Arielle was seven years old when she first saw the monster who would eventually become the most important person in her life.
That day, her family's mansion felt different.
Usually, the front yard was filled with the voices of guards, cars coming and going, or servants rushing around with various necessities. But that afternoon, Arielle felt that everything was far too quiet.
She had just finished playing in the backyard when one of the servants told her that her dad was calling her to the study.
Arielle didn't obey right away.
She was sitting beneath a large tree, hugging her favorite bunny doll. Her long hair was slightly messy from running around all afternoon.
"Dad said now?" she asked.
The servant nodded.
"Yes, Miss."
"Why?"
"It seems there's someone your dad wants to introduce to you."
Arielle pursed her lips.
"Who?"
"I don't know, Miss."
Arielle grew even more suspicious.
If her dad only wanted to introduce someone, why did he have to call her to the study?
Usually, when there were guests, her dad came to see her. Not the other way around.
But in the end, her curiosity won out over her laziness.
Arielle climbed out from beneath the tree, straightened her little dress, and walked toward the house with her bunny doll in her arms.
She passed through the long corridor toward her dad's study.
The closer she got, the more clearly she could hear voices coming from inside.
Her dad's voice.
Another voice sounded deeper.
Cold.
Not very talkative.
Arielle slowed her steps.
She stopped right in front of the slightly open door.
Through the gap, she peeked inside.
And that was when she saw him.
A boy was standing beside her dad.
Arielle froze.
A boy?
No.
To Arielle, he wasn't a boy.
He was a monster.
He was much taller than Arielle. Even if she stood as straight as possible, her head would probably only reach his chest.
His black hair was neatly arranged. The black clothes he wore made him look even more serious. There was no smile. No friendly expression. Even while her dad was speaking, the boy simply stood straight, his gaze calm and cold.
What frightened Arielle most were his eyes.
His gaze was far too calm.
Far too sharp.
As if there wasn't a single thing in the world that could make him panic.
Arielle slowly backed away.
Her bunny doll nearly fell from her arms.
She quickly hugged it tighter.
Then she whispered as softly as she could.
"Dad..."
Her dad happened to notice her movement and immediately turned around.
"Arielle?"
Arielle jumped.
She hurriedly hid behind the door.
But it was already too late.
Her dad let out a small laugh instead.
"Come in."
Arielle shook her head vigorously.
No.
Absolutely not.
Her dad laughed again.
"Arielle."
"Arielle doesn't want to."
"Why not?"
Arielle peeked inside once more.
The boy in black was still standing there.
She immediately hid again.
"Dad..." Her voice grew smaller. "He looks like a bad guy."
Silence.
One second.
Two seconds.
Then her dad's muffled laughter could be heard.
Arielle became even more certain that her dad didn't understand the grave situation she was facing.
"Dad, don't laugh!"
"I'm not laughing."
"You are!"
"All right, all right."
Her dad tried to compose himself.
Meanwhile, the boy remained silent.
Arielle gathered the courage to peek again.
This time, the boy's eyes met hers directly.
Arielle froze.
The boy didn't move either.
He said nothing.
He only stared.
Arielle slammed the door shut.
Bang!
"Arielle!"
Arielle ran away.
Her dad laughed again.
"Don't run. He won't eat you."
"Arielle doesn't believe you!"
"Come here."
"Tell him to leave first!"
"He isn't going anywhere."
"Why?!"
"Because I called him here."
Arielle stopped.
She slowly turned around.
There was something in her dad's tone that finally made her obey.
With extremely cautious steps, Arielle returned to the doorway.
She didn't go inside right away.
She stood on the threshold, hugging her bunny doll.
Her dad smiled.
"There. Much better."
Arielle eyed the boy suspiciously.
Her dad then pointed at him.
"Let me introduce you. His name is Cassian."
Cassian.
The name sounded strange to Arielle's ears.
Like the name of a character in a story who usually appeared to kidnap princesses.
Arielle hugged her doll even tighter.
"How old is he?"
"Fifteen."
Arielle's eyes went wide.
Fifteen?
He was still young.
But why did his face look like someone who had already lived for a hundred years?
Her dad looked at Cassian.
"Introduce yourself."
Cassian finally moved.
He took one step forward.
Arielle instinctively stepped back.
Cassian stopped.
"I'm Cassian."
His voice was calm.
Not loud.
Not harsh.
But it still made Arielle feel as if she were talking to someone who didn't know how to joke around.
Arielle stared at him.
Cassian stared back.
"I'll be protecting Arielle starting today."
Arielle frowned.
"Protecting me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Cassian didn't answer right away.
Her dad answered for him.
"Because Cassian will be Arielle's bodyguard from now on."
Arielle blinked.
"A bodyguard?"
"Yes."
"Arielle has a bodyguard?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I want Arielle to be safe."
Arielle looked Cassian up and down.
Then she whispered to her dad,
"Why does it have to be him?"
Cassian heard her.
But his expression didn't change.
Her dad only smiled.
"Because he's someone I trust."
Arielle still wasn't convinced.
"He's mean."
Cassian stayed silent.
"He's scary."
Cassian remained silent.
"He looks like a bad guy."
This time, her dad really did laugh.
Arielle pouted.
"Arielle's serious!"
"I know."
Her dad stood up from his chair and walked over to Arielle.
He crouched down so they were eye to eye.
"I know you're scared, Arielle. But Cassian won't hurt you."
Arielle looked at Cassian again.
The boy was still standing straight.
He wasn't smiling.
He wasn't trying to come closer.
That attitude was exactly what made Arielle even more afraid.
"What if he's bad?"
"He's not bad."
"What if he turns bad?"
"He won't."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
Arielle thought for a few seconds.
Then she pointed at Cassian with her bunny doll.
"If Cassian tries anything funny, you have to kick him out."
Cassian finally blinked.
Her dad smiled.
"All right."
Arielle nodded in satisfaction.
But after she had taken only a few steps, her dad called out to her.
"Arielle."
Arielle turned around.
"From now on, wherever Arielle goes, Cassian will go with her."
Arielle's smile vanished.
"Anywhere?"
"Anywhere."
"To the garden?"
"Yes."
"To the dining room?"
"Yes."
"To my bedroom?"
Her dad was silent for a moment.
"We'll see."
Arielle stared at Cassian in disbelief.
"So Arielle has a shadow now."
Cassian said flatly,
"More or less."
Arielle pouted even harder.
"Arielle doesn't want one."
Her dad patted her head.
"You'll get used to it."
Arielle didn't answer.
She simply walked past Cassian quickly.
But when she reached his side, she glanced at him.
Cassian was much taller.
Arielle had to tilt her head way back just to see his face.
Monster.
A real monster.
Arielle quickly ran toward the corridor.
Cassian followed several steps behind her.
Not too close.
Not too far.
Arielle stopped.
Cassian stopped too.
Arielle started walking again.
Cassian started walking again.
Arielle quickened her pace.
Cassian continued following her at the same speed.
Arielle finally turned around.
"Stop following Arielle!"
"It's my duty."
Arielle snorted.
"You're annoying."
Cassian was silent.
"Don't get too close."
"All right."
Cassian put some distance between them.
Arielle started walking again.
A few seconds later, she glanced over her shoulder.
Cassian was still there.
For some reason, his presence only made her a little more annoyed.
She quickened her pace again.
But when she reached the stairs, her foot caught on the hem of her dress.
Her small body lost its balance.
Before she could fall, a hand caught her arm.
Arielle was startled.
Cassian was already standing beside her.
His grip was strong but careful.
Arielle stared at Cassian's hand around her arm.
Then she looked at his face.
Cassian released her as soon as she was standing straight again.
"Be careful."
Arielle didn't answer.
She only hugged her doll.
Cassian then walked back a few steps.
He didn't say anything.
He didn't scold her.
He didn't laugh.
Arielle watched his back.
For a moment, the monster looked a little different.
But Arielle quickly shook her head.
No.
Still a monster.
That night, Arielle was still thinking about the boy.
She sat on her bed, playing with her bunny doll's ear.
"Cassian..."
The name slipped out on its own.
She wrinkled her nose.
Why did Dad have to bring someone so weird home?
Arielle lay down.
She tried to sleep.
But footsteps sounded outside her bedroom.
Arielle immediately sat up.
The footsteps stopped in front of her door.
Someone's shadow appeared beneath the gap.
Arielle held her breath.
Then the shadow moved.
Arielle immediately pulled the blanket over her entire body.
Tap.
Tap.
Someone knocked on the door.
Arielle didn't answer.
Tap.
Tap.
This time, it was softer.
"Miss."
Arielle froze.
That voice.
Cassian.
Arielle hugged her doll tightly.
She stared at the door with wide eyes.
"Are you not asleep yet, Miss?"
Arielle didn't answer.
Cassian knocked again.
"I'm only making sure you're all right."
Arielle slowly climbed out of bed.
She walked toward the door.
But before opening it, she stopped.
"Dad said Cassian has to protect Arielle?"
"Yes."
"All night?"
"If necessary."
Arielle wrinkled her nose.
"Why?"
"Because it's my duty."
Arielle fell silent.
Duty again.
She opened the door a crack.
Cassian was standing there.
Still wearing black.
Still wearing the same cold expression.
But this time, Arielle didn't immediately hide.
She only stared at him.
"Cassian."
"Yes, Miss?"
"If Arielle goes to sleep..."
Cassian waited.
"...will Cassian stay here?"
"Outside your room."
Arielle thought about it.
Then she gave a small nod.
"Okay, then."
The door closed again.
Cassian stood outside.
Arielle returned to bed.
She was still afraid.
But for some reason, her fear was a little smaller this time.
For the first time that night, Arielle fell asleep without a nightmare.
Outside her room, Cassian continued standing in silence.
He didn't know yet that the little girl he'd just met would eventually become someone he would find incredibly difficult to let go of.
And Arielle didn't know yet that the boy she'd called a monster would eventually become the first person she always looked for when she was afraid, the person she always waited for when he left, and the person who would one day turn her own heart upside down.
But that night, all of that was still far away.
To Cassian, Arielle was merely a child he had to protect.
To Arielle, Cassian was merely a frightening monster who happened to be standing outside her bedroom.
The next morning, Arielle tested his patience again.
While Cassian was standing in the yard, Arielle walked past him carrying her bunny doll.
She stopped.
Looked at Cassian.
Then said,
"Cassian."
"Yes, Miss?"
"If Arielle runs, can Cassian catch her?"
"Yes."
Arielle immediately ran.
Cassian let out a small sigh and chased after her.
From the second-floor balcony, Arielle's father watched them.
For the first time, he saw that his daughter wasn't truly afraid of Cassian.
She might even be starting to get used to him.
He smiled faintly.
But that smile soon disappeared when Cassian came back carrying a still-struggling Arielle.
"Put Arielle down!"
"Miss nearly fell."
"Arielle wasn't going to fall!"
Cassian slowly set her down.
Arielle immediately straightened her dress, her face full of annoyance.
"Monster."
Cassian looked at her.
"Did Miss call me?"
Arielle immediately ran away.
Her father held back a laugh.
Cassian only sighed.
That day was supposed to be the beginning of a simple job.
Protecting a little girl.
Nothing more.
At least, that was how it was supposed to go.
A few minutes later, Arielle's father called Cassian to his study.
This time, Arielle wasn't there.
There was no laughter.
No sound of little feet running through the corridor.
Only two people stood facing each other in the closed room.
Cassian stood straight.
"Is there something you need to tell me, Sir?"
Arielle's father looked at him for a long while.
"Do you know why I chose you?"
"Because I am capable of protecting Miss."
"Correct."
He walked toward the window.
"And because I trust you."
Cassian was silent.
"Starting today, Arielle is under your protection. No matter what happens, her safety is your priority."
"Yes, Sir."
"Don't let your guard down."
"I won't."
Arielle's father stopped.
Then he turned around.
His gaze was much more serious this time.
"Cassian."
"Yes, Sir."
"There's one thing you need to remember."
Cassian waited.
Arielle's father's voice dropped very low.
"One thing, Cassian. Never let feelings become part of this duty."
Cassian fell silent.
For a moment, Arielle's little face flashed through his mind.
The girl who hid when she saw him.
The girl who called him a monster.
The girl who ran that morning without fear, even though she knew he would chase her.
Cassian lowered his head.
"I understand, Sir."
And without anyone realizing it, a new promise had just been made.
A promise that would eventually become the reason Cassian denied his own feelings.
A promise that, years later, would make Arielle cry.
And a promise that would one day have to be shattered by one simple truth:
Cassian had never been able to see Arielle as nothing more than his duty.