The sa day Liselotte disappeared…
Princess Leah was returning from her first official journey. Her father, King William, had sent her to visit her grandparents, forr monarchs who had retired in a village east of the capital. Her older brother had made the sa visit at the age of twelve, as royal tradition dictated, and now it was her turn.
Leah adored her grandparents. During the days she spent with them, she enjoyed stories of the past, homade als, and afternoons in the gardens of the old rural castle. It was a trip she thought she would rember forever.
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[POV Leah]
"Clive, how much longer until we’re ho?"
"A few more hours, Your Highness" answered my personal guard, always with that dry tone of his.
"Ugh! You’re so boring, Clive! I’ve done nothing for hours!"
"Patience is a virtue, Princess" he replied without taking his eyes off the window.
I crossed my arms. The carriage was comfortable, but unbearably slow. Even with Clive inside, talking to him was like talking to a wall.
Then a deafening noise shook the ground.
BOOM!
The carriage ca to a sudden stop. Clive lunged toward the window.
"What was that?"
"Clive, tell what’s going on!"
"A rock... huge... fell from the sky right in front of us. No... this isn’t natural..."
Clive’s face went tense. Outside, the murmurs of soldiers turned into chaos. Horses neighed, hooves clattered, and orders were drowned in screams.
"Princess, co with . Now."
We stepped out just in ti to see it.
A figure floated in the sky, imposing, with wings black as night and glowing, cruel eyes. It had long claws, and its smile... its smile was pure evil.
A demon.
"Well well... so this is the human princess of Whirikal. A brat... I don’t know why they sent for you."
"Enemy sighted! Defensive formation!"
Clive stepped in front of . The soldiers surrounded the demon instantly. Swords were raised. The command echoed:
"Attack!"
They charged. Brave… but desperate.
"Toys? How disappointing" the demon muttered, raising one hand.
The swords didn’t pierce his flesh. They bounced off as if against an invisible wall.
"Is this all the royal guard has?"
With a single step, the demon unleashed a shockwave that sent everyone flying—everyone but Clive.
"Oh? Still standing? Curious. And without divine blessing..."
"I won’t let you take the Princess!"
Clive, trembling with fury, managed to graze the demon. Just a scratch.
"A scratch… not bad" the demon said. "But enough."
He snapped his fingers.
In an instant, Clive’s head was separated from his body.
"CLIVE!" I scread with all the force in my soul.
His body—my guard, my friend—fell at my feet.
The remaining soldiers attacked with their last strength.
"Princess, run!"
But I couldn’t move. I was just a girl before an ancient monster.
"No worries. You won’t die. They told to take you alive. You’ll just... sleep for a while."
"Sleep?"
"My lord hasn’t awakened yet. But he will soon. And you’ll be part of his plans."
With a wicked grin, he took out a red crystal. He threw it to the ground, and from it erged a winged creature—like a floating manta ray—that wrapped around and forced onto its back.
"No! Let go!"
"Princess. Your fate is sealed."
And so, without being able to resist, I was dragged into the sky.
From the creature, I saw the fallen soldiers. I saw Clive. I saw a man still alive helping civilians near another carriage.
A small hope.
But as we flew, the demon muttered:
"They don’t need her anymore? Then what do I do with her?"
He fell silent, listening.
"Huh? Four years? Fine. We’ll leave her with Glanc. She won’t last, but that’s not my concern."
"Why...?" I asked with barely a whisper.
"There were... unforeseen events. Don’t ask, girl."
I couldn’t say anything else.
I just hugged myself, trembling.
The sky darkened as the demon carried toward a place I didn’t know.
And all I could do… was hope to survive.
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