The King's Knight, The Princess's Secret

Chapter 1: The PromiseOnce upon a time, in a kingdom of gold roofs and brown stone walls, I became a knight.My name is Sir Kaelen.I was not born noble.I was born in the stables, son of a groom. But I was fast. And I was loyal.So when I turned 14, they put a wooden sword in my hand and called me a squire.That was the same year Princess Seraphine turned 12.I wasn’t supposed to be near her. Knights like me guarded the gates, not the gardens.But on one cold night I was posted to the west wall.And that was the night she snuck out to feed the horses.She caught me sleeping on duty.For a second, my heart stopped. I thought I’d be whipped.Instead, she sat beside me on the cold stone."You look tired," she said. Her voice was soft. "What’s your name?""Kaelen, Your Highness," I answered, bowing my head.She smiled a little. "Then don’t sleep on duty, Kaelen. My father will be angry. But here..."She took off her cloak and draped it over my shoulders.It smelled like jasmine... and gold.After that night, everything changed for me.They moved me. From the wall, to the hall, to her door.My armor was gold, my straps were brown. The other knights teased me."Look at the stable boy. Shining like gold and coins."The name they gave us golden knights. And soon, all of us with that armor had a name.Years passed.I learned how to hold a shield. She learned how to hold a kingdom.I learned how to bleed. She learned how to smile when her heart was breaking.Then came the night before I left for war.No guards. No ladies. Just me and her under the moon.She didn’t curtsy. She didn’t call me "knight."She grabbed both my gauntlets with her small hands.Her voice shook."Promise me, Kaelen. Promise me you won’t die."I knelt. The moon rose behind her and turned her hair to silver."I promise you, Your Highness. I will return to you."I kept that promise.I just didn’t know yet...That coming back alive would hurt more than dying.End of Chapter 1