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The moment Luna stormed out of the throne room, she knew there was no turning back. Her parents had always been kind, always granted her freedom—but now, they expected her to bend to tradition. To be shackled by duty.
No.
She would not let them decide her future.
Luna stepped into the palace gardens, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The moonlight kissed her silver hair as she exhaled sharply, trying to suppress the fury building within her.
"You look like you're about to kill someone," a familiar voice drawled.
Luna turned to see Ahava, leaning casually against a marble pillar. His dark robes blended into the night, and his piercing gaze studied her with quiet amusement.
Ahava had been by her side since childhood, a silent shadow that never strayed too far. He was her protector, her confidant. And, at times, her only voice of reason.
"They want to marry me off," Luna muttered, crossing her arms.
Ahava raised a brow. "To who?"
She scoffed. "Does it matter? I'm not doing it."
A slow smirk played on Ahava's lips. "I can already hear the palace walls crumbling."
Luna sighed, running a hand through her silken hair. "I need to leave, Ahava. I need to get away from this place, from these expectations."
His smirk faded. "You know what that means."
She met his gaze, determination burning in her night-colored eyes. "It means I start my journey. It means I build my own clan—the Eclipse Clan."
Ahava let out a slow breath, his expression unreadable. "If you're serious about this, then you know I'm coming with you."
Luna smiled, the first real smile she'd managed all night. "I was counting on it."
Ahava chuckled, but there was an edge of seriousness in his voice. "Leaving won't be easy. The King and Queen won't just let you walk away."
She nodded. "I know. But I'm not asking for permission."
They stood in silence, the gravity of her decision settling between them. This was not just an act of rebellion—it was the beginning of something greater.
The start of her legacy.
---
The Next Morning
Luna didn't wait for sunrise. She was gone before the first light touched the sky, slipping past the palace guards with Ahava by her side.
Levi had found her just before she left, standing in the shadows of the courtyard. His golden hair was tousled, his fierce eyes burning with emotion.
"You're really going," he said quietly.
Luna nodded. "I have to."
Levi exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "You know they'll come after you."
"I know."
A long silence stretched between them before Levi finally spoke. "Then go. Before I change my mind and drag you back myself."
Luna stepped forward, pressing a hand against his cheek. "Take care of them. Take care of yourself."
Levi grabbed her wrist, his grip tight. "Promise me you won't die out there."
Luna smirked. "I don't plan on it."
And with that, she was gone.
As she and Ahava disappeared into the vast lands beyond the Moon Clan, Luna took one last look at the palace that had been her home.
She wasn't running away.
She was running toward her destiny.
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