"You know I can’t do that, and are you breaking our promise right now?” I asked, my voice filled with a mix of sadness and frustration that I couldn't quite hide. It felt as if my heart was caught in a vice, squeezed by the weight of the situation. “We promised that we would be together forever, but how could we do that if I stayed at the castle? Are you telling me to just wait until you get engaged to another noble? What about my obligations to my family? They count on me too, Princess,” I continued, my words tumbling out in a rushed whisper. “Don’t worry, I will become a duke one day; you just need to wait for me, okay?”
“Okay, I promise I will wait for you,” Princess Eira replied, her voice soft yet resolute. A hopeful smile broke across her face, illuminating the depths of her blue ey
