I stood before the imposing gates of the Ashworth estate, my heart racing despite my outwardly calm demeanor. Eamon fidgeted nervously beside me, clearly intimidated by the grand stone walls stretching endlessly in both directions.


    "I''ve heard stories about this ce," he whispered, "but seeing it in person is something else entirely."


    I nodded, my eyes fixed on the massive iron gates. "The Ashworth family doesn''t do anything small."


    Minutes stretched like hours as we waited. The guards maintained their rigid posture, casting asional suspicious nces our way. I was about to approach them again when amotion erupted from inside the gates.


    "Where is he? Is he really here?" A familiar voice floated over the walls, making my heart leap.


    Suddenly, the gates swung open. There she stood – Isabelle Ashworth, breathtaking as ever, her eyes wide with disbelief and joy.


    "Liam!" she cried, rushing forward without a care for dignity or protocol.


    I stepped forward, meeting her halfway. She threw herself into my arms, and I lifted her off the ground, spinning her once before setting her back down.


    "I can''t believe you''re here," she whispered, her hands cupping my face as if to verify I was real. "You didn''t tell me you wereing to Veridia City!"


    I smiled, drinking in the sight of her. "I wanted to surprise you."


    The guards watched our reunion with barely concealed shock. The Ashworth princess was rarely seen disying such uninhibited emotion.


    "The famous King of Eldoria," she said, her eyes shining with pride. "The rumors have reached even here."


    Iughed softly. "Hardly a king. Just apetitor in the Battle Zone championships."


    She took my hand, intertwining our fingers without hesitation. "Come inside. You must tell me everything."


    I gestured to Eamon, who stood awkwardly to the side. "This is Eamon Greene, my assistant and friend."


    Isabelle nodded politely to him. "Any friend of Liam''s is wee in the Ashworth home."


    We walked through the gates, entering a world of manicured gardens and marble pathways. The main vi loomed in the distance, more pce than home, its white stone gleaming in the sunlight. <small ss="meta-ref-static">Enjoy the story by reading on *.</small>


    The guards followed us with their eyes, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and disapproval. I could read their thoughts clearly enough – what was the Ashworth princess doing with this outsider?


    "Ignore them," Isabelle whispered, sensing my awareness of their stares. "They answer to my grandfather, not me."


    She led us to a waiting car. "We''ll drive to the main house. It''s quite a walk otherwise."


    As we settled into the vehicle''s plush interior, Isabelle kept her hand firmly in mine. "I''ve missed you terribly, Liam. Your letters weren''t enough."


    "I''ve thought about you every day," I admitted. "Every challenge I''ve faced, every victory I''ve won – they were all for you."


    Her eyes softened. "You don''t need to prove yourself to me."


    "Not just to you," I said. "To myself. To be worthy of you."


    The car rolled smoothly along the winding driveway, revealing more of the estate''s grandeur. Ornate fountains punctuated thendscape, while servants moved purposefully across the grounds.


    "So thepetition brings you to Veridia City?" she asked.


    I nodded. "The Battle Zone championships. We''ve qualified directly for the finals."


    Her face lit up. "That''s incredible! The Ashworth family always attends the finals. I''ll be there to cheer for you."


    "Nothing would make me happier," I said, squeezing her hand.


    Eamon cleared his throat gently. "Miss Ashworth, your family''s estate is remarkable. I''ve never seen anything like it."


    Isabelle''s smile dimmed slightly. "It''s beautiful, but sometimes it feels more like a gilded cage than a home."


    I understood the sentiment all too well, thinking back to my own imprisonment within the Sterling household. Howevervish the surroundings, captivity remained captivity.


    "Your family still doesn''t approve of me," I stated. It wasn''t a question.


    Isabelle''s expression grew serious. "My grandfather rules this family with an iron fist. My uncles and cousins follow his lead. But I make my own choices now."


    Her defiance warmed my heart. The Isabelle I''d first met had been constrained by family expectations. She''d grown bolder since then – perhaps my own rebellion had inspired hers.


    "Will I meet them today?" I asked.


    "My grandfather, perhaps. He rarely leaves his chambers these days, but he sees and knows everything that happens on the estate."


    I nodded, mentally preparing myself. Duane Ashworth was legendary in business and political circles – a man who had built the family fortune into an empire through cunning and ruthless determination.


    As we approached the main vi, I couldn''t help but feel the weight of what I was walking into. The Ashworth family didn''t wee outsiders, especially those who threatened their carefullyid ns.


    But for Isabelle, I would face anything.


    ---


    High above the grounds, in a spacious study overlooking the estate, an elderly man stood at the window. Despite his advanced years, Duane Ashworth stood straight-backed and imposing, his silver hair neatlybed, his eyes sharp and alert.


    He watched the car carrying his granddaughter and her visitor with intense interest.


    "So that''s Liam Knight," he murmured.


    Behind him, a thin man in formal attire nodded. "Yes, sir. The young man from Havenwood who''s made quite a name for himself in Eldoria. They''re calling him their champion now."


    Duane continued to watch as the car disappeared around a bend in the road. "And his father? Have we confirmed the connection?"


    "Yes, sir. All evidence points to him being the son of that man. Though he himself appears unaware of his true parentage."


    A thin smile crossed the patriarch''s face. "Interesting how fate works. I spent decades searching for this bloodline, and now it delivers itself to my doorstep, pursuing my granddaughter of all people."


    The steward stepped closer. "If I may remind you, sir, you once mentioned that Knight might serve as yourst trump card regarding Miss Isabelle''s future."


    Duane turned away from the window, his expression thoughtful. "Not everything can be under one''s control. Sometimes it''s best to let nature take its course."


    He moved to his desk, picking up a jade pendant simr to the one Liam carried. "The boy doesn''t realize what game he''s ying, or whose pieces are moving on the board."


    "Will you meet with him today, sir?" the steward asked.


    Duane''s eyes gleamed with calction. "No. Let him think this visit is merely about my granddaughter. Let him believe he''s the one choosing his path."


    He set the pendant back down carefully. "After all, the best pawns are those who believe themselves to be kings."