The morning mist clung to the ground like secrets unspoken. The grand castle of Eldrin stood tall and proud, its spires piercing the gray sky, its gates locked tight. Guards yawned at their posts, unaware that today was the beginning of something that would shake the kingdom.
A figure stumbled toward the gates, her cloak torn, her face pale, feet bare and blistered. She collapsed just a few feet from the gate, her breath coming in short, desperate bursts.
"Someone's out there!" a guard shouted, rushing forward.
They approached cautiously, weapons half-raised, uncertain if she was a beggar, a thief—or a threat. But as they looked closer, they saw only a girl, barely older than twenty, unconscious and bruised.
"What do we do?" one asked.
"Leave her," another muttered. "We've got orders—no outsiders."
Before any decision could be made, the heavy doors behind them creaked open.
"Let me see."
The voice was deep, calm, commanding. The King of Eldrin himself stepped forward—tall, dressed in black and silver, a crown barely visible beneath his dark hair. His eyes locked onto the girl.
"Bring her in."
"But, Your Majesty—"
"I said bring her in."
---
Lily awoke in a warm bed, light from a stained-glass window painting soft colors across the room. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then it all rushed back—blood, fire, the Queen's scream, the guards' cold steel.
She sat up with a jolt, her heart pounding.
"Easy now."
The King sat in a chair near the window, a book resting on his lap, but his full attention was on her.
"You were at the gate," Lily murmured. "You helped me."
He nodded. "Who are you? What happened to you?"
She hesitated, eyes flickering to the door.
"My name is Lily," she said at last. "I was with… someone important. Someone kind."
His brows drew together. "Go on."
Lily's hands clenched. "She was a Queen."
The King's breath caught.
"My sister?"
Tears welled in Lily's eyes. "Yes."
He stood. "Where is she?"
Lily's voice cracked. "Dead."
Silence filled the room like a storm cloud.
The King turned away, fists clenched, shoulders shaking with fury.
"Tell me everything," he said through gritted teeth.
---
One Month Earlier…
The Queen smiled faintly as Lily placed a wet cloth on her forehead.
"You don't have to pretend to be my sister anymore," the Queen whispered.
Lily smiled. "And yet… I feel like you are mine."
They had been hiding in the poorest part of a border village. The Queen, once radiant and powerful, now thin and weak from illness and wounds, was barely recognizable. But her spirit hadn't died. Not yet.
"You saved me," the Queen said. "Why?"
"Because you were kind to me. You treated me like a human when no one else did."
The Queen reached for Lily's hand. "You're stronger than you know."
But the peace didn't last.
That night, the royal guards found them. The Queen saw them first through the cracked window. Without hesitation, she grabbed Lily's hand.
"Run!"
They bolted into the night, but the guards caught up. Swords clashed. Screams echoed.
Lily ran. She didn't want to—but the Queen had shoved her away at the last second.
When Lily turned back, she saw it.
The Queen's blood staining the ground.
---
Back in the present…
Lily finished the story, her voice numb. The King stood in silence, his eyes shining with unshed tears.
"She died trying to protect me," Lily said. "And I ran. I ran here because I didn't know where else to go."
The King turned to her, stepping close.
"You came to the right place."