Episode 1-- The Garden Princess

The palace was quiet in the early morning, with only the gentle rustling of leaves and the soft cooing of doves to break the silence. Rays of golden sunlight filtered through the tall windows, casting a warm glow across the royal gardens. Among the blooming roses, tulips, and lilies, a girl moved gracefully, her pale blue gown brushing lightly against the grass.

Princess Elenora was not like the other royals. While her elder siblings studied politics, swordsmanship, or court etiquette, she preferred the company of flowers. To her, a single budding rose carried more beauty than the jeweled crown she was expected to wear one day. With fair skin, long golden hair tied with ribbons, and eyes filled with innocent wonder, she looked as though she had stepped out of a fairytale.

Her hands, delicate and uncalloused, carefully plucked a newly blossomed lily. She smiled as though the flower itself had whispered a secret only she could hear.

“Good morning, little one,” she murmured to the bloom, her voice soft and tender.

The royal gardeners often chuckled, calling her “The Garden Princess” for the way she treated flowers as if they were living friends. But Elenora never minded their laughter. To her, kindness was not a weakness, and innocence was not ignorance—it was simply the way her heart had always been.

Yet the world beyond the palace walls did not care for innocence.

“Your Highness,” a stern voice broke her daydreams. Lady Agnes, her governess, stood at the edge of the path, hands clasped in front of her. “His Majesty requests your presence in the audience hall.”

Elenora blinked, startled. “Father? At this hour?”

“Yes, Princess. It seems… urgent.”

The lily in her hands trembled slightly as her heart grew uneasy. She gave it one last gentle look before placing it into her basket and following Lady Agnes back inside.

The grand audience hall was filled with silence when Elenora entered. Her father, King Aldric, sat upon the throne with a grave expression. The queen stood beside him, her eyes filled with quiet sorrow.

“My daughter,” the king began, his deep voice echoing across the chamber, “you have reached an age where duty must guide your path.”

Elenora’s lips parted, her innocent eyes wide. “Duty…?”

The queen stepped forward, brushing a strand of golden hair from Elenora’s face. “There are troubles in the kingdom. To secure peace, you must marry.”

The words struck her like a cold wind. Marriage. Though raised as a princess, Elenora had never imagined herself standing beside a man she barely knew. She dreamed of gardens, of quiet days filled with laughter, not of political alliances.

“Marry…?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

The king’s gaze hardened, though not unkindly. “The Duke of Ravenwall has agreed to the proposal. He is a man of great power and influence. With him by your side, our kingdom will remain safe.”

Elenora’s heart pounded. She had heard the name before. The duke was a man known for his icy demeanor and ruthless discipline. Soldiers feared his presence; nobles respected him out of necessity, not affection. How could such a man ever look at her, a timid girl who spoke more to flowers than to people?

Her hands clutched the fabric of her gown, but her soft voice finally spoke. “If this is what Father wishes… I shall obey.”

The queen embraced her gently, whispering words of comfort. “Do not be afraid, my child. Even the coldest winter can be softened by the warmth of spring.”

Elenora closed her eyes, letting her mother’s words sink in, though fear still lingered in her heart. She had always believed in the language of flowers—that roses could mean love, lilies purity, and violets faithfulness. Perhaps, she thought with trembling hope, her heart might one day reach the duke’s, like sunlight coaxing a bud to bloom.

But for now, she remained the Garden Princess—innocent, soft, and unprepared for the storm her destiny would bring.

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