THE PRICE OF A DAUGHTER

The silence between father and daughter felt heavier than the leather pouch in Richard Rowan's trembling hand.

Emma looked at his face, her smile fading with every passing second. She had seen her father angry. She had seen him frustrated. She had seen him broken after losing his Gamma title.

But she had never seen him... afraid. "Father..."

Her voice was gentle. "What happened?" Richard swallowed hard. His throat felt as though someone had wrapped iron chains around it.

"We should go inside." Emma glanced toward the cottage before nodding. Without another word, they stepped into the small wooden home.

Helen looked up from the bed, forcing another smile despite the exhaustion in her eyes. "You both look as though someone died."

Neither of them laughed. Her smile slowly disappeared. Richard placed the heavy pouch of silver onto the old wooden table.

The coins clinked loudly. Emma stared. Helen's eyes widened. "Richard..."

"Where did you get so much money?" Richard remained standing. He couldn't bring himself to sit.

"I met members of the Royal Council." Helen frowned immediately. "The Council?"

"What would they want with us?" Richard looked at Emma. Then away again.

"They offered... a position." Emma's eyes brightened. "A position?"

"You found work?" Richard shook his head. "No." "They're looking for servants." The excitement vanished from Emma's face.

"For... the palace?" Richard nodded. Emma remained silent. Helen slowly straightened herself despite the pain in her body.

"What does that have to do with us?" Richard closed his eyes. "They want Emma."

The room fell silent. Only the crackling fire could be heard. Emma looked from her father to her mother.

"Me?" "They'll pay monthly wages."Richard spoke quickly now, almost as though he needed to finish before losing his courage.

"Enough to cover your mother's medicine." "They'll provide food." "A place to sleep." "You'll be protected inside the palace."

Emma blinked several times. The palace. The royal palace. The place she had only ever seen from a distance.

It felt impossible. Helen was the first to speak. "No." Richard looked at her. "Helen—" "No."

Her weak voice suddenly carried surprising strength. "Our daughter has already suffered enough."

"We're not sending her away." Richard's jaw tightened. "And if we don't?" He pointed toward the empty medicine shelf.

"What happens when the herbs run out?" Helen lowered her eyes. Richard continued.

"What happens when I can't afford another healer?" "What happens when winter comes?"

No one answered. His voice cracked. "I am trying to save you." Helen whispered, "Not by sacrificing our child."

Richard slammed both hands onto the table. "I'm trying to save this family!" The sudden outburst startled everyone.

Emma had never seen her father lose control like that. He immediately regretted it.

His shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry..." He whispered. "I'm so tired." "So... tired."

Emma walked around the table and gently placed a hand on his arm. "Father..."

"You don't have to apologize." Richard looked at her. His eyes were wet.

"The Council..." He hesitated. "They've already made the arrangements."

Emma nodded slowly. "I understand." Richard frowned. "You... do?" She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"If working at the palace means Mother can finally receive proper treatment..." She glanced toward Helen.

"...then I don't have anything to think about." Helen immediately shook her head.

"No." "Emma, you're only 18." "You deserve to build your own life."

Emma laughed softly. "My life isn't going anywhere." "It'll still be waiting when Mother gets better."

Helen's eyes reddened. "And what if it doesn't?" Emma reached over and gently wiped away her mother's tears.

"Then I'll simply build another one." Richard looked away. Every word from his daughter felt like another knife in his chest.

She wasn't complaining. She wasn't asking why. She wasn't blaming anyone. She was simply accepting the burden placed on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry." His voice cracked. "I promised I'd give you a better life." Emma hugged him.

For a moment, Richard froze. Then he slowly wrapped his arms around his daughter.

It had been years since they had embraced. "You already did." Emma whispered.

"You and Mother gave me a family." "Now it's my turn to take care of you." Richard shut his eyes. If only she knew...

If only she knew what he had allowed himself to believe beneath that old oak tree. He tightened the hug for one brief moment before letting go.

"When do I leave?" "The royal carriage..." Richard swallowed hard. "...will arrive tomorrow morning."

Helen gasped. "So soon?" Richard nodded. "They said the palace can't wait." Emma took a deep breath and forced another smile.

"Then I suppose I have a lot of packing to do." She picked up the empty bowls from the table as if nothing had happened.

As if she hadn't just agreed to leave the only home she'd ever known. Richard watched her disappear into the small kitchen.

His chest tightened. Helen looked at him. " "What exactly did those councilmen say to you?"

Richard remained silent. After a long moment, he whispered,  "They said if Emma stays..."

He stopped himself. Helen frowned. "If she stays... what?" Richard rubbed both hands over his face.

"They said our family will never know peace." Helen's expression hardened.

"And you believed them?" "I don't know what I believe anymore!" His voice cracked before he quickly lowered it, afraid Emma might hear.

"I've watched everything fall apart, Helen." "I lost my title." "I lost our lands." "I can't even buy medicine for my own wife."

He looked toward the kitchen. "I don't want to believe them." "I don't." "But what if..."

His voice became barely audible. "What if they're right?" Helen reached across the table and grabbed his hand.

"They're wrong." "Our daughter isn't cursed." "She's the kindest soul the Moon Goddess ever created."

Richard nodded slowly. "I know." Yet even as he spoke those words… Doubt lingered in his heart.

That evening… Emma prepared dinner exactly as she did every night. She cooked. She cleaned.

She helped her mother take her medicine. She even laughed at one of Richard's old hunting stories.

She wanted tonight to feel normal. As though tomorrow wasn't waiting just beyond sunrise.

After Helen finally fell asleep, Emma quietly folded the blanket over her mother.

She leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I'll make enough money to buy the best medicine in the kingdom."

Helen smiled weakly in her sleep. Emma stepped outside. Night had settled over the little village.

Thousands of stars glittered above her. The cool breeze brushed against her face.

She slowly walked toward the old oak tree beside the cottage.

It had always been her favorite place. Whenever life becomes difficult… She came here.

She sat beneath the tree and hugged her knees to her chest.

"So..." She whispered to the Moon Goddess. "I guess this is goodbye." A small smile touched her lips."I'm scared."

She laughed quietly. "Actually..." "I'm terrified." She had never left her home. Never seen the royal palace. Never spoken to a prince.

Tomorrow everything would change. She closed her eyes. "I don't need riches." "I don't need to become somebody important." She looked up at the moon.

"Just..." "Please let Mother get better." "That's all I'm asking." A shooting star crossed the sky.

Emma smiled. Taking it as a good sign. She didn't know… That the Moon Goddess had already written a destiny far greater than anything she could imagine.

The next morning… Before the sun had fully risen… The sound of horses echoed through the quiet village.

Emma opened the front door. A magnificent black carriage bearing the royal crest rolled to a stop in front of the Rowan cottage.

Every neighbor stepped outside. Children stopped playing. Women whispered behind their hands.

Men stared in disbelief. "The royal palace..." "They actually came for her." Emma tightened her grip on the small cloth bag containing everything she owned.

One dress. One pair of shoes. A family photograph. And the wooden wolf pendant her mother had carved when she was a little girl.

A palace guard stepped down from the carriage. He looked at Emma. "Emma Rowan?"

She nodded. "It's time." Emma took one last look at her home. Then at her parents. She smiled through the tears threatening to fall.

 Emma leaves everything behind and begins the journey to the royal palace.