The prince hidden dragon queen

In the kingdom of Aphedia, power was not simply admired. Power was everything. It determined where a person lived, what they could become, whom they could marry, and how much respect they deserved. From the moment a child was born, their family waited for the day their ability would awaken. Some children could summon flames from their fingertips. Others could control water, manipulate the wind, heal wounds, or possess abilities powerful enough to frighten an entire village. Those who awakened strong abilities were celebrated. Their names were remembered. Their families were proud of them. But those who remained powerless were treated differently. They were mocked. Rejected. And in the eyes of Aphedia, they were useless. There was even a name for people like them. The Powerless. And every powerless child knew that their sixteenth birthday was not a celebration. It was a sentence waiting to be passed. At sixteen, they would face the Trial. A trial that would determine whether they were worthy of remaining in Aphedia. For some, the trial was an opportunity to prove themselves. For the powerless... It was something far more terrifying. And one girl was getting dangerously close to her sixteenth birthday. Her name was Aria. She was a servant in the royal palace. Fifteen years old. Powerless. And hated by almost everyone who knew her. The morning began like every other morning. Before the sun had fully risen over the kingdom, Aria was already awake. She sat quietly on the edge of her narrow bed inside the servant quarters, rubbing her tired eyes. Around her, several other servants were preparing for the day's work. Some were whispering. Others were laughing. But nobody spoke to Aria. They rarely did. She had become accustomed to being ignored. Aria stood and quickly dressed herself in the plain servant uniform assigned to her. Her clothes were simple. A faded dress. A worn apron. Old shoes that had been repaired several times. Nothing about her appearance suggested that she was special. And in Aphedia, that was exactly the problem. She carried a bucket of water through the palace corridors and began cleaning the marble floors. The palace was enormous. Its walls were decorated with golden ornaments, crystal chandeliers, and portraits of powerful members of the royal family. Everywhere Aria looked, she saw evidence of the world she could never belong to. Powerful people. Important people. People who mattered. She lowered her eyes and continued scrubbing. “Look who's working again.” Aria stopped. She recognized the voice. Three young servants were standing nearby. They were close to her age, but unlike Aria, each of them possessed an ability. One of the girls lifted her hand. A small flame appeared above her palm. She smiled proudly. “Still powerless, Aria?” The others laughed. Aria continued cleaning. She had learned that answering them only made things worse. But the girl wasn't finished. “You know, I heard your trial is next year.” Aria's hand tightened around the cloth. “Yes.” “Then you should enjoy your remaining days.” The laughter grew louder. “Why?” “Because after the trial, she won't be here anymore.” Another girl giggled. “Maybe they'll finally send her away.” Aria slowly stood. Her face remained calm, but the words hurt. They always did. “You don't know what will happen,” she said quietly. The girls stared at her. Then one of them laughed. “We know enough.” She stepped closer. “You're powerless, Aria. What exactly are you going to prove?” Aria had no answer. Because that was the question she had secretly asked herself countless times. What could she prove? She had never awakened an ability. Not even the smallest spark. Not even a sign. Nothing. In Aphedia, children usually awakened their abilities long before sixteen. By fifteen, most were already learning how to control their powers. But Aria had nothing. And because of that, the kingdom had already decided what she was. Useless. The girl stepped closer and whispered, “Enjoy your last year.” Then the three servants walked away laughing. Aria remained standing in the corridor. Her eyes burned. But she refused to cry. She had cried too many times. She had cried when children mocked her. She had cried when adults whispered about her. She had cried when servants refused to sit beside her during meals. She had even cried the night she realized that her own future was already being discussed as though she had no say in it. But there was one person who never looked at her that way. Her mother. Valeriana. Valeriana was also a servant in the palace. She had spent most of her life working within the royal walls, quietly serving people who barely noticed her existence. But to Aria, Valeriana was everything. She was her mother. Her protector. Her best friend. And the only person who had never made Aria feel like she was a mistake. Later that morning, Aria found Valeriana in one of the servants' kitchens. Valeriana was carrying a tray when she noticed her daughter. “Aria.” Aria smiled. “Mama.” Valeriana immediately noticed something was wrong. She placed the tray down. “What happened?” “Nothing.” “Aria.” Her mother's voice softened. “You don't have to lie to me.” Aria looked away. “They were talking about the trial again.” Valeriana's expression changed. For a moment, she said nothing. Then she reached for Aria's hand. “Come here.” Aria stepped closer. Valeriana gently examined her daughter's face. “They said something to you?” Aria shrugged. “They always say something.” “That doesn't make it acceptable.” “Mama, they're right.” Valeriana's eyes narrowed. “About what?” “I don't have any power.” “And?” Aria looked at her. “What do you mean, and?” Valeriana held both of her daughter's hands. “Having no power doesn't make you worthless.” “But everyone thinks it does.” “I don't.” Aria looked down. “You're my mother.” “And?” “You have to love me.” Valeriana smiled sadly. “Yes.” She gently lifted Aria's chin. “I have to love you because you're my daughter. But I don't love you because I have to.” Aria's eyes filled with tears. “I love you because of who you are.” She pulled her daughter into a hug. “You are kind. You are hardworking. You have survived things that would have broken many people. Don't let people who know nothing about your heart decide your worth.” Aria closed her eyes. For a few seconds, she allowed herself to forget about the kingdom. The trial. The whispers. The judgment. Everything. She simply stayed in her mother's arms. But Valeriana knew something Aria did not. The Trial was approaching. And this time, things might be different. Very different. That afternoon, another bell rang through the palace. The servants immediately stopped what they were doing. Aria looked up. It was not the ordinary bell used to signal meals or changes in duty. This bell carried authority. Everyone knew it. A royal announcement was coming. The servants gathered in the corridor. Aria stood beside Valeriana. A royal messenger stepped forward. His voice echoed through the palace. “By order of the kingdom of Aphedia, preparations for the upcoming Trial shall begin immediately.” A murmur spread through the servants. Aria's heart began pounding. The messenger continued. “All citizens approaching the age of sixteen who have failed to demonstrate an awakened ability are required to prepare for assessment.” Aria's fingers slowly curled. Sixteen. Her age. Her future. The messenger continued speaking, but Aria barely heard the rest. She looked at Valeriana. Her mother was staring back at her. Neither woman spoke. They didn't need to. They both understood. The trial was coming. And Aria was running out of time. That night, the servant quarters were unusually quiet. Aria sat beside the small window, staring at Aphedia. From that height, the kingdom looked beautiful. The streets glowed beneath the moon. The royal palace stood proudly above the city. Beyond it were enormous towers where the kingdom's most powerful families lived. People who never had to worry about being called useless. People who would never understand what it felt like to be afraid of their own birthday. Aria touched the glass. She had spent fifteen years living in Aphedia. Fifteen years being told she was nothing. But somewhere deep inside her, there was still a tiny part of her that refused to believe them. She didn't know why. She didn't know what she was capable of. She didn't even know if she was capable of anything at all. But she wanted to find out. Before she could turn away from the window, Valeriana entered the room. She sat beside her daughter. For a while, they remained silent. Then Valeriana spoke. “Are you afraid?” Aria hesitated. “Yes.” Valeriana nodded. “It's okay to be afraid.” “What if I fail?” “Then we'll face whatever comes together.” “What if they don't let us?” Valeriana looked at her. “They won't separate us easily.” Aria smiled faintly. “You sound very sure.” “I am.” Valeriana placed a hand over her daughter's. “You are my daughter. Nothing changes that.” Aria leaned against her mother's shoulder. Neither of them knew what the future held. Neither knew what the Trial would demand from Aria. And neither knew that the kingdom was about to change in ways they could never have imagined. Because the people of Aphedia believed Aria was powerless. They believed she had nothing special inside her. They believed her future had already been decided. But there was one thing they had forgotten. Sometimes the most dangerous person in a kingdom is not the one everyone fears. Sometimes... It is the person everyone underestimates. And Aria was about to discover that her greatest battle would not begin when she turned sixteen. It had already begun. The moment Aphedia decided she was useless. And as the kingdom prepared for the Trial of the Powerless, Aria's ordinary life as a servant was slowly coming to an end. She just didn't know it yet. Because the next time the kingdom called her name... It wouldn't be to mock her. It would be to put her to the test.