THE PRINCE NEW SHADOW

Emma stood outside the towering double doors of the Crown Prince's private chambers.

Her palms were damp. The future Alpha King's residence. Behind these doors lived the man the entire kingdom admired. The man destined to wear the crown one day.

Margaret stood beside her, hands clasped behind her back. Before either of them spoke, two Royal Guards pushed the doors open.

The room beyond was unlike anything Emma had ever seen. Maps of neighboring kingdoms covered one wall.

Shelves overflowed with military books and ancient scrolls. Several battle swords rested neatly on polished wooden stands.

Near the tall windows, four commanders argued quietly over a campaign map. There wasn't a trace of luxury.

It felt less like a prince's chamber… And more like the headquarters of a general preparing for war. Margaret leaned closer. "Remember every rule I gave you." Emma nodded.

"I will." "And one more." Emma looked up. "The Crown Prince values honesty above flattery."

"If you make a mistake..." "Admit it." "If you don't know something..." "Say so." "Never lie."

Emma took a deep breath. "Yes, Head Housekeeper." Margaret knocked twice. One of the commanders turned.

"Head Housekeeper." "The prince is still on the training grounds." Margaret frowned. "Still?"

"He dismissed the physicians after sparring." Another commander sighed. "He refuses to rest."

Margaret shook her head. "Some things never change." She turned to Emma.

"Wait here." "I'll fetch His Highness." Emma bowed. "Yes, ma'am." Margaret disappeared down the corridor.

 Emma quietly observed without staring. She noticed unfinished reports stacked neatly on one corner of the desk.

An empty teacup beside them. Three candles had almost completely melted.

The prince had clearly been working through the night. One of the commanders noticed where she was looking.

"You must be the new servant." Emma bowed politely. "Emma Rowan." He smiled.

"Commander Marcus Hale." Emma immediately recognized the name. The King's closest guard.

The Commander of the Royal Guard. His smile quickly faded. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Emma blinked. "Sir?" "Serving His Highness isn't easy." "He rarely sleeps." "He trains until his hands bleed."

"He forgets to eat." "And he never listens when someone tells him to rest." Emma smiled softly.

"I'll do my best." Marcus studied her for a moment. Then nodded. A loud burst of laughter echoed from the corridor outside.

Every commander immediately stopped talking. Emma frowned. She hadn't expected laughter inside the palace.

Footsteps approached. The next second… A young man pushed the doors open carrying two wooden practice swords over one shoulder.

His dark training uniform was covered in dust. His golden-brown hair was damp with sweat.

A small cut marked one cheek. Yet… He was smiling. A genuine, carefree smile. "I won again."

He laughed. "I told Captain Lewis he still swings too slowly." The older commanders rolled their eyes. "You cheated." "I adapted." "There's a difference." The room filled with quiet chuckles.

Emma stared.This… Wasn't what she expected. This wasn't the cold, untouchable prince described in stories. He looked… Human. His bright eyes swept across the room.

Then stopped. On her.  For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Marcus cleared his throat.

"Your Highness..." "The new servant." The prince walked closer. Emma quickly lowered her head and curtsied.

"Greetings, Your Royal Highness." He stopped only a few feet away. "So..." "You're Emma Rowan."

She blinked. He knows my name? "Yes, Your Highness." "I've heard quite a lot about you."

Emma's heart skipped. "You... have?" He nodded. Margaret chose that moment to return.

"I see you've already met." The prince smiled. "I think the entire palace knows Emma Rowan."

A few servants standing outside exchanged surprised glances. Emma lowered her eyes.

"I hope I haven't caused any trouble, Your Highness."Instead of answering… Ethan walked past her.

He stopped beside the desk. Picked up one of the reports. Then looked back at her.

"They say..." He began casually. "...you've never once complained." "They say you arrive before sunrise." "They say you stay after everyone leaves." "They say when another servant makes a mistake..."

"You quietly fix it without taking credit." Emma felt her cheeks warm. "I was only doing my work."

Ethan smiled. "No." "You were doing theirs too." The Crown Prince placed the report back onto the desk.

"I don't choose servants because they're perfect." "I choose them because they're trustworthy."

He looked directly at Emma. "I hope the Head Housekeeper wasn't wrong about you."

Emma placed a hand over her heart and bowed deeply. "I'll serve with everything I have, Your Highness."

Ethan's smile widened. "For some reason..." "I believe you will." Outside the chamber doors...

Several servants watched the exchange. One maid folded her arms bitterly. "Did you see that?"

"His Highness smiled at her." Another servant whispered, "I've never seen him welcome a servant before."

A third narrowed her eyes. "The cursed girl..." "What makes her so special?"

None of them noticed… From the opposite end of the corridor… A tall figure dressed in black royal armor had stopped walking.

His icy gaze rested silently on the open chamber doors. The Alpha King. Jasper Grayson.

For the briefest moment… His eyes settled on the young servant standing before his son.

Then… Without saying a single word...

He continued walking. No one realized… The Ruthless King had just noticed Emma Rowan for the very first time.

The silence lingered for a few seconds after the Alpha King disappeared down the corridor.

Emma never noticed him. She remained standing with her head lowered, waiting for her first instruction.

Ethan walked around his desk and sat down. He picked up a scroll, read half of it, then sighed.

"Marcus." "Yes, Your Highness." "Cancel my afternoon audience." Marcus frowned. "The ambassadors from Easthaven have already arrived."

"I know." "But my father has ordered another military inspection." Marcus exchanged a helpless glance with the other commanders.

"You've barely slept." Ethan smiled. "I'll sleep when Valenmoor has no enemies." One commander chuckled.

"Then you'll never sleep." The room burst into quiet laughter. Emma couldn't stop herself from smiling.

It was the first time she'd heard genuine laughter inside the palace. Ethan noticed. "So..."

He leaned back slightly. "You smile." Emma's eyes widened. "I... forgive me, Your Highness."

"For what?" "I shouldn't" "You should." He interrupted gently. "I prefer smiling servants to frightened ones."

Marcus cleared his throat dramatically. "Your Highness." "You'll scare her less if you stop teasing her."

"I'm not teasing." Ethan grinned. "I'm making conversation." The commanders laughed again.

Emma blinked in surprise. The future Alpha King… Was nothing like the intimidating royal she had imagined.

He wasn't arrogant. He wasn't cruel. He spoke to everyone as though they mattered. No wonder the kingdom adored him.

Ethan picked up another scroll before speaking again. "Emma." "Yes, Your Highness."

"I have only three expectations." She straightened immediately.

"First..." "If I'm working..." "Don't let anyone interrupt unless it's life or death."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Second..." "If I forget to eat..." "You'll remind me." Marcus laughed loudly. "Good luck with that."

Ethan ignored him.

"And third..." "If I become unbearable..." Emma blinked. "Pardon?" "You'll tell me." The room fell completely silent. Every commander stared at him.

Marcus looked horrified. "You can't be serious." "I am." Marcus folded his arms. "She'll lose her job."

Ethan shook his head. "No." "I don't need servants who fear me." "I need people honest enough to tell me when I'm wrong."

Emma had never heard a noble speak that way. She bowed. "I'll remember."

"Good." Ethan stood. "Walk with me." Emma hurried after him. Marcus watched them leave before muttering under his breath, "This one is different."

The palace gardens stretched endlessly beneath the afternoon sun. Colorful flowers surrounded marble pathways.

Royal guards stood watch at every entrance. As they walked, servants immediately bowed.

"So..." Ethan spoke casually. "How long have you worked here?"

"Almost 8 months, Your Highness." "And no one promoted you until now?" Emma smiled awkwardly.

"I suppose I wasn't important enough." Ethan stopped walking. He looked genuinely confused.

"Important?" She nodded. "I'm only a servant." He shook his head. "No." He looked toward the gardeners tending flowers nearby.

"Without servants..." "This palace stops functioning." He pointed toward a group of soldiers training in the distance.

"Without cooks..." "My warriors don't eat." "Without stable hands..." "Our horses don't ride."

"Without maids..." "No one notices when something is wrong."

He looked back at Emma. "Never call yourself 'only a servant.'" "Every person who serves this kingdom matters."

Emma felt something warm spread through her chest. No one… Not even her own father...

Had ever spoken about people like her with such respect. She found herself smiling again.

Ethan noticed. "There it is." "My second favorite smile today." Emma looked confused.

"My... second?" "My first was when you thought I couldn't see you smiling in my chambers."

Emma's cheeks immediately turned red. "I wasn't laughing at you." "I know." "You were laughing with us."

For some reason… That made Ethan smile even more. Neither of them noticed...

From the second-floor balcony overlooking the gardens… A pair of cold gray eyes watched them in complete silence.

Alpha King Jasper Grayson stood with both hands resting behind his back. Commander Marcus stepped beside him.

"Your Majesty." Jasper's eyes never left the garden. "The new servant?" Marcus nodded.

"Emma Rowan." "The one Margaret recommended." Jasper watched as Emma bent to help an elderly gardener pick up a basket of herbs that had spilled across the path.

No one had asked her to help. She simply did. The old gardener smiled gratefully.

Emma smiled back before hurrying after Ethan. Jasper finally spoke. "Kindness." Marcus looked surprised. "Your Majesty?"

Jasper turned away from the balcony. "It still exists." Without another word...

The Ruthless King walked away. Marcus remained standing there. Confused.

In twenty years… That was the first positive thing Jasper had ever said about anyone outside his army.

And it had been about… A servant.