Chapter 6

Miu’s POV

Snow had only just begun to claim the rooftops when I burst into my mother’s afternoon tea room, the scent of steeped leaves and polished wood clashing cruelly with the news that burned in my chest.

“Mother, I shall fight as well!” The words left me in a rush, reckless and unrestrained.

“No. You must not.” She did not hesitate. Not even for a breath.

“But, Mother—”

“I’ve already sent a secret letter to Hoswington.” She cut me off with practiced calm, setting her teacup down as if the fate of a kingdom were not being decided between sips. “Reinforcements will arrive in two or three weeks. As soon as they do, we will leave. We will return to my birthplace.”

Her eyes lifted to meet mine then—steady, unyielding.

“The rebels will not be able to touch us once we’ve crossed the border.”

My breath caught. Whether it was from the haste with which I had run to her chambers or the violent pounding in my chest, I could no longer tell. The room felt smaller, the air heavier.

“You mean…” My steps were leaden as I approached her, each one carrying the weight of something unspeakable. “You’re… telling me to flee?” The word tasted like ash.

“Yes.” Her answer was quiet, final. “Arthur III no longer holds any authority as king. My only hope is that he can hold the throne long enough for our reinforcements to arrive.”

She exhaled slowly and closed the book in her hands, resting it upon the table before turning her gaze toward the window—toward a kingdom already slipping away.

“There is no longer any hope for this land,” she said. “You cannot die in a place like this, Matthew.”

Matthew.

That was my name as a prince. The name she had forged for me—polished, ideal, and carefully shaped to survive a cruel world.

But… Mother. If I were to abandon my country—my people—what had been the purpose of the past fifteen years? That question echoed relentlessly in my mind.

Do I have the right to reclaim the throne after fleeing when my kingdom burned?

Would I ever be able to forgive myself for choosing survival over duty?

And if we were never able to return to Elysia… if Prince Matthew was no longer necessary for our survival…

Then what remained of Miu?

Whether as Matthew or as Miu, both felt distant—like borrowed names that no longer fit. And standing there, between the safety my mother offered and the kingdom I had been raised to inherit, I could not help but question everything I was… and everything I was meant to be.

That conversation rattled me to my core. My mind spun with a thousand thoughts, and before I knew it, the entire day had slipped by unnoticed.

But then… a call had come in the dead of night. Lena’s voice, raw and breaking, shook me through the line.

“I… I need to see you… please…” she had begged.

I didn’t hesitate. Not for a second.

I grabbed a cloak, wrapped myself in it, and climbed over the balcony, orders shouted, the chaos of preparations for war—but somehow, I slipped through unnoticed.

I ran like hell, across the fields, past the familiar paths, my heart hammering in time with my frantic footsteps. The lake—the place we always met—loomed ahead. I slowed only when I reached it, crouching behind a cluster of reeds, scanning the darkness.

Time stretched. The wind rustled. And then—a light. A car, slowly approaching, breaking the night’s stillness.

Relief surged as I stepped forward—but confusion hit me too. Lena emerged from the driver’s seat, tears streaking her face.

“When… when did you learn to drive?” I asked, frowning.

Without warning, she slammed her shoulder into mine, sobs wracking her body.

“You really had time to think about that,” she gasped between tears, “when the kingdom’s about to face a war?“

I froze, the weight of her despair settling over me. She was shaking, broken. And all I could do was hold onto her, silent, letting her let it out.

“What’s going to happen now…” Lena sobbed against my chest. “There’s no stopping Father anymore. The coup is determined to take over the kingdom.”

“Shh…” I held her tighter. “I’ll figure this out. My father’s fall… it’s been inevitable for a long time now.”

She pulled back just enough to look at me, tears blurring her eyes. “But what about you? What’s going to happen to you?” Her voice broke. “You are… you are the Crown Prince.”

“I’ll talk to your father,” I said, even as doubt pressed at my ribs. “I will. We’ll find a way. The war won’t break out until winter ends—there’s still time for negotiation.”

Slowly, we separated.

“I’m scared,” she whispered. “I’m scared of—”

“Nothing is going to happen to me, Lena,” I cut in gently.

The truth was—I didn’t have all the answers. I didn’t have solutions to every fear shaking her apart. But there was one thing I could give her.

I reached into my pocket and took out what I’d been carrying for days, waiting for the right moment that never came.

“What’s that?” she asked softly.

“I don’t have a ring,” I admitted. “And this isn’t how I planned to do this.” I took her hand and placed the necklace into her palm. “But I need you to know this isn’t just hope. It’s a promise.”

She looked up, startled. “What—”

“Marry me, Lena.” My voice didn’t waver. “We’ll survive this war. Together. And when this ends… I will make you my Queen.”

Lena stared at me, her hands clutching the necklace, her breaths coming in uneven gasps. I could see the storm of emotions in her eyes—fear, disbelief, hope, maybe even a flicker of relief.

“Matthew… I…” Her voice faltered. She swallowed, trying to steady herself. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Then don’t say anything yet,” I whispered, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “Just promise me one thing—trust me. Trust that I’ll protect you. Trust that we’ll get through this together.”

She nodded slowly, tears still streaking her cheeks, but determination building behind them. “I trust you,” she said finally.

That was enough for me. Enough to give me strength for what was coming.

We stayed like that for a long moment, just holding each other as the wind from the lake rippled through the trees. But reality had a way of creeping back, uninvited. The war, the coup, the kingdom—it wouldn’t wait for us to catch our breath.

“I should go back,” I said reluctantly, pulling back slightly. “The palace… my mother…”

She shook her head. “No. Go. You have to be careful. Don’t let anyone see you out here.”

I nodded, pressing a final kiss to her temple before letting go. “I’ll see you again as soon as I can.”

She stepped back, clutching the necklace to her chest, watching me. “Matthew… be safe.”

“I always am, for you,” I said, trying to sound braver than I felt. Then, without another word, I turned and melted into the shadows of the trees, retracing the paths I knew so well back to the palace.

The fields were silent under the moonlight, the world holding its breath as I ran. Every step carried me closer to the palace—and closer to the storm waiting within its walls.

By the time I reached the gates, the chaos of preparation had quieted slightly, the guards still tense but unaware of my brief absence. I slipped back inside, heart still pounding, and made my way to my chambers, already planning my next move.

But fate had other plans for me…