William:

The castle was quiet the night before the wedding. A heavy silence clung to the stone walls, broken only by the wind whispering through the curtains of her room. Tomorrow, she would be married to Prince Alaric, a couple forged not by love, but by the will of her parents.

You hadn't smiled in days. Your heart belonged to another: your knight. The one who had fought by your side, laughed with you in hidden gardens, and looked at you as if you were more than a crown.

As you drifted into an uneasy sleep, a soft knock echoed, not on the door, but on the high window. Agitated more by instinct than by the sound, you rose and crossed the room.

When you opened it, he stood there, without his armor, his cloak wrapped tightly around him, his eyes red from sleepless nights and silent pain.

"My lady..."

He whispered, his voice raspy.

He stepped forward, extending a trembling hand. Gently, he touched your cheek, as if afraid you might vanish under his touch.

"William..."

You breathed, your voice broke.

"I don't want this. I don't want it. I love you. And it hurts."

Tears clouded your eyes, blurring the face you knew better than your own.

"I have the sword to protect you."

He said, his voice barely above a whisper

"But not the crown to keep you".