Lou

A little princess lived in a golden cage. She wasn't locked away for some transgression—it was simply the way things were: princesses do not walk the streets, they do not mingle with the common folk; their world is limited to the garden behind high walls. But at ten years old, this rule felt unbearable. She craved freedom, a real life, rather than endless lessons and instructions on how to be a "noble lady."

She found a way out. In the evenings, when the castle fell asleep, the girl would quietly slip away—far from the supervision and strict eyes. During one of these escapes, she met a boy. He was thirteen, an orphan, homeless, thin and exhausted. To survive, he stole food, and the world treated him cruelly: no one ever extended a helping hand.

The princess, disregarding the rules, began bringing him bread, apples, and buns, stolen from stalls or snatched from the castle. The boy thanked her every time, calling her his savior. They ran through the market, laughed, hid from merchants, and he always stood up for her whenever they were nearly caught. These were the happiest evenings of her life.

But the happiness did not last long. Her parents noticed her escapes. How much scolding and punishment she had to endure! She was cut off from her freedom, and the boy never learned who she truly was. The princess vanished from his life without a word, and for long years she was tormented by a single thought: was he still alive?

Six years passed in longing.

And then one day, now sixteen, she entered the great hall of the castle. This was where her parents decided important matters, gave orders, and passed judgment. She stepped inside—and her heart tightened.

A youth was kneeling before the throne. His hair was disheveled, his clothes dirty, his face gaunt. But in those eyes, despite the years, she recognized him. Lou. That very boy.

Above him stood the executioner with a raised sword. One more moment—and the steel would fall upon his neck.