The Princess of MioFabia ( Book One)

A Queen Betrayed

The journey back to Terraportare was a quiet one. The group was no longer filled with the fiery determination of their quest, but with a somber exhaustion. The crown of Miofabia, which Aurora now carried, felt incredibly heavy. It was not just a symbol of power, but a constant reminder of everything she had lost: her father, her sister, and the simple life she once knew.

As they approached the village, they were met with a hero's welcome. The people of Terraportare were overjoyed to see their Chieftain return, and rumors of her victory over King Killing Eagle had already reached them. A great feast was held in her honor, but Aurora found herself unable to fully celebrate. She felt disconnected from the happy villagers, burdened by the secrets she now carried.

That night, Aurora sought out her mother. She revealed the truth about her royal lineage, her father's secret mission, and Daisy's betrayal. Her mother, who had known the truth all along, embraced her, filled with both pride and sorrow. She told Aurora that she, too, must now take on the responsibility of their royal bloodline.

Aurora made her decision. With a heart full of sorrow and a new sense of purpose, she bid a tearful farewell to her mother and her beloved village. Her friends, Rain, Storm, and Ethen, chose to follow her, a loyal retinue for a queen with no kingdom. They marched for weeks, a small band against the vastness of the land, their destination the capital of Miofabia.

When they arrived, the city was in disarray, its people starving and demoralized under the shadow of King Killing Eagle's tyranny. The news of his defeat and the return of the true heir spread like wildfire. The people of Miofabia, recognizing the symbol of the bloodrose on Aurora's armor, rallied behind her. The remaining members of the royal court, long loyal to her father, prepared for the coronation.

The day arrived. In the grand hall of the royal castle, a crowd gathered, their cheers echoing through the high ceilings. Aurora, in a gown of shimmering white silk with the family crest embroidered in gold, walked toward the throne. An ancient elder held the crown of Miofabia, its dark magic purified and its golden light now gleaming with renewed hope. The elder raised the crown, prepared to place it on Aurora's head and formally announce her as Queen.

But as the crown descended, a familiar voice rang out, stopping the ceremony cold.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, old man," the voice said.

Everyone turned to see Kevin Peacemaker, standing in the grand entryway, flanked by a group of armored knights who bore the crest of the Blackwoods. He wore a suit of gleaming black armor, and a cruel, triumphant smile was plastered on his face. The love and warmth that had defined him were gone, replaced by a cold, calculating malice.

"Kevin?" Aurora whispered, her heart twisting with disbelief. "What is this?"

He laughed, a sound that sent a shiver down Aurora's spine. "The final piece of the puzzle, my dear. I let you think you were a hero, that you were in control. The prophecy about our love? It was a lie. My family, the Peacemakers, have been working with the Blackwoods for generations, manipulating events. I am the eldest son, destined to rule. King Killing Eagle was just a pawn in a much larger game, a game my family and I have been playing for generations. I was meant to take the throne, not you. I was meant to have it all. And now, you've made my job easier by taking out the last obstacle."

He strode toward Aurora, his eyes burning with a possessive fire. The love she had believed in, the future she had dreamed of—it was all a carefully constructed lie. This was the ultimate betrayal. She was not just a warrior, not just a princess, but a pawn in a prophecy far older and more sinister than she could have ever imagined. The crown, still hovering above her head, felt like a target. She had finally made it to the finish line, only to find the real villain was waiting there all along.

With a roar of fury, Aurora pointed a trembling finger at Kevin. "Guards! Arrest this traitor! Seize him!"

The royal guards immediately moved, drawing their swords and charging toward the Blackwood knights. But Kevin simply smiled, a flicker of dark energy shimmering around him. He didn't fight. Instead, he and his men vanished in a sudden flash of black smoke, their laughter echoing through the stunned hall.

Aurora stood in the silence, her heart a raw wound. She had defeated a king, faced down an army, and even reconciled with her treacherous sister, only to discover that her greatest enemy was the man she had loved. As her friends rushed to her side, she knew her journey wasn't over. Her list of enemies had just grown longer and more personal: her sister Daisy, who had been consumed by jealousy; Jake Blackwood, the face of the prophecy; and now, Kevin, the master puppeteer who had pulled her strings from the beginning. Her path to the throne was no longer a simple coronation—it was a new war against old enemies, and this time, the fight would be for her heart as much as her kingdom.