to breathe a collective sigh of relief, their future queen seemingly embracing a path of stability and alliance. But beneath the surface of forced

d the unexpected arrival of Prince Caius. Papa, looking genuinel

Papa boomed, extending a welcoming ha

from Eldoria was smooth. And if I may be so bold, I found myself... eager to spend time wi

ing Caius on the shoulder. "Isla will be delighted. Isl

d, his kind eyes lighting up as he saw me. He was even more

lody, bowing with graceful formality. "It is

on my cheeks. For a fleeting moment, his genuine interest in me offered

tinued, his gaze gentle. "I know a rather quaint fragrance store in the city, one

andeur of the palace, a chance to experience something normal, felt

d with genuine interest as I spoke of my favorite blooms in the royal gardens, sharing anecdotes about the unique flora of Eldora. For a while, the oppressive weight within me seemed to lessen, replaced by a fragile sense

al. An involuntary tremor ran through me. The familiar, brutal clang slammed into my skull, not as deafening as before, but sharp and insistent, like a diabolical bell tol

ruptly, his smile fading into concern. "Princess Isla? Are you alright? You'v

e me, Prince Caius," I stammered, my voice trembling. "I... I

ringing in my ears intensified, a chaotic symphony of dread. I stumbled into a small, dimly lit

ike. As I stared at my distorted reflection, a hairline crack snaked across the surface of the mirror, right through my image, as if something within me was shattering the very realit

to pretend everything was normal. Taking a shaky breath, I smooth

face etched with worry. "Princess Isla! Are y

feeling brittle and false. "Just a mom

ld head back to the palace? We can continue our outing another day." His kindn

alone with these terrifying transformations. "Perhaps we could

osen perfumes with practiced ease. We reached the front of the store, a simple archway acting as the exit when two burly security guards, their

ewildered. "Wr

ith all due respect, Your Highnesses, protocol dictates we must ensure everything is in order. The alarm was tr

f the metal-encased perfume bottle suddenly a damning accusation. Confusion warred wit

tle annoyed. "Surely that's unnece

and with the diabolical ringing now a frantic hammering in my ears, I could only stammer,