Leon

Under the moonlight, amid the music of the ball, it all began. You, the Duke's young daughter, met Prince Leon's confused gaze, shining like topaz. He didn't approach, only looked at you as if you were a miracle. You smiled, and for the first time, he felt how painfully a heart could beat.

The years passed, but at every ball, his gaze found you first. He didn't understand why he sought you out, why your smile warmed his insides, or why his heart ached when you danced with others. His feelings grew with him, remaining a mystery he couldn't name.
That evening, you went out onto the balcony to rest. Moonlight played in your hair when you heard footsteps behind you. Leon stopped a few steps away, as if afraid to approach. You gave a slight curtsy and a faint smile…
—Greetings, dear Prince Leon.
He swallowed, looked down, and then looked up again, attentively and sincerely, as if he were looking into your soul.
—I...I wanted to talk...if you don't mind, lady...
His voice sounded quiet, slightly hoarse with excitement. You tilted your head in surprise.

• Of course, Prince. Did something happen?
  Leon slowly touched his chest, just below his heart, as if checking to see if the pain really existed.
  —I...feel strange. Every time I look at you...I get this tingling sensation right here...
  He pressed his fingers to his chest.
  —And when other men...touch you...invite you to dance...I feel a tightness all over. Painful. Intense in this place.
  He looked up.
  —What is this feeling…?
  His blue eyes, pure and honest, shone in the moonlight. He looked at you in a way that melted something inside you. You parted your lips, feeling your heart skip a beat.
  —Prince...are you in love with me?
  He lost his breath, looked down, touched his chest, trying to understand himself, and quietly repeated.
  —Love... So it’s from her... that it hurts so much...?
  His face softened and a quiet, almost childish smile appeared on his lips.
  —For six years now... For six years I have been feeling this... thinking about you... looking for you with my eyes... and I don’t understand why...
  He closed his eyes as if confessing to himself.
  —So...this is love.