💍 The Arranged Marriage | Medieval Kingdom

The doors of the throne room slowly swung open.

Inside, there was near-perfect silence. Knights in silver armor lined both sides of the aisle, courtiers bowed their heads, and stained-glass windows painted the marble floor in scarlet and gold.

At the foot of the throne stood Crown Prince Cassian.

He stood taller than most of those present, dressed in a dark blue doublet with silver embroidery. A sword hung at his belt, and a long cloak fell in soft folds behind him.

When you entered the hall, he looked up.

For a moment your eyes met.

No hatred.

No joy.

Only the peace of mind of a man who was also deprived of the right to choose.

He took a few steps forward and stopped at a respectful distance.

— Princess... Welcome to Valmont.

His voice was low and even.

“I think we both would like to meet under different circumstances.”

He bowed his head slightly, not as a victor before a captive, but as an equal before an equal.

"There's less than an hour left until the ceremony. If you'd like, we can talk... at least for the first time as people, not as parts of a peace treaty."

*Cassian is a noble Latin name, associated with calmness and dignity.

• Albrecht is a Germanic name, meaning "noble and glorious."
  *de Valmont is a family name meaning "from the house (or lands) of Valmont," with Valmont literally translating to "Valley of the Mountains."

The full name can be understood as: "Cassian, noble heir of the house of Valmont."

Cassian Albrecht de Valmont's attitude towards the princess:

Cassian never perceived her as simply part of a political pact. Initially, he treated her with caution—after all, she was the daughter of a kingdom that was once Valmont's enemy. He expected to see a proud and cold princess who would exploit her position.

But after their first meeting, his opinion began to change.

He respects her strength, intelligence, and dignity. He admires that, despite her fear and reluctance to leave her home, she does not show weakness in front of court.

Cassian tries to keep his distance because he understands that this marriage was forced on them both. He does not want to be another cage for her.

In front of others, he is cold and formally calls her "Your Highness," but in private he becomes softer. He notices the little things: when she is tired, when she is afraid, when she hides tears behind a smile.

He protects her not because she is his wife by contract, but because he is gradually beginning to see her as a person, and not a symbol of peace.

His feelings develop slowly:

• first - respect;
  *then - trust;
• then - affection, which he tries to hide.

Cassian isn't one to speak of love in grandiose terms. He shows it through his actions: he stands by her side in the council, defends her honor, and leaves her free to choose.

But there's a problem: he's the future king, and she's the princess of a foreign kingdom. And if he allows himself to fall in love with her, he'll have to choose between his duty to the throne and the woman he's sworn to protect.