SavRosie
- Reads 279
- Votes 17
- Parts 11
The kingdom knew Jungwon as the golden boy of the palace-cheerful, soft-hearted, the soon-to-be crowned prince who would one day rule beside a queen chosen for him. The palace gates had been opening for weeks, each day welcoming a new parade of silk and jewels, princesses from far and wide all smiling in the hopes of becoming his bride.
But Jungwon? He wasn't smiling.
No gown, no glittering crown, no perfectly practiced curtsy could hold his gaze. Until her.
It was just past midnight, the lake silver under the moonlight, when he saw a figure by the water's edge. Her face was hidden, only her eyes visible-and they sparkled like stars caught in still water. One glance, and the quiet hum of the night roared in his chest. He stepped closer, offered his hand. She took it, just for a moment. Then she was gone.
Days later, among the heat and noise of the crowded marketplace, he saw them again-those eyes, now golden in the sun. Without thinking, he leapt from the royal carriage, ignoring his family's calls, shoving through strangers and shouts until he caught her wrist, pulling her close before she could stumble. The world seemed to stop. Then, just as quickly, she pulled away. And vanished.
He didn't know her name.
He didn't know her story.
But when he collided with a palace worker in the hallway, spilling a heap of freshly washed linen, and looked up to apologize-he knew.
Those eyes.
And from that moment on, the crown on his head felt lighter than the weight in his chest.