"Sophie."

"Sophie."

"Sophie!"

I stirred from my slumber, my eyelids heavy with drowsiness. Confusion swept over me as I blinked, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Wasn't I with Prince Alexander just a few hours ago? How had I ended up back in my room? "Where am I?" I mumbled, my voice still tinged with sleep.

"The young lady is awake," a familiar voice announced, placing a food tray beside me. I turned toward the source, a smile tugging at my lips as I recognized Maria, my devoted head maid.

"How did I get here?" I inquired, stretching my stiff limbs.

"The young Prince brought you back last night. He carried you to your bed," Maria explained.

A blush crept onto my cheeks. "Did I fall asleep?"

"The Prince mentioned that you two were about to go for lunch when you dozed off during the carriage ride." Maria moved the tray closer. "Here, have some food. I'm sure you're hungry."

Nodding gratefully, I quickly devoured the plates before me. Maria's voice broke through my concentration as I was lost in my meal.

"Also, young lady," Maria began, pulling my attention away from the food, "please be careful when you're out and about by yourself. You're lucky Prince Alexander was there to watch over you."

I muttered a response, and Maria concluded, "Now then, continue to get some rest. I will return once I run the bath for you," before swiftly leaving the room.

After finishing my food, I set the tray aside and settled back against the pillows. My gaze drifted to the open window, where the morning sunlight bathed the room in a soft, golden hue. Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice my brother's arrival until he spoke.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you," William said softly, his voice gentle and warm, much like the sunlight streaming in. "Maria seems to be taking good care of you."

Sophia's smile widened, and she motioned for him to come closer. "Not at all. It's always a pleasure to have your company, William. How has your day been?"

"Why do you keep falling asleep in carriages?" William retorted, stepping into my bedroom.

"Why do you keep not knocking when you enter my room? Oh, and thanks for ignoring my question," I shot back, my irritation growing.

As I glanced up at my brother, I noticed he was dressed in his customary brownish leather attire, the uniform of the knights serving our duchy. "Are you going out to train?" I inquired, gesturing towards his outfit.

"The King's tournament is this week, in case you've forgotten. I'm sure Alexander has mentioned it to you," William reminded me, his voice tinged with a sense of responsibility.

I nodded, recalling the significance of the upcoming event.

"Is this tournament really that significant?" I asked, my curiosity piqued, but my mind preoccupied with my earlier encounter with Prince Alexander.

"Of course, it is. It's about honour and pride," William affirmed, his eyes reflecting the weight of the upcoming competition.

Sitting down on the edge of my bed, he leaned in and said, "Anyway, I'd like to tell you something."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Keep your distance from the Prince for the duration of the tournament," William advised, his voice gentle but firm.

"Why?" I demanded, feeling a surge of frustration rise within me, along with a tinge of defiance.

"I know you care deeply about him, but the last thing he needs, especially during this critical time, is to have you constantly by his side," he explained, his gaze unwavering yet filled with brotherly concern.

"Get out," I said firmly, pointing towards the door. "How dare you say that to me."

"Alexander will say the same thing, you know. He doesn't want you to get hurt because of him. He doesn't want the same eyes that glare at him to be glaring at you," William persisted, his tone carrying a blend of protective instinct and earnest appeal.

"I said get out!" I repeated, my voice growing more resolute, my emotions now tangled in a web of defiance and hurt, a mixture I couldn't unravel at that moment.

“You know I do not see the Prince in the same light as the others, Sophia. I am on your side. You are everything to him. He understands the world we live in. You know that if people view you badly because of your association with him, that will hurt him even more,” William said, his voice softening as he tried to convey his understanding.

“Then what am I supposed to do then?! Pretend he’s not there as if he doesn’t exist?!” I cried out, my voice trembling as tears began to roll down my cheeks. “You, of all people, know what he’s going through, and yet you expect me to fall in line and treat him like he’s not there?!”

William's expression softened, a mix of empathy and concern flickering in his eyes. “You’re just like father, only caring about honour and status in high society... Now leave!”

“You know that isn’t true, Sophia, but if that’s what you’d like to believe, suit yourself,” he responded, his tone holding a touch of resignation. I watched him rise from his place, his demeanour weighted with the weight of our exchange, as he made his way to the door of my room. “I will meet you at the Imperial Palace if you want to observe the sparring session. Prince Alexander will be there,” he added before leaving, his words hanging in the air, heavy with unspoken concern.

As I gazed out of the open window, watching the sun's rays filter through sheer, ethereal curtains that danced in the breeze, I felt a strange unease washing over me. There was a growing sense of disconnection from my past life, where events had transpired quite differently.

A heavy silence enveloped the room as I contemplated these unsettling changes. William had never come to me with a warning about Prince Alexander, and the idea of being invited to observe a sparring match at the Imperial Palace was entirely foreign to my past experiences. Moreover, the persistent fatigue that had claimed me lately felt like my life essence was being sucked away.

A sense of panic began to set in, and I soon found myself clutching my chest, my fingers trembling as I struggled for breath, each inhalation feeling like an arduous battle. "Maria!" I cried out, almost on the verge of hysteria.

In an instant, the bedroom's door burst open, and my trusted head maid, Maria, rushed in, her flowing gown trailing behind her like a river of silk. Her features were etched with concern, and her eyes brimmed with worry as she took in my distressed state. "What’s wrong, my lady?"

"Something is wrong," I managed to rasp, my voice strained as my chest constricted with pain. "My chest," I gasped, desperation lacing my words as I fought for air.

The room seemed to swirl around me as if it were a realm unto itself, and I was caught in the grip of an otherworldly force. I clung to the luxurious fabrics of the bed, attempting to steady myself in the face of the impending chaos.

As my world unravelled, I became acutely aware that this sensation was unlike anything I had ever experienced. It was not merely a sense of fear or anxiety but an intrusion of otherworldly power, a force that went beyond my understanding.

I suddenly felt like I was in an endless freefall until it wasn’t. My descent halted abruptly in the heart of an ancient forest, bathed in the moon's soft glow. “Where am I?” I asked, struggling to get to my two feet.

A radiant and luminous figure emerged from the shadows, her silvery gown flowing like a celestial river, casting an otherworldly luminescence that painted the forest floor with a shimmering iridescence.

"Sophia," her voice echoed like a celestial chorus, each word infused with a power that resonated deep within my soul. "You have been chosen to bear the mantle of the Moon's grace, to become the vessel of its divine essence."

 It was the Goddess Selene. I gazed upon the goddess, a mixture of awe and reverence washing over me. "But why me?" I asked, my voice trembling with a blend of uncertainty and hope.

"You possess a purity of heart that transcends the darkness, a resilience that refuses to yield in the face of adversity," Selene intoned, her voice carrying the weight of the cosmos. “That’s why you were chosen for rebirth.”

With a gentle touch, Selene placed her hand on my chest, “Do not be afraid, my child,” and in an instant, I felt a surge of power coursing through my veins. The moon's silvery light wove into my being, unlocking my mana in a dazzling display of radiance.

"Sophia," Selene spoke, her words imbued with ancient magic echoing through the forest, "with this gift, you shall wield the moon's power to shatter the curse that binds Prince Alexander. Unleash the depths of your mana, for it is through your strength that the darkness shall be banished and the light of love shall prevail."

My heart swelled with determination as Selene continued, her voice resonant with a note of prophecy. "Know that Prince Alexander is the chosen vessel for the powers of darkness, but yet, he slumbers unaware of the abyss within."

"Why will Prince Alexander carry the powers of darkness?" I inquired, desperation creeping into my voice. "Is the only way to break the curse by killing him? This cannot be true, can it?"

However, Selene remained silent, her gaze fixed on some unseen horizon, leaving me to grapple with the weight of her words and the daunting fate ahead.

"I have learned many things throughout the centuries," the goddess confided. "The cycle of life is a cruel enigma, and to maintain balance, light must be countered by darkness."

"But why Alexander? You know he is vulnerable," I pressed, seeking clarity amid overwhelming revelation.

"He is the perfect vessel for the powers of darkness, for Prince Alexander is a man with nothing. Despised by all, shackled to a life of unrelenting agony, he becomes a susceptible host to the manipulative grasp of darkness. Be cautious of those who try to influence him," she replied, her voice carrying the weight of eons.

As the divine figure turned her attention to me, her presence seeming to transcend time and space, a surge of urgency propelled me to seek more answers. 

"Who are they?" I implored, my voice filled with desperation and an emotional need for understanding.

“The Celestial Kin. Once they find the boy, they will awaken the powers of darkness deep within him, allowing it to take hold. When that happens, there will be no stopping him, for his will to survive will falter in the face of its dark influence," the goddess warned with a grave tone, her ethereal form beginning to fade from view.

"Please, tell me, how I stop it?" I asked, a surge of determination rising within me despite the weight of her words.

"I cannot tell you that, but I believe you can save the boy, my child. What sets you apart from those who came before is the depth of your love for one another. Until we meet again," Selene affirmed before dissolving into the ether.