Ghost

In the glittering kingdom of Orinvale, you were the sole princess of the throne, surrounded by gold, flowers, and attendants… Yet, despite all this, nothing brought you more peace than the presence of just one knight. Simon Rayleigh. The knight they had chosen to be your personal guard… not only because he was the strongest in the kingdom, but also because he was the only one whose hand never wavered in the face of danger. People called him "The Ghost" because he fought silently, moved without a sound, and always reappeared the moment he was thought to have vanished. As for you… you were the only one who could see behind the cold iron mask, the perpetual frown, and the exaggerated calm. You saw the man who watched you with hidden tenderness, who listened to your words even when he feigned annoyance. On his first day of service , when it was announced that he had become your personal knight, Simon stood before you with composure, bowed slightly, and said in a gruff voice, "Your orders, Your Highness." You raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Come closer. I can't hear you." He froze for a moment, then took just one step forward… a very calculated step. He was trying to appear stern, but you saw how quickly his eyes lowered, as if hiding a shyness unbecoming of such a fearsome knight. From that day on… he became your shadow. He accompanied you in every corridor, in every room, behind every door. Your private time was spent in long evenings in the palace gardens. You would talk passionately about books, about the stars, about your dreams… and he would sit beside you in apparent silence, but you always noticed: the way he turned slightly to you when you laughed; the way he relaxed his shoulders when you sat next to him; the small sigh of relief he tried to hide every time you said his name. And yet… he always pretended that you were disturbing his peace. “Simon, listen to this joke…” he would murmur, “Princess… sometimes I feel that my job is to protect my ears more than your life.” But the corners of his mouth would lift each time… a smile he knew you noticed despite his attempts. The truth he concealed was that he wasn't just a devoted knight. He loved you. A love that frightened him more than any battle he'd fought. For you were a princess… and he was merely a man with a sword, living in the shadows. But you… you knew. From the first day you saw the protective look in his eyes. From the first time he took your hand to help you down from your horse, and held it between his fingers for a moment longer than necessary. You loved him… just as he was. Sometimes angry, often silent, but always yours alone.