After the end

Chapter 1

Year 234 Kingdom of Freesia

The 12-year war had finally ended in the continent of Yspadania.

It was late at night but lights and cheers still filled the streets. It was lively and some girls in beautiful dresses peeked at the person with favor while men with blushing faces approached them. Some girls were brave enough to throw ribbons symbolizing their affection. In the center of fluttering ribbons and cheers a single man stood, men looked at him with envy while women looked at him in admiration. 

Yelena was attracted to the ruckus downstairs. 

In that moment, her feet longed to chase after him as they always had, her impulsive spirit urging her to pull him away for a private conversation. Yet, an unexplainable stillness gripped her usual exuberance. The heartbeats that typically bloomed in her chest now constricted, a sensation of suffocation replacing her usual fluttering. It wasn't just the air that had turned heavy; an invisible weight seemed to settle upon her fingertips, leaving them tingling and unfeeling. The world around her had frozen, mirroring the sudden icy uncertainty that had taken hold within her.

Yelena was confident that she knows everything about Darius. Years of unwavering affection had gifted her an intimate understanding of the man he was at his core. Each shared moment, every whispered secret, and the countless gestures of tenderness had woven a tapestry of insight within her. She could read his unspoken thoughts in the crinkle of his eyes and decipher his moods from the subtle shifts in his tone. Time had painted a portrait of his true self, revealing both the strengths that drew her to him and the vulnerabilities he seldom revealed to the world.

Devotion to his king was an unshakable pillar of his character, an allegiance that ran deep within his veins. Yet, when the tumultuous currents of love surged through his life, the concept of loyalty took on a different hue entirely. In matters of the heart, his fidelity wavered like a flame dancing in the wind, casting shadows of uncertainty upon his romantic entanglements. The steadfastness that defined his service to the crown seemed to dissolve when confronted with the intricate web of emotions and desires that love spun around him.

He visited brothels from time to time and had many relationships with women. Such quality would have made girls come to hate him but instead, this made them more daring. Yelena did not have the same taste as them. Her heart had always gravitated towards the kind and steadfast souls. In stark contrast stood Darius, a figure who seemed the embodiment of everything she avoided. At first, her emotions harbored a potent mix of resentment and disdain for the man who embodied all she disapproved of. Yet, as time unfolded its tapestry of unexpected moments, she found herself inexplicably drawn to his enigmatic aura. Unbeknownst to her conscious mind, the walls she'd constructed gradually crumbled, making space for an unanticipated affection to take root. The journey from abhorrence to attraction was a subtle dance she hadn't foreseen, a melody composed by the intricate chords of their shared experiences.

Darius wore the reputation of a player and a philanderer like a cloak, his actions consistently aligning with those labels. His countenance, blessed with a magnetic charm, seemed almost designed to lure hearts into his orbit. A single glance from him held the power to set hearts racing and kindle passions. His very name carried a weight of notoriety, whispered among both admirers and cautionary tales. The pedestal of his status and renown only amplified his allure, drawing others into his gravitational pull.

Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, his presence was a force that commanded both awe and trepidation. At the mere mention of his name, soldiers felt the tendrils of fear coil around their hearts, and even battle-hardened generals found themselves contemplating the unthinkable. Draped in his onyx cloak, a stark departure from his usual charming demeanor, he transformed into an ominous figure that seemed plucked from the realm of darkness itself. The familiar coquettish smile was replaced by an unsettling intensity.