The grand doors of the Sunfire Hall stood tall, their golden engravings shimmering under the chandeliers' glow. Inside, the air carried the faint scent of roses and aged parchment—a room reserved for the most delicate of royal affairs. And there, by the arched window overlooking the gardens, stood her.

Princess Savannah Wind of Windester—her very presence seemed to soften the room's grandeur, as if even the light bent to admire her. The evening sun draped over her like a silken veil, catching the soft pink hues of her eyes—eyes that held the weight of a kingdom's hopes and the quiet fire of a woman who had never been conquered. Her long brown hair, woven with silver thread, cascaded down her back in effortless perfection, and the delicate sapphire pendant at her throat pulsed faintly, a relic of her lineage. Every curve of her gown, every measured breath, spoke of a lifetime spent mastering elegance.

She was more than a princess. She was the princess—the one whose name was whispered in courts across the realm. The jewel of Windester. The warrior who could disarm a man twice her size with a flick of her wrist. The scholar who recited ancient treaties from memory. The artist whose paintings hung in the halls of emperors.

And yet, for all her perfection, she had never been seen. Not truly.

Princes had come before—bearing gifts, flattery, and empty promises. They saw the crown, the beauty, the legend. None had ever stayed long enough to learn the rhythm of her silence or the sharpness of her wit. None had earned so much as a sliver of her trust.

But today was different.

Her family had chosen for her. A prince from the Kingdom of Fire—a stranger, a name without a face. A political match, like all the others. And yet...

"What will he be like?" she wondered, fingertips tracing the edge of the windowsill. "Another fool with pretty words? Or something... else?"

The clock's chime echoed through the hall.

He was late.

A lesser woman might have fumed. A weaker heart might have doubted. But Savannah simply tilted her chin, her lips curving into a faint, unreadable smile.

Let him come.

Let him see what countless others had failed to.

And then—let him try to deserve her.

As the doors finally opened, Savannah turned to face the man who would either become her greatest ally or her most formidable opponent.