A Desperate Escape

At the age of 15, Leo feels trapped in a life he never chose. The weight of his engagement to Elena and the growing responsibilities of noble life are becoming unbearable. Every day feels like another step further from the person he once was—a carefree child who roamed the village, free from the expectations that now suffocate him. He feels the walls of the Ravenswood estate closing in around him, and with each passing day, the desire to escape becomes more urgent.

One evening, as Leo overhears a conversation between his father and some of the family's advisors, the idea comes to him. The kingdom is on the brink of war with a neighboring realm, and Leo sees this as his chance—his only chance—to escape the life that's been forced upon him.

Leo's Resolve

The decision is impulsive, born of desperation and a longing for freedom. The next morning, Leo approaches Count Ravenswood, his hands trembling but his resolve clear.

"Father, I want to join the army. I want to fight in the war," Leo declares, his voice firm but filled with the weight of his inner turmoil.

Count Ravenswood looks at him in surprise, a frown creasing his brow. "Leo, you're a child. This is not a decision to be taken lightly. You cannot throw your future away on a whim."

But Leo, determined and resolute, presses on. "I am not a child anymore. I need to prove myself, Father. Not to you, but to myself. I need to fight. To do something meaningful."

Leo's plea is met with a long silence. Count Ravenswood considers the request, his eyes narrowing as he studies Leo. The thought of losing his heir, even temporarily, unsettles him, but he sees something in Leo—a determination that he cannot easily dismiss.

"You're too young, Leo. There are other ways to prove yourself." His tone is gentle, but there's an unmistakable firmness in his words.

Leo's heart sinks, but he doesn't back down. "This is the only way. You've made decisions for me my entire life. It's time I made one for myself."

After a long, tense pause, Count Ravenswood reluctantly agrees, though not without reservation.

"Very well, if this is what you truly want, then I will allow it. But understand that the battlefield is not a place for children."

Leo's Motivation:

As Leo prepares for his departure, his thoughts are consumed by more than just the desire for freedom. In the quiet moments of his training, as he learns the art of swordsmanship and military strategy, his mind often drifts back to Zane. Leo wonders where Zane is now, what kind of life he has in the distant noble household. Leo's heart aches with the memory of their bond—of the simplicity and safety he once felt in Zane's presence. He hopes that by proving himself on the battlefield, he will one day be strong enough to rescue Zane from the life of servitude he has been condemned to.

Leo has no illusion that he can change his own fate easily. But on the battlefield, he believes he can carve out a life of his own—a life where he can make his own choices, where he can be the hero he once dreamed of being. The thought of Zane, still trapped in the shadows of his own life, pushes him onward.

As Leo leaves the Ravenswood estate, ready to begin his journey to the frontlines, the world he knew as a child seems like a distant memory. The luxury, the politeness, the structure of noble life—all of it fades into the background. He's now stepping into the unknown, driven by a longing for purpose, a need to be more than the son of a powerful family. Leo hopes that by embracing this war, he might finally find the freedom and self-worth he's been craving.

In the silence of the carriage ride to the battlefield, Leo clutches the sword given to him by his father—a symbol of both his noble blood and his unspoken desire to protect those he loves. He knows the road ahead will be dangerous, but for the first time in a long while, he feels a sense of control. He's finally making his own choices, for better or worse.

And somewhere, deep in his heart, Leo holds onto the hope that one day, the battlefield will lead him back to Zane.

Zane's Devastation – Learning of Leo's Engagement

Zane's Discovery: At the age of 20, Zane has spent years adjusting to his life as a servant in the noble household. The days are long, and the work grueling, but he's found small comforts in the routine, particularly in the kitchen where he can lose himself in cooking. It's in the kitchen one day, while wiping down counters after preparing a meal, that his eyes fall on a discarded newspaper left on the table. The headline catches his attention: "Lord Leo Ravenswood Engaged to Lady Elena Whitmore of the Whitmore Family."

The words hit Zane like a physical blow. His heart seems to stop for a moment, and a wave of shock and disbelief washes over him. He never thought it would come to this—never imagined that Leo would move on, that the bond they shared would fade so completely in the eyes of the world. Zane has always held on to a fragile hope that, one day, Leo would come back for him. That perhaps, against all odds, they would be reunited. But the engagement is the final blow to that dream.

For Zane, the reality is crushing. Leo, the boy he once protected, the one who had meant everything to him, is now to marry someone else. The shock of it leaves him breathless, and a deep sense of loss settles into his chest. He had been foolish to believe that Leo might remember him, that their connection might survive the years and distance.

Zane stands frozen for a long moment, the newspaper crumpled in his hands as the weight of the news settles in. The life he once shared with Leo, the friendship and the bond, feels like a lifetime ago. The ache in his chest is palpable, and he wonders if he's truly lost Leo forever.

The devastation of the news doesn't leave Zane wallowing for long, though. The grief twists into something sharper, more intense: determination. He can't accept the thought that Leo will simply fade from his life without a fight. Zane has spent years imagining what it would be like to see Leo again, to pick up where they left off. Now that dream feels more distant than ever, but the idea of letting Leo go without even trying to reconnect is unbearable.

With the meager savings he's managed to scrape together over the years, Zane makes a decision. He will leave the noble household. He will find Leo.

The resolve takes root in him like a fire. He doesn't know where to begin or how he'll find Leo among the vast territories. The world is wide, and the separation between them seems insurmountable, but Zane can't shake the belief that he must try. He owes it to himself—and to Leo—to fight for what they had, even if it feels impossible.

Without much more than a few belongings and his determination, Zane leaves the household. The kitchen, the servants' quarters, the life he has known for so long, all fade behind him as he sets off on a journey that promises to be as uncertain as it is painful.

As the days stretch into weeks, Zane's journey takes him through unfamiliar towns and villages. Every step forward brings a mixture of hope and doubt. He wonders if Leo still remembers him, or if the years have completely erased their bond from his heart. The reality of their separation begins to sink in with each passing day, and as Zane wanders further away from the only life he's known, the pain of their lost connection weighs heavily on him. He wonders if fate has already decided that their paths will never cross again, if the distance between them has grown too great to be bridged.

But Zane presses on, his heart set on finding Leo—whether to bring back what they once had or simply to see him again. Though the road ahead is uncertain and filled with doubt, Zane refuses to let go of the sliver of hope that has kept him going all these years: that somehow, he and Leo can find each other again.