Lily
The mansion loomed behind me, its towering spires a silent testament to the gilded cage it represented. With each step into the village, I shed my royal mantle, adopting aliases spun from Greek lore. Rhea. Helen. Nike. Hestia. Persephone. Each name a mask, a character to play on the stage of anonymity.
My true name, Lily, seemed too delicate, too rooted in the gardens of Eldar. My father, Prince Rowan Hawthorn, stood third in line for the throne-a man whose heart was as vast as his coffers, orchestrating grand balls to fill the coffers of charity.
Yet, beneath the chandeliers' glow, I felt nothing but the cold touch of obligation. My escape was not to the arms of suitors but to the embrace of weathered pages and whispered tales.
The old bookstore was a haven, a sanctuary where my title fell away at the threshold. Luca, the keeper of stories and secrets, greeted me with a knowing nod. "Good evening, my lady... what guise are you wearing tonight?"
His humor was a balm to my restlessness. "Tonight, I am simply me," I replied, a smile tugging at my lips.
"Why would the sweet lady be wandering within these small walls, while suitors are lining up back home, eager to hold your hand and whisper sweet nothings in your ears?
I scoffed loudly, very unlikely for a lady.
The conversation meandered to the peculiar book resting on his counter- its cover having a cryptic warning:
Read at your own discretion.
Out of curiosity, I asked, "Luca, What story does this book entail?"
To my surprise, he sighed and replied, "I do not possess that knowledge my dear. A certain gentleman left it at the counter earlier."
Luca's ignorance of its origins only deepened the mystery, the engravings on its spine whispering promises of untold stories.
"For the present, consider it yours to safeguard."
With a mixture of reluctance and intrigue, he entrusted the book to my care, a temporary guardian of its secrets.
Our exchange was cut short by a sudden disturbance outside-a reminder that even in this secluded corner of the world, the unexpected lay in wait.
YOU ARE READING
Veiled Whispers
FantasiIn Eldar's grand realm, Princess Lily Hawthorn finds a diary in an old bookstore that connects her to Theo Vincent, a mysterious singer. As she reads the diary of an unknown prince, reality and magic merge, drawing Theo into her world. Together, th...
