The prince knight
561 Words
chapter 6
Elior’s POV
Rumors have a life of their own inside the palace.
For the past week, whispers bounced from hall to hall:
The crown prince will choose his personal knight from the new recruits.
Whispers grew into gossip.
Gossip turned into heated debates.
Personally?
I wasn’t worried.
Luck and I weren’t exactly on speaking terms.
“First time in my life,” I muttered, “I’m grateful for being misfortunate.”
Besides, the prince barely even looked in my direction except for that one awkward moment during the briefing where his eyes lingered a bit too long. But that had to be nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Today, the announcement would be made. And honestly, I was more concerned about staying awake than being chosen. My brain was floating somewhere between exhaustion and fog.
We gathered in the briefing hall. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement, tension, and pure ego. Half the knights were practically vibrating with confidence. The other half just tried to look tall.
I found a quiet corner and pretended to listen as the captain gave a long, dramatic speech about duty, loyalty, sacrifice, honor all the typical knight stuff.
I would have taken it seriously
…if Leon wasn’t whispering nonsense beside me the entire time.
“Do you think the prince will pick someone ugly?” he muttered.
I elbowed him sharply. “Hush. I’m trying to not get kicked out.”
He grinned, completely unbothered.
“And why are you even stressed?” I whispered. “You’re handsome enough to be chosen.”
He raised a brow. “And you’re insulting enough to get us both killed.”
Despite everything, I almost laughed.
Almost.
I zoned out again. I wasn’t going to be chosen anyway. The captain would call some tall, confident knight with a strong chin and booming voice. Definitely not me the tiny recruit with a secret and bad luck.
That’s why, when the captain called my name…
“Elior of Filava!”
…my brain did not react.
At all.
I blinked.
Maybe it was another Elior?
There had to be another Elior.
Surely.
But then the captain called again, louder:
“Elior! Step forward!”
My stomach dropped into my boots.
Leon whipped his head toward me, eyes wide. “No way"
I stepped forward on shaky legs.
The hall went completely silent.
“The crown prince,” the captain said, reading from a scroll, “has selected you… as his personal knight.”
I swear my soul left my body.
A murmur spread across the hall. Shock. Jealousy. Confusion. Some outright disgust.
Me?
Of all people?
Me?
Leon stared at me like the world just rearranged itself. “You ....Elior...you’re....? How...? Why...?”
I didn’t know either.
I forced a tight smile, trying not to look like a deer facing a sword.
Inside, my heart was bleeding.
This was the worst possible outcome.
The prince.
The palace.
Constant scrutiny.
Less freedom.
More risk of being exposed.
But I bowed and kept my voice steady.
“It is… an honor.”
A lie.
A complete lie.
As I walked to the front, the prince himself stepped into the hall tall, poised, his expression unreadable.
His eyes met mine.
Calm.
Steady.
Knowing.
I swallowed.
Just like that, my life twisted again
tighter, more dangerous, more complicated.
I forced a smile, but inside…
I was terrified.
- Writer
