The Girl Who Was Meant to Die

They dressed me in white… like I was a bride. But everyone in the kingdom knew— I was being sent to die. The fabric clung to my skin, too soft, too pure, as if it could hide the truth of what I was. Or what they believed I was. A curse. A monster. A mistake that should have never been born. I stared at my reflection, barely recognizing the girl looking back at me. My long silver hair fell over my shoulders in loose waves, my pale face almost glowing under the dim candlelight. They had even placed a delicate crown of white flowers on my head. Pretty. Peaceful. Like I wasn’t about to be executed in front of the entire kingdom. A bitter smile touched my lips. “How beautiful,” one of the maids whispered behind me. “Such a waste,” another replied softly. I heard them. I always heard everything. But no one spoke to me directly. No one ever did. The palace doors opened with a low, echoing creak. “It’s time.” Those two words sliced deeper than any blade ever could. I turned slowly. The royal guards stood waiting, their faces cold, their armor gleaming under the torchlight. Not one of them looked at me with pity. Why would they? To them, I wasn’t a girl. I was a threat. The walk to the execution grounds felt longer than my entire life. Each step echoed against the stone floors like a countdown. One step closer to death. One step closer to freedom. Because maybe… just maybe… dying wouldn’t hurt as much as living like this. When we reached the courtyard, the world exploded into noise. Thousands of people. Watching. Waiting. Some whispered. Some stared. Some smiled. A raised platform stood in the center, surrounded by soldiers and priests dressed in crimson robes. In the middle of it— A blade. Long. Sharp. Waiting. My heart pounded, but strangely… I didn’t feel fear. Just emptiness. The king stood above everyone, his expression unreadable. My father. Or at least, the man who was supposed to be. He didn’t look at me. Not once. A priest stepped forward, his voice loud and merciless. “On this night, we cleanse the kingdom of the curse that has haunted us for eighteen years.” Murmurs spread like wildfire. I lowered my gaze. Eighteen years. That’s how long I had existed. That’s how long I had been unwanted. “Do you have any last words?” the priest asked. For a moment… silence wrapped around me. Then I lifted my head. My eyes scanned the crowd. Strangers. All of them. “I…” My voice came out softer than I expected. “I never wanted to hurt anyone.” A few people shifted uncomfortably. Most didn’t care. Of course they didn’t. Monsters don’t get sympathy. The guards pushed me forward. My knees hit the cold stone of the platform. The blade gleamed inches away. So close. So final. I closed my eyes. This is it. “Do it.” The king’s voice. Cold. Absolute. The executioner raised the blade. Time slowed. The world held its breath. And then— The sky split open. A deafening crack echoed across the kingdom as thunder roared like a beast unleashed. Wind howled violently, tearing through the courtyard. People screamed. The ground trembled beneath us. My eyes snapped open. “What…?” Dark clouds spiraled above, swallowing the moon whole. The air grew heavy, suffocating, charged with something unnatural. Something powerful. The blade never fell. A voice cut through the chaos. Deep. Cold. Terrifying. “Touch her… and you die.” Every soldier froze. Every whisper died. Even the wind seemed to stop. Slowly— Everyone turned. And that’s when I saw him. Standing at the edge of the courtyard… A man cloaked in darkness. His presence alone bent the air around him. Shadows curled at his feet like they were alive, like they belonged to him. His eyes— They burned. Not with fire… But with something far more dangerous. Power. The crowd erupted into panic. “It’s him—!” “The Dark King—!” “How is he here?!” My breath caught in my throat. The enemy. The monster from the stories. The king who was said to destroy entire armies without lifting a hand. And he was looking at me. Only me. Before anyone could react— He moved. One second, he was across the courtyard. The next— He stood in front of me. The guards didn’t even see him coming. They were thrown back like nothing, their bodies crashing into the ground. Gasps filled the air. Fear spread like poison. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. He stepped closer. Too close. His presence wrapped around me, dark and overwhelming. A gloved hand lifted my chin. Forcing me to look at him. Up close… he was even more terrifying. And yet— There was something else in his gaze. Something I didn’t understand. “You’re trembling,” he said softly. His voice… It wasn’t loud. But it carried power that made my chest tighten. “I’m not afraid,” I whispered. I didn’t know why I said it. Maybe because I had nothing left to lose. For a moment— He just looked at me. Then— The corner of his lips curved. Not quite a smile. Something darker. “Good.” The air around us shifted. The ground cracked beneath his feet. Power surged— Wild. Uncontrolled. And then he said the words that shattered everything I believed about my life— “You were never meant to die.” My heart stopped. His fingers brushed against my cheek, almost gently. Almost. “You were meant to be mine.” And in that moment— The world burned.