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

The training ground was buzzing with its usual energy, the clash of steel and grunts of effort filling the air. Elara stood among the recruits, rolling out her shoulders, trying to shake off the aches from the previous day.

She had improved. At least, she wasn't falling flat on her face as often. But she wasn't foolish enough to think she was anywhere near the best. Every morning was another battle to keep up, another reminder of how much further she had to go.

Kai stood beside her, stretching. "You look dead inside."

"I feel dead inside," she muttered back.

Before he could respond, a sharp voice cut through the air.

Damien strode in, his presence as commanding as ever. But today, he wasn't alone. A new figure walked beside him—a man with a sharp, assessing gaze, dark hair neatly tied back, and an air of quiet efficiency.

"This is Valen," Damien announced. "He will be overseeing combat training alongside me."

A ripple of murmurs spread through the recruits. Another superior to impress. Another pair of eyes watching.

Elara felt Valen's gaze land on her, briefly, before sweeping over the rest. Unlike Damien's cold detachment, his expression held something else—curiosity, maybe. Amusement?

Valen spoke, his voice smooth but firm. "I expect results. Not excuses."

Elara swallowed. Great. Another person to make her life harder.

Drills and Discipline

The first round of sparring was brutal. Elara had thought she was getting better, but Valen was quick to pick out flaws in their forms, correcting with sharp comments and unrelenting drills.

"Predictable," he remarked to another.

When he reached Elara, she braced herself.

Valen raised an eyebrow. "Stubborn. But there's something to work with."

Not a compliment, but not an insult either.

From the side, Keshav remained his usual quiet presence, observing but never interfering. Unlike Valen, he didn't seem interested in breaking recruits down—only in watching, assessing, and following Damien's lead.

Elara caught his gaze for a moment, but as always, Keshav said nothing. Just nodded once and turned away.

A Letter from the Past

By nightfall, exhaustion clung to Elara's limbs. She dragged herself back to her quarters, already dreaming of sleep.

The moment she picked it up and recognized the handwriting, her heart lurched.

I don't know what in the depths of madness you've gotten yourself into, but your parents finally cracked and told me where you ran off to.

No excuses. No running. You are explaining this madness to me in person."

Elara groaned, pressing the letter against her forehead.

Unyielding resolve