Her Wings (PSS, #2) ✔️

Prologue

Beyond the small, potted tree growing in a quiet corner of a balcony within the Beryllion Palace, a sob of pure agony echoed. For days now, a lone child had been weeping in that secluded spot, her grief a steady, rhythmic cadence. There was no one to tap her shoulder, no one to caress her back, and no one to console her fractured heart.

Why is the world so unfair? Of all people, why her?

A man in a crisp black uniform, a sword and rifle secured to his back, approached the sound. He was a chevalier, a member of the Legion of Honor and the elite knighthood of the Kingdom of Beryllion. He had been making his way toward the bailey when the sobbing halted him. It was a sound many had heard over the past few days, yet most had passed it by; finally, he decided to investigate the source. To his profound surprise, he found the Princess.

Princess Emerald.

He drew near the little girl, who seemed unable to stem the tide of her tears. "What is wrong, Princess?" he asked softly.

Emerald turned her gaze toward him, her eyes red and puffy. She glanced confusedly at his uniform until her eyes landed on the embroidered name: Chevalier Grock. Realizing he was one of the most celebrated knights in the kingdom, she looked away, bowing her head in a flash of shame.

"No, nothing," she hiccuped, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand as she turned away from him.

The chevalier stepped closer. Reaching out, he gave her a gentle pat on the back, a small gesture meant to buoy her failing heart. "Do you want to play?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I want to fly..."

The man's expression softened into a sad smile. He knew the truth: this princess was struggling to find her wings. "You can, and you will," he promised.

"When?"

The chevalier shrugged lightly. "That, I do not know."

Fresh tears spilled over, traipsing down her rosy cheeks and escaping her irritated eyes. "I want to fly..."

"Yes, you will, someday. But right now, you need someone to protect you," the man said, patting her head. "So that whenever you stumble and fall, there will always be someone there to catch you."

"Will you do that for me, Sire?"

The man shook his head slowly. "I cannot. That person should be your own age, or near it. I am growing old, and my loyalty is already pledged to your sister."

Emerald looked down, her heart sinking further at the knight's words. "I know no one," she whispered. "Would I truly be safe if my protector were around?"

"Yes," he answered firmly. "Even if you cannot fly, your protector will always be there to lift you into the air."

She kept her gaze fixed on the floor. "I know no one. Nobody wants me. I am weak."

"You are not weak." The man stood up and began to walk toward the door, but he paused to look back at the small, disappointed figure. "I must go, Princess."

"Sire... I do not think I will ever meet my protector."

The knight smiled. "I know someone. You don't have to worry."

"Is he a prince?"

"How did you know it was a 'he'?"

She shook her head, a bit of innocence returning to her face. "It just came out of my mouth, Sire."

The man's smile widened. "He will be your protector."

She watched as he stepped off the balcony, the image of his sharp uniform, his heavy sword, and his confident posture burned into her mind. What did he mean? Was he going to search for someone? For a moment, her perspective shifted. She still wanted to fly, but if she couldn't, perhaps having the protector the knight spoke of was enough. Or better yet, a protector who could be a mentor, helping her find her wings. Yes, she thought, that would be better.

*****

He sighed, leaning against the cold stone. He should stop this. He really should. But he couldn't. He had made a promise, and he never broke his word, especially not a promise made to his father, a man he respected so deeply he would have built a golden statue in his honor if only he had the coin.

Why did his father ask him to protect the Princess who could not fly? His father, a Knight himself, had asked for this favor, and the boy had accepted it as a sacred vow. But now, he was struggling. How could he protect her when she was tucked away in the highest room of the palace, a place someone of his station could never hope to reach?

He stared up at the tower once again. This time, his aim would be true. He would reach it. He would protect her.

"All right. Practice makes perfect, or if not, at least practice makes it work." He narrowed his eyes at the distant window. "I'm coming, Princess. See you soon."