Chapter 3:A Visit From Veloria

The following morning, I sat quietly before my vanity while Hannah carefully brushed my long hair.

Hannah was far more than a maid to me.

She was like the sister I had never had, someone close to my own age whom I had grown up with. Years ago, her parents had died in a tragic accident, leaving her with no family to care for her. With nowhere else to go, she was forced to beg on the streets.

By fate, my mother, Queen Elena, happened to see the young girl one afternoon. Unable to leave an innocent child to suffer, she brought Hannah to the palace, where she was raised alongside the royal servants.

Although Mother never treated her as a servant, Hannah insisted on helping the palace maids out of gratitude for the kindness she had received. Her loyalty and gentle heart earned the respect of everyone in the palace.

Just then, a gentle knock sounded at my door.

"May I come in, Princess Lisa?"

A smile immediately spread across my face.

"I know that voice! Come in."

The door opened, revealing Princess Victoria of the Kingdom of Veloria.

"Victoria!" I exclaimed happily as I hurried over to embrace her. "What a wonderful surprise! I wasn't expecting you."

She laughed warmly as we hugged.

"It's good to see you too, Lisa."

"How have you been?" I asked.

"I've been well. And you?"

"I've missed you," I admitted.

Victoria smiled.

"Life is full of surprises, isn't it? You never know what tomorrow will bring."

I nodded in agreement before turning toward Hannah.

"Hannah, would you please bring us a bottle of wine?"

"At once, Your Highness," she replied with a respectful bow.

Before Hannah could leave, Victoria stood up.

"I'll go with her. We'll be back in a moment."

The two of them left together, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I hoped they would become friends one day.

Whenever I asked Hannah whether Victoria had been kind to her, Hannah would sometimes admit that Victoria had spoken harshly to her. Other times, she simply smiled and refused to answer.

"I don't want to cause problems between two princesses," she would always say.

I knew Victoria had a kind heart, but she often failed to realize that servants deserved the same respect as everyone else. More than once, I had reminded her that kindness was a true mark of royalty.

A few moments later, the door opened again.

Victoria returned carrying the wine while Hannah followed behind with two crystal goblets.

As Hannah placed everything neatly on the table, Victoria sighed.

"You've spoiled her too much, Lisa. She's so slow."

I smiled gently.

"No, Victoria. Hannah is hardworking and loyal. Everyone has slow days. She's only human."

Victoria shrugged.

"If you say so."

She poured wine into both goblets before suddenly holding out her hands.

"Look at my nails! Aren't they beautiful?"

I examined them carefully before smiling.

"They're lovely."

A sudden thought crossed my mind.

"Victoria... did anything unusual happen in Veloria two nights ago?"

Her cheerful expression disappeared instantly.

"There was a terrible storm," she answered quietly. "The winds were so violent that everyone thought Damon had finally come."

I frowned.

"Damon? Who is Damon?"

Victoria stared at me in surprise.

"You mean you've never heard of him?"

I slowly shook my head.

She leaned closer and lowered her voice.

"Damon is feared throughout the neighboring kingdoms. People say he is the greatest threat our lands have ever known. Many believe our kingdoms are his next targets."

A chill crept down my spine.

"My family was attacked two nights ago," I confessed. "Someone broke into the palace and searched my father's private archive. We tried to stop him, but he escaped before anyone could catch him."

Victoria's eyes widened.

"Then it may have been Damon..."

She paused.

"Or someone working under his command."

Curiosity quickly replaced my fear.

"What do people know about him?"

"Very little," Victoria replied. "Even if Damon walked through a crowded marketplace, most people wouldn't recognize him. His true appearance is known only to a handful of people."

She hesitated before continuing.

"They say he has dark hair and always wears black. A long scar runs across one side of his face. Strangely enough, despite the scar, people still call him incredibly handsome."

She shook her head.

"But don't let that fool you. He's ruthless... merciless... and completely heartless."

My heartbeat quickened."Why does everyone fear him so much?"

Victoria lowered her eyes.

"They say he's hunting every king, priest, and noble who took part in the murder of his parents."

I stared at her in disbelief.

"Murder?"

Victoria nodded sadly.

"His parents possessed extraordinary Alpha powers. The other kings and high priests became consumed by greed. They performed a forbidden ritual to steal those powers for themselves."

Her voice softened.

"The ritual claimed the lives of both the Alpha King and Queen."

Silence filled the room.

"How tragic..." I whispered.

Suddenly, everything made a little more sense.

No wonder Damon was consumed by anger.