---
[Eva Returning from Aranel's Tea Party]
It was already late when Eva stepped out from Lady Aranel's tea party. The streets were quiet, shadows stretching under the faint lamplight.
Eva muttered to herself, "I'm late… Kyel must be worried about me. I should hurry up."
But before she could take another step, six men stepped out from a dark alley, blocking her way.
One man smirked. "Are you Lady Eva?"
Eva's heart skipped. "How do you know my name? What do you want?"
"We don't want anything," the man replied casually. "We were given orders to bring you back… and in exchange, we get money."
Another added, "We looked for you everywhere, but we finally found you."
Eva spun to run, but rough hands grabbed her.
"Let me go!" she screamed. "Kyel! Kyel!"
A man covered her mouth. "Stop screaming."
"Let's go back to the boss—we got her," another said.
In the struggle, her wedding ring slipped from her finger, falling to the ground. They didn't notice. The men dragged her away into the darkness.
---
Kyel returned home, but the house was empty.
"Princess…" he called out.
He searched every corner, but there was no sign of Eva.
His brows furrowed. "Where did she go? It's already midnight… She's never stayed out this late without telling me."
Without another thought, he stepped outside and whistled sharply.
From the shadows, three massive wolves emerged—Talon, Fen, and Mara—their black fur blending into the night.
"Three of you, go and find her," Kyel ordered, his voice low and tense.
The wolves immediately bounded into the darkness, their paws striking the ground in unison. Kyel followed from behind.
After some distance, Fen suddenly came to a halt.
Kyel approached quickly. "What is it? Did you find something?"
The wolf lowered his head, pointing his paw toward the ground.
Kyel knelt and picked up a small, silver Ring. His grip tightened.
"This… this is Eva's ring."
His expression hardened. "Something must have happened."
Rising to his feet, he shouted to the wolves, "Hurry! Find her—now!"
With a low growl, the wolves took off again, disappearing into the shadows. Kyel ran after them, his heart pounding with dread.
---
[Unknown Location]
Eva sat tied to a chair, surrounded by twenty men.
"Why did you bring me here? What do you want?" she demanded.
The leader said, "We don't want anything, Lady Eva. It's your father who wants you."
"My father?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yes. After you left the house three years ago, we were ordered to bring you back. Took us three years to finally find you. You hid pretty well."
"Please let me go. I don't want to go back. I'll give you anything you want, just—"
The man leaned closer. "Anything?"
"Yes… anything."
"Then how about a sweet kiss, Lady?" He moved toward her.
Eva jerked forward, slamming her head into his nose. "Stay away from me!"
He clutched his face, blood running down. "You little—" He slapped her hard, then grabbed her chin. "You've got nerve to hit me. You shouldn't have done that."
He raised his hand again—
—but Mara burst into the room, clamping his jaws onto the man's neck. The man screamed, but Mara's bite crushed bone. He collapsed, lifeless.
The others panicked.
"What is that?!"
Before they could act, a tall figure stepped inside—Eyan, sword drawn, crimson eyes glowing in the torchlight.
He spotted Eva instantly. "Lady Eva, are you alright?"
She blinked. "Your Majesty… what are you doing here?"
"I was just passing by." His gaze lingered on the red mark on her cheek—his jaw tightened.
Eyan turned to the room. "Mara—stay back."
The wolf stepped away, standing guard beside Eva.
"Don't just stand there—attack!" someone yelled.
All The men charged with swords.
Eyan moved like lightning—steel flashing, strikes precise. In mere seconds, all twenty lay defeated on the floor. He grabbed the leader by the collar, sword poised to strike—
"Your Majesty, please don't kill him!" Eva shouted.
He froze, eyes flicking to hers. Her expression was frightened.
Slowly, he lowered his sword, releasing the man.
He turned back to her, cutting her ropes with a swift motion. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, Your Majesty… thank you for saving me."
"Lady Eva, don't say that," he muttered.
Eva's gaze swept over the motionless men sprawled across the floor, groaning in pain.
"Your Majesty… what will you do to them?" she asked quietly.
"I'll call for the knights," Eyan replied, his voice calm but edged with authority. "They will receive the punishment for kidnapping."
It wasn't long before the heavy sound of boots echoed outside. The royal knights entered, bowing deeply.
"Your Majesty."
"Take all of them to the palace and lock them in the dungeon," Eyan ordered without hesitation.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The knights moved swiftly, dragging the defeated men away until the room fell silent again. Eyan turned to her.
"Lady Eva, come. I'll take you back to your house."
"You don't have to," she said softly. "You've already helped me enough."
"Lady Eva, it's night," Eyan said, his gaze steady. "I can't let you walk alone. Please… allow me to send you home safely."
She hesitated, but finally nodded. "…Alright."
Outside, two knights stood beside a carriage, bowing low.
"Your Majesty."
Eyan extended his gloved hand toward her. "Lady Eva… get inside."
Her fingers brushed against his as she placed her hand in his, the warmth of his grip steadying her. She stepped up into the carriage, and Eyan followed.
The door closed with a soft thud, and the wheels began to turn, carrying them toward her home through the quiet, moonlit streets.
---
After some time, drowsiness overtook Eva. Her head tilted, and she began to fall forward.
Eyan moved instantly, reaching out to steady her. He rose from his seat and quietly took the space beside her, letting her head rest against his shoulder.
Gently, he brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face. "She must be tired," he murmured under his breath.
The carriage rolled on until it finally stopped in front of her house.
"Lady Eva…" Eyan's voice was soft but enough to rouse her.
Her eyes fluttered open.
"Lady Eva, we have arrived at your house."
She blinked at him. "Your Majesty… did I fall asleep on your shoulder? Please forgive me."
"Lady Eva, you always apologize to me for little things," he said, his gaze lingering on her. "And you also seem… a little scared of me."
"No… Your Majesty… I'm not scared of you."
"Then… does my face look terrifying to you?"
"No… Your Majesty. You are… very handsome."
Realizing what she had said, Eva quickly pressed her lips shut, her cheeks flushing.
Eyan's lips curved faintly. "Thank you for the compliment, Lady Eva."
Shy and flustered, Eva lowered her gaze. "I should go, Your Majesty."
She stepped down from the carriage but paused, turning back to him.
"Your Majesty… if you don't mind, I would like to offer you tea as thanks. Please… come inside my house."
For the first time that evening, Eyan's composure faltered—he almost looked startled.
Eyan stiffened slightly, caught off guard.