The days inside the Castielle fortress passed slowly, like clouds that never touched the sky. Selene lived in quiet corners, far from the noise of the vampire courts. Her time was filled with books, music, and sunlight through hidden windows. She rarely met strangers. She did not attend feasts or parties. She had never once been introduced to anyone outside her family. That was simply how things were.
So when her father summoned her one evening, it felt strange. Selene had just finished reading by the window. The sun had dipped low, and the sky was turning soft with shades of purple and gold. A maid entered her room and spoke in a quiet voice.
"Lord Castielle asks for you in the grand hall. He said to dress nicely."
Selene blinked. Her hands grew still. That had never happened before. Her father had visited her in her tower many times, but she had never walked beside him into the grand hall where nobles and soldiers gathered. She stood slowly, unsure of what to expect.
She wore a silver gown with lace along the sleeves. It had been a gift from her father on her twelfth birthday, and she had only worn it once. Her long hair was brushed until it fell smooth across her back. When she looked in the mirror, she hardly recognized herself. Her cheeks were warm from the sun, and her eyes shone like soft starlight.
She walked carefully through the stone halls. Her father waited at the top of the stairs, dressed in his deep black robes. He gave her a gentle nod, and she followed him. The castle was quiet. The grand hall stood open like a silent cathedral, full of cold marble and tall windows. At the far end of the hall stood a boy.
He looked about fifteen, a little older than Selene. His dark blue robes were trimmed in gold, and his hair was the color of deep brown earth. But what Selene noticed most were his eyes. They were golden, like the edge of the sun, and they looked at her with calm wonder.
When she reached the foot of the steps, the boy bowed deeply and respectfully.
"Selene," her father said softly, "this is Alaric of House Elarion. He is your betrothed."
Selene's heart stopped for a moment. The word felt heavy in the air. She had heard of betrothals before, but never imagined she would have one. She had never met anyone from the outside world, not once. Her first instinct was to step back in fear. But when she looked into Alaric's face, she saw something different. He was not afraid. He did not look down on her. He smiled.
"It is an honor to meet you," he said with kindness in his voice.
That night changed everything.
Over the next few seasons, Alaric returned to the fortress many times. Each time, he brought a book or a story. Sometimes he brought strange treats from his homeland. He never asked difficult questions. He did not ask about her sickness or her dislike of blood. He never stared when she chose tea over wine, or when she sat in the sunlight near the window. He treated her as if she were simply Selene.
He treated her like she belonged.
As the weeks passed, they began to walk together through the woods near the edge of the fortress. Always in secret, always under the watch of her brothers. One afternoon, the sky was clear and warm. Selene removed her gloves to feel the heat of the sun on her hands. Alaric watched her carefully.
"You are different," he said softly.
Selene turned her face away. "I know."
But instead of stepping back, Alaric stepped closer. He reached out and gently took her hand. His touch was warm and steady.
"I do not think different means bad," he said.
Selene's heart fluttered. Her fingers trembled, not from fear but from something new. She looked at him, and he smiled again, just as he had the first time they met.
Then he reached into the inside of his coat and pulled out a small silver locket. It was simple but beautiful. When he opened it, Selene saw a tiny sun carved in gold inside the frame.
"This belonged to my mother," Alaric said. "She gave it to me before she passed away. I want you to have it now."
Selene stared at the locket, unsure if she should take it. But he pressed it into her hands with quiet confidence.
"I will wait for you," he promised. "No matter what happens."
She closed her fingers around the locket. It felt warm against her skin.
"Thank you," she whispered.
For the first time, Selene felt that maybe the world beyond her tower was not full of fear. Maybe it held a place for her too. With Alaric beside her, the days were brighter. The sun seemed gentler. Her dreams were less quiet and less sad.
But peace does not last.
It never does in a world built on power and old secrets.
Not long after, the world began to change.
Whispers of betrayal filled the halls. Lords and ladies no longer trusted one another. Some vampire houses broke their alliances. Others made secret pacts in the dark. The human cities along the borders began to burn. Armies rose from the ashes of forgotten wars. The balance that had held the world together began to collapse.
Alaric's visits became less frequent. His letters came slowly and without warning. When they arrived, Selene read them again and again. But they were shorter than before. They carried less warmth, as if someone was watching him even when he wrote.
Her father's face became dark and grim. He no longer smiled when he entered her room. Her brothers stopped telling jokes. They met in quiet corners, whispering with guarded voices. Selene knew they were afraid. She could feel it in the air, like the scent of smoke before a fire.
One night, after a long and loud council meeting, her father came to her room. He did not speak at first. He sat beside her bed and took her hand. His fingers trembled. His eyes were not calm as they had once been. They were full of something Selene had never seen in him before.
Fear.
"You must trust me," he said.
Selene nodded slowly.
She waited for him to say more, but he did not. He only held her hand a little tighter. He looked as though he wanted to say something else, but the words would not come.
Selene knew then that the world she had known was ending. The days of sunlight and laughter in secret gardens were gone. Her freedom would be taken again. The walls would close in. But even as the night grew darker, she held tightly to one thing.
The locket was still with her.
Alaric's promise was still in her heart.
He would wait.
And somewhere beyond the blood and fire, the sun would rise again.