THE PRISONER WHO WORE A CROWN

Chapter 2: RIAN

Inside the hidden cottage, the fire burned warm against the storm outside. Liora spent the whole night tending to the wounded stranger, cleaning his deep gashes and wrapping his chest with healing herbs. Even unconscious, he radiated strength and power, his skin carrying a faint silver glow that marked him as one of the Royal wolves from the north—a fact that both frightened and fascinated her.

At dawn, his eyes suddenly snapped open—bright, glowing golden eyes that locked onto her instantly. In a flash, he was on his feet, grabbing an iron poker as a weapon, tense and ready to fight. His voice was deep and commanding. “Who are you? Did Valerius send you?”

Liora raised her hands calmly. “I found you bleeding near the border. I brought you here to save your life. You are safe.”

He stared at her, searching for lies, before the tension slowly left his body. Weakness washed over him again, and he leaned against the wall, realizing she spoke the truth. “I owe you my life,” he said softly, bowing his head with natural grace. “My name is Rian. I am just a traveler running from trouble.”

Liora knew he was hiding his true identity, but she did not press him. She only nodded, accepting the name he gave.

Over the next few weeks, the cottage became their whole world. Liora visited every day, bringing food and supplies, telling her father she was helping an old woman in the woods. As Rian regained his strength, a deep bond grew between them. He was nothing like the cruel legends she had heard. He was gentle, intelligent, and surprisingly humble. He listened to her dreams, spoke of distant lands, and made her laugh in a way no one ever had.

Yet, Liora noticed the shadows in his eyes. Sometimes he would stare north with pain and longing, carrying a burden too heavy for any ordinary man. One evening, sitting close by the fire, Rian touched her cheek gently.

“I have known nothing but war and loneliness all my life,” he whispered, his golden eyes locked on hers. “But here, with you… I found peace I never thought possible. You gave me more than healing, Liora. You gave me a reason to live.”

In that moment, Liora knew she had fallen deeply in love. She didn’t know that the man called Rian was actually King Draven, the most feared ruler of the north. And Draven knew that falling for her was the most dangerous thing he had ever done—but also the only thing that truly mattered.