Fall into a romantic, magical fantasy with Zia Lathyrus, a young heroine with dreadful knowledge of her past life in a new world. From lonely office worker to aristocratic beauty, Zia is swept into keeping the world she once read in a novel safe fro...
This Story is categorized as a "why choose" romantic fantasy, with themes of sexual relationships, magic, and whimsical worlds. This story is inspired by isekais and has references to modern-day earth occasionally and Black femme experiences.
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It was never supposed to be like this. Zia looked at the shadowed figure resting against the stone wall across from her cell. The light from the sole window allowed a sliver of cold moonlight to reveal the empty cottage she was held in. Whoever was behind her abduction had built this place just for her.
"It was never supposed to be like this," Zia said outloud. The low chuckle that answered her made the bristling cold worse.
"Why did you do this? I thought you loved her... wasn't she the one you wanted to see the world with? How could you do this to her?" Zia stepped to the bars of her cell, trying to bring her tormentor better into her vision.
"Zia, when will you realize that Lily is a flower riddled with pests? No one would want her in the way of a pure garden."
"A pure garden?" Zia whispered, her heart thundered in her chest. The silence felt like it would drag on. Finally, her tormentor stepped forward into the sliver of moonlight. A bit of a black tailored suit caught the light.
"Zia, there isn't a world without you in it, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep you from her poison, even if it means killing her."
"She's my friend...no, my family...please, we can still stop this from happening. I'll do whatever you want just to spare her...you don't understand the danger we are in," She pleaded. Her legs began to wobble, and she felt her legs give out as she fell to the floor. Her dress scattered dust all around in a dirty puff of air.
"Please..." she pleaded, her voice choking as she begged. The only answer she received was the sound of retreating footsteps.
"Please come back! Lily needs to be alive! The end of the world is at stake. I can tell you everything...just please don't let harm find Lily tonight."
The footsteps stopped. Zia felt her heart clench, hoping her tormentor might give her a chance.
"Tell me, Zia, what could you possibly say that will change anything right now."
Zia took a deep breath. Was this the moment that she finally bore it all? She doubted anyone would believe her, but if there was a chance that she could stop the novel's ending from coming true, she would do it. She held her head up and looked towards the darkened entrance where her tormentor stood, awaiting her confession.
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Far away from the hidden cottage, in the floating castle, nobles stood in the grand hall of the throne room, whispering at the sight of the white-haired woman prostrate on the floor beneath the throne of the Emperor.
"Find her...Find Zia Lathyrus," Lily Umbra pleaded; tears streamed down her face as she faced the floor. The whispering nobles laughed at her from behind fans and gloved palms.
"Miss Lily Umbra, you've taken the capital by a storm...and your notoriety has earned you a new title," the Emperor's cold voice echoed in the room, silencing the nobles who whispered all around her. Lily dared to look up at the man whose power would change the empire at a momentary whim. He stood up and the room's silence chilled her to her core. He raised his hand and motioned for the knights to step forward.
"This gift I give you, Lily...are you prepared to pay me with everything you have for this girl." The Emperor asked. The knights stepped forward past nobles and drew their swords in reverence and submission to his command.
"I will give it all if you find her...Zia is all that I have left...." Lily whispered, begging him to order the imperial knights and mages to put forth his force to find her friend. She wiped at her tears, and the Emperor stepped forward. His eyes never left hers as he took her face in the palm of his hand. He leaned in close to whisper,
"Lily Umbra, this is your promise to the Peony bloodline if you break this engagement, your body will be dust in the wind, and you can say goodbye to everything you ever touched in this life."
Lily gulped as she nodded, her hands trembling as she looked up at the man who would change her life.
"I understand your majesty," She whispered for his ears alone. He smiled, but the grin didn't reach his eyes.
"I hope she is worth this trouble, Lily...from what I've heard about you, it sounds like her well-being shouldn't matter to you" He looked at her, and the guilt Lily held in her heart blossomed anew.
"I know I deserve nothing after what I've done to her...I owe her my life," Lily said with shame. The Emperor chuckled and let go of her face. His gloved hand rubbed her bottom lip as he looked her over from head to toe. He shook his head and looked towards the imperial knights, and raised his voice in command,
"This is an imperial order; I command the imperial knights to find Zia Lathyrus... find the Archmage, The Duchess, Marquess Audenzia, Nightshade the assassin, and Crown Prince Faro and bring them before me to the court of the Sun."
Nobles gasped as the list of names revealed who was involved in the incident. Lily clenched her fist as the nobles whispered louder than before. Gossip circulating even now, as the stakes were raised. Everything was about to change, and it was all her fault.
The story begins ~ now it's up to find how Zia ended up here and see her story unfold. I can't wait to share this world with you and hopefully build a following for this story. I'm also working on audio readings of chapters, but most updates will be on my website/Kofi.
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