Dusk to Dawn

*Chapter 1*

Dawn stood at the edge of her balcony, the golden light of Solara spilling over her like a warm blanket. The sun never fully set in Solara, the light always painting the sky in hues of rose and amber. At what was supposed to be the night, the sun would just about set, the light beginning to fade but stars never appearing. It was the one time each day when the young princess could look beyond her kingdom walls and feel as if both kingdoms were one.

Her kingdom stretched out before her, a glittering metropolis of white marble and sunlit towers. It's people moved below like rays of light, bustling with purpose, their faces alight with the promise of a new day. Every part of the city thrummed with a magic she had long since taken for granted, a light that lived within every soul, every blade of grass and every stone.

But, just beyond the kingdom's edge, beyond the shimmering veil of Solara, lay the Divide, the great boundary that separated Solara, the Kingdom of Light from Lunaris, the Kingdom of Darkness.  And there It sat, in the distance, untouched by many but curious to all. Curious of what exactly awaited on the other side.

The boundary shimmered like a delicate veil between two worlds. On one side, the brilliance of the princesses realm that stretched endlessly,t he air alive with the glow of the sun. But on the other... there was nothing. Only darkness.

The Divide was a place of separation, of tension. To the people of Solara, the darkness beyond the walls was a threat. Lunaris, the land of eternal darkness, was the place where the moon reigned and darkness thrived. It was home to people whose magic was the antithesis of their own. To be near it, to look upon it, was considered dangerous. A place where nightmares lurked, and shadows swallowed the light.

Dawn was taught to fear the darkness.

But yet, tonight - like every night - she felt pulled towards the darkness,a  distant longing that the white haired girl could not explain. The whispers in her heart said there is something beyond the shadows, something that the light has kept from her. And every time she walked onto her balcony, it tugged harder at her chest. 

She sighed, pulling her pastel blue blanket tighter around her body. The cool breeze of dusk ruled her hair. Closing her bright blue eyes, she allowed the soft light to wash over her, soothing the restlessness that stirred in her.

"Princess." A voice broke the peaceful silence making the princess turn around to find her maid and closest friend, Skylar, standing in the middle of her chamber. Skylar's light dress shimmered in the evening light as she walked across the princesses chamber, towards the doors of the balcony. Tilting her head the maid spoke, "you've been out here for hours." Softly she shook her head, "it's time for dinner. Your father is waiting." Dawn gave a small nod, humming in response. But she didn't dare move. She didn't want to, not yet at least. The princess turned her head, gazing at the Divide, looking beyond the walls, only seeing darkness.

"Dawn." Quickly the princess turned her head back towards her friend to see her shake her head, "if your father finds out-" The princess quickly shook her head, "he won't." Skylar pursed her lips as she nodded her head, "if you say so... Just please hurry, you're already late to dinner." Dawn nodded her head softly once more, fully turning towards Skylar, "I'll be there shortly." Skylar sighed as she nodded her head, turning around and exiting the princesses chambers.

All of Dawn's life her mind always flew back to the same thing: What lies beyond the Divide?

The light of Solara was strong, but it was not whole. All of Dawn's life it had never felt whole.

Growing up she had heard stories of Lunaris. Dangerous, dark, forbidden tales whispered among the people of Solara. Of monsters that romaed the night, of sorcery that twisted the mind, of the realm where the sun never rose. But there were also other stories, ones she had heard only in secret from her mother. Stories of a world where the moon bathed everything in a silver light, where the stars were endless and the air cool and calm. A world of beauty, in its own way, different, but not evil.

The 18 year old could barely recall these stories her mother told her, memories so faint that they felt like dreams, but still she remembered. They lingered, soft as silk, whispering to her...

Dawn squeezed her eyes shut, pushing those thoughts aside as she walked down the white and gold halls. She was the Princess of LIght, the hope of her people. Her duty was to protect the realm, not to let curiously get the best of her.

Walking down the marble floored halls the princesses fingers curled tightly around the delicate crystal pendant around her neck, a gift from her mother. A relic of the first person born of light, passed down through the generations. It shimmered in the light, like a piece of the sun itself.

But, as she peered down at the pendant, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that something was coming. Something that was bigger than light and dark itself that neither her people nor Solara fully understood.

Heart quickening, the air in the room seemed to thrum with energy. Within a blink of an eye there was a flicker in the corner of her eyes, almost a faint shadow. Turning quickly, Dawn's eyes scanned the empty hall, only herself present.

Swallowing hard she turned and continued to walk, walking quicker as her heart started racing. It was nothing, she knew it was nothing.

The Kingdom of Light was perfect. Nothing could harm her... Right?