Forbbiden Love Princess & Guard☑️

Chap #13 Head Captain & Countess

The night sky over Valorian was cloudless, a canopy of stars casting a soft light over the quiet castle grounds. Beneath the cover of darkness, in the shadows of the east tower, two figures stood close, their voices low but filled with the weight of secrets.

Head Captain Elias Grey leaned against the cold stone wall, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of movement. His armor was absent, replaced by simple, dark clothing that allowed him to blend into the night. Beside him, Countess Isolde Ravenscroft stood poised, her emerald-green gown shimmering faintly in the dim light, though her usual air of confidence seemed laced with an unspoken tension.

They were alone here, far from the watchful eyes of the court and the rigid constraints of their duties. But even in this hidden corner of the castle, the risk of discovery weighed heavily on them both.

"Elias," Isolde whispered, her voice betraying a rare vulnerability as she reached out to touch his hand. "We cannot keep doing this."

Elias turned to her, his brow furrowing in concern. "Isolde, we've had this conversation before. You know why we must."

Her dark eyes flashed with frustration, though beneath it was a deep yearning. "I know, but it doesn't make it any easier." She pulled her hand away, turning her back on him as she gazed out over the castle grounds. "Every time I stand in court, pretending indifference while you stand mere feet away... it's unbearable."

Elias stepped closer, his presence solid and steady, like the very foundation of the castle itself. His hand rested gently on her shoulder, his voice a low rumble. "I feel it too, Isolde. Every moment I'm near you but cannot reach for you... It tears at me."

She turned back to face him, her eyes searching his, and for a moment, the mask she wore for the world slipped away. Isolde Ravenscroft, the sharp-witted and mysterious noblewoman known for her political cunning, stood vulnerable before the man she loved, caught between her heart and the life they could never truly have.

"I hate this charade," she admitted softly, her voice barely audible. "I hate that we have to hide what we are. What we feel."

Elias took her hand, his fingers brushing against hers in a gesture that felt more intimate than any kiss. "We hide because we have no choice. I am the Head Captain of the royal guard. You are a countess with a seat at court. If anyone were to discover our relationship, it would destroy us both."

Isolde let out a bitter laugh, though there was no joy in it. "We would become the very thing we despise. Pawns in the court's game, our love turned into another political weapon."

Elias's jaw clenched, the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him. He was a man of honor, bound by duty to the royal family, to his king, to the very structure that kept Valorian in balance. But with Isolde, he was simply a man—torn between duty and desire.

"Do you regret it?" Elias asked, his voice tight. "Do you regret us?"

Isolde's eyes softened, and she stepped closer, her hand rising to rest against his cheek. "I could never regret us. Not for a single moment. You are the one thing in my life that is real."

For a heartbeat, they stood there in the stillness of the night, their faces mere inches apart, the tension between them both unbearable and magnetic. The world around them seemed to disappear, leaving only the two of them, caught in a love that had no place in the world they lived in.

"I would give it all up for you," Elias whispered, his voice low and fierce. "If I could—"

"Don't," Isolde interrupted, her eyes filling with unshed tears. "Don't say that. You know we cannot abandon our duties. We made our choices long ago."

Elias lowered his head, his forehead resting against hers. "And yet, here we are. Hiding in the shadows, pretending we can go on like this."

Isolde closed her eyes, savoring the feel of his closeness, even if it could only be fleeting. "It's better this way, Elias. What we have, as dangerous as it is, it's still ours. And no one can take that from us."

He pulled back slightly, his fingers still entwined with hers, though he knew their time was running out. The night could only hide them for so long before duty would call them back.

"I don't want to lose you, Isolde," Elias said, his voice thick with emotion.

"You won't," she replied, her tone resolute, though her heart ached with the truth they both knew. "But you must be strong, Elias. For us."

The sound of footsteps echoed faintly in the distance, a reminder that their secret rendezvous could be interrupted at any moment. Elias released her hand reluctantly, stepping back into the shadows as the reality of their world rushed back in.

Isolde turned, her expression hardening once more as the countess slipped back into the role she played so well. She gave him one final, lingering glance, a silent promise passing between them, before she disappeared into the night, the weight of their forbidden love still heavy on her shoulders.

Elias watched her go, his heart torn between the life he led and the life he could never have. The world they lived in was built on duty, on loyalty, on secrets. And in that world, their love—however powerful—would always be something that had to remain in the shadows.

As the night wore on, Elias stood alone in the darkness, his thoughts consumed by the woman he loved and the future they could never claim.