ibiangoyike

In the kingdom of Valderin, where strength defines one's worth, Elara dreams of becoming a knight—an honor forbidden to women. Determined to defy the odds, she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in the kingdom’s elite knight training.

But her path is anything but easy. Standing between her and her dream is Commander Damien, the kingdom’s strongest warrior and the leader of the knights. Ruthless, disciplined, and unyielding, he sees her as nothing more than a weakling unworthy of his approval. If she wants to survive the brutal trials and earn her place among the knights, she must prove him wrong.

As Elara rises through the ranks, pushing past limits she never imagined, Damien begins to notice something unsettling about this new recruit—an unwavering determination that sets "him" apart. The more they clash, the more the tension between them grows, sparking emotions neither of them can afford to feel.

But war is brewing, and secrets can only stay hidden for so long. When the truth comes to light, will Elara’s strength be enough to protect her dream—or will the betrayal cost her everything, including the man she never meant to fall for?

A Warrior's secret

Elara sat at the training grounds, rolling her sore shoulders as Kai flopped onto the grass beside her.

"I swear, if we run one more lap today, I'm throwing myself into the river," Kai groaned dramatically.

Elara smirked. "You say that every day."

Kai sighed. "And every day, I mean it."

Their short break didn't last long. A group of recruits passed by, one of them—Tomas, a loud-mouthed brute—grinning in her direction.

"Oi, Eli!" Tomas called, smirking. "You sure you're a guy? With those lashes, you've got half the noble girls jealous."

Another recruit laughed. "Maybe we should start calling him Lady Eli!"

Elara stiffened, forcing a dry chuckle. "You lot have nothing better to do?"

Kai snickered. "They're just jealous. If you were an actual girl, you'd probably outshine the princess."

Elara shot him a look. "You're not helping."

Kai only shrugged. "Hey, I'm just saying."

Elara rolled her eyes. Great. Just great. She wasn't even trying to stand out, but somehow, people still found things to tease her about.

Damien: The Unattainable Knight

Across the courtyard, Damien stood at his post, his usual stoic expression in place.

But despite his silence, he was impossible to ignore.

It wasn't just his presence—commanding, effortless, and unwavering—but his sharp, chiseled features, the kind that made people stare.

His dark hair, slightly tousled, framed his piercing gray eyes that held a depth no one could quite understand. Paired with his broad shoulders and the way he carried himself—every step exuding quiet power—it wasn't surprising that noblewomen gravitated toward him like moths to a flame.

Unfortunately for them, he never spared them a glance.

"Sir Damien, you must be exhausted standing here all day," one noble lady cooed, fanning herself dramatically. "Would you care for a drink?"

Another girl giggled. "Or perhaps… company?"

Rhys, standing beside him, looked far too entertained.

He nudged Damien. "You know, if you keep ignoring them, they might just drop dead from heartbreak."

Damien barely reacted. "Then let them."

But not everyone was so easy to ignore.

From the royal balcony, Princess Seraphina watched Damien with a careful, knowing gaze.

She was stunning—golden-haired, dressed in deep sapphire silks that shimmered in the sunlight. A vision of grace and nobility.

And from the way her eyes followed Damien, it was obvious—she was interested.

Elara turned just as Celeste strode toward her, her usual elegant composure tinged with something sharper.

Celeste always carried herself like she was above everyone else—graceful, confident, untouchable. But today, her expression was almost… irritated.

Celeste crossed her arms. "You need to learn your place."

Celeste scoffed. "You barely keep up in training, you don't have a noble name, and yet somehow—" she gestured vaguely at the recruits, "—you have people treating you like some kind of prince."

Celeste's lips curled slightly. "Even looking like you do, you get away with far too much."

Elara clenched her fists. "So what? I annoy you just by existing?"

Celeste scoffed. "I despise people who think they can just walk in and belong."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.

Kai whistled under his breath. "She really doesn't like you."

Elara sighed. She was getting real tired of people talking about her looks instead of her skills.

She had to train harder. Prove herself.

She was just a recruit struggling to keep up.

Beauty, power and unwanted attention