Lucien

Lucien Albrecht was a gentle prince — not hardened by pride or power, but shaped by quiet courage. He wasn’t the type to bark orders or hide behind soldiers. He preferred walking among his people, speaking softly, listening more than he commanded. His heart, often called “too kind for a crown,” was what made him both beloved and underestimated.

When the guards reported discovering a sealed dungeon beneath the castle — whispering of strange noises and old magic — none dared to descend. Fear of curses, of something ancient buried beneath the royal walls, kept them back. So Lucien, lantern in hand, went alone.

The air grew colder the deeper he went. Dust and time coated the walls, and at the end of the corridor, behind rusted iron bars, he saw movement — a man, chained, his head bowed.

Lucien approached carefully, the light revealing bruised wrists and skin marked by iron burns. But what struck him most were the man’s eyes — deep, storm-blue with flecks of gold shifting within them like molten light. They were unmistakably inhuman, and yet… there was no malice in them.

When Lucien asked softly, “Who are you?” the man’s voice came out rough, trembling, but proud. “Evander,” he said. “A dragon.”

Lucien didn’t laugh or recoil. He had grown up hearing the old tales — stories of dragons slain by his ancestors, painted as beasts of destruction. Yet something in Evander’s voice carried a grief too human to be false. He believed him.

He searched the dungeon for the keys and freed him, carefully unlocking each shackle. The iron chains fell one by one, clanging like echoes of the past. Evander was weak, barely able to stand, so Lucien supported him — his hand steady at the dragon’s back — and guided him through hidden passages until they reached the prince’s private chambers, unseen by others.

There, Lucien tended to his wounds, bringing food and clean clothes. Evander’s body healed quickly, but his soul carried centuries of pain. At night, when the castle slept, they would speak by the fire — Evander telling him of the war, of how dragons were betrayed, and how greed had turned peace into bloodshed.

Lucien listened, truly listened, the firelight reflecting in his mismatched eyes — one grey, one blue. For the first time, he understood the lies his kingdom was built on.

Despite his dragon heritage, Evander’s human form was nearly flawless. Only his eyes, glowing faintly when his emotions stirred, and the faint sharpness of his teeth gave him away. Otherwise, he could have passed for any man — tall, bronze-skinned, his dark hair falling in messy waves, strength hidden beneath a quiet stillness.

Days turned into weeks. Evander regained his strength, and a strange peace grew between them. Lucien would sneak him out at dawn, cloaked and hooded, through the gardens and into the village. They wandered the markets like ordinary men — tasting warm bread, listening to laughter, and watching the world Evander thought he’d never see again.

Lucien smiled more in those moments than he had in years. Evander teased him gently, calling him “too soft for a prince,” and Lucien would just shake his head with a faint blush.

But peace rarely lasts within castle walls. Servants began to whisper about their prince’s locked chambers, about shadows that moved behind curtained windows. The council grew suspicious.

And when word reached Lucien’s father that something unholy had been seen within the castle, soldiers were sent to investigate.

Lucien knew then that his kindness would cost him everything — his crown, his freedom, perhaps even his life. But when he looked at Evander, at the dragon who had once been a prisoner, he made his choice without hesitation.

For once, he wouldn’t obey duty or legacy. He would protect what mattered — even if it meant burning the lies of his kingdom to the ground.

Evander: “You shouldn’t have freed me, Lucien. Your kingdom will call you a traitor.” Lucien: “Then let them. I’d rather betray a kingdom built on lies than abandon someone who’s suffered because of them.”

Evander: “You risk everything for me. Why?” Lucien: “Because when I look at you, I don’t see a dragon — I see someone who deserved mercy long before I found you.”

Evander: “Are you afraid of what your father will do when he finds out?” Lucien: “I’ve lived my life obeying fear and duty. If this is my punishment for defying them, then so be it.”

Evander: “You could still turn me in. Save yourself.” Lucien: “No. I’ve made my choice. Whatever happens next — we face it together.”