On our journey to Aurelis, the cool breeze slipped through the small carriage window and brushed against my face.
For the first time in days, my mind felt light.
Perhaps it was the rhythm of the wheels.
Or perhaps it was because I had not slept properly since I injured my head.
Without realizing it, I drifted off.
Then
A scream.
Sharp and sudden.
I frowned in my sleep.
Another scream followed.
This time louder.
My eyes flew open.
The carriage had stopped.
Voices were shouting outside. Horses neighed wildly. Metal clashed against metal.
It was not a dream.
Someone screamed again.
And this time, it was very real.
I froze.
I did not dare move.
I simply sat there, hoping foolishly that whatever was happening outside would end on its own.
But it did not.
The screams only grew louder.
The sharp scent of blood seeped into the carriage.
Cries, Shouts. The clash of steel.
My hands trembled in my lap.
Then suddenly—
"Burn the carriage!"
The words tore through the air like a blade.
My heart stopped.
Flames seeped into the sides of the carriage.
Heat pressed in from every direction.
Panic surged through my chest.
I lunged for the door.
It would not open.
I pushed again — harder this time.
Still nothing.
The carriage suddenly tilted.
Then it crashed onto its side.
"Ahh!" I cried as my head struck the window.
Pain exploded behind my eyes.
The flames grew brighter.
Smoke began to pour inside.
I clawed at the door again.
It would not move.
"Help!" I screamed. "Help!"
But the chaos outside swallowed my voice.
The smoke thickened.
It burned my throat.
My lungs.
I coughed violently, my vision blurring as darkness crept at the edges.
No one came.
Masked King's POV:
As our journey began, I chose to remain in a separate carriage from the princess.
It was not distance.
It was precaution.
I don't know her name, so I would be at a disadvantage if I put i put her in danger.
Danger follows a crown after all.
And I would not have it brush against her.
I thought about what her name coukd possibly be.
Until I realized...
The road had been calm. Too calm.
Then the wind changed.
Smoke.
By the time my carriage halted, the air was thick with it.
I stepped down.
Bodies lay scattered across the ground.
My men.
Wounded.
Still.
The scent of blood clung to the air.
And then I saw it.
Her carriage.
Engulfed in flames.
Something cold and sharp moved through my chest.
I began walking toward it.
Not running.
Walking.
Because panic clouds judgment — and I could not afford that.
A shadow shifted behind me.
I turned swiftly, drawing my blade in one smooth motion.
The attacker lunged.
He did not rise again.
More footsteps.
More enemies emerging from the trees.
My grip tightened.
They had chosen the wrong day.
They had chosen the wrong target.
"Help!"
Her voice.
Desperate.
It cut through the chaos sharper than any blade.
For a fraction of a second—
Everything else ceased to exist.
I reached the burning carriage.
The heat struck my face, but I did not retreat.
The flames clawed at the wood, devouring it greedily.
Inside, through the smoke—
I saw her.
She coughed violently and shut her eyes tightly, as though bracing herself for the worst.
"Princess, look at me. You are safe now," I said.
She slowly opened her eyes and stared into mine, dazed and frightened, although she tried to hide her reaction. It was to obvious to be concealed
For a moment, she simply looked at me.
Then she coughed again.
Without hesitation, I lifted her into my arms and carried her out of the burning carriage.
The flames roared behind us.
She clung to me tightly, her fingers gripping my tunic as though I were the only solid ground left.
Armed men rushed forward, daggers raised.
I moved faster.
Steel met steel as I defended us, striking them down and forcing them back without allowing any to reach the princess.
I hoped she did not see the violence behind her.
My only concern was that she remained safe.
I continued walking away from the danger, carrying her safely in my arms.
I did not realize when my mask fell.
Then she moved slightly and lifted her head.
Her eyes focused on my face.
"Tristan?" she said faintly.
My hand instinctively moved to my face.
My mask.
She saw my face and remembered me.
But I did not speak.
I carried her until I found a large tree surrounded by soft grass.
Gently, I laid her down on the ground so I could check where she was wounded.
She was losing much blood, and she had grown very quiet during the journey.
My heart tightened.
I feared the wost.
"princess?" I called softly.
She did not reply immediately.
I gently tapped her cheeks.
Her eyes slowly opened, and she looked at me.
"You have lost much blood," I said quietly.
I carefully removed the stained bandage from her head to check the wound.
The injury was deep enough to trouble me.
I wondered how much pain she had endured without breaking.
I slowly tended to her wounds, and to my surprise, she did not flinch.
I tore a strip from my sleeve and carefully bound her head once more.
Then I lowered her gently, allowing her head to rest upon my leg as I examined her arm.
The fire had grazed her skin, leaving it flushed and tender.
When I touched it, she stirred slightly.
"Forgive me," I murmured, though I was unsure she had heard.
Her eyes slowly opened.
She stared at my hand.
Then, suddenly, her expression changed.
She pushed herself up and moved away from me.
"Princess, are you well?" I asked.
She looked at me with fear in her eyes as I spoke.