The castle was in chaos.
Silk drapes flew from balconies, servants scrambled across marble floors, and Lady Viremont's voice echoed like a shrieking violin through every corridor.
"Where is the lavender ribbon? I said lavender, not lilac! Are you all mice in wigs?"
Maids flinched and scattered, clutching trays and fabric bolts like shields.
Above ground, it was a storm of vanity.
Below, in a quiet stone chamber tucked beneath the west wing, Elaine sat on a cushioned bench, her fingers twisting the hem of her gown. The room was dim, the only light coming from a small lantern near the door.
Rudolf stood nearby, arms crossed, eyes steady.
He wasn't just a guard.
He was her protector. Her mentor. Her father in all but name.
Madeline had taught Elaine how to curtsy, how to speak with grace, how to wear a crown without letting it crush her.
But Rudolf had taught her how to stand.
How to fight.
How to survive.
Elaine looked up at him. "I don't want to do this."
Rudolf didn't answer right away. He remembered a week ago — the day Viremont dragged Elaine into the castle, her eyes swollen from crying, her voice hoarse from pleading.
She had been thrown into this room like a prisoner.
And Rudolf had watched, helpless.
He hated the way Viremont treated her — all cold smiles and false affection. The same way she treated her other daughters, who were more like ornaments than people.
The door creaked open.
Elaine's sisters entered, gowns shimmering, expressions smug.
"Well, well," said the older one, "still sulking in the dungeon?"
The younger one giggled. "You better not ruin this one, Elaine. We've waited long enough."
Elaine looked away.
"I want my prince charming," the older one huffed. "Not another scandal."
Elaine remembered the boys they were promised — arrogant, loud, and constantly wiping their noses with embroidered sleeves. One had tried to flirt with a statue. The other had asked if soup could be eaten with a fork.
But her sisters didn't care.
They wanted titles.
Not love.
Rudolf stepped forward, his presence enough to make them pause.
"Time to leave," he said, voice low.
The sisters rolled their eyes and turned, their perfume trailing behind them like smoke.
Elaine exhaled.
Rudolf sat beside her.
"You're not alone," he said.
Elaine nodded, eyes misting.
And above them, the castle continued to spin.
To be continued…