Chapter One: Somewhere Beyond The Hills

Dawn had barely broken when Evercrest Castle appeared beyond the hills, suspended between earth and sky, like something borrowed from a dream.

For a moment, Jeremy Rowan Mercer wondered if he had taken a wrong turn and wandered into a fairy tale. He had spent his entire life listening to stories about Evercrest Castle. None of them had prepared him for the way it seemed to rise from the morning mist like a dream too beautiful to belong to the ordinary world.

It rose from the hills like something painted into the horizon rather than built by human hands. Tower after tower pierced the pale morning sky, their silver spires catching sunlight that had only just begun to spill across the kingdom. White stone walls stretched along the cliffs overlooking the capital, gleaming as though they had been carved from ivory.

Jeremy slowed his horse. Not because the animal was tired. But because he couldn't quite believe he was seeing it.

His father had spoken of Evercrest Castle all his life. During quiet evenings beside the hearth, Thomas Mercer would tell stories of grand banquets, royal celebrations, and corridors so vast a man could spend years walking them without learning every turn.

He had always assumed his father exaggerated. Looking at the castle now, he realized Thomas Mercer might have actually undersold it.

The morning breeze carried the scent of wildflowers from the valley below. Merchants travelled the roads leading towards the capital while distant church bells echoed from nearby villages. Life continued as usual beneath the looming shadow of the royal seat.

Yet Jeremy felt strangely small. His fingers tightened around the reins.

Three months ago, he had been burying his father under a rain-soaked sky. Now he was here. Alone.

The memory settled heavily in his chest.

Thomas Mercer had served the royal family for over forty years. Loyal. Reliable. Honest. The sort of man whose absence left a hole in every room he'd once occupied. When news of his death reached Evercrest Castle, the palace steward had personally sent a letter offering Jeremy a position among the household staff.

An act of gratitude, the letter had said. A reward for his father's years of service.

Jeremy wasn't entirely sure whether to feel honoured or terrified. Perhaps both.

*

The road curved towards the castle gates in between the hustle and bustle of the ordinary people of Aragon.

As he approached, the scale of the structure became even more overwhelming.

Massive banners embroidered with the Evercrest crest fluttered from stone towers. Guards in polished armour stood at attention below towering archways. Beyond them stretched elegant courtyards filled with fountains, statues, and carefully cultivated gardens.

Everything looked expensive.

Painfully expensive.

Jeremy glanced down at his modest clothes and suddenly felt underdressed by several kingdoms.

"Wonderful," he muttered.

His horse ignored him.

The guards examined the documents he'd brought before allowing him through the gates.

One nodded. "Household staff entrance is through the eastern courtyard."

Jeremy offered a grateful smile. "Thank you."

The guard merely grunted. Apparently, royal guards weren't known for conversation.

He guided the horse forward. And the moment he passed through the gates, the world seemed to transform.

The sounds of the city faded behind him. Marble fountains sang softly in the distance. Flowering trees lined walkways paved with white stone. Servants hurried between buildings carrying baskets of linens, trays of food, stacks of books, and countless other items Jeremy couldn't identify.

The castle felt less like a residence and more like a city hidden within walls.

His stomach twisted.

This was home now. Or at least it would have to become one.

A stable hand directed him towards the servants' quarters before helping him settle the horse.

Afterward, Jeremy followed a maze of corridors towards the administrative wing where new employees reported for duty.

The deeper he ventured into the castle, the more breath-taking everything became. Tall windows flooded the hallways with sunlight. Paintings lined the walls. Golden chandeliers glittered overhead. Even the floor looked too expensive to walk on.

Jeremy spent most of the journey trying not to trip over his own feet. Unfortunately, trying not to trip proved significantly less effective than he'd hoped.

His shoulder collided with someone as he rounded a corner. The stack of books in his arms flew everywhere.

"Oh no."

Jeremy immediately crouched to collect them.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was…" The words died.

A pair of polished black boots stopped beside him.

Not servant boots.

Not merchant boots.

Not even noble boots.

Royal boots.

Jeremy looked up. And promptly forgot how breathing worked.

The young man standing before him couldn't have been much older than twenty. Dark hair framed a striking face sharpened by confidence rather than arrogance. His navy coat was embroidered with silver thread, while the crest of House Evercrest rested proudly above his heart.

Jeremy had never met royalty before, yet somehow, he knew exactly who this was.

Prince Kelvin Aragon Evercrest.

He'd seen sketches. None of them had particularly done the prince justice.

For one horrifying second, Jeremy simply stared.

The prince stared back.

Then Jeremy remembered he had just thrown books at the future king.

Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

"I apologize, Your Highness." He lowered his gaze instantly. "It was entirely my fault."

Silence. Then…

"You realize most people bow first."

Jeremy blinked. The voice wasn't angry. If anything, it sounded amused. Slowly, he looked up.

The prince had crouched beside him and was gathering books from the floor.

Jeremy nearly suffered another heart attack. He quickly stooped. "Your Highness—"

"It's difficult to have a conversation with someone who's panicking." The prince handed him a book.

Jeremy accepted it automatically.

Something suspiciously close to laughter flickered in Kelvin's eyes. "New servant?"

Jeremy nodded. "Today is my first day."

"That explains it."

"I'm sorry?"

"You still look impressed by the castle."

Jeremy glanced around. Then back at him. "Shouldn't I be?" The question escaped before he could stop it.

A beat passed.

Then Kelvin laughed. Actually laughed. The sound was unexpectedly warm. "I suppose that's fair."

Jeremy found himself smiling despite his nerves. For a brief moment, the prince seemed less like the heir to a kingdom and more like an ordinary young man as they remained crouched on the floor.

Then footsteps echoed from the corridor behind them. Several nobles approached and the atmosphere changed immediately.

Kelvin straightened, the warmth disappearing behind practiced composure. By the time he looked at Jeremy again, the prince had become royalty once more. "Good luck on your first day."

Jeremy rose quickly. "Thank you, Your Highness."

The nobles reached them. One began discussing council matters before Kelvin had even taken three steps.

Within moments, the prince disappeared down the corridor. Meanwhile, Jeremy remained where he was, holding the stack of books, staring after him. What were the chances? Meeting the prince of Aragon on his first day, and he had not even reported for duty. Was it fate, or just coincidence?

Eventually, he shook himself. He'd come here to work. Not daydream about princes.

Yet as he resumed walking, he couldn't shake the strange feeling that his life had somehow shifted. Not dramatically. Not yet. Just enough to make the future feel uncertain.

Outside, sunlight spilled across the towers of Evercrest Castle. Far above the kingdom, bells began to ring from the royal chapel.

A new servant had arrived. A prince had paused long enough to notice him. And somewhere beyond the glittering walls of the palace, fate quietly began turning its gears.