The stars twinkled softly in the night sky as a little girl named Eleana sat by her bedroom window, staring at the moon. Her tiny hands rested on the windowsill, her big brown eyes filled with wonder. She could feel something—someone—watching over her. She didn't know how to explain it, but she was certain an angel was always by her side.
"Are you there again?" she whispered into the darkness, her voice small and hopeful.
Leon, the angel sent to protect her, stood silently in the shadows. His celestial form shimmered faintly, invisible to her eyes but close enough to hear her. He smiled softly, his heart warming at her innocence.
"I'm here," he murmured, though she couldn't hear him.
From the moment Eleana was born, Leon had been tasked to watch over her. Her parents, unaware of his presence, had promised her to a wealthy family's son when she was just a baby. It was a decision made to secure her future, but it had bound her life to a path she didn't choose.
As Eleana grew, Leon was always there—her silent guardian. When she fell and scraped her knee, he was the one who whispered courage into her heart. When she cried from a nightmare, he brushed away her tears with an unseen hand. And when she laughed, his soul felt lighter than the stars.
One day, when Eleana was six years old, she sat in her garden, surrounded by wildflowers. Leon appeared beside her, this time allowing his faint, glowing figure to be visible to her. He knelt down, his radiant wings tucked behind him, and smiled.
"Who are you?" she asked curiously, tilting her head.
"I'm a friend," Leon said gently. "I'll always be here for you."
"Do you have wings? Like an angel?" she asked, her eyes wide with excitement.
Leon chuckled softly. "Yes, I do. But you must promise not to tell anyone."
She nodded solemnly. "I promise."
From that day on, Eleana grew up with the quiet comfort of knowing she wasn't alone. She would whisper to Leon at night, telling him about her dreams and fears. And though he wasn't always visible, she could feel his presence like a warm embrace.
But as the years passed, life became more complicated. Her parents' decision to promise her to another family weighed heavily on her. By the time she was eighteen, the reality of her arranged marriage was unavoidable. Eleana's heart felt heavy, not just because she didn't love her fiancé, but because her heart belonged to someone she could never truly be with.
One night, as she sat in her room, staring at her wedding dress laid out on the bed, she spoke into the stillness.
"Are you still there?" she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Leon, unseen, stood in the corner of the room. His heart ached at her pain. He wanted nothing more than to reach out, to comfort her, to tell her that she wasn't alone.
"I'm here," he said softly, knowing she couldn't hear him.
Eleana sighed, wiping her tears. "I always thought… I thought when I grew up, I could be with you. I felt you, you know. All these years. You were my angel, weren't you?"
Leon closed his eyes, wishing he could answer her. He had watched her grow from a curious child into a strong young woman. He had been there for her every step of the way, but now, as she faced the biggest challenge of her life, he felt powerless.
Eleana clenched her fists. "Why can't I choose my own path? Why can't I be free?"
Leon took a step closer, his glowing figure briefly visible in the moonlight. Eleana gasped and turned her head, but by the time she looked, he was gone.
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