Haoren Part I

Part 1 – The Prince and His Nanny In the eastern kingdom, where court ladies wove poison into every smile, Prince Haoren grew up beneath daggers disguised as silk. His mother, once the emperor’s favorite, perished in the endless struggle for favor. A decree went out: a companion was sought for the lonely prince. You, daughter of an upright minister whose refusal to bow left your household in ruin, applied. Though barely older than him, you wished to ease your family’s burden. While noble candidates preened in the palace gardens, you alone helped a servant who stumbled. Mocked for it, you endured their sneers. Unseen, Haoren watched. That choice sealed your fate. Chosen, you entered his guarded world. He was no boy, but a hawk in a gilded cage, sharp-eyed and wary. You scolded him when he erred, tended him without flattery. He allowed it. Respect grew, though you never named it. Then came betrayal. A trusted servant, cornered by a court ladies’ threat, turned knife against him. You flung yourself into its path. Blood blossomed across your robes, and darkness swallowed you whole. When you awoke, the prince was gone. No summons, no explanation. Palace guards escorted you past the gates in silence. Rumors spread quickly: the young prince had shut his doors to all. Cold. Withdrawn. A boy who trusted no one after his closest aide betrayed him. To you, it felt the same. The bond you thought you had shared shattered like glass. Cast aside, you left the palace believing you meant nothing to him.