꧁Rowen's pov꧂
After dinner
The air in the corridor was heavier than usual.
I had walked this hallway a thousand times—polished floors, ornate sconces, rich tapestries depicting the kingdom's triumphs—but tonight, it felt like the walls themselves were watching me. Judging. Measuring.
i stopped in front of the King's chambers, took a slow breath, and knocked.
"Come in," came the deep, calm voice.
I stepped inside.
The King stood by the window, half bathed in moonlight. He hadn't changed out of his royal attire—dark robes embroidered with the kingdom's crest—but the crown was gone, and that somehow made him feel more imposing. More real.
"Your Majesty," I said with a bow.
"Close the door, Rowen."
I obeyed, my heartbeat quickening as the latch clicked shut behind me. The chamber was silent but for the faint crackle of the fire in the hearth.
The King turned slowly. "You've grown into a fine young man."
"Thank you, sir," I said, cautiously.
The King didn't smile. He folded his arms behind his back and studied me in that careful, unreadable way he always had.
"I've watched you closely over the years. Since you were a boy." A pause. "My daughter trusts you. That is no small thing."
I nodded, unsure where this was going—but my chest tightened.
"You're not just a guest here anymore," the King continued. "You've become part of this palace. Of this family, in many ways."
I swallowed. "I'm honored, Your Majesty. Truly."
"That's why I want to speak plainly," the King said, turning back to the window. "I received a letter this morning. From Commander Halric of the Royal Guard."
I felt a chill crawl down my spine.
"He tells me you've applied for military service. Specifically the outer battalion. Voluntarily."
I stayed silent.
The King turned again. "Why?"
There it was. The question I had been waiting for.
I straightened my back. "Because it's time, sir. I can't stay sheltered here forever. I need to prove I'm more than just… the boy who was lucky enough to be taken in."
"You've already proven your worth, Rowen. Countless times. You've trained, you've studied, you've protected Evelynne without being asked." His voice softened—only slightly. "Is this about duty? Or something else?"
I hesitated. "It's both."
The King stepped closer, voice quieter now. "Is it because of her?"
my jaw tensed.
"I see how you look at my daughter," the King continued. "You hide it well, but not well enough. And she—" he exhaled slowly "—Evelynne cares deeply for you. More than she realizes."
my heart pounded. I didn't dare speak.
"You're a good man. But if you leave now, you must understand the cost."
"I do," I said quietly. "That's why I have to go. Because if I stay… I don't know if I'll be able to keep pretending."
The King studied me, and—for the first time—his expression softened.
"You remind me of myself when I was your age," he said. "I joined the army too young. Thought I could outrun what I felt. Thought distance would bring clarity."
"Did it?" I asked.
"No," the King said with a faint smile. "It brought scars and regrets."
A silence stretched between us.
Finally, the King walked past me, stopping at the door. "I won't stop you, Rowen. But I will say this… when you go to war with yourself, no battlefield will ever give you peace."
He opened the door. "You may leave."
I bowed, my thoughts swirling with every word spoken—and unspoken.
As I stepped into the hallway, the chamber door closing softly behind me, I didn't head back to my room.
I turned toward the tower staircase.
Toward the one person I wasn't ready to say goodbye to.
Not yet.