Lorenz took Sophie’s hand in his. Her hands were so small compared to his own. She thought about how those hands of his would accomplish great things in the future. But for now…just for now, she held on tightly, not wanting to let go.
Sophie passed away ten days later.
Around her neck was the necklace Lorenz had given her—a piece of jewelry she had kept even after selling almost all her belongings.
Her coffin was moved from the duke’s residence to the church.
It rained that day, a cold rain mixed with traces of snow. Lorenz stood without an umbrella. His cheeks were wet, but it wasn’t from tears. He hadn’t cried. Not visibly.
* * *
Three years later.
Lorenz sat silently in front of Sophie’s coffin, enshrined in the church. He visited regularly and spent quiet moments there alone. Many of the citizens viewed Lorenz’s devotion with sympathy, noting that he had yet to take a new fiancée.
“Sophie, you were wrong,” Lorenz murmured quietly, almost to himself.
Sophie had always believed that Lorenz had feelings for Juliana. She thought he had accepted their engagement only because Juliana had become his elder brother’s betrothed.
In truth, Lorenz had never viewed Juliana in a romantic light. He admired her beauty, her elegance, and her intelligence. She was undoubtedly a fitting queen for the royal family. But that was all she was to him. Nothing more.
Lorenz’s focus had been on Sophie from the very beginning.
It wasn’t love at first sight, nor an uncontrollable longing. But being with Sophie made him feel at ease. He liked the calmness she brought into his life. Deep down, he had always been certain—this was the person he wanted to spend his life with.
So, when his older brother Marius asked him about their respective engagements, Lorenz unhesitatingly mentioned Sophie’s name. It wasn’t out of deference to his brother; it was his genuine desire.
Lorenz believed that Marius was truly drawn to Juliana, but there were political factors at play as well. Juliana was the perfect candidate for a future queen. If she had become Lorenz’s fiancée instead, it could have stirred complications. Lorenz was more capable than Marius, and there had been voices suggesting that Lorenz might be a better candidate for the throne.
Back then, Lorenz and Juliana often met due to their similar ages. While Lorenz saw their interactions as casual, others perceived them as close. There was even a brief period when the nobility speculated about which prince they should support—Marius or Lorenz.
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