The Knight's Final Vow
The grand cathedral stood bathed in golden candlelight, filled with nobles and royalty, all gathered to witness the union of Princess Evelynn and Prince Adrian. A day meant for joy, for celebration.
But for Leon Reinhardt, standing in the shadows with his sword at his hip, it was the day he lost her forever.
Since childhood, he had been by her side—not as a prince, not as a suitor, but as her knight. The second son of Duke Reinhardt, a noble with no claim to inheritance, he had no right to power, no right to ambition. Yet, despite that, he had sworn himself to a singular purpose—to protect her.
And it all started with a promise.
A Memory Under the Stars
The garden of the royal palace stretched endlessly beneath the moonlight. Fireflies danced through the air like tiny fallen stars, and the cool night breeze carried the scent of blooming roses.
A young Leon, barely more than a boy, knelt before Princess Evelynn. His training sword lay beside him, forgotten, as he caught his breath from their playful sparring match.
Evelynn, in a simple dress, had her golden hair tied messily in a way that only made her seem more radiant under the moon's glow. She giggled, eyes full of life as she twirled in place, her arms spread wide.
"One day," she said, spinning to face him, "when I become queen, I'll make the world peaceful so no one has to fight anymore!"
Leon chuckled, shaking his head. "That's a bold dream, Princess."
"You'll be there with me, won't you, Leon?" she asked, tilting her head.
His breath hitched.
She was the daughter of a king. He was just the second son of a duke. And yet—when she smiled at him like that, it felt like nothing else in the world mattered.
Leon hesitated, then pressed a hand to his chest. He lowered his head, as he had seen knights do in stories, and whispered:
"Then allow me to swear my first vow to you, Princess Evelynn."
The words felt heavy yet exhilarating on his tongue.
"No matter what happens, no matter where fate takes you… I will always be by your side. I will protect you, even if the world turns against you. Until my very last breath, I will never betray this oath."
Evelynn's eyes widened. For a moment, she simply stared at him. Then, her lips curved into the warmest, most innocent smile he had ever seen.
"Then I'll promise you something too!" she declared, lifting her pinky finger.
Leon blinked in confusion.
"If you always protect me," she said, her voice brimming with certainty, "then I'll never leave you behind. No matter what."
She held out her hand, waiting.
Leon hesitated—then, with the slightest of smiles, he lifted his own hand and hooked his pinky with hers.
The wind whispered through the garden.
A promise was made.
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Years passed. Their childhood faded like the dying embers of a fire, replaced by duty, expectations, and distance.
Evelynn grew into a princess the kingdom adored, admired by nobles and commoners alike. And Leon—Leon worked relentlessly, climbing the ranks of the royal knights just to stay by her side.
But no matter how strong he became, he could not fight fate.
And fate had decided that Princess Evelynn would never belong to a knight.
As he stood in the cathedral, watching her slip her hand into Prince Adrian's, the promise they had made beneath the stars all those years ago shattered like fragile glass.
She had forgotten.
Or maybe she had simply outgrown it.
But Leon—Leon had never forgotten.
And he never would.
But fate was not done with him yet.
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Then—a slow, deliberate clap echoed through the cathedral.
The music stopped. The guests fell into stunned silence.
Prince Darius stepped forward, a smirk curling his lips, his presence dripping with quiet menace.
"Brother," he drawled, "did you really think that with the help of Princess Evelynn's family, you could secure your claim to the throne?"
The air grew tense.
Darius turned, scanning the guests, his smirk widening.
"Too bad."
Then—chaos erupted.
Knights in black armor drew their swords. Guards, ones who had been sworn to protect the royal family, suddenly turned on them.
Spies. Traitors.
Darius had planned this from the start.
Leon's instincts roared to life. His sword was in his hand before his mind could catch up.
The air shifted—an assassin took aim at Evelynn with a bow from the balcony above.
Leon moved.
Steel met steel. His sword slashed through the arrow mid-flight, splintering it into fragments.
A second assassin lunged—Leon parried the blow, his blade cutting clean through the enemy's armor.
They had to escape. Now.
Leon exhaled, gripping his sword tighter.
This was it.
This was where his story ended.
He turned to the fleeing guards, his voice booming across the battlefield.
"PROTECT THE PRINCESS! EVACUATE THE PRINCE!"
Through the chaos, his eyes found Evelynn's.
And for a fleeting moment—she hesitated.
But Adrian pulled her toward the secret passage behind the altar, his grip firm.
"We have to go!"
Evelynn's lips parted. She turned back—toward Leon.
For the first time… it looked like she might run to him.
But the prince's grip tightened.
And just like that—she was gone.
Leon smiled bitterly.
"At the end of the day, I am just a knight," he murmured. "Although many fairy tales portray a knight in shining armor dutifully protecting the princess... most want a prince saving them.*
I am just a knight. And he is a prince."
His grip on his sword tightened.
"At least by the oath that I sought, the oath that I cherished… I stand by it."
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Enemies surged toward him.
Leon raised his sword, his heart burning with the remnants of an old promise.
"I will always be by your side."
He charged.
Blades clashed. Blood sprayed. His body was battered, wounds opening across his arms, his legs—but he did not stop.
"Even if the world turns against you."
Another assassin fell. Then another.
But the enemy commander stepped forward—bow drawn, aimed straight for his heart.
Leon moved to dodge—but his body was too slow.
The arrow fired.
And for the first time in his life—Leon hesitated.
Because in that moment, he realized—
"She's not here anymore."
The arrow pierced his chest.
Pain, sharp and burning, ripped through him.
As he collapsed, he heard a voice—soft, familiar—whisper his name.
"Leon!"
His vision blurred. His breath grew shallow.
But when he looked up… it wasn't the present.
It was the past.
A little girl stood before him under the moonlight, smiling.
"I'll never leave you behind. No matter what."
Leon let out a quiet, trembling laugh.
"Liar."
Then—the world went silent.