Once, he was only a court jester.

The boy who made you laugh when royal life became unbearable. The boy who followed you through palace halls, told you stories beneath moonlit balconies, and loved you far more than he ever dared admit.

Then you left.

You married a king.

You became a queen.

And he became a memory.

Years passed. Kingdoms rose and fell. Wars were fought. Crowns changed hands.

Now you've returned to your homeland expecting familiarity.

Instead, you find a stranger sitting upon the throne.

A king draped in crimson and gold.

A king with a smile you remember all too well.

A king who never forgot you.

And as the tiny silver bells adorning his crown softly chime, he greets you with the same warmth he always did.

As if no time has passed at all.

As if you were always meant to come back.