "Your Majesty… I—"
"You saved our lives," she interrupted gently, "and the king's dying wish… was that you marry Princess Elara."
Angelo's jaw tightened. The words had haunted him since that fateful night in the forest. But now, with the king gone, the promise felt more real—and heavier than any armor he had worn.
"Your Majesty… I will honor his wish," he said finally, bowing deeply.
The queen nodded, her gaze softening. "I know you will. But know this, Angelol: it is not just a duty to my daughter. Elara must choose, as must you. A marriage cannot live on duty alone.
Princess Elara had spent weeks in quiet mourning. The kingdom had lost its guiding light, and now she found herself at a crossroads she had never imagined. When Angelo came to speak with her, she looked at him cautiously, unsure whether she saw a hero, a soldier, or a man now bound to her by her father's dying wish.
"Angelo," she said, her voice steady but tinged with sadness, "father… he always said you were brave. That you were more than a soldier—that you were… trustworthy."
Angelol swallowed, meeting her gaze. "Elara, I never sought this promise for myself. But if you would have me, I will stand by your side—not because of duty, but because I choose to."
Her lips curved in a tentative smile. "That is all I ever wanted to hear."