The courtyard of King Ryan's castle felt different that afternoon
It was no longer just stone and sunlight.
It felt like a battlefield waiting for blood.
Every woman from the castle stood in a straight line, their hands trembling at their sides, their eyes lowered. Some tried to stay calm, but fear always betrayed them — in the way their fingers shook, in the way they held their breath too long.
Soldiers surrounded them in a tight ring of steel.
And at the center of it all stood Lord Varyn.
He did not move like a normal man.
He moved like something patient… something hunting.
His cloak dragged softly behind him as he walked along the line of women, his boots echoing through the silence. Each step felt heavier than the last, as if the air itself was breaking under his presence.
King Ryan stood at the front of the courtyard with Queen Natalie beside him.
Neither spoke.
But both were watching everything.
Varyn stopped.
Slowly, he turned his head toward Ryan.
His eyes were cold, sharp, almost amused.
"Your Majesty," he said quietly, his voice smooth but dangerous, "you have many women in your castle."
Ryan did not react. "State your purpose."
Varyn smiled faintly.
"Oh, I will."
He began walking again, slowly circling the line of women.
His eyes studied each face carefully — not with interest, but with possession, as if he already owned the truth and was simply confirming it.
He stopped again, turning sharply toward King Ryan.
"Tell me, Your Majesty…" he said slowly, his tone sharp as a blade. "Where is the princess?"
The question struck like lightning. A ripple of unease moved through the guards.
Queen Natalie stiffened, her hand clenching around the folds of her gown.
Ryan's jaw tightened.
But Varyn didn't stop.
He tilted his head slightly, as if enjoying the reaction, his dark eyes glinting. "Is she not one of the ladies of this castle? Or…" — he smiled faintly — "are there reasons she must remain hidden from me?"
Ryan stepped forward. "The princess is not part of this. She has nothing to do with –".
But Varyn interrupted, his voice rising, cutting through the tension. "Bring her here," he demanded.
"If there is nothing to hide, then let her stand with the rest. I wish to see every face that dwells in this castle. Every single one."
A heavy silence followed. Ryan exchanged a quick look with Queen Natalie — her eyes pleading, fearful — but the gathered soldiers were already whispering nervously, unsure how to act.
Finally, King Ryan drew a deep breath and gave the order, his voice firm though heavy with reluctance.
"Bring the princess here," he said quietly. "Now."
Queen Natalie turned slightly toward Ryan, her eyes urgent.
"No…" she whispered. "Ryan, don't—"
But Ryan's face had already hardened.
"If I refuse," he said lowly, "he will suspect something ". "Nara will be in danger if he finds her himself."
Inside the castle, footsteps echoed fast.
Nara was alone in her chamber when the door opened.
A guard entered.
"Your Highness… you are needed in the courtyard."
Nara frowned. "Why?"
The guard hesitated.
"Now, Your Highness."
Something in his voice made her chest tighten.
Moments later, she was walking through the corridors.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
As she moved closer to the courtyard, the air changed.
Colder.
Stranger.
Dangerous.
Then she stepped outside.
And everything stopped.
The courtyard was massive, but it felt small now — filled with soldiers, women, and silence so deep it almost hurt.
Nara was led to the end of the line.
She stood there quietly.
Confused.
Unaware of what was going on.
But she felt it.
Something was wrong.
At the front, King Ryan and Queen Natalie stood frozen, both trying to hide the storm in their eyes.
Ryan subtly raised two fingers toward Captain Alden.
A silent command.
Watch everything. Protect her at all costs.
Alden nodded once.
His hand stayed close to his sword.
Varyn noticed nothing.
Or pretended not to.
Varyn began his inspection slowly, moving from one woman to the next. His gloved fingers brushed the fabric on each shoulder, pulling aside a few collars to reveal bare skin, searching for one thing — the red dragon mark.
Each time he found nothing, he moved to the next, his expression darkening further.
Queen Natalie clasped her hands tightly, whispering a silent prayer under her breath.
Nara stood still, her eyes darting nervously as Varyn moved closer down the line.
Then, after what felt like an eternity, Varyn stopped in front of Mara.
For a moment, he said nothing. His eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed the faint lines of red ink peeking from beneath the fabric on her shoulder.
"What's this?" he murmured, his voice low and dangerous.
Mara froze, her breath catching. Every pair of eyes in the courtyard turned toward her.
King Ryan's jaw tightened.
Alden's hand slowly moved toward the hilt of his sword, muscles tense, waiting for the king's signal.
Varyn's hand reached out — slowly, deliberately — and he pulled back the fabric from Mara's shoulder.
There it was.
The red dragon tattoo glimmered faintly in the sunlight. Like fire under skin.
Varyn's eyes widened, a dark thrill flashing across his face. "Ah…" he breathed. "So it's true. The mark exists."
A ripple of shock and unease spread through the crowd.
Queen Natalie's eyes filled with fear, while King Ryan remained utterly still — though every nerve in his body screamed to act.
For the first time, Princess Nara, standing quietly at the end of the line, saw the mark that had unknowingly bound her fate — not realizing that it was meant for her.
Varyn smiled slowly, a shadow crossing his face.
Finally…" he whispered.
The sound felt wrong in the air.
Like something waking up.
"So this… is the one I've been searching for."
He stepped back slightly, studying her like a weapon he had finally found.
King Ryan's hand clenched tightly around his sword, and Alden's eyes locked on Varyn, waiting — ready for whatever was about to happen next.
The air itself seemed to tremble.
The courtyard remained tense and silent.
All eyes were still on Lord Varyn, who stood in front of Mara, his gaze locked on the glowing red dragon mark on her shoulder.
He did not bother to check the rest of the line.
He simply smiled, a cruel, satisfied grin curling on his lips.
"There's no need to look further," he said smoothly, turning toward King Ryan. "I have found what I came for."
King Ryan's eyes darkened. "And what is it exactly that you've found, Lord Varyn?"
"This is the one, the bearer of the mark".
Mara trembled. "I… I don't understand—"
But Varyn ignored her.
His eyes locked onto Ryan.
"I will take her."
The words hit like thunder.
A sharp gasp escaped Queen Natalie's lips.
Princess Nara, standing at the very end of the line, froze. She didn't understand any of it,
She did not understand the mark.
She did not understand the man.
But she understood fear now.
And somehow… she felt it was connected to her.
And the tone in Varyn's voice made her chest tighten with unease.
King Ryan took one step forward, his presence commanding. "You will not take anyone from my castle," he said firmly. "Mara is one of my own. She belongs here."
Varyn's expression hardened. "You refuse me?" he asked quietly, his voice carrying an eerie calm — the kind that came before a storm.
Ryan met his gaze without flinching. "I do."
For a moment, silence hung between them — heavy, dangerous. Even the soldiers around the courtyard didn't dare breathe too loudly.
Varyn's jaw clenched, and his gloved hand tightened on his sword hilt. "Then you leave me no choice, Your Majesty," he said slowly. "If you stand between me and what I seek… you will fall with it."
Captain Alden took one cautious step forward, hand on his sword, eyes fixed on Varyn. The tension was thick — a single wrong move would ignite the courtyard into chaos.
But before anything could happen, Queen Natalie's voice broke through the silence.
"Please," she said softly, "there is no need for blood. Let us speak of this peacefully."
Varyn looked at her — and for the first time, his cruel smile faded. "There is no peace in a dying man's heart," he murmured. "Only desperation."
He turned back to the king. "I will return by dawn. His voice dropped lower.
"If the girl is not given to me by then…"
A slow smile returned.
"…I will take her with blood."
Silence.
Then he turned.
With that, he signaled to his guards. The dark-armored soldiers turned sharply, and the gates of the castle opened once more. Varyn walked away without another word, the echo of his boots fading into the night — but the threat in his words lingered in the air like smoke.
King Ryan exhaled deeply, his fists still clenched. He turned toward Alden. "Double the guards at every post," he ordered. "No one enters or leaves this castle until I say so."
Alden bowed quickly and rushed off.
Queen Natalie looked at her husband with fear in her eyes. "Ryan… "He will come back…"
Ryan did not look at her.
His eyes were on the courtyard where Varyn had stood.
"I know."
A pause.
Then he added, quieter:
"And when he does… he will die"
The king looked up toward the darkening sky and said quietly, "We protect Nara — no matter the cost."