2 | The Road to the Palace

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The morning air was crisp and cool as I stood at the edge of the village, staring down the long, winding road that would lead me to the royal palace. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting soft golden hues over the landscape. It should've been a beautiful sight, but my nerves were frayed. My thoughts were a whirlwind, much like they had been since the messenger's arrival.

I shifted my weight from foot to foot, my bag slung over my shoulder. It contained everything I owned, which wasn't much: a few dresses, a small wooden comb my mother had given me, and the book of stories I loved as a child. In truth, I didn't know what I would need at the palace, but those were the things that made me feel like me, and that felt important.

"Are you sure about this?" My mother's voice was soft but concerned as she stood beside me. Her hands fidgeted with the apron she always wore, the same one she'd worn every day in the bakery for as long as I could remember.

I glanced at her and forced a smile. "Not at all," I admitted, my stomach churning with uncertainty. "But I can't turn back now. This might be my only chance to see more of the world. I have to try."

She nodded, though I could see the worry in her eyes. She wasn't used to seeing me like this—on the brink of something unknown and grand. Neither was I. She reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "You'll be alright, Y/n. Just be yourself. You've always had more strength in you than you know."

I swallowed hard, trying to hold on to her words. "Thanks, Mom."

Before I could second-guess myself again, the royal carriage pulled up in front of us. It was sleek and elegant, painted the same crimson and gold as the messenger's attire, with two majestic horses leading the way. The driver, a stern-looking man with a neatly trimmed beard, stepped down and opened the door for me.

"It's time, Miss," he said, his tone polite but formal.

I glanced back at my mother one last time, her eyes shining with pride and something like sadness. This wasn't just a journey to the palace—it was the moment I left behind everything familiar. I took a deep breath, nodded, and climbed into the carriage.

As soon as the door closed behind me, I felt a strange mix of emotions—a bittersweet sense of leaving my old life behind, and the thrill of stepping into something new and unknown. The carriage jolted forward, and the village began to fade into the distance.

The ride was long and quiet. The countryside passed by in a blur of rolling hills and flowering meadows, the beauty of Valoria unfolding before me in ways I'd never seen from my small corner of the kingdom. Occasionally, we passed other villages, where children would wave as the royal carriage sped through their streets, as if it were a rare spectacle. I wondered what they thought of me sitting inside, a simple baker's daughter pretending to belong in such grandeur.

The farther we traveled, the more real it became: I was heading to the palace. Soon, I would meet the royal family—the princes. The very idea felt ridiculous, like something out of the fairy tales my mother used to read me as a child. Except, this was no story. This was my life now, as unbelievable as it seemed.

I stared out of the window, watching the towering mountains grow closer as we approached the heart of the kingdom. I had heard about the palace my entire life—its massive white walls, soaring towers, and gardens that stretched as far as the eye could see. I imagined it as something out of a dream, a place where ordinary girls like me had no place. What would the other contestants be like? They would surely be more prepared, more refined. They were probably already used to this kind of luxury.

My chest tightened with anxiety. What if I don't belong? What if I fail?

But then, as the carriage rounded a bend and the palace finally came into view, something inside me shifted. It was breathtaking—more beautiful than I could've imagined. Its walls gleamed under the sunlight, like they were made of marble and gold, and the vast gardens spilled out around it in a riot of colors. Even from this distance, I could see the grandeur of it all, the scale of a place that held the weight of centuries of history.

I leaned closer to the window, my breath catching in my throat. I had never seen anything so magnificent, so grand. And yet, for the first time since receiving the invitation, I felt a flicker of excitement beneath my nerves.

This wasn't just a competition; it was an adventure. And I had been chosen to be part of it.

The carriage finally rolled to a stop at the palace gates, where a line of guards in gleaming armor stood at attention. The driver helped me out of the carriage, and I was immediately struck by how small I felt in comparison to the towering gates and sprawling courtyard. My heart pounded as I looked up at the palace, trying to steady my breathing. I had dreamed of seeing it up close, but now that I was here, it felt almost too overwhelming to process.

A man in royal robes stepped forward to greet me. His eyes scanned me with practiced precision, and I felt suddenly self-conscious in my simple dress, as though every flaw was magnified under his gaze.

"Y/n of Arlindale?" he asked, his voice smooth and formal.

I nodded, my mouth dry. "Yes, that's me."

"Welcome to the royal palace," he said with a bow, though his expression remained unreadable. "You will be shown to your quarters, where you may prepare for the first gathering this evening. The competition will begin shortly."

My heart raced at the mention of the competition. It was really happening. I was here. There was no turning back now.

As I followed the servant through the palace gates and into the grand halls beyond, I couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead. Would I be able to hold my own in this world of royalty and power? And more importantly, how would I fit into the lives of the princes—men whose fates were tied to the future of the kingdom?

One step at a time, I told myself. One step at a time.

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