The General’s Unknown Bride

The cool night air wrapped around Arianne like a whisper, but it did little to calm the storm brewing inside her.

She stood near the edge of the camp, staring out at the distant torches flickering along the border. The weight of Rian's words still lingered in her mind.

*"You remind me of the princess."*

He was seeing too much. Feeling too much. And so was she.

A rustle behind her made her turn sharply, but she relaxed when she saw Kael approaching.

"You keep sneaking off to be alone," he said. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Arianne sighed. "Nothing I can talk about."

Kael studied her. "Does it have anything to do with the general?"

She stiffened. "Why would you say that?"

Kael smirked. "Because you're different around him. And because he looks at you like you're a riddle he's desperate to solve."

Arianne forced a laugh. "He looks at everyone like that."

Kael shook his head. "Not like this."

Her stomach twisted. Kael wasn't the only one noticing. The more time she spent with Rian, the more dangerous this became.

She needed to remind herself why she was here.

She was Arianne, the soldier. Not the princess.

And she couldn't afford to forget that.

### **Morning Drills and Unexpected Moments**

The next day, training resumed as usual, but Arianne could feel the weight of Rian's gaze on her as they went through their drills.

She focused on her movements, blocking out everything else.

At least until Rian spoke.

"Ari."

She turned to find him standing before her, arms crossed. "Spar with me."

Arianne's breath caught.

Again?

The other recruits exchanged glances. Rian rarely sparred with the same soldier twice in such a short time.

But Arianne didn't question it. She simply nodded, stepping into the ring.

This time, their fight was more than a lesson. It was a test.

Arianne was faster now, her instincts sharper. But Rian was still stronger.

They moved like a dance—strike, counter, evade.

She was determined to win.

Then, in a moment of reckless boldness, she feinted left, then spun right, aiming to knock him off balance.

It almost worked.

But at the last second, Rian caught her wrist, pulling her forward.

Before she knew it, she was pressed against him, her breath hitching as their bodies collided.

Silence fell around them.

Rian's grip tightened, just for a moment, before he released her.

"You're improving," he murmured.

Arianne swallowed. "Not enough."

Rian's eyes darkened. "Not yet."

The way he said it sent a shiver down her spine.

Then he stepped back, the moment broken.

Arianne exhaled sharply, ignoring the way her heart pounded.

She had to stay in control.

Because if she didn't, she wasn't sure what would happen next.

### **The Princess in His Dreams**

That night, Rian found himself restless.

He sat outside his tent, staring at the flames of the nearby fire.

He shouldn't be thinking about Ari.

But he was.

The way she fought. The way she challenged him. The way she felt when she was in his arms, just for that fleeting moment.

And then there was the way she reminded him of the princess.

The princess he had never met, but who had been promised to him since childhood.

He had imagined her as graceful but strong, quiet but determined. A woman who would challenge him, understand him.

And then Ari had arrived.

And she was all of those things.

Was it foolish to think…?

No.

The princess was waiting for him somewhere. Ari was just a soldier.

And yet, as he finally closed his eyes, it wasn't the princess he dreamed of.

It was her.

### **A Late-Night Encounter**

Arianne couldn't sleep.

Her mind was too full, her emotions too tangled.

So she left her tent, wandering through the quiet camp.

She wasn't expecting to find Rian sitting by the fire, lost in thought.

He glanced up as she approached.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.

She hesitated before sitting beside him. "Something like that."

For a while, they just sat in silence.

Then, softly, Rian said, "You never talk about your past."

Arianne stiffened. "Neither do you."

A faint smile touched his lips. "Fair enough."

A long pause. Then, quieter, he asked, "What do you want, Ari?"

The question caught her off guard.

She looked at him. At the way the firelight softened his sharp features.

What did she want?

Her mind screamed the answer she couldn't say.

*"You."*

But instead, she whispered, "Freedom."

Rian's expression shifted. "From what?"

Arianne hesitated.

"From expectations," she finally said.

He studied her. "You sound like someone who was born into them."

Her heart pounded.

"I guess I was," she admitted.

Rian's gaze lingered on her, but he didn't press.

Instead, he nodded. "Then I hope you find it."

Arianne swallowed past the lump in her throat.

"So do I," she whispered.

And as they sat there, the fire between them flickering and shifting, she realized—

She was already losing the battle she had sworn not to fight.

Because every day, every moment with Rian…

She was falling.