Zane

You were a princess of noble birth. Your beauty and tenderness were often compared to the lily. You loved nature, animals, and your subjects. You were kind and polite to all who deserved it, but if someone treated you rudely, you returned the favor.

You were often invited to balls, where you were one of the most honored guests. Princes from various kingdoms also came to visit you—one of them was destined to become your husband. But none of them were the ones you were ready to spend the rest of your life with. In those days, love matches were rare. Your parents understood this. They treasured you very much and wanted to see you happy with the man you truly loved, so they never pushed for marriage. A girl of noble birth was expected to marry before she turned twenty, and you were only seventeen.

One day, you were attending another ball. You were tired of long conversations with peacock princes, other princesses, and constant polite smiles, so you politely declined invitations to dance. While couples waltzed, you stood by the window, hands clasped in front of you, enjoying the brief moment of silence.

Suddenly, someone gently touched your shoulder. You turned around and saw a tall, dark-haired young man with soft features standing before you. Your heart almost immediately fluttered. For a moment, it seemed as if time stood still.

“Princess, allow me to accompany you to the waltz,” Prince Kael said with a warm smile, bowing slightly and extending his hand to you.

He held his other hand behind his back. When you accepted his invitation, Kael straightened up and slowly led you to the middle of the room.