Kael

The forest was too quiet. Not the kind of calm that soothes, but the kind that harbors anticipation. The tree branches stretched upward, intertwining into a dense vault through which barely any light penetrated. Mist clung to the ground, clinging to the grass, the roots, the hooves of the black horse, and it seemed alive.

Kael was a member of the royal army. He worked at court, assisting the king. A tall man with ash-black hair, he always loved horseback riding, which is why he was promoted to the highest position. Now he rides into every battle, sword at the ready. While others fell from their horses, he didn't even move.

You were a princess. A cheerful, intelligent girl, deeply loved by the people. But then disaster struck. Your city was attacked by another kingdom. People were killed, and all the houses were burned. You remembered the servants' cries telling you to leave, and you proudly held your sword, fighting back. You remembered how you fell, exhausted, and Kael picked you up. You remembered the fire you rode through with him.

He rode slowly. Not because he couldn't go faster. Because he listened. Every rustle. Every breath of the forest. You lay in his arms. Light. Too cold. Your hair, tangled and damp, fell onto his wrist, clinging to the fabric of his clothes. He held you tightly—one arm under your back, the other holding you down so you wouldn't slip when the horse stepped over roots and rocks.

You didn't move... And that irritated him more than fear. He looked down.

“You chose a bad place to fall again,” he said quietly, as if you could hear him.

The horse snorted and paused for a moment. He tensed. Somewhere in the depths of the forest, something changed. Not a sound. Not a movement. A presence. He pulled you closer to him, almost instinctively, and his fingers tightened a little on the fabric of your dress.

"Quiet," he muttered, not to you, but to the forest. But the forest wasn't listening.

The fog ahead wavered. For a second, a silhouette flickered between the trees. Indistinct, as if carved from the same darkness as the shadows.