A Sister's Shadow

Astrid sat rigidly on the velvet-cushioned chair, her fingers digging into the armrests. The air inside the royal chambers felt too thick, too heavy. A suffocating mixture of luxury and expectation. She could feel the weight of their eyes on her—her parents, the advisors, the servants hovering just outside the door. Her parents had given her a room in the palace, a place to “rest and remember,” as Queen Elara had gently suggested. But all Astrid could feel was the tightening knot of panic in her chest.

She wasn’t who they thought she was. She was just Lyra, a woman who lived a simple life on the outskirts of the kingdom. She didn’t belong in these lavish rooms with their towering ceilings, gleaming marble floors, and tapestries depicting battles she’d never heard of. This was all a mistake.

But how could she explain that to people who looked at her as though she was the answer to their prayers?

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts, and the door creaked open. A woman stepped inside, her presence immediately commanding attention. She was dressed in royal blue, her posture straight and regal. There was a fierceness in her green eyes, a spark of defiance and confidence that made her seem older than she was. Astrid guessed she was only a few years younger than herself, perhaps in her early twenties.

“Astrid,” the woman said, her voice warm yet cautious. “It’s me—Aries.”

Astrid’s stomach twisted at the name. Aries. The sister she never knew she had. The woman who had been raised in her place, groomed to be the future queen. While Astrid had been lost, Aries had been found. But now, looking at her, Astrid saw the unease that lingered behind Aries’s confident smile. Her green eyes flickered, studying her, sizing her up.

“You’re really her, aren’t you?” Aries stepped closer, her gaze locked on Astrid’s. There was no malice in her voice, but there was something else—a weight, a sense of something unsaid.

“I—I don’t know,” Astrid whispered, feeling small under Aries’s intense stare. “I don’t remember anything. I don’t even know if I’m really who they say I am.”

Aries’s expression softened, but only slightly. “It must be confusing for you, all of this... suddenly being thrown into a world you’ve never known. But, Astrid,” she took a seat across from her, her eyes never leaving Astrid’s, “this is your world. You belong here.”

Astrid shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “Do I? You’ve been here all these years. You’re the one who knows how to rule, how to be... all of this.” She gestured vaguely at the lavish surroundings. “I don’t even remember anything before the cottage.”

Aries leaned back, her lips pressed into a thin line. There was a flicker of something—perhaps irritation—before she composed herself again. “They’ve been waiting for you to return for years. They’ve told me stories about you since I was old enough to understand. But for all those years, it’s been me. I’ve been the one they’ve prepared to be queen. I’ve been the one ruling alongside them.” She paused, her green eyes narrowing just slightly. “Do you understand what that means?”

Astrid looked down at her hands, unsure of what to say. She understood perfectly well. Aries had lived the life that was supposed to be hers. She had been raised in the palace, trained for the throne, loved by the people. And now, Astrid had returned, throwing everything into chaos. The family didn’t know who to claim—the daughter they thought they’d lost, or the one they had come to love.

“I didn’t ask for this,” Astrid said quietly. “I didn’t ask to come back. I didn’t even know I was missing.”

“And yet, here you are,” Aries replied, her voice steady. “And they will want you to take your place. To be the queen you were born to be.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and sharp. Astrid’s chest tightened. A part of her—a small, frightened part—wanted to run back to the life she knew. The simple, quiet life in the cottage where no one expected anything from her. But deep down, another part of her stirred. The part that had always felt restless, that had always known she was meant for more.

“What about you?” Astrid asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’ve been doing this your whole life. Don’t you want to be queen?”

Aries hesitated, her smile faltering for just a moment. “I’ve been prepared for it. But you are the true princess. The throne belongs to you.”

Astrid saw it then, the flicker of fear in Aries’s eyes. The uncertainty. Aries had been raised to be queen, but with Astrid’s return, everything she had been promised was now slipping from her grasp.

“I’m sorry,” Astrid said, her voice trembling slightly. “I don’t want to take anything away from you.”

Aries’s smile tightened. “It’s not about what you want, Astrid. It’s about what’s best for the kingdom. And you... you were always meant to be here.”

Astrid swallowed hard. Her mind was racing, torn between the life she knew and the life she was being thrust into. How could she be the princess they wanted her to be when she didn’t even remember them?

Before she could respond, the door opened again, and Queen Elara stepped inside, her expression soft and kind. “Aries, would you give us a moment?”

Aries rose from her seat, but not before offering Astrid one last lingering glance. There was a quiet intensity in her eyes, a warning, or perhaps a plea, that Astrid couldn’t quite understand. Then, with a graceful nod to her mother, Aries left the room.

Once they were alone, Queen Elara crossed the room and sat beside Astrid. Her presence was gentle, but Astrid could sense the weight of the years behind her eyes, the exhaustion of a mother who had spent so long searching for her lost child.

“Astrid,” she began, her voice soft, “I know this must be overwhelming for you. And I don’t expect you to remember everything right away. But you are my daughter. I know it in my heart. And whether you believe it or not, you are meant to be here.”

Astrid swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to find the right words. “I’m just... I’m afraid,” she admitted. “I don’t know how to be a princess. I don’t know how to be your daughter.”

Queen Elara reached out and took Astrid’s hand, her grip warm and reassuring. “You don’t need to be perfect, my darling. You only need to be yourself. The rest will come with time.”

Astrid nodded, though her mind still swirled with uncertainty. Time. Everyone kept saying that she needed time, but how much time would it take to bridge the gap between who she was and who they believed her to be?

Queen Elara smiled softly and stood, brushing her hand along Astrid’s hair. “Rest now. We will give you as much time as you need.”

With that, she left Astrid alone in the grand chamber, the door closing softly behind her. But as the quiet settled over the room, Astrid’s thoughts only grew louder. Her heart beat fast, tangled in confusion, fear, and a strange new yearning that she didn’t fully understand.

Was this truly where she belonged?

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