Year 1700
In the Kingdom of Luminear, on the eastern edge of the continent, stood a beautiful castle as white as snow, glowing beneath the light of the golden moon, a rare celestial phenomenon that made the structure appear almost ethereal.
As peaceful as the scenic beauty appeared from the outside, inside the castle echoed with the painful screams of a queen in labor. Exactly as the clock struck twelve, the woman's cries faded and were replaced by the soft wails of a newborn baby girl.
The royal midwife handed the baby to King Solan before hurrying to tend to the queen. The queen looked utterly exhausted, her breathing shallow and uneven. With blurry eyes she glanced towards her baby in her husband's arms, and saw that the child was glowing.
A soft, radiant light surrounded the infant, and despite her weakness, awe filled the queen's heart. A faint smile began to form on her lips as she took in the miraculous sight.
"Look my love, it's our daughter! She is glowing like a star" said King Solan, wide eyed and filled with disbelief.
"Call the priest from the temple right now. I want to know what is going on!" he ordered one of the maids urgently.
After a few minutes the priest entered the chamber dressed in white robe, adorned with a golden crest of a rising phoenix at the collar. He had long silver hair and wise, silver eyes. He was beautiful and looked not more than his late thirties but in truth, he was seventy years old.
The priest bowed to the king and the queen and said " Your Majesty, may the Goddess of Light bless the birth of the princess in our lands."
"Septimus, my daughter is glowing like a star, do you have any idea what this means? Solan asked.
Septimus raised his head and fixed his wise silver eyes on the child cradled in King's arms.
"I do Your Majesty." He said. "Before you summoned me, I was already on my way here. The Goddess has spoken to me. The birth of the princess is not an ordinary event, as she carries the light of the goddess within her."
He paused, his voice lowering with reverence as he recited a prophecy,
"When shadow falls and light grows dim,The twin divine flames shall rise again. Born asunder, bound by fate, Heavens shall blaze anew to guide the world once again."
He continued "This means that the princess has a twin flame out there who carries the will of gods. They are destined to meet, for only together can they save the world when darkness threatens to consume us once more."
The King and Queen were astonished to hear what Septimus said.
King Solan was overjoyed upon hearing the priest's words, but dread quickly overtook him as the weight of the revelation sank in. He exclaimed "We must not let this leave this room, Septimus. If word gets out that the princess carries the powers of the Goddess and poses a threat to those vile snakes who work in shadow, they will come after her life! No! I cannot let that happen! She must remain hidden until the time comes."
Septimus stayed silent for a moment and then stated "Your Majesty, I heed your words and vow to protect and guide the princess until her time comes." Though Septimus said this, he thought to himself how long a truth as great as this could remain buried when destiny was at play and in a castle where every corner had eyes and ears..
He got an amber locket from the temple blessed by the goddess after chanting some spells and placed it around the princess's neck. He instructed the King and Queen never to remove it, as it would conceal the child's powers from the outside world.
Both the king and the queen agreed to it without realising the consequences of their actions. But only time would reveal what happens next.
Years passed and the conversation that happened between the King, the Queen and the priest was concealed within the four walls of the chambers on that fateful night when the moon shone golden.
Year 1718
In a beautiful garden of Palace of Light which was surrounded with the snowy peaks sat a breathtaking woman in a flowy white gown with her long dark brown hair cascading down her back. Her blue eyes shone like jewels staring into the surface of water, seemingly in deep thought.
Her porcelain skin glowed softly under the morning sun. Her hand played with the water in the pond, surrounded by white stone pillars, lush greenery and vibrant flowers. Yet her mind saw none of it, instead replaying the conversation she had with King Solan in the dining hall some time ago.
Some time ago..
Princess Evelyn Lumaeth Starforged sat beside her younger stepbrother, Prince Ryan Lumaeth Starforged, who wore a smug look on his face. Her stepmother, the current Queen of the Kingdom of Luminear, Queen Elara, sat on her father's right, pretending to mind her own business while eating breakfast.
"Evelyn, you'll be eighteen tomorrow, and I've already made arrangements to send you to a reputed institution for your higher education." King Solan said in a cold voice.
Eve on the other hand, stopped eating, shock written all over her face. She slowly raised her head and looked at the man who was supposed to be her father. "What do you mean, Your Majesty?" she asked in a low voice, though her eyes were brimming with questions.
The king answered, his gaze unwavering as he looked at her.
"The decision has already been made between your mother and me. We believe it is best for you to experience the world beyond these walls and learn what it takes to become a princess, one who can serve her people when the time comes. There's no need to look so shocked, most royals and noble children attend this academy. You will be leaving for the Kingdom of Versailles to enroll in Blood Moon Academy."
Hearing the name Blood Moon Academy made her throat go dry and her mind began to spiral.
Without thinking, she blurted out, "Bl-Blood Moon Academy is filled with vampires! How am I supposed to survive there?!"
Her voice came out at a higher pitch than intended, and her face wore an expression of pure disbelief.
This gave a perfect opportunity to Queen Elara to intervene.
"Princess Evelyn, where are your manners when speaking to Your Majesty? Is this what your etiquette teacher has been teaching you? This is precisely why you need to attend that academy, to learn to conduct yourself like a proper princess." Elara's cold tone made Evelyn wince slightly.
Evelyn lowered her gaze at her sharp words, as always. She knew no one was going to step in to defend her here. She has been subjected to cutting remarks and silent abuse throughout her life, and her indifferent father had never once intervened or tried to understand how she was treated by her stepfamily in the palace.
Her real mother, the late Queen Selene, had passed away after five days after giving birth to her, as if her body could no longer sustain itself. As a result, her father blamed her for her mothers death, silently accusing her of having drained all the life force from her mother.
Since then, she had been raised solely by her late mother's handmaiden, Clair and guided by Septimus, the High Priest of the Temple of Goddess of Light.
Her indifferent father had remarried just a few months after her mother's passing, primarily to appease the public, which had been on the verge of civil unrest. His new wife, Queen Elara, was a princess from the neighbouring Kingdom of Roseville. This political alliance only fueled the growing faction within the Kingdom of Luminear that supported Prince Ryan as the sole heir to the throne, despite Evelyn's rightful first claim.
Though the matter of succession had yet to be officially declared, Queen Elara had long since made up her mind. She schemed against Evelyn since the birth of Prince Ryan.
Queen Elara had planned to send Evelyn away so that she could gain a stronger hold over the kingdom in her absence, for the sake of her own son.
"My apologies, Your Majesty, I didn't mean to raise my voice. I only meant to ask, how can I, a Lumen, survive in a kingdom filled with vampires? Th-They seek our...blood more than that of normal humans," she asked in a slow, careful manner, trying to calm the erratic beat of her heart at the thought of being surrounded by the vampires.
King Solan stared at her and said in a deep voice "The Blood Moon Academy has assured me that no accidents will occur during your stay. They have strict laws in place to ensure that all races coexist peacefully and receive the best education. This is your opportunity to prove to us and to your people that you are willing to learn and prepare yourself for the future of this kingdom. I suggest you begin preparing, because you will be leaving this afternoon."
With that, King Solan rose and left, offering no room for argument, followed by her stepmother and stepbrother, who smirked at her plight.