They say the king had this fountain built after the queen passed," she continued quietly. "Some believe it was his way of ensuring that her memory would never fade within these walls."
My eyes drifted to her as she explained, then back again at the carved face of the woman.
There was something peaceful about it. The sculptor had given her a calm expression, almost as if she were watching over the palace even now.
I could not help but wonder what kind of woman she must have been.
"To be loved like that," I murmured faintly, more to myself than to Charlotte, "must be a rare blessing."
After a while, we decided to take a walk around the palace compound.
The morning was calm, and the gardens stretched far beyond the courtyard, their paths winding between hedges, flower beds, and small stone statues placed here and there.
"How do you know about the sculpture?" I asked as I glanced at Charlotte.
She smiled lightly. "Everybody knows about it," she said. "Do you not?"
I shook my head.
Her brows knitted together in surprise.
"How come you do not know?" she asked. "Everybody knows. Even children born yesterday do."
I let out a small breath, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"I did not grow up in places where stories of kings travel easily," I admitted. "Our little cottage was far from the busy towns, and most of what I learned about the world came from the old books my father left behind."
Charlotte's expression softened.
"I see," she said gently.
She slowed her steps slightly, clearly realizing that not everyone grew up surrounded by palace gossip and court stories.
"Well," she added after a moment with a small smile, "then you have much to learn about this kingdom… because the king has a unicorn."
My eyes nearly fell out of my head.
"A unicorn? I… I thought they were myths," I stammered in disbelief.
Lady Charlotte smiled widely. "I suppose your father's old books told the wrong stories," she said.
I burst into laughter. Before I could say anything more, she suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me along with her.
"Come," she said excitedly.
We broke into a small run across the garden paths. The wind rushed past us, and once again my hair flew wildly around my face, though this time I did not care enough to fight it.
The palace gardens stretched wide around us as we ran.
After a short while, we slowed to a stop before a small white building set slightly apart from the main palace. It was elegant but simple compared to the towering palace halls.
On the roof stood the sculpture of a magnificent unicorn, its horn raised proudly toward the sky.
I lifted my head, staring at it in amazement.
Then I turned to Charlotte. "Is it inside?" I asked.
She shrugged lightly. "Probably," she said. "I do not know."
For a moment we simply stood there, both staring at the building with the same mixture of curiosity and excitement.
Suddenly, we heard the wild thunder of hooves behind us.
Charlotte and I turned at the same time, and froze.
Riding toward us was a majestic creature unlike anything I had ever seen before.
A unicorn.
Its coat was a pure, flawless white, so bright under the morning sun that it almost seemed to glow. Its long mane flowed behind it like silk in the wind, and the horn upon its head shimmered faintly, catching the light in shifting colors.
It looked untouched by sin, as though it belonged to a world far purer than ours.
But what made the sight even more striking was the man seated upon its back. Unlike the radiant creature beneath him, the man wore black. He looked like a royalty.
Black riding clothes, black gloves, and a dark cloak that moved with the wind as the unicorn slowed. A strip of black cloth covered the lower half of his face, hiding his nose and mouth as though he had no wish for his identity to be known.
The unicorn came to a smooth halt directly before us.
And that was when I saw his eyes.
Red.
My breath caught.
Those same red eyes that had haunted my dreams.
For a moment the world around me seemed to fall silent.
I stared at him, and the more I looked, the more certain I became. There was no mistaking them. The same piercing crimson gaze… the same intensity that had followed me night after night in my dreams.
My heart began beating wildly in my chest as I stared straight into those eyes, as though I were looking directly into his soul.
It was impossible.
The man in my dreams could not simply appear in my waking world. Such things happened only in old tales and legends. And yet… here he was.
I swallowed the growing lump in my throat as my thoughts spiraled wildly.
Beside me, Charlotte nudged my arm gently, pulling me from the ocean of thoughts that threatened to drown me.
I glanced at her and noticed she had lowered her head respectfully.
Realizing my mistake, I quickly did the same, before returning my gaze back to him.
So the man before us… was truly royalty.
The man swung down from the unicorn with effortless grace. His boots touched the ground softly as though he had done it a thousand times before.
He reached up and gently patted the unicorn's neck, his gloved hand brushing through its shining mane.
The creature huffed softly, clearly used to his touch.
The man nodded once toward a nearby guard.
The guard hurried forward at once, lowering his head respectfully as he took hold of the reins to lead the magnificent creature away.
The man then ran a hand through his white hair, which was slightly damp from sweat, pushing the strands back from his face.
Slowly, he reached up and removed the dark cloth that had been covering the lower half of his face. And in that moment, I forgot how to breathe.
Never in my entire life had I beheld such beauty.
His skin was pale like untouched marble, smooth and flawless under the sunlight. His white hair fell around his face in soft strands that shimmered faintly in the light, making him look almost otherworldly.
It was not the kind of beauty one simply admired. It was the kind that made a person question if they were looking at something human at all.
His features were sharp yet perfectly balanced, the strong line of his jaw, the straight bridge of his nose, and lips that seemed carved with impossible precision. But it was his eyes that held the most power.
Those same red eyes.
Deep, vivid crimson that looked almost unreal against his pale complexion.
They carried a quiet authority… the kind that did not need to raise its voice to be obeyed.
Beside me, Lady Charlotte gasped. She quickly bowed her head again, even deeper this time.
"My apologies, Your Majesty," she said quickly. "We had no idea it was you."
I glanced at Charlotte… then back at the man standing before us.
The king?