The morning of Edward’s first trial arrived without warning.
For months, he had served the king faithfully.
He had endured exhausting marches, harsh weather, military training, dangerous patrols, and difficult assignments.
Whenever his strength began to fail, he remembered Princess Evelyn and the promise he had made to her.
He had also continued their secret correspondence.
Every letter from Evelyn had become precious to him.
But on this particular morning, there was no letter.
Instead, there was a royal messenger standing outside his quarters.
“Edward.”
Edward stepped outside.
“Yes?”
The messenger handed him a sealed document.
“By order of King Adrian, you are to report immediately to the eastern commander’s camp.”
Edward looked at the seal.
He recognized the king’s emblem.
“Is this about my first trial?”
The messenger nodded.
“It begins today.”
Edward’s heart became heavy.
Although he had known the first trial would eventually come, knowing it was approaching and actually standing before it were two very different things.
He broke the seal.
The instructions were brief.
He was to travel with a small group of soldiers into the Blackwood Pass, a dangerous mountainous region beyond the eastern border.
A group of royal scouts had disappeared there several days earlier.
Edward’s task was simple to state but dangerous to accomplish.
Find the missing scouts.
Recover the royal banner they had been carrying.
Return safely before the third sunset.
The document ended with a final sentence:
Failure to complete the trial will mean failure of the first year of service.
Edward folded the document.
He knew what was at stake.
His future with Evelyn.
He could not fail.
Before leaving, Edward took out a piece of paper.
He wanted to write to Evelyn.
He knew she would be frightened if she discovered that his first trial had begun.
But he also remembered his promise.
He had told her that he would update her about his experiences and that he would never allow distance to separate them.
He quickly wrote:
“My beloved Evelyn,
Today, my first trial has begun.
I will not lie to you.
I am afraid.
But I am ready.
I have been ordered to enter Blackwood Pass and find several missing royal scouts.
The journey may be dangerous, but I will do everything in my power to return safely.
Do not spend your days fearing the worst.
Think of me as I think of you.
When I become tired, I will remember your letters.
When I become afraid, I will remember your voice.
And when I wonder whether I can continue, I will remember the future we dreamed about.
I promise I will fight to return to you.
Your Edward.”
He folded the letter and gave it to Thomas.
“Take this to the palace.”
Thomas looked concerned.
“I will.”
Edward mounted his horse.
Then he turned toward the road.
The first trial had begun.
At the palace, Evelyn was in the garden when Maria found her.
“Your Highness.”
Evelyn turned.
“Maria?”
Maria held out a letter.
Evelyn immediately recognized the handwriting.
She smiled.
But when she opened it and began reading, her smile slowly disappeared.
“He has started.”
Maria nodded.
“The first trial.”
Evelyn pressed the letter against her chest.
She knew this moment would come.
Still, she was not prepared for it.
“What is Blackwood Pass?”
Maria hesitated.
“A dangerous mountain region.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“How dangerous?”
Maria lowered her eyes.
“I have heard stories.”
“What stories?”
“That travelers sometimes disappear there.”
Evelyn’s heart sank.
She looked toward the eastern horizon.
“Edward…”
Edward and the soldiers reached the entrance to Blackwood Pass before sunset.
The place looked nothing like the peaceful landscapes surrounding the royal palace.
Tall trees covered both sides of the mountain path.
The branches were thick enough to block much of the sunlight.
Mist floated between the trees.
The road ahead was narrow and rocky.
Their commander looked at Edward.
“We continue at dawn.”
Edward nodded.
That night, Edward barely slept.
The forest was filled with strange sounds.
Branches moved in the wind.
Animals cried somewhere in the darkness.
The soldiers kept their weapons close.
Edward stared into the fire.
He thought about Evelyn.
He imagined her sitting beside her window, reading his letter.
He hoped his words had comforted her.
He hoped she was not crying.
Then he remembered her promise.
“I will wait for you.”
Edward closed his eyes.
At dawn, the soldiers entered Blackwood Pass.
The journey became difficult almost immediately.
The path climbed sharply.
The horses struggled.
Several times, the soldiers had to dismount and walk.
Edward remained alert.
He knew they were not simply traveling through dangerous land.
They were searching for missing men.
After several hours, they discovered the first sign.
A broken sword lay beside the road.
The commander stopped.
“This belongs to one of the scouts.”
Edward picked it up.
There were scratches on the blade.
Someone had fought here.
“Then they came this way,” Edward said.
The soldiers followed the trail.
They eventually found footprints leading into the forest.
The footprints were fresh.
Edward raised his hand.
“Stop.”
Everyone froze.
“What is it?” one soldier whispered.
Edward listened.
There was a sound ahead.
A faint cry.
“Help!”
Edward immediately moved forward.
“Wait!” the commander called.
But Edward had already begun running.
They followed.
The cry became louder.
Soon they found a young royal scout trapped beneath a fallen tree.
“Edward!”
The scout recognized him.
“Help me!”
Edward and two soldiers lifted the heavy branch.
The scout pulled himself free.
“What happened?” Edward asked.
“We were attacked.”
“By whom?”
The scout looked frightened.
“I don’t know.
They came from the trees.”
Edward looked around.
“Where are the others?”
The scout pointed toward the mountains.
“They took them.”
“Who?”
“I couldn’t see their faces.”
Edward’s expression hardened.
The first trial had become more dangerous than he expected.
They continued deeper into the pass.
The sky darkened.
Rain began to fall.
The path became slippery.
Then they heard a horn.
The commander immediately stopped.
“Everyone, prepare.”
Arrows suddenly flew from the trees.
One struck the ground beside Edward.
Another hit a soldier’s shield.
The soldiers drew their weapons.
“Protect the scout!”
Edward moved forward.
Several armed men emerged from the trees.
Their faces were covered.
A fight began.
Edward defended himself against two attackers.
One swung a sword at him.
Edward blocked it.
Another attacked from behind.
Edward turned just in time.
The battle was fierce.
The soldiers fought desperately.
Edward remembered everything he had learned during his months of service.
Patience.
Discipline.
Control.
He did not fight with anger.
He fought with purpose.
Eventually, the attackers retreated into the forest.
One of them dropped a piece of cloth.
Edward picked it up.
It carried a symbol he did not recognize.
The commander studied it.
“These men are not ordinary bandits.”
Edward looked toward the forest.
“Then who are they?”
“We will find out.”
The rain continued throughout the night.
The soldiers sheltered beneath a rocky overhang.
Edward sat alone.
His shoulder was bleeding from a shallow cut.
He tore a piece of cloth from his sleeve and wrapped it around the wound.
The pain was not severe.
But his mind was troubled.
He had discovered the missing scout.
He had survived the ambush.
But the royal banner was still missing.
And the remaining scouts were still somewhere in the mountains.
He could not return without them.
Edward reached into his coat.
He touched the empty place where Evelyn’s latest letter usually rested.
He had carried her letters with him everywhere.
Tonight, he had no new letter.
But he remembered every word.
He closed his eyes.
“Evelyn, I will not fail.”
The following morning, Edward discovered another trail.
The soldiers followed carefully.
Then they saw something hanging from a tree.
The royal banner.
Edward’s heart jumped.
“We found it.”
But before they could reach it, the ground beneath them collapsed.
Edward fell.
He landed heavily on a lower ledge.
Pain shot through his leg.
“Edward!”
The soldiers shouted above him.
“I’m alive!”
He looked around.
The royal banner was lying several feet away.
He crawled toward it.
Then he heard a voice.
“Edward!”
He turned.
One of the missing scouts was trapped nearby.
Edward immediately crawled toward him.
“Can you move?”
“My leg is broken.”
Edward looked around.
“We are getting out together.”
“You should take the banner.”
Edward shook his head.
“I’m not leaving you.”
He tied a rope around the scout.
The soldiers above pulled.
Edward helped push the injured man upward.
After several minutes, they finally escaped the ravine.
Edward climbed out last.
He was exhausted.
His injured leg hurt badly.
But he held the royal banner in his hands.
The first requirement had been completed.
Now they only had to return.
The journey back was difficult.
Edward could barely walk because of his injured leg.
The commander offered him a horse.
But Edward gave it to the injured scout.
“I can walk.”
“You may make your injury worse.”
“I can endure it.”
They continued.
By the time they reached the border, Edward was barely standing.
But he had completed the trial.
The royal banner had been recovered.
The missing scouts had been rescued.
And Edward had returned before the third sunset.
When the king received the report, he read it carefully.
“Edward completed the first trial,” the commander announced.
King Adrian looked relieved.
“Was he injured?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“How badly?”
“A wound to the shoulder and a serious injury to his leg.
But he refused to leave the injured scout behind.”
The king lowered the report.
“Then he has learned the first lesson.”
“What lesson, Your Majesty?”
“That a true servant does not save himself by abandoning those he has sworn to protect.”
Far away from the palace, Edward sat in his quarters.
His body was exhausted.
His leg was bandaged.
His shoulder still hurt.
But his first thought was not about his injuries.
It was Evelyn.
He asked Thomas to bring him paper.
Slowly, he began writing.
“My beloved Evelyn,
I survived.
The first trial is over.
It was difficult, and I was injured, but I am safe.
I found the missing scouts and brought them home.
I thought about you throughout the journey.
There were moments when I was afraid.
There were moments when I wondered whether I would ever see you again.
But your love gave me courage.
One trial is now behind me.
Six remain.
I know the road ahead will not be easy.
But I am still determined.
Seven years may be long, but every day brings me closer to you.
Do not stop believing in me.
I have not stopped believing in us.
I love you.
Edward.”
He folded the letter.
Then he smiled.
For the first time since entering Blackwood Pass, he allowed himself to rest.
When Evelyn received the letter, tears immediately filled her eyes.
She read it slowly.
Then she pressed it against her heart.
“He survived,” she whispered.
Lady Clara smiled.
“Yes.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
She was relieved.
But deep inside, she knew something had changed.
The first trial had shown her exactly what the next six years might bring.
Edward had survived.
But he had also been injured.
Six trials remained.
Evelyn looked toward the eastern horizon.
“I will keep believing in you, Edward.”
And far away, Edward was thinking the same thing.
One trial was over.
Six remained.
Their love had survived the first test.
But the journey had only begun.