The Shattered Crown This can't be real

Somewhere on earth

Elara henderson/FL past

Elara Henderson

She was an avid reader, her fingers always tracing the edges of the pages her heart entwined in the stories she read. Every day after college she would retreat to the quiet corner of the room curled up in her bed and lose herself in the book her favorite was

" The Forgotten Kingdom "

It was a tale of a princess who had lost everything but was destined for something greater. In the evening as the golden light of the sunset filtered through the curtains she sat by her window, her nose buried in the pages of the book

She was particularly entranced by a chapter where the princess named Hesperia Orleans was about to discover secrets of her life. Elara could feel the tension, the magic, the thrill about what was going to unfold. She was so immersed that she didn't notice the storm cloud gathering outside

A loud crack of thunder made her jump, her heart racing. She glanced at the window just as lightning flashed, followed by a sharp gust of wind that slammed it open. Her chair tipped back, sending her tumbling to the floor. In the chaos, her hand grasped the book one last time, and as if the book had a mind of its own, the pages began to glow, the letters lifting off the paper and swirling around her.

Then , it happen a sudden jolt shook the room as if the floor beneath her had shifted

HESPERIA

She froze the voice was distinct and familiar soft and haunting like a half remembered melody . Her name echoed through the room , drawing her closer to the open book . She reached out instinctively her fingertips brushing the edges of the glowing paper

The moment her fingertips made a contract a cold electric shock coursed through her body The light intensified, swallowing her whole. Elara’s breath hitched as the world dissolved around her, colors and sounds swirling into a cacophony of chaos.

Then it was a complete silence

When she opens her eyes the first thing she noticed was the chill the air was crisp carrying the fragrance of fresh roses and freshly cut grass . Elara blinked adjusting her vision to the dim glow of sunlight filtering through the tall windows she realised that she wasn't in her apartment anymore

She stood in the ground hall it's marble floors gleaming beneath her feet. Ornate tapestries lined the stone walls, and a crystal chandelier cast shimmering patterns across the room. It was breathtaking, yet unfamiliar.

Her gaze fell to the figure staring back at her from a gilded mirror across the hall. She took a step closer, her heart pounding in her chest. The girl in the mirror looked regal, with delicate features framed by waves of auburn hair. Her green eyes sparkled with intensity, but her expression was one of disbelief.

Hesperia Orleans/ FL

This can't be real ** she whispered with a trembling voice**

She reached up to touch her face, half-expecting to wake up from a bizarre dream. But the cold surface of her skin and the weight of the intricate gown she wore told her otherwise.

Before she could process anything further the big wooden door swings open. A woman swept in her posture was rigid and calm and her expressions were awfully cold.