🌙CHAPTER 2: THE SILVER DOOR
894 Words
That night, the castle of Luminara slept beneath a blanket of stars.
Everyone was fast asleep — everyone except Princess Poppy.
She tossed and turned, thinking about the silver door she had seen earlier. It shimmered in her mind like a secret waiting to be told.
“What could be behind it?” she whispered to Bobby, who lay curled at her feet.
“Maybe a treasure? Or maybe…” — her eyes widened — “a pie room!”
Bobby stretched and flicked his tail.
Unable to resist, Poppy tiptoed out of bed, her bare feet soft against the marble floor. The castle was quiet — too quiet. Shadows danced on the walls as she crept through the hallways, clutching a tiny lantern.
At last, she reached the silver door.
Up close, it wasn’t just shiny — it glowed softly, as if breathing.
On its handle, tiny letters appeared:
> “f*******n to those not of age.”
Poppy frowned.
“Not of age? That’s silly. I’m ten and a half!”
She reached for the handle… but before her hand could touch it, a tiny flash of blue light burst into the air!
Out of the glow fluttered a tiny creature — no bigger than her hand — with sparkling wings and a mischievous smile.
“Stop right there, Your Highness!” the creature said in a musical voice.
“I’m Liri, guardian of the door. And that,” she pointed behind her, “is no ordinary room. It’s the Pie Chamber.”
Poppy gasped.
“Pie… Chamber?”
Liri nodded gravely.
> “Yes, Princess. And inside it sits the most magical — and most f*******n — pie in all the kingdoms.”Poppy stared at Liri in awe. The tiny fairy’s wings shimmered like morning dew, and when she spoke, her words jingled softly, like tiny bells.
“The Pie Chamber?” Poppy repeated, eyes wide. “You mean there’s really a room full of pies?”
Liri folded her tiny arms, floating in the air.
“Not just any pie. The Wish Pie,” she said. “It’s baked only once every hundred years, and it holds powerful magic. One bite, and your greatest wish will come true… but only those of age may eat it.”
Poppy gasped. “A wish pie? Oh, how wonderful! I could wish for… for a flying pony! Or for all the rules to disappear!”
Liri’s wings flickered nervously. “Oh dear, no, Princess! The pie’s magic is unpredictable. For every wish, there is a price — and sometimes the price is far more than anyone expects.”
But curiosity glimmered in Poppy’s eyes. “If it’s so dangerous, why keep it behind just one little door?”
Liri sighed. “Because temptation teaches better than warning. And those who cannot resist it…”
She trailed off, wings drooping slightly.
Poppy leaned closer. “What happens to them?”
Before Liri could answer, the castle clock struck midnight — DONG! DONG! DONG!
The sound echoed through the hall, and the silver door creaked open just a c***k.
From within drifted a warm, buttery scent — cinnamon, sugar, and something sparkly.
Bobby meowed, pawing at the c***k.
And Poppy, with her heart pounding like a drum, whispered,
> “Just one peek wouldn’t hurt…”
The door groaned softly, the silver light spilling across the hallway like moonlit milk.
Poppy’s blue ribbons fluttered in the faint wind that came from inside — warm and sugary, like fresh pie cooling on a windowsill.
“Princess!” Liri squeaked, zipping in front of her face. “You mustn’t go in! You’re too young. The King forbade it for a reason!”
“But just a peek,” Poppy said with a grin. “A peek won’t make me older or younger.”
Bobby brushed against her legs, purring as though encouraging her bravery. The scent grew stronger, curling into her nose — cinnamon, honey, and something else she couldn’t name. Something… magical.
The tiny fairy fluttered in distress. “Oh, stars and sugar crumbs! If the King finds out—”
But Poppy had already stepped closer.
The air shimmered. The silver door opened wider, revealing a soft golden glow. Inside, the room was small but dazzling — crystal shelves, golden plates, and in the center on a round marble table sat a single blue pie, glittering like starlight.
It hummed gently, almost as if alive.
Poppy’s eyes sparkled. “It’s beautiful…” she whispered.
Liri hovered beside her, voice trembling.
“Princess Poppy, that pie grants a wish — but it always takes something in return. Promise me you won’t touch it.”
Poppy hesitated, torn between her boldness and the fairy’s warning.
The pie shimmered, almost whispering her name.
She swallowed. “I promise I’ll only look…”
But her small hand inched forward — closer, and closer — until her fingertips brushed the crust.
A flash of blue light filled the room.
The walls quivered. The pie began to glow brighter — and before Poppy could move away, a soft voice echoed from within:
> “Every wish has its price, little princess…”
Then— POOF!
A swirl of sparkles burst into the air, wrapping around her like a whirlwind of stars.
Liri gasped.
“Oh no… she’s done it!”
- Writer
