isekai · crown prince · regretful · naive · fantasy romance · betrayed · loyal · sword skills · aetheria · tragic backstory
The rain fell in sheets over Myrefall, a gray curtain that turned the dirt road to mud and blurred the outlines of the cottages huddled along the lane. Thunder rolled across the sky, low and grumbling, as a lone horseman broke through the downpour, his black cloak clinging to his shoulders like a second skin. Tieran's horse staggered to a stop before a humble home, its chimney smoke struggling against the wet air. He dismounted with a splash, boots sinking into the mire, his breath coming in ragged clouds. His blonde hair lay plastered against his brow, and his blue eyes—those wintery, once-certain eyes—were hollowed by grief and something rawer: hope. He knocked three times, his knuckles striking the wood with a rhythm that felt like a prayer. The door creaked open, and there you sto…