The Only Princess of Ember World

33

Princess Erysthea was walking alone at the academy. It was broad daylight but she didn't see any students in the place. She keeps walking and walking, but it looks like there is no end. She didn't even know where she was going or how she had come to this place. She also doesn't know why she is here at the academy.

She checked every classroom as if she was finding something she didn't know. There's a voice in her head that says she needs to walk and find something.

But it looks like it's a never-ending walk. It's like she was walking for almost twenty minutes but she doesn't even feel tired. She's starting to get confused about what's happening right now.

She kept on walking until she saw a big tree in the middle of the garden of the academy. She got confused because there was no tree there. What's in the middle of the garden is a water fountain.

Because of her curiosity, she went to the tree and tried to touch it. But she's more confused when she feels a shield that protects the tree. It feels like she is electrified when she touches it.

"A royal that has a pure heart and knows her obligations very well is the only one who can touch that tree."

Princess Erysthea tried to find the voice she heard. She's not familiar with what the voice is, so she doesn't have any idea who it is. But unfortunately, she's the only one standing in the middle of the garden.

"Who are you?" she bravely asked the owner of the voice.

"You are the only princess of the Ember World but why can't you touch the tree?" the voice asked.

Princess Erysthea looked again at the tree. The confusion was written all over her face as she saw the tree glow. She also felt the shield becoming stronger and she needed to step back because she felt the electricity within.

"You are supposed to strengthen the unity between the four kingdoms, but why does the Tree of Unity defy you?" the voice added.

She doesn't understand everything. She doesn't know about the Tree of Unity because her guardian didn't mention it. She was really confused now and she didn't know what to do.

"I don't understand. Who are you and what are you saying?" she asked, full of confusion.

The wind blew that let her hair fall. It was now waving along with the wind. Her beauty was uncovered and in just a blink of her eyes, she was now wearing a beautiful gown. She also felt something in her head and when she touched it, she realized that it was her crown.

"A princess should remain unseen and pure before she marries her destined prince. But you broke that rule and this is the reason why you can't touch the Tree of Unity," she once again hears the mysterious voice.

The princess feels terrified. There is someone who knew all she did just to prevent the incoming fixed marriage. Her hands started to shake as the wind became stronger. Until the wind took her crown. She tried to reach it but she failed. Her clothes also changed from a princess gown to a simple dress.

"You fooled us."

"Prince Philip? What are you doing here?" she asked when she saw the prince standing beside the tree.

After a few seconds, she also saw the other two princes, looking at her unbelievably.

"Louise, you are the princess?" Prince Zeus asked her in disbelief.

"The girl that I accidentally met at my kingdom is actually the princess?" Prince James commented.

"How did you do that? I trust you, Ms. Thea but you make me like an i***t. I thought you were different from them. I already fell in love with the simplest person I've ever met, but I was wrong," Prince Philip said in dismay.

"Let me explain, Princes," she seriously said as her eyes were starting to shed tears.

"Did you think that we wanted to marry you? That's why you fooled us? To convince us to make us against the fixed marriage?" Prince Zeus angrily said.

"You will make us fall in love with a person you created, so we can break the rule and save the princess from a fixed marriage, that unfortunately, was you also," Prince Philip concluded.

The princess wants to defend herself but she can't talk. She tried to speak but there was no voice coming out of her mouth. She couldn't do anything but cry as she was receiving now disgusted looks.

"How selfish are you, Princess?" Prince James asked her in a disappointed tone.

"But let us tell you that we don't want to marry you in the first place, especially now that you fooled us," Prince Zeus said.

"And you're worse than Princess Monica. You're the worst princess ever to live in the Ember World," Prince Philip said.

"You don't deserve a crown. You don't deserve to be part of the Royal Family," Prince James said.

The three princes started to banish them from her sight. The princess still tried to talk but she failed until the three princes were completely gone. She was left alone, hurting and crying.

She sat on the grass because she felt weak. Her legs were shaking and she didn't have the energy to stand up again. She doesn't understand why this is happening to her. She doesn't even remember why she ended up here. She doesn't know everything and what she only knows is that she's hurting.

"Aaaahhhhhhhh!" she shouted to release all her feelings inside.

"Princess Erysthea, wake up! You're dreaming!"

Princess Erysthea slowly opened her eyes. She looked at the whole place and she was not in the garden anymore. She's in her room, lying on her bed. Beside the bed are her guardian and a few maids of the palace. She stood up and looked at the dress she was wearing. It was royal sleepwear. But she was not content with what she saw. She quickly went to her walk-in closet and there, she saw the gown she was wearing a few minutes ago.

"What happened, Princess? You're having a nightmare," she heard her guardian say.

"I am fine. Thank you and sorry for making you all worry," she said in a serious tone.

"Are you sure you're okay? You can talk to me," her guardian seriously said.

The princess shook her head. "I am fine. Could you please just leave me alone for a while?"

Her guardian nodded. He and the maid went out of her room. Princess Erysthea, on the other hand, went to her bathroom and washed her face.

It was only a dream but the feelings were real. She still felt terrified and her legs were still shaking. She doesn't know why she had a dream like that, but no, it was a nightmare. She doesn't want to remember all of it, but it was automatically played in her mind. And like in her dream, she had nothing to do but cry.