The king had always believed that the laws of Bexton Kingdom existed to bring order to the royal family.
Every tradition had its purpose, every rule had its reason, and every royal child was expected to honor the customs that had been passed down from generation to generation.
But now, for the first time in many years, King Adrian found himself questioning whether the very law he had sworn to uphold would one day break the hearts of those he loved most.
It had been several weeks since Edward had begun his seven years of service in the royal palace.
The young man had accepted the king’s condition without hesitation.
He had not complained about the years ahead of him.
He had not asked for a shorter period.
He had not attempted to find another way around the ancient law.
He simply accepted it.
Seven years.
Seven years of loyal service to the crown before he could be considered worthy of marrying Princess Evelyn.
The king had watched Edward closely since the beginning of his service, and one thing had become painfully clear.
Edward was determined.
He was not serving the king because he desired wealth or a higher position.
He was serving because he loved Evelyn.
Every morning, Edward rose before the palace bells announced the beginning of the day.
He carried out his duties faithfully, attended to the royal gardens, assisted the palace guards when required, and performed every responsibility given to him without complaint.
Even when the work was difficult, Edward remained patient.
Even when the days seemed long, he remained hopeful.
And whenever he caught sight of Evelyn from a distance, there was something in his eyes that told the king everything he needed to know.
That young man intended to keep his promise.
He intended to serve for seven years.
He intended to marry Evelyn.
The king sighed deeply as he sat alone in his private chamber one evening.
A large window stood open, allowing the cool night breeze to enter.
Beyond it, the palace gardens were covered in darkness, except for the faint glow of lanterns along the stone pathways.
The king stared into the night.
Seven years.
The thought returned again and again.
What would happen after seven years?
That was the question that troubled him.
It was not Edward’s determination that frightened him.
It was Princess Lilian.
Lilian was his first daughter.
She was the elder sister.
And according to the ancient marriage law of Bexton Kingdom, the elder princess must marry before the younger princess could marry.
There was no exception.
No matter how much the king loved Evelyn, he could not simply ignore the law.
He had been raised to respect it.
His father had respected it.
His grandfather had respected it.
And now he was expected to uphold it as king.
But what if Lilian remained unmarried for the next seven years?
The king closed his eyes.
The thought troubled him more than he cared to admit.
“Seven years,” he whispered.
What would become of Evelyn and Edward’s love if Lilian still had no husband?
Would he be forced to tell Evelyn that she could not marry the man she loved?
Would Edward accept such a decision after giving seven years of his life to the crown?
The king could already imagine the pain it would cause.
He imagined Evelyn standing before him with tears in her eyes.
He imagined Edward asking why the promise he had made had suddenly become impossible.
He imagined the disappointment, the heartbreak, and perhaps even the anger that could follow.
The king slowly rose from his chair and walked toward the window.
His gaze traveled across the palace grounds.
Somewhere in the palace, Evelyn was probably thinking about Edward.
And somewhere else, Edward was probably thinking about Evelyn.
Their love had grown stronger because of the sacrifice Edward had chosen to make.
The king could see it.
Everyone could see it.
But there was another person whose future could not be forgotten.
Lilian.
His heart softened when he thought of his eldest daughter.
She was not responsible for the ancient law.
She had not asked to be born first.
She had not asked for her sister’s happiness to depend upon her marriage.
And yet, according to the law, her future marriage stood directly before Evelyn’s.
The king walked away from the window.
“What am I to do?” he murmured.
He returned to his chair and sat down heavily.
For the first time, the throne felt like a burden rather than a privilege.
As king, he could command armies.
He could settle disputes.
He could protect his kingdom from enemies.
He could not order Lilian to fall in love.
He could not force a suitable man to appear before her.
And he certainly could not force Edward to stop loving Evelyn.
That was what made the situation so difficult.
The king had begun to wonder whether the seven years Edward had agreed to serve would actually solve anything.
Perhaps, by the end of those seven years, Lilian would meet the man she was destined to marry.
Perhaps she would fall deeply in love and happily accept marriage.
Perhaps everything would work out exactly as the law required.
But another possibility frightened him.
What if nothing changed?
What if seven years passed and Lilian was still unmarried?
The king’s heart tightened.
Would he then have to sacrifice Evelyn’s happiness?
Or would he have to find another way?
His thoughts became darker.
There was one possibility he did not want to consider.
A possibility that seemed almost impossible.
Yet the more he thought about the royal law, the more unavoidable it became.
If Lilian remained unmarried, could he ask Edward to marry her first?
The king immediately shook his head.
“No.”
The word escaped his lips with pain.
Edward loved Evelyn.
Everyone knew it.
And Evelyn loved Edward.
To ask Edward to marry Lilian would be cruel.
It would destroy the very love that had inspired Edward to begin his seven years of service.
And yet, the king knew the law.
Lilian had to marry before Evelyn.
If the seven years ended without Lilian finding a husband, the king might have no choice but to obey the law.
The thought made him uncomfortable.
How could he look into Evelyn’s eyes and tell her that the man she had waited for could not become her husband?
How could he look at Edward after seven years of service and tell him that his sacrifice had not been enough?
The king placed his hands over his face.
He wished there were another way.
A secret path.
A forgotten exception.
Anything.
But the ancient law was clear.
The first princess must marry before the second.
There was no room for interpretation.
The following morning, the king summoned one of his most trusted advisers.
Lord Marcus entered the royal chamber and bowed.
“You sent for me, Your Majesty?”
The king nodded.
“Yes.
Sit with me.”
Lord Marcus noticed the seriousness in the king’s expression and immediately became concerned.
“What troubles you, Majesty?”
The king remained silent for several moments.
Then he said, “It is Edward.”
Lord Marcus waited.
“He has begun his seven years of service.”
“I know, Your Majesty.”
“He is determined to complete them.”
“I have seen it myself.”
The king leaned back.
“And what happens after those seven years?”
Lord Marcus understood immediately.
“The princess?”
“Which princess?” the king asked quietly.
Lord Marcus hesitated.
“Evelyn.”
The king shook his head.
“Lilian.”
The room fell silent.
The king looked toward the floor.
“Lilian remains unmarried.”
Lord Marcus nodded slowly.
“Yes, Majesty.”
“And the law says Evelyn cannot marry before her.”
“That is correct.”
The king’s fingers tightened around the arm of his chair.
“Then what happens when Edward completes his service?”
Lord Marcus had no immediate answer.
The question was not a simple one.
The king continued. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
“Seven years is a long time.
Edward may serve faithfully for every one of those years.
He may fulfill every requirement.
He may become a man worthy of standing beside a princess.
But if Lilian is still unmarried, what will I tell him?”
Lord Marcus lowered his eyes.
“Your Majesty, the law must be obeyed.”
The king sighed.
“I know.”
“And Princess Lilian must come first.”
“I know that too.”
“Then perhaps,” Lord Marcus said carefully, “we should pray that Princess Lilian finds love before those seven years are over.”
The king looked at him.
“That is exactly what I pray for.”
He stood and walked toward the window.
“I do not want to choose between my daughters.”
His voice became softer.
“Lilian deserves happiness.
Evelyn deserves happiness.
And Edward has already placed seven years of his life in my hands because of his love for Evelyn.”
Lord Marcus remained silent.
The king continued staring outside.
“I fear that time itself may become their enemy.”
Far away, in another part of the palace, Evelyn stood in the garden.
She watched Edward from a distance as he worked.
He did not see her at first.
He was carrying a wooden box across the courtyard, his clothes simple and his face showing the marks of hard work.
Evelyn smiled.
She knew the sacrifice he was making.
Seven years.
Seven years for her.
She pressed a hand gently against her heart.
“Edward,” she whispered.
At that moment, Edward looked up.
Their eyes met.
He smiled.
Evelyn smiled back.
Neither of them knew about the king’s fears.
Neither knew that the future of their love rested upon a law older than either of them.
Neither knew that somewhere within the palace walls, the king was already wondering whether their seven-year promise would lead them to marriage—or to heartbreak.
That evening, the king walked through the palace corridor alone.
He stopped before the portraits of his daughters.
Lilian’s portrait hung first.
Evelyn’s was beside it.
He looked at Lilian for a long moment.
“My daughter,” he whispered.
Then he looked at Evelyn.
“My other daughter.”
His heart ached.
He loved them equally.
He could not allow one daughter’s happiness to destroy the other’s future.
But he also could not allow the law to destroy the love that had grown between Evelyn and Edward.
The king knew that the years ahead would test them all.
Perhaps Lilian would find her future husband.
Perhaps Edward would complete his seven years and finally stand before the throne as a man worthy of Evelyn’s hand.
Or perhaps fate would force the king into the most painful decision of his reign.
He did not know.
And that uncertainty was what made him uneasy.
The king returned to his chamber and looked once more into the darkness beyond the palace windows.
“Let the next seven years bring wisdom,” he prayed quietly.
“Let Lilian find happiness.
Let Evelyn and Edward’s love remain strong.
And let me never be forced to choose between my children’s hearts.”
The palace became quiet.
But the king remained awake.
For somewhere in the future, a day was waiting.
A day when Edward’s seven years would end.
A day when Evelyn would expect her promised happiness.
And a day when Princess Lilian’s fate would determine whether that promise could finally be fulfilled.
Until then, the king could only wait.
And worry.
And pray.
Because the law of Bexton Kingdom was unyielding.
And love, no matter how powerful, would soon be tested by it.