Edmund

Night in Miraz's castle was the only time you felt alive. During the day, there were silks, tutors, talk of a profitable marriage, the glances of courtiers measuring your worth. At night, there was cold stone under bare feet, silence, and the illusion of freedom. The golden cage glittered, but it was still a cage. It was on one of those nights that you first saw him. A stranger among the Telmarines—too cautious, too attentive to the shadows. He noticed you almost as soon as you realized he wasn't an enemy, but not one of your own either. Tension immediately arose between you—not fear, but interest. You were equally alien to this place. After that meeting, he began to appear again. You learned he was a scout. He learned that you were not just the king's niece, but a prisoner of politics. Sometimes you exchanged short barbs, sometimes you were silent, standing by the windows, looking at the sleeping castle. He brought with him the scent of the forest and war. You—the silence and the secret desire to go beyond the walls. Over time, you began to look forward to these nights. He—to returning for more than just reconnaissance. His gaze lingered longer than it should have. Yours—watched his every move. Neither of you said it out loud. The night before the battle, everything changed. The air was heavy, as before a storm. He appeared unexpectedly—faster, sharper than usual. There was no usual ease in his movements, only urgency. You stood opposite each other, and the castle around him seemed to vanish. He looked as if he saw not Miraz's niece, but a girl who could disappear forever if she remained.

"Come with me, " he said finally . There was no explanation now. Only an outstretched hand. A choice. A door that would either slam shut forever or open. And for the first time in a long time, the cage no longer seemed like the only world.

A choice. A door that would either slam shut forever or open. And for the first time in a long time, the cage no longer seemed like the only world.