The family room had never felt so loud.
Voices overlapped in a storm of argument, every member of the royal family speaking at once. Chairs scraped across the marble floor, silk sleeves brushed against the polished table, and the tension in the room thickened with every passing moment.
Lady Gema raised her voice above the noise.
"The moon," she declared, "is someone pure of heart and soul. That is what I choose to believe."
A royal council member shook his head.
"That is the quality of a child."
Queen Omuro, seated at the head of the room, watched them carefully.
"You might be right," she said slowly. Then her voice hardened into command. "All children of royal blood will sleep in the same chamber tonight. The room will be heavily guarded until sunrise."
For a moment, silence hovered.
Then the Crown Prince spoke.
"I disagree."
Several heads turned toward Crown Prince Noro.
Princess Arasinta stared at Noro as if he's blurry, "Why do you disagree?" She asked, her way of not directly asking him why he sounded confidently dumb.
Another royal member spoke quickly.
"Nobody among us is pure except the children."
"I agree," another voice added.
But Noro stood his ground. "No."
The room quieted again as he stepped forward.
"The moon is the source of light," he said firmly. "It guides. It illuminates. It leads with wisdom."
His eyes lifted toward the king.
"These are the qualities of our leader. Our father. King Bazi is the moon."
A murmur spread through the room.
"So tonight," Noro continued, "every guard in this palace will surround his quarters until sunrise."
Queen Omuro's brows lifted slightly. "All guards?"
"All of them," Noro answered without hesitation. "His sons will remain with him as well."
He looked around the room, daring anyone to challenge him.
"Tonight we protect our king and ensure that he lives to see the light of day tomorrow. That is an order."
Prince Antivo stepped forward. "I agree with my brother."
Prince Avana nodded firmly. "I agree with the Crown Prince as well. We will protect our father."
The rest of the room had little choice but to fall silent. One by one, reluctant nods appeared around the table. The decision had been made.
King Bazi rose from his seat. Without another word, he left the room, surrounded by his sons. Their wives and children soon followed, the chamber slowly emptying as the royal family moved toward the king's quarters.
Within moments, only a few remained behind.
Princess Arasinta hurried toward her mother.
"Mother."
Queen Omuro turned toward her.
"You should go pray, Arasinta," she said gently. "Pray for your father's safety."
Arasinta shook her head immediately.
"I don't care about his safety," she said bluntly. "I care about yours."
Her voice lowered urgently.
"Were you really going to tell everyone that Khari is Father's daughter?"
Queen Omuro's expression softened, "He deserves to know the truth."
Arasinta's frustration flared.
"Look at Khari now, Mother. She is no longer on our level." Her voice trembled with anger, "She just cursed the entire royal family. Let it go."
But Queen Omuro shook her head slowly.
"I want to face my sister, Arasinta." Her voice carried a quiet sadness. "I cannot die with that truth trapped in my throat."
Arasinta stepped closer, desperation creeping into her voice.
"What if I promise to change?" she pleaded. "What if I promise to be good from now on?" Her eyes filled with emotion. "What if I promise to make you proud? Would you stay silent then?"
For a moment, Queen Omuro said nothing.
Then she pulled Arasinta gently into an embrace.
"My child," she whispered softly. "No matter what you do, or how you are, you are mine." She placed a tender hand on Arasinta's cheek. "And I am already proud of you."
Arasinta's breath trembled.
"But no truth can remain buried forever," the queen continued quietly. "You will still be the Princess of Natron. And you will always be my daughter."
With that, Queen Omuro turned and left the chamber. Arasinta remained standing in the empty room, her chest tight with worry. Her mind raced with fear.
On her way toward the door, something caught her eye. A silver steak knife. The steak knife Khari had been holding earlier rested forgotten on the table.
Arasinta stopped and stared at it. She felt a pull to grab it, like it was important, like something great depended on her choice right there.
Her hand slowly moved toward the silver blade… then hesitated.
The room was silent.
And for a long moment, the princess stood there, caught between hesitation and decision.
...
The palace stood silent beneath the full moon.
Silver light spilled across the white stone walls, casting long shadows through the courtyards and gardens. The wind was calm, the night unusually still, as if the entire kingdom were holding its breath.
Outside the king's quarters, guards stood in every direction. They lined the corridors, the stairways, and the balconies overlooking the royal wing. Armor glinted faintly under the moonlight as each soldier remained alert, their hands resting on the hilts of their weapons.
Not a single entrance had been left unprotected.
Inside the chamber, King Bazi slept. His sons did not. Crown Prince Noro stood by the window, watching the night sky as the moon slowly drifted toward the horizon. Prince Antivo leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the door. Prince Avana paced the room quietly, too restless to remain still.
None of them had slept. Not for a single moment. They waited for the night to pass. They waited for the prophecy to fail.
Outside, the moon finally sank lower in the sky. Darkness softened. Slowly, the first pale light of morning began to stretch across the horizon.
Then the palace bells rang. The morning bell jingled softly through the halls of Natron.
Inside the chamber, King Bazi stirred.
His eyes slowly opened.
For a moment he blinked at the ceiling, unaware of the tension surrounding him. Then he noticed the figures standing around his bed. Crown Prince Noro immediately stepped forward.
"Good morning, Father," he said with visible relief, "We're glad you're alive."
Prince Antivo let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, "Thank you for saving our family."
Prince Avana nodded eagerly, "Now the prophecy—"
His words were suddenly cut off.
From somewhere in the palace corridors, a frantic voice echoed.
"TRAGEDY! TRAGEDY!"
The princes froze.
The voice grew louder as it rushed closer.
"TRAGEDY! TRAGEDY! HER HIGHNESS, QUEEN OMURO HAS PASSED AWAY!"
The words slammed into the room like thunder.
King Bazi shot upright. "What?"
The messenger's voice continued to echo through the halls.
"TRAGEDY! TRAGEDY!"
The king jumped out of bed. The princes followed him instantly. Within seconds they were racing through the corridors, their footsteps pounding against the palace floors as fear gripped every heart.
Servants scattered out of their path. The palace, so quiet moments ago, now stirred with confusion and panic.
They reached the queen's chambers and the doors were already open.
King Bazi rushed inside.
Then he stopped.
The sight before him stole the air from his lungs.
Queen Omuro lay in her bed. Her once elegant silk sheets were soaked in red.
Blood spread across the pale fabric like spilled ink, staining the pillows and blankets beneath her.
Her throat had been slit open, a bloody silver blade left on top of a pillow like an offering from a tooth fairy. The room fell into a horrifying silence.
For a long moment, no one moved. The prophecy had not failed.
It had only chosen a different victim.
***