The Lost Luna Princess

(First Person pov -Luna) The moon has always spoken to me. Not with words anyone else could hear, but with a soft hum in my heart, a warm pulse in my veins, and a glow that wraps around me like a familiar hug. Ever since I was little, I knew I was different—not because I was a princess, but because the moon felt like a friend. A companion. A guardian. Sometimes, I wondered if the moon loved me more than anything else in the sky. “Luna,” it whispered whenever its light touched my skin. “My child of silver light…” I used to smile at that. I didn’t know whether the moon really chose me… or if I chose it. But deep down, I always felt connected to something bigger than myself. Something ancient. Something magical. And something a little frightening too. *** A Kingdom Made of Light Arcalis is a kingdom that belongs in a storybook. Every night, moonlight turns our rivers into silver ribbons that twist through the land like they’re dancing. The mountains shimmer like polished crystal. The air smells of sweet jasmine and pine. And the people—my people—laugh easily and live warmly, always believing tomorrow will be brighter than today. I loved walking through the palace garden every evening, watching moonflowers open wherever my footsteps landed. They only bloom at night, and only under pure moonlight, so everyone joked they were my “little white soldiers.” But honestly, they felt more like friends who greeted me. The guards would bow. The maids would smile. And the children of the castle would run after me, giggling as if they were chasing sparkles. I loved them all. Even though I carried a secret inside me—one I could never explain. That I could hear the moon. That it spoke to me. That its voice grew brighter whenever danger lurked. But nothing… nothing could have prepared me for what happened on the night of the Celestial Convergence—the night everything changed. The night I disappeared. *** The Celestial Convergence The palace was glowing brighter than I had ever seen before. Everyone was excited, their faces lit by lanterns and hope. The Celestial Convergence only happens once every thousand years, when the moon aligns with the three guardian stars. Legends say magical things happen then. Wishes come true. Hidden truths reveal themselves. The chosen are called home. I should have been thrilled. I should have been celebrating with everyone. But even before the sun set, I felt a strange tightness in my chest. Like the moon was pulling me. Calling me. “Luna…” the whisper brushed against the back of my mind, soft but urgent. “Come.” I pressed a hand against my heart, trying to calm the flutter there. “Moon? What’s wrong?” But it didn’t answer—not fully. Instead, the whisper grew heavier, echoing like distant thunder. “A shadow approaches… my child of light.” A shadow? My fingers trembled. “Moon, I don’t understand.” “You will.” That was the last thing it said before the sky darkened, and the moon rose, glowing brighter than I had ever seen. *** The Moonlit Garden I found myself standing alone in the Moonlit Garden—the place where the moon always felt closest. The air shimmered with silver dust, floating like tiny stars. The moonflowers opened in full bloom, stretching toward me as if urging me forward. My gown caught the moonlight and glowed softly, like I carried starlight woven into the fabric. A gentle wind brushed my hair. And then… Slowly, beautifully, almost lovingly… The moon called me again. “Luna…” This time, the whisper was not just in my heart. It filled the entire garden. It wrapped around my skin. It touched my soul. I stepped into the center circle of ancient stones without even realizing. They glowed faintly beneath my feet, as if waking up after centuries of sleep. Then everything stopped. The air. The wind. Even my breath. And the moon… Oh, the moon felt like it was leaning toward me. “Why do you sound sad?” I whispered. “What is happening?” “Forgive me, child of light.” My heart twisted painfully. “Forgive you? For what?” The moon pulsed—and the world burst open. A surge of silver light shot from the sky, surrounding me until I could see nothing but white. My feet left the ground. My body lifted into the air. I reached out instinctively— “Wait! Stop—I’m scared!” But my hands passed through everything. I felt weightless. Small. Helpless. “Moon—please—talk to me!” Its reply echoed gently, heartbreakingly. “This is the only way to protect you.” Protect me? From what? I tried to scream again, but my voice drowned in the waves of moonlight. The magic wrapped around me like a cocoon, warm but too strong to fight. And then— Everything went silent. A final whisper brushed my ears. “Be brave, Luna…” Then I disappeared. Just like that. Swallowed by light. *** The Darkness That Followed The last thing I felt was warmth. The next thing I felt was nothing. No ground beneath me. No wind. No sound. No body. Just floating… somewhere. When I finally opened my eyes, the moon was gone. The silver glow that had always comforted me had vanished into darkness. I reached out instinctively, but my fingers grasped at empty air. The moon had taken me somewhere beyond reality. Somewhere no human had ever touched. I was alone. Truly alone. Back in the kingdom, I knew everything would have changed in the moment I vanished. I could feel it in my bones even from far away. The moonlight dimming. The stars trembling. The people crying my name. My father gripping the balcony rail, gasping as if a part of him had been ripped away. My mother dropping to her knees, whispering prayers as tears streamed down her cheeks. The guards rushing through the Moonlit Garden, searching desperately for traces of me. But finding nothing. Just the fading glow of where I once stood. I wanted to scream for them. To reach out. To tell them I was alive. But I couldn’t. It was as if a soft veil separated me from their world—thin yet unbreakable. A place between realms. Where time was strange. Where light slept. Where shadows whispered. And yet, even in the haunting stillness of this strange place… A small silver glow pulsed near my chest. My heart. I wasn’t dead. I wasn’t gone. I was somewhere I didn’t understand. But somehow… I felt safe. As if the moon had wrapped me in its arms to protect me from something worse. Something coming. *** The First Hope I drifted in that cocoon of light—floating, dreaming, remembering home—until a soft sound reached me. A distant howl. Clear. Sharp. Echoing like someone calling for me. A wolf. A guardian of the forest. One of the moon’s faithful creatures. My heart fluttered. “Can you hear me?” I whispered, not sure if my voice traveled anywhere. The howl came again. Closer. Hope warmed my chest. Someone—something—was searching for me. And far beyond the veil of this strange realm, I knew something else was happening: Knights forming at the castle gates. My parents refusing to sleep. Stars glowing faintly to guide brave souls. The wind whispering my name in languages only the courageous could understand. My kingdom was looking for me. The Lost Luna Princess. And even though I didn’t know where I was… I knew one thing with absolute certainty: My story wasn’t over. It was just beginning. And one day, the moon would bring me home.