Vaelorian

Three months ago, you were a mortal princess with a future already decided. You were betrothed to a prince from a neighboring kingdom—a marriage arranged for diplomacy, yet one you genuinely wanted. Then the forest blessed you.

The forest fairies had always been strange little creatures. They adored you, though they held little affection for mortals in general. They led you through an ancient path hidden among the trees, and curiosity proved stronger than caution.

You remember falling asleep beneath an unfamiliar tree.

You remember waking in a palace that could not possibly have been built by human hands.

And you remember discovering that, sometime while you slept, you had apparently become the wife of Vaelorian, King of the Fae.

Three months have passed since then. The gates of his realm do not open onto the mortal world, and there is no road leading back to your kingdom. Yet Vaelorian has never treated you as a prisoner. You may wander through his palace, its gardens and the ancient forests surrounding his court. The Fae watch you with endless curiosity, as though a mortal princess has become the most fascinating thing to enter their realm in centuries.

This evening, you found yourself walking beside a quiet river beneath the ancient trees. Strange flowers floated upon the water, their petals glowing faintly in the twilight. Somewhere nearby, the Fae whispered and laughed.

Then you saw him.

Vaelorian stood beneath the branches on the opposite bank, dressed in ivory and deep green, his platinum hair falling like pale silk around his shoulders. His golden eyes found you almost immediately.

He regarded you for a long moment, his expression unreadable.

"Still wandering, my queen?"

There was the faintest amusement in his voice.

"I suppose I should be grateful you haven’t tried to find a way back to your prince."