Chapter 46 — The Prince Who Never Came Home
The war lasted far longer than anyone had expected.
What had begun as a conflict between two kingdoms became a year of bloodshed.
Soldiers left their homes and never returned.
Families waited at palace gates for news that would never come.
Entire villages were destroyed.
And every week, another list of names arrived from the battlefield.
The Benold Kingdom fought with everything it had.
And at the center of it all was Prince Nathan.
For an entire year, Mia waited.
Every letter that arrived made her heart race.
Every messenger who approached the villa made her wonder if they had news about Nathan.
Sometimes the news was good.
Sometimes it was terrible.
But through it all, she held onto one thought.
Nathan promised he would come back.
She repeated those words whenever fear became too much.
"He promised."
Her father tried to reassure her.
Her siblings stayed around her.
Physicians checked on her regularly.
But Mia's heart remained on the battlefield.
Then, after a year of fighting, the news finally came.
Benold had won.
The Valerian forces had been defeated.
The kingdom celebrated.
People filled the streets.
Church bells rang throughout the capital.
But Mia wasn't celebrating.
She was waiting for Nathan.
She stood near the entrance of her father's villa when the royal messenger arrived.
His face was pale.
Mia immediately knew something was wrong.
"Where is Prince Nathan?"
The messenger lowered his head.
"Your Highness…"
"Where is my husband?"
He struggled to speak.
"Prince Nathan was separated from the army during the final battle."
Mia's heart began pounding.
"What does that mean?"
"He was captured by Valerian soldiers."
Everything went silent.
Mia stared at him.
"No."
The messenger looked down.
"Your Highness, there is no confirmation that he survived."
"No."
Mia stepped backward.
"No, that's not possible."
Her father rushed toward her.
"Mia…"
"He promised me."
Her voice broke.
"He promised he would come back."
The messenger lowered his eyes.
"Many soldiers believed the Prince was killed during the battle."
Mia screamed.
"No!"
Everyone froze.
"He isn't dead!"
Her father tried to hold her.
Mia pushed away from him.
"No! Nathan isn't dead!"
She ran upstairs and locked herself in her room.
For days, she refused to leave.
She barely ate.
She hardly slept.
She wouldn't speak to anyone.
Whenever someone tried to convince her to eat, she shook her head.
"I'll wait for him."
"Mia, you need to eat."
"He's coming back."
"Mia—"
"He promised!"
Her family watched helplessly as she slowly grew weaker.
Weeks passed.
Mia's father became terrified.
He called for more physicians.
"She isn't taking care of herself," he told them desperately. "Please do something."
Several physicians examined Mia.
Afterward, the eldest physician asked Mia's father to speak privately.
"Sir, there's something you need to know."
Her father immediately became concerned.
"What?"
The physician hesitated.
"Princess Mia is with child."
Her father's eyes widened.
"With child?"
"Yes."
He looked toward Mia's bedroom.
"Are you certain?"
The physician nodded.
"She is pregnant."
Her father stood speechless.
For a moment, he didn't know whether to cry or smile.
Then he entered Mia's room.
Mia was sitting beside the window, staring outside.
"Mia."
She didn't respond.
Her father sat beside her.
"There is something you need to know."
"What?"
He took her hand.
"The physicians have discovered that you're pregnant."
Mia slowly looked at him.
"What?"
"You're carrying Nathan's child."
Her lips parted.
She couldn't speak.
Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach.
"Nathan…"
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"He left me something."
Her father gently squeezed her hand.
"No, Mia."
He shook his head.
"He didn't leave you."
Mia looked at him.
"Your child is proof that your story with Nathan isn't over."
She cried quietly.
For the first time since hearing the news of Nathan's disappearance, something other than despair entered her heart.
Hope.
She placed both hands over her stomach.
"Daddy…"
"Yes?"
"What if he really is alive?"
Her father looked at her.
"Then we will find him."
Mia closed her eyes.
Nathan had promised he would come home.
Now she had another reason to believe he would.
She whispered softly,
"Come back to us, Nathan."
Far away, beyond the borders of Benold, behind the walls of a Valerian fortress…
a prisoner sat alone in a dark room.
His clothes were torn.
His face was bruised.
But he was alive.
Prince Nathan slowly opened his eyes.
And the first thing he whispered was—
"Mia."