STOLEN HAM

Sophia had a plan. It was brilliant, fearless, and potentially disastrous—which meant it was perfect.

Darian was as stubborn as stone, as cold as a winter wind, and uninterested in any conversation. And what was the best way to get close to someone? Food, of course! There was no way he could resist a warm, juicy meal made with love. If he didn't want to talk, she would make him listen while he ate.

And so, here she was—in the dark hallways of the royal castle, hiding behind pillars as she tracked the movements of the guards. The kitchen was on the other side of the castle, and she had heard that it was locked at night. But that didn't stop her.

She crept silently toward the door. The smell of freshly baked bread and roasted meat, cooling for tomorrow's feast, filled the air. She could already imagine the look on Darian's face when she handed him a meal she had personally prepared.

"This is a great idea, Sophia," she whispered to herself, building up her courage. "What could possibly go wrong?"

Just as she reached for the handle, she heard voices.

"Do we really have to do this again?" a weak voice asked, full of fear.

Sophia pressed herself against the wall and peeked through a small crack in the door. Inside, two maids stood, their faces pale.

"We must not question orders," the other replied, nervously gripping her apron. "You know what happened to the last one who asked too many questions."

Sophia frowned. What were they talking about?

"But she… she was so young…" The first maid's voice trembled.

"Quiet!" the other cut her off sharply. "If someone hears you…"

Sophia shivered. Something was happening here. Something dark.

But before she could think about it further, the maids left the kitchen, and she quickly crouched behind a barrel. Once they passed, she carefully opened the door and slipped inside.

The kitchen was empty. Hundreds of spice racks, massive tables covered in dishes, and—ah, there! A large, fragrant ham lay on a wooden board. Perfect!

She quickly picked it up but hadn't accounted for how heavy it was. She stumbled backward, and at that moment, something rattled—an entire stack of pots and pans crashed from a shelf.

The noise echoed through the castle.

"Uh-oh."

Footsteps echoed in the hallway. The guards.

She had no time to think. Grabbing the ham, she ran.

"Arrest her?" a guard's voice rang down the corridor as Sophia sprinted as fast as she could. "Who would be crazy enough to steal food from the royal kitchen?!"

"I don't know, but she's heading for the east wing!"

Sophia groaned. Maybe this wasn't as brilliant an idea as she had originally thought.

She turned a corner and, without looking, crashed into someone. Strong arms caught her before she could fall, and when she looked up—she realized she had landed right in Darian's embrace.

Of course.

He stared at her for a long moment, then slowly looked at the ham in her hands, then back at her.

Sophia swallowed hard. "Uhh… Good evening?"

His expression remained unchanged. "Why are you carrying a giant ham?"

She cleared her throat. "Well, you know… I thought, maybe you were hungry. And then I thought, what if I bring you something delicious? And then I, um… kind of… ended up here. With this ham. And the guards are chasing me. Heh."

Darian raised an eyebrow. "The guards are chasing you?"

"Maybe."

Footsteps sounded around the corner. Sophia laughed nervously. "Definitely."

Darian sighed, grabbed her hand, and pulled her through a side door.

When they finally reached a safe part of the castle, Sophia stretched out her arms. "Well, that was exciting!"

Darian just stared at her. "You are incredibly annoying."

She laughed. "I know. But admit it, it was a little fun."

Darian didn't respond.

Sophia sighed. "Alright, alright. Maybe it wasn't the best plan, but… seriously, Darian, what's going on here? Why is everyone so scared?"

He looked at her, and for a moment, something flickered in his eyes—something she couldn't quite read.

"Don't ask questions you don't want answers to."

___

Sophia sat on the edge of her bed, rocking back and forth as she stared at the door. It was locked. Again.

This wasn't an accident. After what the guards had referred to as her "ham incident," Darian had apparently decided she was too dangerous to be left wandering freely around the castle. As if she were a mischievous child who needed to be kept under lock and key.

"As if I'd just sit quietly and wait for them to reveal all their dark secrets," she muttered to herself, standing up and stretching. "No, my dear captors, if I can't get answers the easy way, I'll find them the hard way."

Just then, she heard footsteps outside her door. She quickly adopted an expression of absolute boredom, sat back down, and waited. The lock clicked, and the door opened. Two maids entered, carrying a breakfast tray.

"Good morning, Miss Sophia," the older one said, setting the food down on the table.

"Good morning, ladies!" Sophia said brightly. "How did you sleep? Any gossip? How's the royal kitchen this morning? Has anyone stolen a ham again? I hear it's becoming a popular pastime."

The younger maid lowered her gaze, but the older one spoke sternly. "Miss Sophia, you'd do well not to cause any more trouble. Lord Darian has been more than patient with you."

Sophia rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes. His warmth and kindness nearly melted my heart. But tell me, ladies, why is everyone here so tense? You whisper behind closed doors, jump at your own shadows… Is something going on?"

The maids stiffened.

"We don't know what you're talking about," the older one replied quickly, but Sophia caught the nervous glance from the younger girl.

She stood up and approached lightly. "You don't know, or you can't say?"

The younger maid swallowed hard and darted an anxious look at the older woman. "We must go. If you need anything, ring the bell."

Sophia pouted dramatically. "Oh, how mysterious. Fine, fine, go on. I'll just sit here and die of boredom."

As soon as the door closed, she grabbed an apple from the tray and walked to the window. Below, guards patrolled the courtyard. The chances of escaping were slim, but the chances of her sitting still and doing nothing were even slimmer.

An hour later, Sophia was sneaking through the hallway, listening carefully for any sounds. She still had no idea where exactly she was going, but she had to find something. If nothing else, at least a little freedom.

As she turned a corner, she collided with someone.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, can't you—" she started, but then she looked up and found a pair of icy blue eyes studying her.

Darian.

She didn't move. He stood there, tall, dark, and not at all surprised to see her outside her room again. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"How long do you plan to act as if rules are just a suggestion?"

Sophia sighed. "Rules are boring. Besides, I didn't know I was in prison. If I had, I would've demanded a better breakfast."

His face remained expressionless, but she could feel that he was amused. Just a little.

"Go back to your room."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'll carry you."

Sophia raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? I'd love to see you try—"

Before the words were fully out of her mouth, Darian effortlessly lifted her over his shoulder.

"Hey!" she yelped, pounding her fists against his back. "You can't just carry me around like a sack of potatoes!"

"Interesting," he said, "because that's exactly what I'm doing."

Guards stared in surprise as he walked down the hallway, carrying her as if she weighed nothing. Sophia felt her face heat up.

"Alright, alright, I get it!" she said. "Put me down!"

Darian ignored her protests until they reached her room. He opened the door and unceremoniously dropped her onto the bed.

"Stay here."

"And what if I don't?" she challenged, arms crossed.

Darian leaned closer, and for a brief moment, there was something unreadable in his eyes… something that almost looked like a warning.

"Sophia," he said slowly, "don't play with things you don't understand."

His voice was quiet but cold. It was the first real sign that behind his icy exterior lay something dangerous.

Then he turned and locked the door behind him.

Sophia sighed, lying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

What exactly was this castle hiding?