Valley of Shadows and Roses | ONC 2024

Chapter 17

Princess Luna sat in her tower, watching the stars with contentment in her soul. Luna knew that by what she did, she betrayed her own kingdom, her people, her king, her father - in fact she betrayed everyone, but at the same time, she felt it was right. Not only did she send Prince Ragnan back to the beginning, but she also saved Amora from torture and death. She didn't exactly type her as a person who would break under the pressure of Prince Ragnan. She had no idea why she actually did it; she just did.

Luna didn't feel like a traitor to her kingdom that betrayed her first.

Prince Ragnan was furious. He was so close to reaching the Shadow Lord, and now it's gone with the fairy Amora. He didn't know what to think about it. Not even the Shadow Lord himself would be able to free himself from those chains. He knew his own men would not betray him, so it had to be someone from the Rose Valley court. But where to start looking? Who to suspect? Everyone was a potential traitor.

The moon was just new, so it blended into the ebony sky. The cool breeze of autumn blew in the princess's hair. The Dark forest was full of bright colors of orange, yellow and red, but its beauty could not be seen under the veil of night. Everything was black. Pitch black.

Princess Luna immediately felt the presence of the only one she did not feel anger and hatred towards. She could, but she didn't.

"What's wrong with you being here today outside of your normal visiting hours?" Luna asked him. "It's not my birthday today." She directed her words to him but did not look at him.

"Does my company bother you?" he answered her question with a question.

"Not at all," replied the princess. "On the contrary."

"Did you miss me, princess?" he whispered in her ear.

Luna felt the warmth of his body on her back. She felt his closeness. His question unnerved her. She turned to him. They stood so close to each other. She was even more derailed by the centimeters that separated them. She could feel his heart beating, his chest rising with each breath. She looked deep into his dark eyes, and he looked back into hers.

"And you missed me?" she replied.

There was a moment of silence between them. Neither of them was willing to admit that they sought out their time together. However, they were also unable to answer no to that question because they were afraid that they would destroy everything between them. But what is between them? If they said they didn't miss each other, would that be a lie?

"Thank you for what you have done," the Shadow Lord finally said. "You took a risk when you freed her. Someone might accuse you of betraying your own kind by helping the shadows."

"Did Amora tell you?" She asked her not to tell him. "She promised not to say anything."

"Have you made a new friend, dear Luna?" the Shadow Lord smirked. "You don't have to worry; she didn't tell me anything. Actually, she didn't even have to. Who else would help the shadow? She wouldn't have been able to get out of here on her own, so I knew you had a hand in it, dear princess," he said.

"Prince Ragnan would torture and kill her," said Luna.

The Shadow Lord knew what pretense the princess played every day. A smile adorned her lips, but sadness beautified her eyes. She was real now. That was the real Princess Luna, without all the layers of fakery and crooked mirrors disguising who was behind them. That was her.

"Ragnan wants to kill us all," said the Shadow Lord.

"And I will," Prince Ragnan said as he emerged from the darkness. "I will exterminate you all at once."