Married to the Enemy King,

The first scream shattered the silence before dawn. Princess Seraphina Valen opened her eyes with a sharp gasp, her heart pounding against her chest. For a moment, she thought it was another nightmare. Then came the second scream. It was closer. Louder. Followed by the deafening clash of steel. Her bedroom windows trembled violently. Outside, the palace bells rang with desperate urgency. Dong! Dong! Dong! Not the joyful bells of a festival. Not the solemn bells of a royal ceremony. These were the bells that every citizen of Valoria feared. The bells of war. Seraphina threw aside her silk blanket and rushed barefoot across the polished marble floor. The cool stone beneath her feet did nothing to calm the dread rising inside her. She pulled open the heavy balcony doors. A blast of smoke and cold morning air struck her face. The sight before her stole the breath from her lungs. The royal capital... ...was burning. Golden rooftops that had stood for centuries disappeared beneath roaring flames. Market stalls were overturned. People ran through the streets carrying children, their terrified cries echoing through the city. The once-proud white walls of Valoria were stained black with smoke. Above them fluttered hundreds of crimson war banners. The enemy had breached the capital. "No..." Seraphina whispered. "This can't be happening." Only yesterday the palace had celebrated the Harvest Festival. Music had filled the streets. Children had laughed beneath colorful lanterns. Now those same streets were soaked in blood. A frantic knock sounded behind her. The bedroom door burst open. Her personal maid, Lily, stumbled inside, her face pale with terror. "Your Highness!" Lily was barely able to breathe. "The western gate has fallen!" "The Royal Guard is retreating!" Seraphina stared at her. "Where is my father?" "The king is leading the defense at the palace gates." "And Mother?" "The queen is with the royal physicians." Lily's voice broke. "They're treating the wounded." Another explosion shook the palace. Dust drifted from the ceiling. One of the stained-glass windows shattered, scattering glittering fragments across the room. The palace itself was under attack. Lily grabbed Seraphina's trembling hand. "We have to leave now!" Seraphina slowly pulled her hand away. "I won't abandon my family." "But Your Highness—" "If Father is fighting..." "...then I stand with him." She hurried toward her wardrobe. Instead of choosing one of her elegant gowns, she reached for a fitted white riding outfit and a crimson cloak embroidered with the royal crest of Valoria. She fastened a slender sword around her waist. It wasn't merely ceremonial. King Aldric had insisted she learn to fight from the age of twelve. "A royal who cannot protect herself cannot protect her people," he often said. Lily watched with tears in her eyes. "You really intend to go?" Seraphina gave a determined nod. "I am the Princess of Valoria." "If my people are facing death..." "...I won't hide behind palace walls." Before Lily could answer— The palace doors flew open. Captain Roland entered. The commander of the Royal Guard looked nothing like the calm veteran Seraphina had known since childhood. His silver armor was dented. Blood covered one shoulder. His sword dripped onto the marble floor. He immediately knelt. "Your Highness." She hurried toward him. "Captain!" "What happened?" Roland lowered his head. "The eastern wall has fallen." "The enemy entered through three different gates." Seraphina frowned. "That's impossible." "Our defenses were designed to prevent exactly that." Roland's jaw tightened. "Someone opened the gates from the inside." Silence filled the room. Seraphina felt the color drain from her face. "A traitor..." Roland nodded grimly. "I'm afraid so." A cold chill crept down her spine. Valoria had not fallen because the enemy was stronger. It had fallen because someone had betrayed them. Far below the palace, another horn echoed across the capital. Its deep sound rolled over the burning city like thunder. Roland immediately looked toward the balcony. "They're here." Seraphina stepped beside him. Hundreds of black-armored knights were advancing through the palace courtyard. Their discipline was terrifying. They marched without shouting. Without hesitation. Each movement was perfectly synchronized. At their front flew a massive crimson banner. Upon it was the emblem feared throughout the continent. A black dragon. Lily covered her mouth. "The Dragon Banner..." Roland's expression hardened. "The King of Dravenmoor." Seraphina had heard countless stories about him growing up. Some called him a monster. Others called him a military genius. Many simply called him... The Enemy King. Yet no portrait had ever revealed his face. Only the fear his name inspired. Roland turned toward Seraphina. "Your Highness..." "You must escape." "There is still time." Seraphina looked once more at her burning kingdom. Then she slowly shook her head. "No." "If today is Valoria's last day..." "...then I will face it as its princess." At that very moment— The enormous palace gates exploded inward with a thunderous crash. The battle for the royal palace had begun. Married to the Enemy King The palace gates burst apart with a deafening roar. BOOM! Splintered oak and twisted iron flew across the Grand Hall. Marble pillars cracked as armored soldiers flooded through the entrance like a black tide. The Royal Guard immediately formed a defensive line. "Protect the royal family!" Steel clashed against steel. The sound echoed throughout the palace. Seraphina stood frozen for only a heartbeat before instinct took over. She drew the slender sword from her waist. Its polished blade reflected the firelight pouring through the shattered windows. Captain Roland immediately stepped in front of her. "Behind me, Your Highness." "I can fight." "I know you can." His voice remained calm despite the chaos around them. "But your duty is to survive." Another explosion shook the palace. Smoke drifted through the corridors. The sweet scent of roses from the royal gardens had been replaced by ash and blood. A young knight stumbled into the hall. Blood covered half his face. He fell to one knee. "Captain..." "The eastern courtyard is lost." "The enemy is advancing toward the throne room." Roland closed his eyes for a brief moment. "So quickly..." He turned toward Seraphina. "They're heading for His Majesty." Without waiting for permission, Seraphina ran. "Princess!" Roland cursed under his breath before chasing after her with several guards. --- The royal corridors she had walked every day since childhood had become a battlefield. Portraits of former kings lay shattered across the floor. Servants desperately carried injured nobles toward the palace chapel. Some were crying. Some prayed. Some simply stared blankly into space, unable to understand how their peaceful kingdom had collapsed in a single morning. As Seraphina reached the grand staircase, a frightened little boy no older than seven sat alone beside a fallen servant. He was trembling. His tiny hands were stained with blood. Not his own. Seraphina immediately knelt before him. "It's alright." She removed her royal cloak and wrapped it around his shoulders. "Stay behind the guards." The child looked at her with tear-filled eyes. "Princess..." "Are we going to die?" The question pierced her heart. She forced herself to smile. "No." "As long as I can stand..." "I'll protect you." The boy nodded weakly. Captain Roland watched the exchange. Even now... With the kingdom collapsing around her... She was thinking of her people. The king had always said she possessed the heart of a true queen. --- A deafening roar echoed from the throne room. Roland's expression changed. "We're too late." Seraphina rushed through the massive golden doors. The magnificent throne hall was barely recognizable. The marble floor was cracked. Golden chandeliers had crashed to the ground. Smoke drifted toward the ceiling. At the center of the hall stood King Aldric. His royal armor was covered in blood. His breathing was heavy. Around him lay the bodies of dozens of enemy soldiers. His sword still dripped crimson. Despite his wounds... He refused to kneel. "Father!" Seraphina ran toward him. The king turned sharply. His exhausted face softened the moment he saw her. "Seraphina..." "What are you doing here?" "I came to help." King Aldric smiled sadly. "You always were as stubborn as your mother." He placed one hand on her shoulder. "Listen to me carefully." She shook her head. "No." "We're leaving together." "We'll escape through the underground passage." The king remained silent. His silence frightened her more than the battle. Finally, he spoke. "There won't be enough time." Tears filled her eyes. "There has to be." "There isn't." His voice remained gentle. "Somebody must survive." "You are the future of Valoria." --- Suddenly... Slow, deliberate footsteps echoed through the throne room. Step... Step... Step... Every surviving soldier turned toward the entrance. A lone man walked through the smoke. He wore black armor etched with silver dragons. A crimson cloak flowed behind him. A golden crown rested upon dark hair. His face was calm. Cold. Unreadable. He carried no shield. Only a single black sword. No one dared attack him. His presence alone silenced the battlefield. Captain Roland whispered, "...King Lucien." The Enemy King had arrived. Lucien's sharp gray eyes swept across the ruined throne room before settling on King Aldric. For several long moments... Neither king spoke. Then Lucien broke the silence. "You fought well." King Aldric tightened his grip on his sword. "I would rather die than surrender my kingdom." "I expected nothing less." His voice was calm. Almost respectful. Seraphina stared at the man before her. This was the monster who had invaded her home. The king who had turned her peaceful life into a nightmare. Hatred ignited in her heart. She stepped forward, raising her sword. "You murderer!" Before she could take another step— King Aldric caught her wrist. "No." She looked at him in disbelief. "Father?" His voice was barely above a whisper. "Not yet." Before Seraphina could understand his words... A chilling sound echoed from somewhere deep within the palace. The scream of a woman. Then another. The queen's chambers. Seraphina's eyes widened. "Mother..." She tried to run. But King Aldric held her back. His face had gone pale. He already knew. The war for Valoria... ...had just become deeply personal.