The morning sun had barely risen when Lord Varyn stood on his black war horse, staring at the land ahead.
Behind him, an army stretched across the hills.
Thousands of armored men waited in silence, their weapons shining under the pale light. The wind moved through them like a warning.
Varyn did not blink.
"Today, we move," Varyn commanded, his voice cutting through the crisp morning air.
"Every step we take brings us closer to the one with the red dragon mark. Do not fail me."
A single command.
And the army began to move.
Dust rose behind them like smoke. The sound of marching boots filled the land.
No one spoke.
No one dared.
The column of riders and foot soldiers advanced steadily toward the borders of King Ryan's territory. Hours passed as they crossed hills, forests and open fields the tension among Varyn's men growing with each mile.
By midday, the castle of King Ryan appeared on the horizon.
Tall walls.
Strong gates.
A kingdom that did not know what was coming.
Varyn raised his hand.
The army stopped.
He smiled slightly.
"Now," he whispered, "we take what belongs to me."
And they moved forward again.
The castle gates were flanked by vigilant guards, who raised their weapons as Varyn's forces approached.
"Hold!" one of the guards shouted. "No one enters without the king's command!"
Varyn's eyes narrowed, and a cold smile crept across his face. "These gates will open, or those who block them will be killed," he ordered calmly but with deadly authority.
The guards hesitated, unsure of how to respond to the ruthless threat. Varyn's horse stepped closer, and his voice rang out again: "I said — let no one stop me. If you do, die where you stand."
Reluctantly, the guards stepped aside, opening the gates under the weight of his command. Varyn and his forces rode inside, filling the courtyard with the dark aura of power and danger.
By now, King Ryan had received word of Varyn's approach. He emerged from the castle, dressed in his armor, his expression resolute. He rode forward to meet the intruder personally, the sun glinting off his sword.
King Ryan walked out.
Sword at his side.
His voice carried across the courtyard.
"Varyn. You dare enter my kingdom with force?"
Varyn dismounted slowly.
"I did not come for war," he said.
Ryan's eyes sharpened. "Then leave."
Varyn smiled faintly.
"Not yet until I get what I'm looking for."
"You will not lay a hand on this castle. State your purpose and leave immediately."
Varyn dismounted slowly, his eyes cold and calculating as he surveyed the king. "King Ryan," he said smoothly, "I have come for what is mine. You will not stop me, and nothing will hide the one I seek."
The two leaders faced each other across the courtyard, the tension crackling like lightning in the still morning air. Around them, soldiers held their positions, aware that the coming moments could decide the fate of the kingdom.
The courtyard was tense, filled with the echo of armored soldiers and the soft clatter of horses' hooves. King Ryan stood tall, facing Lord Varyn, his sword at his side, his gaze steady.
Behind him, Queen Natalie appeared, her presence calm but resolute. "Ryan," she said softly, "I will not stay hidden while he threatens our home."
Before Ryan could respond, Princess Nara stepped out from the corridor behind her mother. Her eyes were wide as she saw the approaching enemy for the first time.
The sunlight caught her hair, and for a brief moment, she stood frozen, staring at the dark figure of Varyn and his forces. She was not aware of who he really was.
"Father…" she whispered, fear and curiosity mingling in her voice.
King Ryan turned sharply, his eyes locking onto his daughter. "Nara!" he commanded firmly, his voice cutting through the tension in the air. "Go back to your room! Now!"
Nara hesitated, her gaze lingering on Varyn, but the urgency in her father's tone compelled her to obey. She turned quickly and retraced her steps toward the castle corridor, her heart pounding in her chest.
Queen Natalie stepped closer to Ryan, her expression serious. "She saw him… this is dangerous. Are you sure she must remain unaware of everything?"
Ryan's jaw tightened. "She cannot witness what comes next. The moment she sees too much, she becomes vulnerable. For now, she must remain protected, even from the truth."
Lord Varyn stood silently, his eyes scanning the castle, unaware that the princess had already glimpsed him. The courtyard was thick with tension, the air almost vibrating with the quiet threat of confrontation.
Inside the castle, Nara clutched her hands to her chest, her mind racing with unasked questions.
She did not yet know of the red dragon mark, of Mara, or of the danger creeping ever closer.
Yet the shadow of fear had already touched her for the very first time.
The courtyard fell silent as Lord Varyn took a few slow steps forward, his cloak trailing behind him like a shadow.
His eyes locked onto King Ryan, cold and determined.
"Ryan," he began, his voice low but commanding, "As I have said earlier, I have not come here for war."
King Ryan's gaze stayed steady, though his soldiers tightened their grip on their weapons.
"Then why do you ride with an army to my gates?" he asked firmly.
Varyn smirked slightly, reaching into his coat and pulling out a folded parchment — the same announcement he had sent across the kingdom. He held it up between two fingers.
"I came for one thing only," he said, his tone turning sharp. "I believe you have seen this... the notice about the woman with the mark of the red dragon "
Ryan said nothing.
But his silence was enough.
He stepped closer, his dark eyes gleaming with hunger and power. "This," he continued, shaking the parchment slightly, "is what I came for. Nothing else."
Ryan said nothing, his jaw tightening.
Varyn's voice grew colder, his words echoing through the courtyard. "Bring out the women from this castle — all of them. I will see for myself who bears the mark. If I do not find her, I will leave peacefully."
The soldiers around Ryan shifted uneasily, and even the wind seemed to still.
King Ryan stared at him in silence for a long moment, his mind racing. He knew he couldn't allow Varyn anywhere near Nara — or Mara.
This was exactly the confrontation he had tried to avoid.
"You think I would let you walk into my home and command my people?" Ryan finally replied, his voice steady but laced with anger.
"This is my kingdom, Varyn — not yours."
Varyn's smile faded, replaced by a cold expression. "Then I suggest you think carefully before refusing me," he said quietly. "Because if I must search for her myself, there will be blood."
A tense silence fell again. Soldiers waited for orders, Queen Natalie's heart pounded, and behind the high castle windows, Princess Nara watched from afar, her fear growing — still unaware that she herself was the secret everyone was fighting over.
King Ryan's eyes swept across the courtyard, his expression firm and unyielding. "Very well," he said, his voice carrying over the tense silence. "Bring all the women from the castle here — every single one of them."
He paused, making sure his words were understood. "But hear me clearly Varyn — no harm is to come to anyone. I will not allow a single drop of blood to be spilled in my courtyard. This is a test, not a battlefield."
The castle soldiers nodded, moving quickly to carry out the order. Word spread through the halls, and soon, the women of the castle began to gather in the courtyard, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and fear.
Varyn's dark eyes scanned the assembled crowd, waiting, his presence commanding and cold.
But as the soldiers arranged the women before him, it became clear that one was missing — Princess Nara had not been brought out.