Back in Emberhold, before the curse, she had been untouchable.
Aurelia sat still upon the bed, her fingers gripping the sheets tightly as though they were the only thing keeping her from unraveling completely. Her breathing was uneven, her thoughts spiraling into a storm she could not control.
"Back in Emberhold…" she began slowly, her voice fragile yet deliberate, "before the curse, I was not just a princess—I was a symbol. Feared. Watched. Guarded."
She lifted her gaze to him, her eyes searching his as though pleading for understanding.
"And I was already betrothed," she continued. "Not just promised, but bound in expectation. Every movement I made, every word I spoke… it was all observed. No man would dare approach me improperly, not even in thought, because they knew what it would cost them."
Her lips trembled faintly.
