The wind screamed through the narrow alleys of Evermore as if the sea had grown a voice and was warning everyone to hide. Doors slammed shut. Lanterns flickered and died. The sky, once a soft grey, had deepened into a heavy, churning black. The rain had begun in earnest now, falling in thick, cold sheets that soaked the earth and flattened the crops.
Lily sat huddled with her siblings near the hearth, the fire flickering weakly as the storm raged against the house. Her mother moved back and forth, securing shutters and whispering prayers under her breath. Her father stood at the doorway, holding it shut with all his strength as the wind pushed against it like a beast trying to break through.
But all Lily could think about was the cliffs.
Was Sam still out there?
A sudden crack of thunder lit the house in white light. One of her younger brothers began to cry, clinging to her as the roof groaned above them.
She held him tighter, whispering comforting words she didn't fully believe. Deep inside her, fear pulsed like a second heartbeat.
Out by the docks, Sam fought against the tide, pulling loose nets to safety and untying small boats before the waves could destroy them. The sea had always been wild, but tonight it was cruel. It roared and reached toward the village like it wanted to claim something, someone.
He was soaked through, hair plastered to his forehead, hands raw from rope and salt. Every time he thought he was done, another gust of wind would send debris flying, or another line would snap loose. Around him, other fishermen yelled to one another through the chaos, but he barely heard them.
His thoughts were with Lily.
She hadn't looked afraid when he saw her on the cliffs. Calm, thoughtful… like she belonged to the sea. But now? Now he worried if her home would hold. If her family would stay safe. If he would ever see her again.
A scream cut through the storm.
It came from one of the village paths not the docks.
He turned.
His body was already moving before his mind caught up.
He followed the sound through the rain, boots slipping in the mud as he ran toward the houses. A tree had fallen across the path. He jumped over it, panting hard, water blurring his vision.
Then he saw her.
Lily.
She was kneeling beside her younger brother, who had tried to run outside in fear. The boy had tripped and cut his knee, crying out in pain. She had run after him, but now they were caught in the open, only a few feet from safety, and the wind was almost lifting her off the ground.
"Lily!" Sam shouted.
She turned to him, hair soaked and whipping across her face. Relief flooded her eyes.
He didn't wait. In a few quick strides, he reached them, lifting her brother into his arms. "We have to move!"
Lily nodded, scrambling up beside him.
Together, they pushed through the storm toward her home. Her father threw the door open just in time, pulling them in before slamming it shut again.
Inside, the warmth hit Sam like a wave. The fire was still burning. The rest of the children huddled in a corner, wide-eyed. Lily's mother gasped when she saw her son's bleeding leg, quickly moving to tend to it.
Lily looked at Sam. He was dripping wet, chest rising and falling, eyes locked on hers as if needing proof she was really okay.
"Thank you," she whispered.
He didn't reply. He just gave a small nod, then looked away, brushing water from his face.
The storm raged on through the night.
By morning, Evermore was not the same.
Trees had been uprooted. Several homes had their roofs torn off. The sea had swallowed part of the docks. It would take weeks, maybe months, to recover.
But Lily was safe.
And Sam had saved her.
In the days that followed, the village pulled together as they always did. Neighbors helped neighbors. Fishermen worked double shifts. People shared what little they had. Sam's name was mentioned more than once with respect how he'd braved the storm to save a child and a girl.
But something else had shifted too.
Lily's father noticed it first the way she looked at Sam now. Softer. Brighter.
He was a good boy, yes. But poor. A fisherman's son with nothing to offer but strength and heart.
And Lily… she was the most beautiful girl in the village.
One afternoon, as repairs were being made to the village hall, a man arrived dressed in fine silks and riding a white horse. He was a messenger from another land, representing a prince who had heard tales of Evermore's jewel. A proposal was made: the prince sought a bride. He would offer Lily's family wealth, land, and protection.
Sam heard the news in silence.
He was by the docks, mending a net when a friend told him. His hands froze. The wind blew gently this time, but inside him, a different kind of storm had begun.
Inside Lily's home, her parents sat her down and told her everything.
"We love you, Lily," her mother said gently. "This is an opportunity we can't ignore. We… we have nothing. This could change everything."
Lily felt the world tilt beneath her.
She thought of the prince, a stranger in another land.
She thought of Sam soaked in rain, eyes searching hers, arms carrying her brother through the storm.
She said nothing.
Outside, the sea whispered again.
But this time, it didn't bring comfort.
It brought sorrow....