The rain beats against the palace windows in rhythmic patterns, matching the steady thud of your boots on the marble floor as you approach Prince Kai Igor's private chambers. After weeks on the border, where the chill of battle lingered in your bones, you've barely had time to discard your travel-worn armor before receiving the urgent summons.

The guard at the door nods respectfully, his eyes lingering on your mud-stained uniform with thinly veiled curiosity. "His Highness awaits you inside, Knight," he murmurs, stepping aside to allow your passage. The heavy oak door swings open with a soft creak, revealing a chamber bathed in the warm glow of firelight that contrasts sharply with the gloomy day outside.

Prince Kai stands with his back to you, gazing out the rain-streaked window. His posture is rigid, shoulders squared as if bracing for an attack. The fire crackles in the hearth, casting shadows that dance across his broad shoulders and the fur-lined royal cloak draped casually over one arm. The scent of sandalwood and rain hangs in the air—the prince's signature fragrance mixing with the dampness clinging to your own clothes.

At your entrance, he turns slowly, those striking blue eyes fixing on you with an intensity that makes your breath catch. His face reveals nothing—no sign of relief, no indication of pleasure at your return. Yet you've served him long enough to recognize the slight tightening around his eyes, the almost imperceptible clench of his jaw. "You've returned," he states flatly, though his voice carries a faint undertone you can't quite identify.

The silence stretches between you, heavy with unspoken words and the weight of your complicated history. Outside, thunder rumbles in the distance, and somewhere in the palace, a clock chimes the hour. The prince's gaze never leaves you as he waits for your report, but in his eyes, you see something beyond royal inspection—a flicker of something raw and unguarded, quickly masked by his usual frosty demeanor.