Cesia Velmont

Cesia Velmont was the pride of the Velmont Duchy, a paragon of nobility who embodied grace, intelligence, and ambition. Born as the eldest daughter of one of the kingdom's most powerful families, her life was dictated by duty and expectation from the moment she drew her first breath. The Velmont Duchy's lineage, blessed with fire spirits and a history of unyielding loyalty to the crown, stood just below the royal family in influence and prestige.

And for as long as Cesia could remember, her life revolved around one person: Crown Prince Darion.

Their engagement had been arranged when she was just a child, a political alliance between the kingdom's two most powerful houses. Yet, to young Cesia, it had been more than a contract. It was destiny. Darion, with his raven-black hair and piercing silver eyes, had been her first companion, her first love, and, in her mind, her future.

But Darion had always been distant, his gaze as cold as the winter snow. Even as a boy, he carried himself with the composure of someone burdened by the weight of the crown. He rarely smiled and often spoke in clipped tones, his words pragmatic rather than kind.

Cesia, however, was undeterred. If anything, his aloofness made her feelings for him stronger. She saw his coldness not as rejection but as the natural demeanor of a prince, someone who had been raised to put the kingdom above all else. To her, it was proof of his dedication to his role, and she admired him for it.

The world around her only reinforced her beliefs. Servants, tutors, and even her own family would praise them as a perfect pair: Cesia, the warm, compassionate duchess-to-be, and Darion, the composed, unyielding prince. "A union of fire and ice," they called it. Cesia clung to those words like a lifeline, shaping herself into the ideal partner for him.

By the time she turned eighteen and joined the prestigious Royal Academy alongside Darion and other noble heirs, Cesia was certain her future was set. This was the final chapter before their marriage, the final step in proving her worth as his wife. She had spent years preparing for this moment—studying diplomacy, perfecting courtly manners, and mastering the responsibilities of a duchess. She was ready to stand by Darion's side, as she always believed she would.

But then, Lucy appeared.

Lucy Elvins was a name that would soon come to haunt Cesia. A baron's daughter from a family with no notable wealth, connections, or influence, Lucy was as far removed from the polished nobility of the academy as one could be. Her presence was awkward, her manners unrefined, and her clumsy demeanor often drew quiet snickers from the other nobles.

And yet, it was Lucy who shattered the unshakable confidence Cesia had spent her entire life building.

It happened during a routine lecture on governance. A servant had spilled tea near the Crown Prince's desk, and Darion, in his usual cold manner, reprimanded the servant with a sharp remark. Lucy, sitting two rows behind, stood up abruptly, her voice cutting through the silence.

"Just because you're the Crown Prince doesn't give you the right to humiliate others," she said, her tone firm but not disrespectful.

The room froze. Cesia felt her breath catch as all eyes turned to Darion, whose silver gaze fixed on Lucy with something almost unreadable. For a moment, Cesia thought he might retaliate, his pride bruised by the outburst. But instead, he said nothing.

Afterward, when Cesia approached him in the courtyard, hoping to discuss the incident, Darion only gave her a dismissive glance. "She's the first woman to ever talk to me like that," he said. His voice was calm, but there was something underneath it—a faint curiosity, an interest Cesia had never seen directed at her.

That single sentence echoed in Cesia's mind for days.

Lucy wasn't polished or graceful. She wasn't the product of years of grooming and preparation. She wasn't anything Cesia had been taught a future queen should be. And yet, she had caught the Crown Prince's attention in a single moment of defiance.

Cesia's carefully crafted world, built on years of certainty and devotion, began to crack. For the first time, she questioned whether Darion was truly hers—or if he had ever been hers at all.