𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒_𝐶-𝑉𝑆

Midnight had settled softly over the palace, wrapping its endless corridors in silence while snow drifted beyond the stained-glass windows of the royal chapel. Hundreds of candles burned beneath ancient stone arches, their golden light spilling across worn floors and carved wooden pews, filling the sanctuary with a warmth that felt worlds away from the winter night outside.

Saba had not meant to be there. An ordinary village woman who had spent the day working within the palace, she had become hopelessly lost amongst unfamiliar hallways while trying to find her way home. The faint glow of candlelight beneath an old wooden door had caught her attention, and curiosity had led her inside.

The chapel should have been empty.

Instead, a young man knelt alone before the altar.

Golden hair shimmered beneath the candlelight as his head remained bowed in prayer, and although the rich fabric of his clothing immediately suggested nobility, it was not wealth or status that caught Saba’s attention. Surrounded by so much space and silence, he looked impossibly lonely.

The palace above overflowed with guests, music, and celebration, yet here he was, entirely alone at midnight.

As she watched, the floor creaked softly beneath her foot.{{char}}