The castle of Elarion rested quietly beneath the silver glow of the moon, its towering walls and distant spires washed in pale light that made the entire kingdom look almost peaceful, as if nothing in the world could disturb its calm, yet deep within those ancient stones, silence had always carried a weight of its own, heavier than sound, sharper than noise, and more unsettling than any storm.
Along the high walls of the castle, torches burned with slow, steady flames that flickered softly against the stone, casting long, shifting shadows that moved like silent watchers across the corridors, while the wind outside passed carefully through the towers as though it feared waking something that should remain asleep.
Inside the private chamber of the king, King Ryan sat alone at a wide wooden desk where scattered papers lay untouched, illuminated only by the warm, trembling glow of a single candle that bent slightly with every breath of air, yet despite the presence of documents meant to demand his attention, his mind had drifted far away into thoughts he could not silence.
A sudden knock broke the stillness of the room, sharp and respectful, and without looking up, Ryan spoke in a steady voice,
"Enter"
and the heavy door slowly opened to reveal a young servant boy who stepped inside hesitantly, holding a folded paper with both hands that trembled slightly as if the message itself carried something too dangerous to hold.
"Your Majesty," the boy said with a deep bow, his voice low and uncertain, "this message is spreading through the towns… people are talking about it everywhere."
Without hesitation, King Ryan extended his hand, and the servant carefully placed the paper into his grasp before stepping back as quickly as he had entered, leaving the king alone once more, but this time with a presence that felt far heavier than before.
For a moment, Ryan simply stared at the folded paper, as if already sensing that what lay inside was not ordinary news, and when he finally unfolded it and allowed his eyes to move across the written words, his entire expression slowly changed in a way so subtle at first that it could have gone unnoticed, yet within seconds the calmness in his face hardened, and a deep, controlled tension settled in his jaw.
He read the message once, then again more slowly, as though refusing to believe it, and then a third time, as if searching for a different meaning that did not exist, but the words remained the same, bold and merciless, spreading across the page like a shadow that refused to fade.
It was a proclamation from Lord Varyn.
"Whoever brings to me the WOMAN BEARING THE RED DRAGON MARK BEHIND HER SHOULDER shall be rewarded with untold treasures of gold and shall be granted protection under my rule."
"Anyone hiding her, or refusing to give information about her whereabouts, will be considered an enemy of the fortress."
As the king finished reading, the room seemed to grow colder, not from the air itself, but from something far deeper, something unseen yet undeniably present, as if the very walls had absorbed the meaning of those words and now carried their weight in silence
Slowly, Ryan lowered the paper onto the desk, his movements controlled but firm, before lifting his gaze toward the servant who still stood near the door with his head bowed low, waiting for dismissal.
"You may go," Ryan said quietly, his voice calm but carrying an unmistakable gravity.
"Return to your duties."
The servant bowed immediately, almost too quickly, and left the chamber without another word, the door closing softly behind him, leaving the king alone in a silence that now felt different, heavier, and far more dangerous than before.
For several long moments, Ryan did not move, as if processing not just the message, but the future it was quietly pointing toward, until finally he stood from his chair, the candlelight reflecting faintly across his serious expression.
"Natalie," he called.
Not long after, the door opened again, and Queen Natalie stepped inside with quiet elegance, her presence calm as always, her posture perfect, yet the moment her eyes landed on her husband's face, she immediately sensed that something had changed, something important and unsettling.
"What is it?" she asked softly, her voice careful but alert.
Without speaking, Ryan walked toward her and placed the folded paper into her hands, watching her closely as she slowly unfolded it and began to read, her eyes moving line by line, but just like him, her expression shifted as the truth revealed itself.
At first there was confusion, then disbelief, and finally a quiet, rising fear that settled deeply within her gaze, until at last her hands tightened slightly around the paper.
"This…" she whispered, barely able to finish the thought.
Ryan's voice was low, steady, and heavy with certainty.
"Varyn is searching for someone".
"He is offering gold, protection, and power to anyone who brings her to him, but at the same time, he is threatening anyone who hides her."
Natalie slowly lifted her eyes from the paper, and in that moment, fear was clearly visible in her expression, not just for the kingdom, but for something far more personal.
"It is not just anyone he is looking for," Ryan continued after a brief silence.
Another pause followed, longer this time, heavier.
"It is Nara."
The name alone seemed to still the room completely.
Natalie's face went pale as the realization settled fully in her mind, and she took a slow step back as if the ground beneath her had shifted.
"No…" she whispered faintly, her voice breaking slightly.
"He cannot…"
But Ryan's expression remained firm, even though his eyes carried the weight of the truth.
"She carries the mark," he said quietly.
"The red dragon mark. She is the one he wants."
Natalie shook her head slowly, disbelief and fear mixing in her voice. "We will not let him take her."
Ryan nodded once, stepping closer with determination returning to his voice. "No. We will not."
Without wasting time, he turned toward the door and began issuing immediate orders, his voice sharp with authority as he spoke clearly into the corridor.
"Double the guards at every entrance.
Strengthen the northern borders. I want scouts watching every road leading in and out of the kingdom.
"Nothing moves without being seen."
The atmosphere in the room shifted again, becoming more urgent, more controlled, as Natalie stepped closer to him and placed a gentle hand on his arm.
"We will protect her," she said softly, though her eyes carried concern beneath her calm tone. "Whatever it takes."
Ryan looked out through the tall window toward the dark horizon, where distant mountains disappeared into shadow, and for a brief moment his voice softened.
"I know Varyn will come for her," he said quietly. "And when he does, every decision we make will matter."
Natalie hesitated for a moment before speaking again, her voice uncertain yet filled with urgency. "Then perhaps we should send her away, hide her somewhere far from here where no one can find her."
But Ryan immediately shook his head.
"No."
His answer was firm, final, unshaken.
"Nara stays here. She is the princess of this
kingdom, and this is her home."
He paused briefly, then added in a lower tone,
"But I have a plan… one that will protect her without taking her away from who she is."
Natalie frowned slightly, stepping closer. "What kind of plan?"
But Ryan did not answer immediately.
Instead, he turned toward the door once more.
"Captain Alden," he called.
A tall armored guard stepped inside at once and bowed deeply. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Bring me a servant girl from the kitchens,"
Ryan ordered calmly. "Her name is Mara. But do it quietly… and tell no one where she is taken."
Alden hesitated for only a brief moment before nodding. "As you command, Your Majesty."
And he left.
As the door closed again, Natalie turned toward her husband with clear confusion and concern. "Mara?" she asked. "Why her?"
For a brief moment, Ryan did not answer, his expression unreadable as he looked toward the window again, as if the future itself was already unfolding somewhere beyond it.
"Trust me," he said quietly. "That is all you need to do."
Natalie did not respond, but unease lingered in her eyes as she remained silent, watching her husband return to his seat.
While far outside the chamber, the castle continued its quiet rhythm, unaware that beneath its calm surface, a warning had already been delivered, and something far greater was beginning to move in the shadows.
And somewhere deep within the kitchens below, a simple servant girl named Mara was finishing her duties without knowing that her life was about to be pulled into a story she never asked to be part of.