The New Princess

Chapter 17: Tour of Rainbow's palace

As Thunder trotted forward, I couldn't keep my eyes off the scenery unfolding around me. The gentle sway of his gait and the fresh breeze rustling through the trees heightened my senses. Even with the grandeur of Aeatria all around, the reality of my role here was just starting to sink in.

Soarin rode alongside me, his gaze shifting between me and the path ahead. 'So, how does it feel, Dash? The kingdom, the people... It's all yours.'

I hesitated, glancing back at the village fading in the distance. 'It's incredible. I mean, part of me feels like I'm stepping into someone else's life. I just... hope I can be what they need me to be.'

He looked at me with a soft smile. 'From what I can tell, they already believe you are. And honestly, so do I.'

I gave him a sidelong look, pretending not to be affected. 'That's a rare compliment giving from the great Soarin?'

He shrugged with a grin. 'You'd better get used to it, Princess. It won't be the last.'

'Haha very funny' I repied with a hint sarcasm.

After a few quite moments Soarin gave me a playful nudge. 'Getting used to hearing your royal name again?'

'Not really,' I admitted, laughing. 'I keep thinking they're talking about someone else!'

'It suits you,' he replied, his expression softening. 'But if you're not ready, I'll keep calling you Rainbow.'

'Thank you,' I murmured, feeling a flicker of appreciation.

'Or Dashie' he said whispering, and I rolled my eyes. Too bad I heard it, I'll just let this slide. Just this once! 

Thunder dipped his head playfully. 'The crowd seemed impressed, Princess. But I'd say they were most taken with your guide.' He nodded toward Soarin.

Lily gave a sly smile. 'They know their neighboring king loves to play hero.'

Soarin rolled his eyes at them both. 'Alright, enough commentary from the peanut gallery. Ready for the last stop, Rainbow?'

'Lead the way,' I replied, feeling a thrill of anticipation as we turned toward the path leading to the palace.

Our path grew narrower as we left the open meadows and entered a shadowed grove. The canopy of trees above cast a dappled light on the trail, creating a mystical atmosphere. It felt as though the forest was alive, guiding us toward something special.

Thunder's ears twitched as we approached a clearing, and he slowed, giving a knowing nicker. 'You're nearly home, Princess.'

I could see the towers of the palace peeking through the trees, their white stone gleaming in the sun. My heart thudded at the sight, a blend of nerves and excitement. The palace looked both familiar and foreign, like something out of a dream that was now coming to life.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✨ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✨ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✨ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

As we entered the palace grounds, the gates swung open, and a small group of royal staff waited, their faces lighting up as we approached. Some of them bowed, others curtsied, their eyes warm with admiration. I could feel the weight of their expectations, but there was also an undeniable joy in their gazes.

'Welcome back, Princess Evelina Seraphine Angeline Lysandra,' an elderly man in formal robes greeted me. His voice was rich and calm, as if he had waited a lifetime for this moment. But that name sounded weird 'We've long awaited your return to Aeatria.'

'Please call me Rainbow Dash.' I managed a small smile. 'And thank you... it's, uh, good to be here.'

Soarin leaned closer and whispered, 'Just go with it. They're thrilled to see you.'