Princess Elara lay on her bed, dreaming about her secret date with Aric outside the kingdom. They had finally figured out a way to meet up, and her heart raced at the thought of their next adventure together. Being with him made her feel alive, like she could escape from everything else. But just as she was picturing their time together, the majordomo knocked on her door, looking super serious.
"Princess, your parents need you in the grand hall right now," he said, his tone making her stomach drop. She rushed to follow him, her mind racing with questions. Did something go wrong? Was she in trouble?
When they arrived at the grand hall, her parents were already waiting for her. King Alden looked grim, and Queen Seraphine had a look in her eyes that made Elara uneasy.
"Elara, we have something important to talk about," her dad said, clearing his throat. "You've probably heard of Prince Cedric from Eridoria? Well, as part of our agreement with his family, we've planned a marriage between you two. There's a dinner date tonight to help you get to know each other."
Elara's heart sank. A date? With some prince she'd never even met? And what about Aric? Did he not matter anymore? The thought of giving up her secret love for the sake of duty felt crushing.
"Everything okay, Elara?" her mom asked, noticing her shocked expression.
"Yeah, of course," she lied, trying to mask her frustration. "I'm just... surprised, that's all."
But as disbelief turned into anger, the announcement of Prince Cedric arriving lightened the hall. And there was Aric, standing across the room, looking as confused as she felt, like he'd been pulled into a bad dream too. Suddenly, all of this felt too real.
The majordomo launched into logistics about the wedding, and Elara felt her heart sink even more. She couldn't imagine giving up everything she wanted for a future she didn't choose. As the weight of tradition pressed down on her, she realized that her love for Aric - fun, thrilling, and completely secret - was about to be crushed under the demands of her royal life.