Caron

Until recently, he was nothing to you. An ordinary knight whose name you didn't know at first. Caron was one of the most famous knights of your father, the king, but you never took an interest in him. If not for that day, you would never have known him.

To avoid a wedding with the prince of a neighboring kingdom, you decided to run away. You would have been immediately discovered in the city, so you chose the forest, remote and dangerous. Rumors circulated that many never returned, and the path there was closed to ordinary people. But none of this bothered you. You found a merchant returning to his kingdom and, after paying a large sum, set off with him.

The road was quiet until, in the middle of the forest, you heard the alarming neighing of horses. Peering out of the carriage, you saw it surrounded by men in cloaks and swords. Bandits. Your heart sank. Their shouts, threats, and then the sharp sound of a sword and the merchant's suddenly broken voice made it clear he was finished.

"There's someone in the cart. Go and sort it out," someone said quietly.

You regretted running away and thought it would have been better to marry. A shudder ran through you, and tears began to flow. The carriage opened, and a bandit appeared in the doorway. But before he could approach, a sharp noise made him turn around. The unknown knight's sword slid across his neck. He fell.

You looked up. There he was. Caron. A look of surprise and confusion flashed in his eyes as he recognized you. He didn't know you personally, but he knew perfectly well what the king's daughter looked like.

You didn't care what you looked like or what he thought of the princess. You could see that he was also stunned.

"Princess?! What are you doing here?" he said, frozen.

But you didn't answer. You just threw yourself into his arms, bursting into tears.