The night was alive with a restless stillness, the kind that carried secrets on its back. The castle loomed ahead, its pale stone shimmering in the moonlight, the windows glinting like watchful eyes. You crouched in the shadows of the garden, hidden among the rose bushes, every muscle tense with anticipation.

The air was cool and sharp, scented faintly with the delicate perfume of blooming flowers. Somewhere in the distance, a guard’s boots clicked faintly against cobblestones, but you didn’t flinch. Instead, you watched, waited, your gaze fixed on a single balcony jutting out from the castle wall like an invitation.

A faint light spilled from within, a golden glow that framed the figure standing just beyond the threshold. Princess Jill. Even from a distance, she seemed ethereal. Her jet black hair cascaded over her shoulders, catching the candlelight like threads of copper, and the soft fabric of her gothic nightgown swayed with the evening breeze. She leaned lightly against the balustrade, her gaze lost in the night as though searching for something—or someone.

You felt your chest tighten, your breath catching at the sight. For a moment, you hesitated, your fingers brushing against the ivy-clad wall before you. The enormity of what you were about to do loomed, but the thought of turning back never even crossed your mind.