Keal sat alone by the river. The water moved slow and calm, but his mind was far from peaceful. He stared at his reflection and felt the weight of memories pressing down on him.
He thought of the girl he once loved. The same girl who had broken his heart by choosing another man—a man from a powerful clan. That man died when war reached their village. Keal, against all odds, survived the bloodshed and even led his people to victory.
When peace returned, she came back. Her eyes filled with regret, her voice soft, trembling. She told Keal she had made a terrible mistake. She asked for another chance.
Keal's heart, still bleeding from the past, gave in. He accepted her. They started seeing each other again. People noticed. Whispers began to spread. They spoke of Keal not just as a warrior but as someone who might one day lead the village. That thought lit hope in his chest—maybe, at last, he could build the life he had dreamed of with her.
But fate has a cruel way of turning.
The old village leader had other plans. He wanted his son to lead, not Keal. One day, it was announced—his son would take the title. Keal's dream shattered quietly. He smiled, nodded, acted like it was fine. Inside, a storm raged. Still, he told himself he could live with it. He had her, and that was enough.
Until the day jealousy turned deadly.
Keal and his girlfriend walked through the village streets one evening, talking softly, unaware of the eyes that followed. The new village leader crossed their path. He saw her beauty. He saw the way she smiled at Keal. And in his heart, envy began to burn.
He started plotting.
Soon after, the leader sent Keal away on a mission—an order that could not be refused. Keal left, trusting his duty above all else.
But while he was gone, the new leader moved.
He went to her. His words were sweet, poisonous. He told her she was too beautiful to waste her life on someone like Keal. He said she should be with someone like him—the leader, the man with power, status, and wealth.
"I'm ready to marry you," he said, his smile sharp. "But there's a condition. The choice… is yours."
The world that Keal thought he had rebuilt—piece by fragile piece—was about to break again.