The Castle of Eldoria shimmered under lantern light, every stone seeming to glow with anticipation. Nobles from distant lands gathered in the grand hall, their masks dazzling, their laughter echoing through marble corridors. Silks rustled, violins wept softly in the background, and crystal goblets clinked beneath the chandeliers.
Princess Anita descended the staircase in a flowing emerald gown that mirrored the forest she longed to explore. Her mask, a delicate lacework of silver and green, concealed her identity, yet did nothing to hide the flicker of determination in her eyes.
Servants whispered of her beauty. Diplomats praised her grace. But Anita's thoughts were fixed only on the message from the cloaked figure. The forest... the Crown... the Shadow. Her mind buzzed with questions. Why her? What Crown? And why had she felt such a strange pull when she heard those words?
As she moved through the crowd, she spotted her father, King Malric, raising a toast with a wide grin. To everyone, he was a just and beloved ruler. But Anita had always sensed a wall around his heart—something hidden.
Just then, a masked man in a dark cloak brushed past her shoulder. Anita's breath caught. Was it the same figure from the garden?
She followed swiftly, weaving through dancers and trays of pastries. He disappeared into the hallway beyond the throne room. Anita hesitated, then slipped away from the ball. Her heart thundered. She moved deeper into the corridor, where the walls whispered ancient stories.
The hallway opened into the Royal Archives—a place forbidden without permission. There, resting on an aged pedestal, was a book pulsing faintly with green light.
Etched into the cover were the words:
"Chronicles of the Crown Enchanted."
Her fingers trembled as she reached out.
The adventure had already begun.
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