The day dawned with a different air. The veteran Guardians moved briskly through the corridors, adjusting small details, tidying up the gardens, checking the watch posts. It was rare to see them so restless. They weren't following a strict protocol, but there was a distinct sense of care and anticipation in their movements. Yuli noticed it and, curious, turned to Kaela during training.
"What's going on today?" she asked.
"The young king is coming to visit us," Kaela replied with a half-smile. "It's been a couple of months since he last stepped foot in the village. We look after him like a brother. Today he's coming alone, with just his personal guard. He wants to see how things are for himself."
"He's allowed to come here? But men aren't allowed in the village," Yuli said, surprised.
Kaela smiled. "The only men allowed here are the Guardians' fiancés, their fathers, sometimes their brothers… and the king. But that's because the Aunt is like a second mother to him."
Yuli was taken aback. She hadn't expected to meet the monarch so soon. She knew that sometimes Guardians met with him for work or missions, but this felt… different.
At midday, a modest vehicle entered through the concealed gate that led into the village. The Guardians surrounded it without formality. The young king stepped out with a smile.
He didn't look like the kings from storybooks—he wore simple clothes and a command bracelet on his arm. He was about Kaela's age, maybe just a little older. His gaze was calm, but keen.
He greeted many of the women by name, hugging some like long-lost sisters.
"It's good to be home," he said, and smiles bloomed all around him.
The Aunt waited at the entrance to the main building, arms crossed and wearing the same expression she used with everyone.
"You're late," she said, walking up to him.
"You're always so strict, Aunt," he replied, bowing his head respectfully. "But I promised I'd come—and here I am."
Yuli watched from a corner, mesmerized. Not just by who he was, but by how he was treated. Not like a king—but like a brother.
That afternoon, he walked through the village. He spoke with apprentices, listened to their stories, laughed with the veterans. Some nudged him playfully, others asked difficult questions.
There was no distance between him and them—only honest affection.
At nightfall, they shared a meal in the main dining hall. The atmosphere was light and joyful. The king didn't sit at a special table. He sat beside Kaela and a group of little girls who bombarded him with curious questions.
"Is it true you used to sneak out of the castle to come here?" one asked.
"Only a couple of times… a month," he replied, and laughter echoed through the room.
Yuli watched from afar until the young monarch approached her.
"So, you're the new one," he said with a kind smile. "I heard you're strong."
"I'm still learning," Yuli replied.
"That's what matters most. No one is born knowing everything. I wasn't either."
That night, Yuli understood something new.
The king didn't just protect the kingdom. He protected this place—this sacred space—for them.
He did it with respect, with tenderness, and with the certainty that these women, these girls, were his true guard.
In her room, before sleep claimed her, Yuli wrote in her notebook:
"Today I met the king. And for the first time, I understood what it means to have someone fight for you… without expecting to be worshipped."