The Lost Princess

Chapter 4: Veranda

Liliana's POV

The banquet hall gasped.

A blue rose!!!....

Every noble in Dorach knew what it meant. A blue rose did not grow in Dorach. It did not grow anywhere on this continent. It only grew in one place the high cliffs of Valeria, the empire across the eastern sea that no one dared to offend.

And only the royal family of Valeria was allowed to give it.

Whispers exploded louder than before.

"Did you see that? A blue rose! That's the emblem of Valeria!"

"Who is that masked man? Is he from Valeria?"

"Valeria has never attended a Dorach banquet in ten years..."

My fingers trembled as I touched the rose tucked into my curls.

The masked man was still looking down at me. Up close, I could see his mask only covered half his face — black, with silver vines carved into it. His lips were curved into a small smile, but his eyes... those deep blue eyes. The same eyes that caught me when I fell outside.

It was him.

"You," I whispered before I could stop myself. His smile deepened when he realized I figured out who he was. Before I could ask anything, a sharp voice cut through the music.

"What is the meaning of this!" Queen Delilah shouted.

She was marching toward us, her red gown dragging on the floor, her face tight with anger. My father followed behind her, looking confused.

The masked man didn't even flinch. He turned slowly to face the Queen and gave her a lazy, almost disrespectful bow.

"Your Majesty," his husky voice was calm, too calm. "I was merely saving your daughter from embarrassment. Your husband seemed... occupied."

Delilah's eyes narrowed. "Daughter? She is not—" She caught herself, forcing a smile for the crowd. "And who might you be." But he didn't pay attention to her.

He turned back to me and took my hand again, lifting it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on it, the air between us burning. He smiled at me and whispered, the name's Jason. Before someone emerged from the ballroom, whispering something in his ear. He looked serious then turned to me flashing a smile "Till we meet again princess" and then he walked out of the ballroom.

I stood there, awestruck by what happened, i heard the voice, i didn't want to hear at all

"Princess Liliana?"

I blinked. Rosalyn was in front of me, worried. The music had started again, and people were dancing, but the whispers were still all about me and the rose in my hair.

"Are you okay? The King is looking for you," she whispered.

I nodded quickly and removed the rose from my hair, holding it tight. "I'm fine."

I shouldn't have said that. Because at that exact moment, I saw them.

Princess Mia and Princess Marina, they were standing beside me smiling at me. Not a nice smile. That smile they used before they hurt me when I was younger.

"Liliana! Sister!" Mia called out sweetly, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Come, we need to talk."

I didn't want to go. Every instinct in my body told me not to go.The whole hall was watching. If I refused, they would say I was arrogant.

So I followed them to the veranda.

The veranda was cold and empty. The night wind hit my bare back. As soon as the heavy curtains closed behind us, Mia's sweet smile dropped.

Marina shoved me first. Hard.

"You think you're special now because some masked nobody gave you a flower?" she hissed, grabbing my arm. "You are still the daughter of a harlot maid!"

"I..I didn't....." I tried to speak, but Mia cut me off.

"You embarrassed us in front of all the nobles! First dance? You don't deserve a first dance! You deserve to be on the floor!"

Mia grabbed the glass of wine from the table beside her and, before I could react, poured it all over my head.

Cold red wine dripped down my silver-blue gown, down my hair, down my face. The diamond tiara my grandfather gave me slipped.

I gasped.

Then Marina walked up to me and slapped me hard before I could even react. I fell on the cold tiles.

"Now you look like the slave you are," Marina laughed. Then they both left the veranda leaving me on the ground, soaked, shivering and my dress was ruined. Rosalyn rushed to the veranda then helped me up looking worried. "I knew your siblings were up to no good...I'm glad I followed them here...Princess Liliana, are you okay." I nodded and flashed a smile "I'm fine" Rosalyn looked at me worriedly and said "The king prepared for you to stay at the west corner of the palace. He said you'll be staying there for now. Let's get you changed, you look like a mess." I nodded and followed her. Thankfully, we didn't pass through the ballroom, otherwise, I'd have died of embarrassment. Immediately we got to my chamber, Rosalyn prepared a bath for me and clothes to change into. After freshening up, i told her to go back and rest. She hesitated for a while asking if i was really okay and after reassuring her that I was fine, she finally left. The moment she left the room, I let it all out.

All the pain I've been through the years of being called a slave, the whispers, the loneliness and all the times I spent with my mother came rushing back at once. Her smile. Her voice calling my name. The way she used to hold me before she died.

I couldn't hold it anymore. I sank to the cold floor of my bedroom, clutching my chest as sobs tore from my throat. I felt so suffocated, like I couldn't breathe, like the weight of every memory was crushing me. My head started pounding so hard it felt like it would split, and my tears fell freely onto the marble floor.

That was when I saw it.

Through my blurred vision, a shiny golden light flickered in the corner of my bedroom, soft and trembling, like it was breathing. I didn't know what it was, but something about it pulled me. Out of curiosity, despite my shaking hands and aching heart, I crawled closer.

The light grew warmer as I approached. It felt... familiar. Slowly, I reached out and touched it.

The moment my skin brushed against it, a searing but gentle heat shot up my arm. I gasped and looked down.

A faint, glowing light was spreading under my skin. On my wrist. A mark I had never seen before was forming right before my eyes.

It looked like a small, silver crescent moon intertwined with a delicate blue rose vine, glowing and pulsing like it had a heartbeat of its own. The lines were so intricate, so beautiful, like it had been carved by the gods themselves.

It burned, but not painfully. It felt warm. Powerful. Like something ancient inside me had finally woken up after years of sleeping. My tears stopped. My pain faded. For the first time in my life, I felt... alive.

Then, as quickly as it came, the light flared brighter than ever and everything went black.