With the glow of a clear morning sun, King Roland II had already completed all his duties, especially his meeting with the Ministry of Technological Development, which stood on the brink of unveiling an invention that would shake the world—artificial intelligence. The king and Crown Prince Ryan prepared for their official journey to a neighboring kingdom, Sylvania, famed for its rich diplomatic history, ornate palaces, and magnificent gardens.
Since the Dawn Kingdom reigned supreme over the entire continent, the king chose to travel aboard the luxurious royal aircraft equipped with the latest royal technologies—ensuring speed, safety, and utmost comfort befitting the grandeur and limitless wealth of the realm. Sometimes, royal families traveled by lavish ships across the great seas, sailing between kingdoms in a manner worthy of the greatest empire on earth.
Ryan sat beside his father, watching the forests and rivers stretching beneath them, yet unable to silence the heavy weight of responsibility pressing on him as crown prince. This journey was more than a diplomatic visit; it was an opportunity to learn the secrets of politics, diplomacy, and to witness the outside world from the vantage point of power and influence the Dawn Kingdom possessed.
Meanwhile, in the palace chambers, as the king and crown prince busied themselves with preparations, Prince Murad found himself recalling the mysterious envelope left on the palace table last week—a letter bearing an unfamiliar signature that put the entire palace on alert, as though something significant was about to happen.
Murad, who felt the world outside the palace offered more than political affairs, seized this charged atmosphere to ask his mother, Queen Roxalina, for something he had long dreamt of. He approached her carefully and said with confidence:
"Mother, I know the palace offers everything… but I need to go out from time to time and learn something on my own. I want to attend the music academy."
The queen raised an eyebrow, her eyes filled with wisdom and affection.
"The music academy? You're still young for such a commitment, Murad. Are you certain this is what you want?"
He answered firmly, "Yes, Mother. I promise I'll balance my royal training, my studies, and the academy. I want to try something new outside the palace… explore the world, and perhaps understand myself better."
Queen Roxalina smiled softly. She knew her son sought more than music—he sought personal freedom and a glimpse of life beyond palace walls.
"Very well," she said. "I'll allow it—on one condition: you must maintain balance between your duties and passions. Be the prince you are meant to be… devoted yet full of heart."
At dawn, servants rushed through the crimson halls carrying documents, seals, and royal orders. The queen had finally approved Murad's enrollment in the most prestigious music school in the kingdom—marking a new chapter in his life.
Everything was sped up: the uniform tailored to perfection, the books neatly arranged, the protocols stamped with the queen's seal.
What normally took weeks was finished in hours.
Such was the force of royal command…
Such was the rule of the Dawn Kingdom.
But Murad wasn't thinking about power… nor protocols.
He was thinking about something else—small, uncertain feelings pulsing beneath his skin like an unfamiliar heartbeat.
Iris… the sister who sees more than others say
Iris, Murad's older sister, was the first to learn the news. Without hesitation, she insisted on accompanying him to the academy—under the pretext of ensuring his arrangements were in order, though the truth was deeper: she wanted to stay close so he wouldn't feel alone stepping into this new world.
She sat beside him in the royal carriage, observing his silent tension and the way his fingers toyed with his sleeve.
"You're too quiet today," she said gently.
He gave a short smile. "New place… new people… that's all."
The long black royal car, custom-made and imposing, arrived before the academy's grand gate.
Inside the first hall, the new instructor, Louis Alessandro, awaited his students. He wore a crisp white shirt and a simple black vest—nothing to reveal he was actually the CEO of one of the kingdom's largest telecom companies. A man who'd chosen to hide his true identity to pursue his passion for music away from the eyes of the media.
When Murad entered, Louis lifted his head… and stared at him a moment longer than necessary.
Louis (inwardly):
"I didn't expect a member of the royal family to come here… but this boy… he has a strange, quiet presence."
Murad felt something he didn't understand—a rush of warmth in his chest, a tremor in his fingertips.
"Why am I looking into his eyes? What is this feeling inside me…? This isn't normal…"
He tried to speak.
"Will… you be my teacher?"
Louis smiled warmly. "Yes. I'll be training you personally. It is an honor."
And Murad felt his heart grow lighter… yet heavier at the same time.
After a slight collision, the cars stopped abruptly. The sound of sharp brakes cut through the air as royal guards rushed to ensure the safety of Prince Murad and Princess Iris, protecting the palace's dignity.
Princess Iris stepped out of the car, and so did the owner of the other vehicle—who happened to be Murad's instructor. Upon seeing her, he paid no attention, assuming she was merely a chauffeur, and rushed straight toward Murad.
But the guards blocked him until the prince himself ordered otherwise.
Louis, breathless with worry:
"Prince Murad! Are you hurt?!"
Something in his voice… the way he said his name… made Murad's heart leap inside his chest.
"Does he care… this much? Or is it just responsibility? Why do I want it to be something else…?"
As for Iris—she froze. Louis hadn't even glanced her way.
Not a look.
Not a pause.
As if she didn't exist.
Her initial admiration twisted into a sharp sting of offense.
Murad: "Sister, are you alright—? Wait… Louis, did you say sister? You mean… she is Princess Iris?"
Iris: "Yes, I am."
Louis, mortified:
"I apologize, Your Majesty… I thought you were a private driver."
Iris gasped inside. How dare he mistake her identity?
And yet…
She still liked his voice, his presence, his depth.
Then she grew angry at herself for liking any of it.
But what no one expected…
was that the very glance in which Iris had been completely ignored would become the spark of something she never imagined.
And what Louis did not realize…
was that his very first mistake would become the door through which her heart would enter—without permission.
Between the princess's pride…
and the cold composure of a teacher who hides far more than he reveals…
the first threads of a story unlike any other were slowly beginning to entwine.
In the next chapter…
feelings that refuse to be acknowledged will collide,
and hearts that do not wish to bend…
will nevertheless begin to lean.
Will Iris be able to ignore the only man who never looked at her?
And can Louis truly stay away from a woman who shakes his silence every time she comes near?
A story… unlike any other.
And a beginning… that was never meant to happen.
Don't miss the next chapter:
"When Pride Falls… for the First Time."