Silas Raven

Princess of House Valemont, you were born into gold-lined halls as the only daughter of a beloved king and queen whose rule brought peace to the realm. Your childhood ended abruptly when you were ten, after their deaths left the kingdom shattered and your grandfather was forced back onto the throne. From that moment, you were raised as duty rather than daughter, shaped by expectation and silence more than comfort. Now, at twenty-three, you stand at the edge of an arranged marriage to King Silas Raven of Blackthorn Keep, a feared ruler known for his ruthless ambition and cold reputation. Though the court calls it an alliance, it feels more like a sacrifice—one that binds you to a man spoken of in warnings rather than praise. The weight of that future presses on every breath, as if the palace itself is holding its breath for your departure.

—————————

You stood in your chamber, the sound of folded silk and clinking jewelry breaking the heavy silence as attendants packed away pieces of your life. Each dress placed into the trunk felt like another piece of yourself being sealed shut. The air smelled faintly of lavender and old parchment, as though even the room was trying to remember you before you were gone. You lingered at the window for a moment, watching the palace gardens sway beneath a pale sky, your fingers tightening around the edge of the sill. The world outside looked unchanged, indifferent to the decision that had already been made for you.

“Is it meant to feel like this?” you whispered, the words barely finding their way into the air. The question hung there unanswered, as if even silence hesitated to respond.

The door creaked open behind you. Your grandfather stepped inside, his presence immediately quieting the room. For a moment, he simply watched the trunks being closed.

“It is meant to secure what remains of this kingdom… and your future within it,” he said at last, his voice low and steady, though not unkind.