THE MONSTER PRINCESS
1063 Words
The next morning, the kingdom woke to fear.
Not because of the assassination attempt.
Not because of the Shadow Court.
Not because of the stolen Birth Records.
Because of rumors.
Rumors spread faster than fire.
And someone was feeding them.
⸻
Elaria noticed it immediately.
Servants who had smiled yesterday now looked away.
Guards whispered when they thought she wasn’t listening.
Nobles stopped talking when she entered rooms.
The atmosphere had changed.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
As she crossed one of the palace corridors, two maids suddenly fell silent.
One hurried away.
The other lowered her head.
Too quickly.
Too nervously.
Elaria stopped.
“What happened?”
The young woman froze.
Fear flashed across her face.
Then she whispered:
“Nothing, Your Highness.”
A lie.
An obvious lie.
And they both knew it.
⸻
Later that morning…
The answer arrived.
Mira entered Elaria’s chambers carrying a newspaper.
Her face was pale.
Angry.
Afraid.
The sight alone made Elaria nervous.
“What is it?”
Mira handed her the paper.
Elaria looked down.
Then froze.
The headline covered the entire front page.
THE LOST PRINCESS OR THE CURSED HEIR?
Her stomach dropped.
She continued reading.
The article claimed:
* The Lunar Throne awakened because of dark magic.
* Elaria’s return coincided with ancient disasters.
* The assassination attempt was punishment from the gods.
* The kingdom would suffer if she inherited the throne.
By the time she finished reading—
Her hands were shaking.
The article wasn’t reporting news.
It was building fear.
Deliberately.
Systematically.
Someone wanted the kingdom to hate her.
Just as the Shadow Court planned.
⸻
Across the city…
The rumors multiplied.
In taverns.
Markets.
Temples.
People debated the Lost Princess.
Some supported her.
Many feared her.
And fear spread faster than truth.
Always.
⸻
Inside the Council Chamber…
Queen Selene slammed the newspaper onto the table.
The sound echoed like thunder.
“Who printed this?”
Nobody answered.
Several council members avoided eye contact.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Selene noticed immediately.
Her gaze swept across the room.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Royal.
“The article appeared in twenty-three districts overnight.”
Silence.
“Someone funded this.”
Still silence.
Then Lord Cassian finally spoke.
Calm.
Reasonable.
Careful.
“Perhaps the people are merely concerned.”
The Queen’s eyes narrowed.
The councilman met her gaze evenly.
Too evenly.
As though he had prepared this argument.
As though he expected the conversation.
The realization unsettled Varis.
And he wasn’t the only one.
⸻
Meanwhile…
Prince Lucien rode through the city.
Not as a prince.
As an observer.
He wanted the truth.
The real truth.
Not court politics.
Not noble opinions.
The people’s opinion.
What he found disturbed him.
A crowd had gathered around a street speaker.
The man stood atop a wooden crate.
Shouting passionately.
“The kingdom was peaceful before she returned!”
People nodded.
Fearfully.
“The Throne awakens!”
More agreement.
“Assassins appear!”
More fear.
“Ancient prophecies return!”
The crowd became restless.
Lucien watched quietly.
Then he noticed something.
The speaker wasn’t ordinary.
His clothes were too expensive.
His speech too rehearsed.
His timing too perfect.
Someone was paying him.
The realization made Lucien’s expression darken.
This wasn’t public opinion.
It was manipulation.
⸻
Back at the palace…
Elaria sat alone.
Reading the newspaper again.
And again.
And again.
Each time it hurt more.
Because part of her recognized something painful.
The rumors were working.
Even she was beginning to question herself.
The Lunar Throne awakened when she appeared.
Ancient enemies emerged.
Assassins attacked.
Secrets resurfaced.
Coincidence?
Or something worse?
The doubts crept inward.
Slowly.
Poisonously.
⸻
A knock interrupted her thoughts.
She looked up.
Selene stood in the doorway.
For several moments neither spoke.
Then the Queen crossed the room.
And sat beside her.
No royal distance.
No ceremony.
Just a mother.
And a daughter.
The silence lasted longer than expected.
Finally Selene looked at the newspaper.
Then laughed.
A soft laugh.
Almost sad.
Elaria frowned.
“What?”
Selene smiled faintly.
“When I was eighteen, they called me the Moon Witch.”
The statement surprised her.
“What?”
The Queen nodded.
“They said I cursed crops.”
Another nod.
“They said I controlled storms.”
Another.
“They even said I drank moonlight and spoke to ghosts.”
Elaria stared.
Selene actually smiled.
“The stories became ridiculous after a while.”
Despite herself—
Elaria laughed.
A small laugh.
But genuine.
The first in days.
Selene’s smile widened.
Then faded.
Replaced by seriousness.
“People fear what changes their world.”
The words lingered.
Powerful.
Simple.
True.
The Queen reached out.
This time she didn’t hesitate.
Her hand gently covered Elaria’s.
“You are not what they say.”
Emotion tightened Elaria’s throat.
Because for the first time—
She believed Selene meant it.
Not as a queen.
As a mother.
⸻
That evening…
The city erupted.
Not from rumors.
From violence.
A crowd gathered outside the palace gates.
Hundreds of people.
Angry.
Fearful.
Manipulated.
Torches filled the night.
Shouts echoed through the streets.
Elaria watched from a palace window.
Her stomach twisting.
The crowd chanted a single phrase.
Again.
And again.
And again.
“NO MONSTER PRINCESS!”
The words struck like arrows.
Below her, the crowd grew larger.
Louder.
More dangerous.
Exactly as the Shadow Court intended.
⸻
Deep within the crowd…
A hooded figure watched.
Smiling.
Satisfied.
The first phase was complete.
Fear had taken root.
Soon it would become hatred.
Then violence.
Then war.
The figure quietly handed a pouch of coins to one of the agitators.
The man immediately returned to the crowd.
And began shouting even louder.
The mob responded instantly.
The hooded figure smiled.
People were easy.
Fear always made them predictable.
⸻
Inside the palace…
Another messenger burst into the Council Chamber.
Terrified.
“Your Majesty!”
Selene rose immediately.
“What happened?”
The messenger struggled to breathe.
Then delivered the worst news yet.
“The eastern districts are rioting.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The messenger swallowed hard.
Then added:
“And they’re carrying banners demanding Princess Elaria’s execution.”
The room froze.
Every council member turned toward the Queen.
Because this was no longer rumor.
No longer gossip.
No longer politics.
The kingdom itself was beginning to divide.
And somewhere in the shadows—
The people responsible were smiling.
- Writer
