chapter 1– The Oak Tree
1030 Words
It had been a while since Ariel Star stood in the open field, gazing up at the sky. This was the place where her parents had first met and fallen in love. But since her father’s passing, her mother had grown cold—more focused on alliances and expectations than on her daughter's heart.
Ariel was the crowned princess now. The weight of the kingdom’s future rested on her shoulders, yet all she wanted was to fall in love the way her parents once had—freely, truly, without obligation.
There was a reason she lingered in this field. The tall grass swayed gently around her, and the ancient oak tree stood firm, carved with the initials of her parents. It was a place where love once bloomed—a symbol of what used to be. She often wondered: Was what they had real love, or just a rare spark never meant to last?
Everyone knew the story. Her father, once a crowned prince, met her mother here, and they chose love over duty. Now, Ariel’s duty threatened to rob her of that same choice.
A rustling in the grass interrupted her thoughts.
“I knew I’d find you here,” came a voice behind her.
Ariel turned to see Savana, her closest friend. “If the Queen knew I was gone, I’d never hear the end of it.”
“She doesn’t even know what you need,” Savana replied, stepping closer. “She’s too busy planning your future.”
Ariel gave a small, tired smile. “She’s planning a future I don’t want.”
Savana looked toward the oak tree. “At least you have this place. Somewhere that still remembers love.”
Ariel’s gaze returned to the carving on the trunk. “I only wish I could feel it, not just remember it.”
Savana crouched down, picking a blade of grass and twirling it between her fingers. “The suitors are arriving soon, aren’t they?”
Ariel’s stomach twisted. “Tomorrow.”
“Do you know anything about them?”
“Only their names and kingdoms. I’m expected to choose one to wed before the season ends.” She sighed. “It’s like picking a crown for someone else to wear beside me. Decorative. Empty.”
“You don’t get to say no?”
Ariel glanced at her friend. “When you’re the crowned princess, saying no isn't really an option. Not when your decision binds allies, secures borders, and ensures the continuation of the royal bloodline.”
Savana scoffed. “Sounds like a fancy way to trap someone.”
Ariel smiled faintly. “Welcome to royalty.”
They sat in silence for a moment. The wind danced through the grass, and the oak leaves rustled gently above them.
Savana broke the quiet. “Maybe one of them will surprise you. Maybe one will actually see you.”
Ariel stared at the stars overhead, her voice barely above a whisper. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
---
Back at the palace, golden lights burned through the high windows. The Queen would notice her absence soon. Ariel rose, brushing grass from her dress, and glanced once more at the oak tree.
“I wish you were still here,” she whispered to her father’s memory. “You’d know what to say.”
Savana stood beside her. “Come on. Before someone sends the guards.”
Together, they walked through the field, the quiet of the night settling around them. Ariel didn’t look back. She couldn’t afford to—not when her future was marching toward her with names, titles, and expectations.
But in her chest, a small flicker of hope still burned—fragile, but alive.
Ariel climbed the staircase slowly, her mother’s final words echoing in her mind: “This is my court now.”
She had heard them before—in different forms, through different orders—but tonight they felt heavier, final. Like a cage being quietly locked shut.
By the time she reached her chambers, she was ready to retreat into silence. Maybe journal. Maybe cry. Maybe nothing at all.
But when she opened the door, her breath caught.
“Hello, sister.”
John.
He stood at her window, silhouetted by the moonlight, arms crossed casually over his chest. His posture oozed confidence—too polished, too practiced.
“I didn’t give you permission to enter my room,” Ariel said sharply, closing the door behind her.
“Do I need permission?” he replied with a smirk. “We share blood, after all.”
“Only half,” she muttered, moving past him toward her vanity.
John ignored the jab. “I saw you in the field today. Sneaking out like a shadow. Does Mother know you’ve been revisiting fairy tales again?”
“I wasn’t sneaking,” she said flatly. “And if you came to tattle, go back to her.”
“I didn’t,” he said, stepping away from the window. “I came to warn you.”
Ariel paused. “Warn me?”
He nodded. “These suitors coming tomorrow... don’t think for a second this is about your happiness. It’s a game of power. You’re just a piece to move.”
“I’m well aware,” she said, turning to face him. “And yet here I am, still the one wearing the crown.”
John’s smile tightened. “For now.”
There it was—the spark behind his eyes. He didn’t even try to hide it anymore. He wanted what she had. Not the attention. The throne.
“If you have something to say, say it,” Ariel challenged.
He leaned in just slightly, his voice calm and measured. “You might be the crowned princess, Ariel, but even stars fall.”
Her breath caught in her throat. He left without another word, the door clicking shut behind him like a quiet threat.
Ariel stood still, her fingers clenched at her sides. She turned toward the window, toward the field she had just left.
The oak tree still stood tall under the night sky.
But even the strongest trees could be struck by lightning.
- Writer
