1 /1/ I promise

<A year ago>

"Father please, you cannot send him to the battlefield, he is not a knight!" Sania pleaded as tears trickled down her cheek.

The thought of having the man she loves dearly leave for the battlefield to die by the hands of their allies sent a shiver down her spine. As if the imagination wasn't enough, her father had insisted on making it a reality.

"He claims to be worthy of your love, doesn't he? Then do not be afraid, he will return."

"No father!" Sania interjected.

She fell on her knees against the cold bedroom floor and held onto her father's robe, an act that could never go unnoticed by the King, and one that she believed might change her father's mind.

He had been against her relationship with Damien from the start. And for a king as wealthy and powerful as Ezra, having a peasant marry his daughter was worse than being stripped and dragged along the street.

"Sania." King Ezra took her hand and attempted to lift her off the ground, but Sania did not comply. She clung to her father's feet and let his robe soak every drop of tears from her eyes.

"My wish, is for you to be with a man whose arms are worthy to embrace you, whose wealth is sufficient to maintain the beauty that I've seen all these years. And not a man whose interested in you doesn't go beyond his benefits from the palace." He withdrew his legs, took a few steps away from her, and resisted the urge to give in to her demands.

His tone was stern, and his gaze was fierce. As Sania looked up to him, she imagined a demon's horn on the man she once knew to be a loving father who was willing to do anything she asked him.

"What if I promise not to have anything to do with him?" Sania asked and slowly stood to her feet. Since her father's hatred towards Damien was due to their relationship, she hoped that ending things with the peasant might change her father's mind about sending him to war.

"I'll stay away from him," she said.

"I'll not marry him if that is what you want, Father. But please, do not send him to war, I beg you!" Her mother walked into the room while she was yet to complete her statement.

Her presence ought to have brought ease, even though she bore the aura of a Queen. But instead, Sania knew that her presence in the room was nothing but fuel to a burning lamp.

Besides, Damien's existence in the life of Sania had always been a thorn in her mother's flesh, but she never talked about it as often as King Ezra. Sania knew that her mother would be in support of her father's decision.

"Quit pleading with your father Sania." Her mother's respect-demanding voice hallowed from behind, confirming Sania's predictions.

"He had such a stressful day and deserves to rest, rather than listen to your plea," she added and Sania couldn't believe how her parents had grown cold towards her because for once, she refused to do as they wanted her to.

"Mom, please." Sania turned to her mother, the only one she was confident enough to stare in the eye. She assumed that her mother would ignore her, but didn't hesitate to try, only to be cut off.

"Hold your tongue, Sania, I do not want to hear it. Your father and I want the best for you and I don't know why you don't see that, if he is worthy then he will come back for you. And when he does your father will make him one of the wealthiest men in the kingdom, worthy to take care of you like a Princess that you are... " She paused and placed her hand on Sania's shoulder. Unlike King Ezra, she was drawn in by her daughter's pitiable looks.

"But if he doesn't." She continued,

"Then you'll finally understand why your father and I are certain that he's the biggest mistake you'll ever make. Now, your father and I need to rest." She withdrew her hand from Sania's shoulder and walked towards her vanity set where her handmaid slowly took off her jewelry to get her prepared for bed.

Sania remained silent for over a minute. For once, she had failed to hypnotize her parents with her tearful gaze, and miserable condition.

"So the both of you are truly going to do this to me?" She was yet to complete her statement when her father snapped,

"Don't force me to raise my voice at you, Sania!"

Swallowing her last words, Sania stared directly into her father's eyes before walking out of the room and slamming the door behind her. She contained her fury long enough to appease her father, but his stone heart was impenetrable.

She made her way to the stable with a calm expression. Without being told, none could guess that Sania had just been offended because as a princess, her countenance must be honourable at all time and so applies to evey member of the royal family.

In a few minutes, Sania arrived at the Knight's camp on her favorite horse Charlotte with two castle guards behind her.

"Greetings Princess Sania!" Voices of different knights echoed through the air, and she answered everyone of them with a wave or a smile, while the guards who accompanied her went in search of Damien.

In no time, Damien was brought to her inside a tenth, and he was suprised that she had come to see him publicly, especially since thier relationship was kept a secret.

As soon as she saw him, Sania enveloped him in a warm embrace, and let the tears which she held back all those while drop from her eyes.

"Don't go," she pleaded.

"You shouldn't have come here," he said to her, and Sania quickly wiped the tears off her eyes.

"Whoever is bold enough, should come question me about it." Sania interjected.

"I just don't want you to go," she added.

"Your father wouldn't let us, unless I go, I promise you, that I will return." Damien was aware of the King's plan and was determined to prove him wrong.

"I promise," he said again.

"And what will happen if I don't see you again, Damien?" She inquired and fought back the tears that threatened to escape her eyes.

"You don't have to think about that, because I will return." He promised, and enveloped her in a warm embrace knowing that it would be the last time.