The masked queen

PROLOGE

Prologue

In a kingdom once filled with light and laughter, darkness now clings to the land like a suffocating fog, its people haunted by fear and sorrow. At the heart of this broken realm sits a queen, a woman of sorrowful beauty and a deadly curse—every living thing she touches perishes instantly. She was not always this way; once, she was beloved by her people, known for her grace and kindness, a symbol of hope. But fate, or something darker, had other plans. A mysterious curse had claimed her, stripping away her freedom and forcing her into a life of isolation.

She is known as “The Masked Queen.” Once radiant and open-hearted, she now wears fine silk that covers every inch of her skin, and ornate armor shields her from the outside world. A delicate mask conceals the face that was once cherished, hiding the pain etched into her features. Her husband, the last source of solace she knew, was taken by demonic creatures that plague the lands beyond the kingdom’s walls. In her grief, she has turned to silence, holding her court from a distant, isolated throne, alone with her sorrow and her deadly touch.

Rumors swirl through the kingdom, spreading like wildfire. They call her a monster, a ghost, a living nightmare—whispers that coil through the castle halls, instilling dread in the hearts of those who serve her. She bears the burden without protest, the weight of the curse heavy on her shoulders, resigned to her fate. Every so often, a new guard is appointed to her side, one either brave enough or reckless enough to serve the queen despite the knowledge that a single touch means death. One by one, they fall, leaving a trail of tragedy that has turned her presence into a symbol of doom.

And so, the role of the queen’s guard is one regarded with fear, an assignment destined to end in heartbreak. Yet, there comes a day when a young guard, fearless and resolute, is chosen for the role. Determined to fulfill his duty, he steps into the queen’s chamber with the knowledge of what awaits him. But as he gazes into her eyes, he sees not a monster, but a soul burdened with unimaginable grief and loneliness. In those eyes, he senses a story that has yet to be told, a humanity hidden beneath the layers of silk and steel.

The guard is prepared to face the dangers surrounding the queen, but he soon realizes that his task is far more complex than he imagined. As he grows closer to the queen, he becomes determined not only to survive but to understand the curse that binds her. He vows to break the enchantment, regardless of the risk, driven by a need to bring her the peace that has eluded her for so long.

As the queen and her guard traverse a kingdom rife with betrayal, intrigue, and dark magic, they confront impossible choices. With each passing day, they draw closer, navigating the perilous space between loyalty and forbidden love. The guard begins to see beyond the mask and the deadly touch, glimpsing the resilient heart of the woman hidden within.

Yet, as they face the challenges ahead, they cannot escape the shadow of the curse that binds her—a relentless reminder of the fate that looms over them. Will the guard become yet another victim, another soul lost to the queen’s curse? Or will he be the one to finally free her from the chains of despair?

In the face of tragedy, they must both ask themselves: can they defy fate, or is the price of their love one that neither can afford to pay? And as they stand on the precipice of destiny, the queen wonders if, perhaps, there is a glimmer of hope in the darkness after all.