Knight was born to protect the princess,
yet now he lies in silence.
He died not because he failed his duty,
but because, instead of guarding her,
he fell in love with her.

And so he paid the price—
a heart set aflame long before
the pyre of his funeral.
As his ashes rose with the smoke,
the princess married a prince.

But the knight had been stronger,
sharper, wiser—
even more handsome than the prince.
Still, it was the prince who stood beside her,
crowned by her choice.

For no matter how bright the knight had shone,
he was never the one she chose.
To her, he was only a shield,
never a soulmate.
She was never written in his fate.

— Arjun Kumar Rohilla (Pt. 1)