#4

She felt more trapped than ever before. The weight of her father’s expectations, the weight of her own mistakes it was all too much to bear. And yet, she knew she had no choice but to follow his orders. The prince, the letter, everything she had to undo it all. She had to be the dutiful princess, no matter the cost.

As she made her way back to her chambers, a storm of emotions raged inside her. Was this really her life now? Was this the price she had to pay for the mistakes she’d made? The burden of her father’s expectations, the walls closing in around her... all she could do was move forward, one step at a time.

Arwenzylle stepped away from the duke’s office, her heart still racing. His words lingered in the air like a heavy fog, suffocating any hope she might have had. The cold, calculating look in his eyes felt like a weight pressing down on her chest. As she walked down the grand hallway, each step felt like an eternity. She needed air. She needed space to think.

She made her way toward the garden, hoping the serenity of the flowers and trees would calm her mind. But as soon as she stepped through the ornate gates and into the lush expanse, she froze.

There, standing near the fountain, was Aelita. The princess was dressed in her usual regal attire, her golden hair catching the sunlight as she turned toward Arwenzylle with an almost predatory smile.

"Well, well, if it isn’t the little princess," Aelita sneered, crossing her arms as she approached. "I heard you were summoned by Father. How did that go? Did he scold you for your little misadventure with the prince?"

Arwenzylle clenched her fists at her sides, but she refused to let Aelita see how much her words stung. The garden was supposed to be her escape, her sanctuary, but here Aelita was, turning it into another battleground.

"What do you want, Aelita?" Arwenzylle asked, trying to keep her voice steady, though it trembled ever so slightly.

Aelita’s smile widened, her eyes glinting with malicious amusement. "What do I want? Oh, nothing much. Just to remind you of your place," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. "You’ve always been the shadow of the real princess. A mere pawn in this family’s name. And you think you can change things? How laughable."

Arwenzylle’s chest tightened, but she held her ground. She refused to let Aelita see her vulnerable. "I’m not a pawn," she said, her voice cold now. "I have a right to be here, just like you."

Aelita laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "Oh, how cute. You really believe that? You’re nothing. Nothing but a pitiful, broken version of what you could’ve been."

The words struck Arwenzylle like a slap to the face, but she didn’t flinch. She had heard them before. She had been called worse.

"You think Father will ever let you be anything more than a decoration on his arm? You’ll never be as important as me," Aelita continued, stepping closer. "You’ll always be second best."

Arwenzylle’s mind raced, her heart thudding in her chest. The tension between them crackled like a storm about to break. Aelita’s words, her presence, it all made her feel small, insignificant. But this time... something was different. Something inside of her refused to let Aelita win.

"I’m not going to apologize for being myself," Arwenzylle said, her voice low but fierce. "And I’m not going to let you bully me anymore."

Aelita’s eyes narrowed, her smile faltering for a moment. She took a step forward, her finger pointed directly at Arwenzylle’s chest. "You think you can stand up to me? You’re nothing compared to me. I’ll make sure you remember your place, Arwenzylle."

Without another word, Aelita shoved her, sending Arwenzylle stumbling backward. Her breath caught as she caught herself on the edge of the fountain, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the hot sting of humiliation, the anger bubbling up inside of her.

But then, something shifted. The pain, the anger, the fear it all seemed to meld together in a surge of energy she couldn’t quite control. For a brief moment, she felt something powerful building within her, like the calm before a storm.

But she quickly forced it down, refusing to let Aelita see how much she had affected her. Instead, she stood tall, her shoulders squared, and met Aelita’s gaze with a defiant look.

"You may have power now," Arwenzylle said, her voice steady, "but one day, things will change. You’ll see."

Aelita smirked, stepping back as if she had won. "We’ll see about that."

Without another word, Aelita turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Arwenzylle standing there, still trembling, but with a newfound resolve. She might not have won this battle, but it was far from over. And she wouldn’t let Aelita or anyone else dictate who she was.

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