The Silence of Morning

She had everything a princess could want.
A kingdom that adored her.
A palace that woke in gentle quiet.
A future she believed was already written for her.

Raised in luxury and certainty, Seraphine Delyra had learned that silence meant peace-that the absence of noise was proof her world was safe. The court bowed, the city sang, and the men sworn to protect her smiled with unwavering loyalty. From the highest balcony, the world looked beautiful.

But silence can hide more than it reveals.

As whispers begin to creep through gilded halls and truths surface in the streets below, the morning quiet she once loved starts to change its meaning. The stillness becomes heavy. The smiles begin to feel rehearsed. And the kingdom she trusted begins to show its teeth.

This is a story of a girl raised to be gentle in a world built on cruelty.
Of loyalty that curdles into betrayal.
Of a crown that weighs more than gold.

And of what happens when a princess finally listens to the silence.

Contest Prompt (spoiler):
Kings have honor, Soldiers are brave, Poets have heart, and all I have is rage.