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 kingdom's air was thick with the scent of morning dew as the recruits went about their usual drills. Yet, there was an unshakable feeling in the air—like something had shifted. Perhaps it was the addition of new faces, or maybe it was the quiet yet piercing gaze of Keshav, who had grown noticeably more observant in recent days.

Elara, or rather Eli, felt the weight of this attention. It wasn't just Keshav; even Valen's sharp eyes seemed to linger on her longer than she liked. Was she being paranoid, or had her disguise begun to falter?

She kept her head down and focused on her training. Kai, ever the reassuring presence, sparred beside her, offering quiet encouragement. His presence was a comfort, but it didn't stop the nagging feeling that someone was watching—really watching.

Meanwhile, in another part of the training grounds, Lillian adjusted to her new reality. Though she wasn't part of the knights, she had her own way of making her presence known. Whether it was teasing Elara in hushed tones or bantering with the knights outside the training grounds, she seemed to settle in effortlessly.

But Keshav had taken note of her. Unlike the others who were charmed by her lively personality, he remained distant, unreadable. He wasn't avoiding her, but his attention never lingered too long. It was as if he was deliberately keeping her at arm's length.

As the sun set, Damien stood with Valen and Keshav in the war chamber, pouring over reports. There had been disturbances near the borders—bandits testing the kingdom's defenses. Nothing unusual, yet Damien couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was at play.

Valen was the first to voice his thoughts. "We need to send scouts. If these attacks continue, it could mean something more organized than just rogues."

Keshav nodded, his gaze unreadable as usual. "I'll handle it."

Damien exhaled, rubbing his temples. "Do it. And keep an eye on the recruits. We can't afford distractions."

Little did he know, distractions were already creeping in—whether in the form of a certain recruit who wasn't who he seemed to be or something else?

Unsettling Encounters