The day of the court banquet arrived cloaked in silk and ceremony. Every hall of the palace gleamed, polished to a mirror shine. Golden candelabras lit the passageways, and flower petals lined the staircases like a trail of offerings to gods who no longer listened. A hundred nobles whispered in corners, their breath misting with secrets and wine.
I stood before the arched mirror in my chamber, adjusting the deep burgundy coat that had been tailored for this exact occasion. It fit like armor, every thread a stitch of duty. My reflection stared back at me, a prince in every measure but one—my heart had long stopped beating for this life.
There was a knock.
"Come in," I said.
It was Liora.
The breath in my lungs paused. She was dressed in a sapphire gown that clung to her like melted night. Her hair was swept into a loose braid that trailed over her shoulder, framing the sharpness of her cheekbones and the full weight of her eyes. She looked more like a curse than a woman. A beautiful, inevitable doom.
"You look..."
"Trapped?" she offered, voice dry.
I gave a wry smile. "I was going to say royal."
"Same thing." She stepped inside, closing the door with a soft click. Her expression tightened. "I just wanted to tell you that I won't be staying for the whole banquet. I can't stomach it."
"Liora..."
"No, Elias. Let me say this before the drums and the dances make us liars again. What happened between us can't happen again. The world won't allow it."
I stepped closer, unable to help myself. "Then let's burn the world."
Her eyes burned. "You can't even defy your mother, Elias. How will you defy the realm?"
Before I could respond, another knock shattered the moment. A steward entered with a slight bow. "Your Highness, it is time."
We descended together, side by side, but not touching. Not quite.
The banquet hall had been transformed into something ethereal. Light poured through the stained-glass windows in rivulets of color. Musicians played an aching tune in the corner, their violins weeping like mourners. Tables lined the room, glinting with silver and garnished with fruits I hadn't seen since childhood. Nobles toasted to peace, to unity, to the inevitable rise of the crown.
At the head of the table sat the Queen. Regal, poised, untouchable. Her gaze cut through the room like a blade.
I took my place beside her, and Claire slid into the seat on my other side. Her perfume was sharp, cloying. She leaned in, brushing her lips close to my ear.
"Are you ready to make the announcement?"
My throat closed. I glanced down the long table where Liora sat with the other ladies of the court, her expression distant.
"Yes," I lied.
Claire lifted her goblet. "To alliances that bring us closer."
I raised mine, but the glass felt like stone in my hand.
A hush fell as the Queen rose. Her voice rang clear. "Tonight, we celebrate not just the health of the King and the strength of our borders, but a union that will solidify our future. Prince Elias and Lady Claire will be wed on the first full moon of spring."
Applause thundered through the hall.
Liora didn't clap. She simply stood and walked out.
I wanted to go after her. Gods, I wanted to run. But I was chained by my title, by the gleaming eyes watching my every move. The rest of the night blurred into glass and laughter, faces melting into each other until I could barely stand.
When I finally escaped, it was nearly dawn. The palace was quiet again, hushed and solemn.
I found her where I knew she'd be—the library.
She sat on the windowsill, legs tucked beneath her, moonlight spilling over her like a blessing she didn't want. Her face was streaked with dried tears, but her jaw was set.
"You knew," she said without turning.
"I didn't want it."
"But you agreed."
I moved to her. "What choice did I have?"
She stood, facing me. "You could have said no. You could have told them the truth. About us."
I laughed bitterly. "They'd throw you out of the palace. Or worse."
"Then let them. I'd rather face a hundred knives than keep pretending this isn't real."
Our eyes locked. And suddenly, we were moving again. Her hands in my hair, mine at her waist. The kiss was fire and defiance. It was everything we weren't supposed to be.
When we broke apart, breathless, I rested my forehead against hers.
"Then let's stop pretending. But if we do this, Liora... there's no going back."
She nodded slowly. "I stopped going back the moment you touched me."
The veil had begun to fall. And behind it, something dangerous stirred.
I held her hands and we walked out to the crowd, i held her tight and bold like our lives depended on it, we walked down to the center all eyes clicked on us and then it happened, a kiss, my heart racing, as i locked in, in a long kiss everyone staring we ignored desperately it was as though the world had come to a pause all at once, we kissed and it ment everything to me, to us.
"Your highness, your highness someone call the doctor immediately"
The voice broke the kiss it was mother she fainted in the mist of our desprate revelation, abomination somone from the congregation shouted, and before i could move, liora was taken away, "no no stop" stop i command you, and thats when i fell from the bed.
I rushed up immediately realizing it was only a dream the fear still clunged onto me like it was reality.
Thats when i understood all liora was saying, this feeling, this love it all needed to stop, i cant shatter people's life all with my lies and now emotions.
I got up and walked right to the wash room, i needed to make sure i was only dreaming.