I come out panting, jolted awake from the clutches of a nightmare. My vision swam, head spinning in protest against the abrupt return to reality. What the hell was wrong with me? The dream clawed at the edges of my memory: a bottomless fall, a desperate plea lost in the wind, and the chilling certainty that no one would catch me.
Pitiful, right? A Queen, draped in silks and surrounded by loyal subjects, plagued by childish nightmares. One might think I possessed everything a heart could desire. Truth be told, sometimes I wished I wasn't the Queen at all. I wear this crown for my family, their happiness a heavier weight than any jewel. My mother, Elara, yearned to travel the world, to finally embark on adventures with my father, Mattheo. But the guilt of abandoning Northenglades, the kingdom she had nurtured for decades, gnawed at her. So, I volunteered. I stepped into her regal shoes, offering her the freedom to chase her wanderlust, to fulfill the dreams she had quietly shelved.
Sometimes, a bitter seed of resentment takes root within me. Is my mother selfish? Always demanding, always chasing her wants with a single-mindedness that borders on recklessness. I tried to broach the subject with my father recently, to gently suggest that perhaps her desires came at a cost. But he shut the conversation down with a dismissive wave, a weary smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "She deserves to be happy, Isabella," he'd said, his voice laced with a quiet desperation. "No matter the cost, no matter the difficulty."
My father always spoiled her. Lavish gifts, extravagant trips, anything to keep the shadow of dissatisfaction at bay. He bought my mother a vacation home in Dubai, a glittering palace by the sea, simply to quell the fear that she might leave him. It's insane, the lengths people will go to for love. Sadly, my mother doesn't seem to feel the same devotion in return. She's threatened to leave him before, a cruel tactic she wields with unsettling ease, and my father, bless his heart, believes her every time.
Wilson, my most trusted bodyguard, cleared his throat softly outside my door. "Your Majesty? Are you alright? I heard you stir."
"Come in, Wilson," I called out, rubbing the sleep from my golden eyes. He entered, his familiar presence a comforting anchor in the swirling chaos of my thoughts. Wilson, with his grizzled beard and the unwavering loyalty etched onto his face, was more than just a guard; he was a confidante, a silent guardian who had been by my side since childhood. His white eyes, a stark contrast to his brown hair, always seemed to see right through me.
"Another nightmare, Your Majesty?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
"Yes," I sighed, running a hand through my tangled brown hair. "The same one. Falling, and no one there to catch me."
Wilson's brow furrowed. "Perhaps you should consult with Jacob. He's skilled in matters of the mind." Jacob, my second oldest brother, ruled over the Mystic Kingdom, a realm brimming with witches, fairies, and all manner of magical beings. If anyone could unravel the threads of my subconscious, it would be him.
"Maybe," I murmured, though the thought of divulging my anxieties to Jacob felt strangely vulnerable. "But first, I need to prepare for the meeting with my brothers. The border disputes are escalating, and Ace is being particularly… difficult."
Ace, the eldest, ruler of the Solar Kingdom, was always difficult. He possessed a stern, unyielding nature that often clashed with my more diplomatic approach. He saw leadership as a chain of command, whereas I believed in collaboration and understanding.
As Wilson helped me prepare for the day, dressing me in a gown of emerald green, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. It was a subtle unease, a prickling sensation on the back of my neck that whispered of unseen eyes. I dismissed it as lingering anxiety from the nightmare, but the feeling persisted throughout the morning.
The meeting with my brothers was, as expected, tense. Ace argued for a show of force, a display of Solar Kingdom might that would intimidate the encroaching factions. Mason, the elder twin who ruled the Element Kingdom, advocated for a stricter border patrol, utilizing his elemental powers to create impenetrable barriers. James, the younger twin who presided over the Wing Kingdom, suggested a diplomatic approach, offering trade agreements and alliances to quell the unrest. And Jacob, ever the mediator, proposed a combination of strategies, seeking a balance between defense and diplomacy.
I listened patiently, weighing their arguments, trying to find a solution that would protect Northenglades without resorting to open warfare. As the meeting dragged on, I caught a glimpse of a figure lurking in the shadows outside the window. A tall, dark man with piercing blue eyes, his presence radiating an unsettling intensity. He was there, then gone, vanished as quickly as he appeared.
The image lingered in my mind, unsettling and perplexing. Who was he? And what was he doing watching me?
Later that evening, as I strolled through the royal gardens with Isaac, another of my guards, I couldn't shake the feeling of being observed. Isaac, his blonde hair and blue eyes lending him a charming air, chattered on about the latest gossip in court, but I barely heard him. My senses were on high alert, scanning the shadows, searching for any sign of the mysterious stranger.
Suddenly, a bouquet of my favorite white lilies appeared before me. "From a secret admirer, Your Majesty," Isaac said, a playful glint in his eyes.
I took the flowers, my heart pounding against my ribs. There was no card, no note, just the lilies and the unspoken message that someone was watching me, admiring me from afar. A shiver ran down my spine, a strange mixture of fear and… intrigue.
As I retreated to my chambers that night, the lilies scenting the air with their delicate fragrance, I knew one thing for certain: my life was about to become a great deal more complicated. I, Queen Isabella of Northenglades, was being stalked. And something told me that this was not a simple infatuation. This was something darker, something more dangerous. And inexplicably, a part of me, a small, rebellious part, was drawn to the darkness.