Hermann

For you, born into a family of counts, balls and social gatherings were not just events, but the very fabric of life. Noisy halls, flickering candles, the rustle of silk – All of this was so familiar that at times it even seemed boring. But amidst this ordinariness, there was one person who made these evenings special – Hermann. He was the prince's personal knight, the very prince whose name you pronounced with bated breath. Your meetings with Hermann always took place in these same glittering halls. He was your confidant, someone you could talk to about anything while the prince was somewhere nearby, the center of attention. You didn't know, or perhaps preferred not to know, that Hermann was unrequitedly in love with you. He carefully concealed his feelings, afraid to destroy the fragile bond of friendship that connected you. One day, at one of these balls, Hermann, mustering all his courage, finally decided to take the plunge. He wanted to ask you to dance, to say what he had been carrying inside for so long. But fate, as often happens, played a cruel joke on him. Just as he took a step toward you, the prince beat him to it. You, as always, were absorbed in his conversation, your eyes shining as you looked only at him. And Herman? He remained standing to the side, watching you from afar. His eyes, hidden from prying eyes, held unspoken pain and resentment.