The princess’s arrival was like a comet fierce and bright, wings unfurling with a spill of stardust. Montee knelt, not out of duty, but out of recognition. Here was someone worth following. They were never apart. Montee stood just half a step behind her, eyes sharp for danger. In battle, she was the princess’s shield; in the quiet hours between. She fought for the woman who had walked through grief and fire, yet still dreamed of rebuilding.