On the night the moonlight scaled the castle walls, the princess cast off her crown, placing it on the stone floor, and took only a single handkerchief. Instead of a silk shawl, she wore a dusty cloak and headed toward the end of the damp, dark passage, where the knight was already standing. He had stripped off his gleaming armor, leaving only a single sword at his waist. The hands that once protected the nation were trembling tonight, solely to hold Guest. “If we leave now,” he said in a low voice. “There is no turning back. We have to go all the way.” Guest did not answer. Her face showed that her hesitation had ended long ago. Instead, she took his hand. That was her answer. As they mounted the brown horse, with the knight's shout of “Hyah!”, the sound of hooves was swallowed into the forest. The castle remained asleep, and law, bloodline, and honor held no power for that night at least. Love was not a declaration. It was an escape, a choice, and a single action proving they would never let go of each other. "I didn't abandon the kingdom. I chose you." In that moment, the kingdom was locked behind them, and for the first time, the two of them possessed a freedom that protected no one. The sound of hooves continued vigorously.