---
Chapter One: The Last Smile
In a modern city, there lived a girl named Nirana. She was the embodiment of kindness and gentleness. She always smiled, despite the cruelty of those around her. She helped everyone, comforted the sad, and tried to bring joy to others' hearts. Yet, in return, she received nothing but betrayal.
At her co-ed school, she found no safety—her classmates were harsh, bullying her without reason. Even her friends mocked her and made others laugh at her expense. Still, she never responded with anger, only smiled and said:
"It's okay… let your pain out on me. I'm used to it. Life is full of sorrow, and I'm just a passage for it."
Nirana fell in love with a boy who treated her kindly. She thought he was the only one who truly saw her. She had no idea he was among those hurting her behind her back. One day, she asked him:
"Will you betray me too? Am I just another outlet for your rage?"
He answered with a mocking smile:
"No, I love you. I could never hurt you."
She believed him... until that day.
He invited her to a party, saying he had a special surprise for her. She came with joy and nervousness, her heart beating fast, imagining he might propose or confess something beautiful. But when she arrived, she saw a group of boys circling her—the same faces that always tormented her. And among them... was him.
He said calmly:
"Now the real game begins."
They began beating her, fists and feet striking her as she lay on the ground, her face reflecting nothing but the ultimate disappointment. She didn't scream, didn't beg. Instead, with a sad smile, she said her last words:
"It's okay… even death is just part of the routine now."
And she died.
---
Chapter Two: Rebirth from Ashes
Nirana awoke... but she was no longer the same.
She found herself in a grand royal palace, surrounded by servants and guards. Her body was new, strong—but her memories remained untouched. She realized she was in a different world: one of ancient kingdoms and bloody wars. She was now a princess, daughter of Queen Aseel, ruler of the Iron Kingdom.
But Nirana's heart was no longer gentle. She was no longer the kind little girl. She had become cold as ice—merciless, silent, and trusting no one.
"If I'm not cruel… I'll be broken again."
She turned into a terrifying figure, killing servants for the smallest mistakes. A dish fell? The guard was beheaded. A servant was late? He was hanged in the courtyard.
No one knew the reason for her cruelty except the Queen, who feared losing control over her daughter. She secretly assigned her a personal guard to watch her—his name was Ray.
But Nirana never left her room, locked in coldness and solitude. Until one day… she escaped.
---
Chapter Three: The Escape and Meeting the Enemy
On a quiet night, while everyone slept, Nirana opened her window silently and jumped into the palace garden. She didn't look back or hesitate. Something was calling to her from the outside… something that belonged to her. The palace suffocated her, filled with memories haunting every corner.
She escaped the palace walls and wandered the city streets. Chaos ruled, and soldiers frantically searched for her. The Queen had issued a warning: "A spy has infiltrated the kingdom. He may try to kill the princess!" But Nirana didn't care. She walked through the alleys with a cold face and fearless eyes.
She reached the forest's edge. As she walked through the dark trees, she heard footsteps behind her. She froze… her breath quickened. She thought it was the spy.
She ran!
But he chased her—fast, like a shadow. In an instant, he was in front of her. Before she could move, he pressed a knife to her neck and said coldly:
"Move one step… and I'll cut this royal throat."
She looked at him—unmoving, emotionless, like life no longer mattered.
He led her to a wooden cabin deep in the forest. That's where her true pain began. He tied her hands, beat her, dragged her across the floor, poured cold water over her wounds, and screamed:
"What's wrong with you?! Why won't you scream?! Are you insane?!"
But Nirana remained silent, staring at him with hollow eyes.
"Could pain really become so normal?" the spy muttered, confusion overtaking his anger.
When he left to light a fire, she seized the chance. Despite her injuries, despite the pain, she ran into the forest—falling, crawling, getting up again—until she reached a small farm.
A simple farmer saw her from afar. He ran toward her, lifted her into his arms, and carried her into his cottage. He cleaned her wounds, covered her with a warm blanket, and sat beside her, staring at her features in awe.
When she opened her eyes, he said worriedly:
"You're… the princess? The entire kingdom is looking for you!"
She looked at him coldly, no trace of gratitude on her face, and said:
"Stay out of it… and if you tell anyone I'm here, I'll kill you in the worst way possible."
The farmer stepped back, frightened, then left the cabin. But she knew… betrayal was coming.
And indeed, the next morning, Ray appeared at the door. She wasn't surprised. She had been expecting it.
He looked at her and said:
"Please… come back. You don't know how scared they are for you."
She looked at him, then at the farmer, and said coldly:
"As usual… betrayal again."
He didn't give her a chance. He grabbed her forcefully and took her back to the palace.
---
Chapter Four: The Slap of Shame
She entered the palace under everyone's gaze. The Queen stood on her throne, face full of rage. Without warning, she descended and slapped Nirana hard across the face in front of the guards.
She screamed:
"Useless! Every day you bring shame! Who do you think you are?!"
But Nirana… stood still. No tears, no reaction. She said coldly:
"Hit harder… maybe it'll ease your anger."
The Queen lost control, shouting:
"Take her to the dungeon! Let her learn obedience!"
Nirana was thrown into a cold, dark cell—no sunlight, no warmth. She stayed there for days… silent, not eating, not sleeping. Just staring… and training in silence.
Ray visited her daily, trying to convince her to eat, telling her cruelty wasn't the answer… but she never replied. One look from her… was enough.
One day, the Queen released her and said:
"I'm not freeing you out of mercy… but to make you my sword. You'll see others' blood spilled instead of yours."
She locked her in her room again—but now, Nirana was named commander of the army.
---
Chapter Five: Blood on the Blade
On a grey morning, they woke Nirana from her sleep. Ray entered her room, wearing his black armor, and said quietly:
"The Queen ordered you to lead the army today… a kingdom has rebelled. We leave now."
Nirana didn't speak. She stood up, wore her dark armor, gripped her long sword, and walked like someone stepping on painless ashes.
She mounted her horse, looked at the soldiers behind her—hundreds—but only she had the gaze of death. Ray rode beside her, watching her silently, wondering:
"Was this girl born without a heart? Or did it burn from too much pain?"
They reached the rebellious kingdom's edge. The war began, and the massacre followed.
Nirana charged alone, fearless. She entered the enemy ranks and began killing… mercilessly. Heads rolled, bodies were split in half. Her soldiers watched in awe:
"Our commander… knows no mercy."
A soldier shouted from behind:
"My lady! They've fallen… they've retreated!"
But she didn't stop.
She kept killing, even after surrender. She slaughtered the wounded, stabbed the weak. Even Ray was shocked. He rushed to her, grabbed her arm, and shouted:
"Enough! We won! Stop, Nirana!"
She raised her sword toward him, stared into his eyes with frozen intensity, and said:
"Who falls today… will not live—"
---
Chapter Twenty: Rai's Betrayal
After Nirana finished off the three soldiers, she stood breathing heavily, her body wounded and her eyes burning.
Suddenly, she heard familiar footsteps... Rai.
He ran to her quickly, his face showing worry, reaching out as if to help her stop.
He said in a fearful voice:
"Nirana! Are you okay? Come, let me help you..."
But before she could touch his hand, he suddenly lunged at her, grabbed her shoulder forcefully, and his eyes changed.
Nirana was shocked, frozen for a few seconds, then pushed his chest hard and pushed him away.
---
Chapter Twenty-One: Escape to the Forest
Nirana stood breathing heavily, her body wounded but still strong, her eyes shocked as she stared at Rai in front of her.
He said hesitantly, filled with betrayal:
"They threatened my family, Nirana... It wasn't in my hands..."
She slowly raised her head, her eyes burning with merciless fire, her voice cold as ice:
"I don't care... The important thing is you're just like them, a traitor."
She paused, then continued with a broken yet strong voice:
"You're the last person I expected to betray me... I thought you were different... but I was fooling myself."
Rai lowered his eyes and said softly:
"Forgive me..."
But before she could continue, he suddenly raised his hand and shouted:
"Attack!!"
The soldiers surrounding them, hiding among the trees, charged like wolves, swords drawn, hearts trembling.
But Nirana?
She was fire walking.
Her eyes turned into burning embers, her gaze killing before the sword did, she drew her sword and started striking mercilessly, blood splattering, their screams rising, but they were more than she could handle.
One soldier struck her shoulder with his sword, another stabbed her in the side, she hurt badly, knelt briefly, but bit her wound and stood up.
She gave them one last look, tears mixed with betrayal:
"There's nothing left in this world I can trust..."
She ran quickly toward her horse, mounted despite her wounds, and galloped through the trees, leaving behind a land of betrayal and blood.
Rai stood watching her disappear into the shadows of the forest, his voice stuck in his throat, and everything around him began to collapse.
---
Chapter Twenty-Two: Wounds Among the Trees
The forest was silent, only the sound of horse hooves breaking the quiet. Nirana held tightly to the reins, her face pale, blood flowing from her side and shoulder, her eyes half-open, breath heavy.
"Just a bit more... just a bit and I'll reach..." she whispered to herself, trying to stay conscious.
But the pain grew beyond her strength, everything started to fade, the trees melted from her sight, and the cold began to seep into her bones, although the air wasn't cold.
Suddenly, her hand loosened, slipped from the horse, and she fell to the ground.
A branch snapped beneath her, but she didn't feel it. Her eyes stared up through the branches, the last thing she saw was clouds moving in the sky, then she closed her eyes and lost consciousness in the forest.
Her horse kept running for a while, then returned and stopped beside her, moving its head as if trying to wake her... but there was no response.
The forest grew quiet again, and Nirana lay on the ground, surrounded by trees and darkness... not knowing if she would open her eyes again or if anyone would find her before everything ends.
---
Chapter Twenty-Three: Rylan
The sun lightly shone through the forest branches, and Rylan wandered as usual at dawn, searching for rare herbs and wild fruits.
Suddenly he stopped... his eyes focused on the ground.
A drop of blood.
He stepped forward... another drop.
He knelt and touched the soil with his fingertips, seeing scattered drops of blood as if dripping from something moving fast.
"This isn't crawling tracks... this is blood from someone riding, probably on a horse."
He looked up, his eyes caught a slow movement between the trees.
He moved closer... a weak breath, as if life clung to a tired person.
When he reached her, he saw her.
A girl lying on the ground, her hair dusty, her clothes torn, and her armor battered from a hard fight. Her horse stood behind her, nervous and breathing fast.
He knelt beside her, trying to see her face.
A quick glance at her chest — her breathing was shallow.
He saw the wound...
Deep, clearly on the shoulder, as if an arrow had pierced then was violently pulled out.
"An arrow..." he whispered, seeing the poisoned wound edges, even if the arrow was gone, the proof remained.
"But how... how was she riding the horse with such a wound?"
He wiped his brow and decided quickly.
"I can't leave her... even if she's a stranger... I can't."
He carefully lifted her, her face now facing him, showing strong features despite the pain, like she wouldn't easily break.
"Who are you? And why is all this blood coming from you?"
He hurried toward his hut, her horse following without hesitation.
A new dawn began... from a drop of blood, and a fate starting to change.
---
Chapter Twenty-Four: Nirana's Tears
The wound was deeper than Rylan expected.
He opened a bottle of herbs, dipped a clean cloth, and started wiping the dried blood around her shoulder.
Her faint, broken breaths left an impression on his heart even though he didn't know her... but her look, clothes, and wound told a story of a fierce battle.
"Who are you?" he whispered, carefully bandaging the wound.
"What brought you here in this condition? What strength kept you alive with all this blood and brought your horse here?"
He moved her hair away from her face, seeing a bruised cheek and marks on her forehead.
He stayed silent... but his eyes begged for answers.
Hours passed, he sat beside her.
The forest quieted, and the night covered the place.
The moonlight illuminated her soft but tired and hurt face.
Suddenly...
Her lips moved lightly, unconscious, but her voice whispered:
"Traitor..."
"All of you... all traitors..."
She trembled.
His eyes widened.
He didn't understand what she meant, but the pain in her words hurt him unknowingly.
Suddenly...
A tear fell quietly from her eye.
A heavy tear, mixed with buried pain.
Rylan stared, amazed.
"She's crying? While asleep?"
"How much must someone suffer to scream and cry even in their dreams?"
He gently reached out, wiped the tear, and muttered:
"I don't know who broke you this badly... but I swear, I will help you... even if I don't know you, I will stand by you."
He stayed awake, watching her every breath and every tiny tremor.
---
Chapter Twenty-Five: The Stranger Awakens
Days passed...
And Rylan stayed by her side, healing her wounds day after day, changing bandages, preparing food, sometimes talking to her as if she could hear him, despite her long silence.
Every dawn, he checked her chest still rising, her breath still coming...
She was fighting, even while unconscious.
One gray morning...
A gentle fire burned in the small hut.
Rylan was stirring a pot of food, the smell of herbs and spices filling the place.
Suddenly...
"Who are you?!"
Her voice was loud, hesitant, and dry.
Rylan dropped the spoon and quickly turned, finding her sitting on the bed, eyes half-open, face pale, body trembling from exhaustion... but her voice sharp as if still on a battlefield.
"Where am I? What's happening? Why didn't I die?!"
He approached slowly, gently.
"Calm down, you're in a safe place... you're in the forest. You were hurt and injured... I treated you, and you've been asleep for days."
Nirana bit her lip, trying to move, but her body was still weak, as if her bones refused to cooperate.
"Why did you do this? What do you want? Who are you anyway?!"
Rylan sighed and said:
"My name is Rylan. I live alone here, and I want nothing. I found you between life and death and thought maybe I could help."
She stared at him, eyes full of tiredness, hunger, and deadly suspicion...
"No one helps anyone in this world without a price."
Rylan raised an eyebrow.
"Not everyone is like the people out there in that situation."
She looked toward the wrapped wound, moving slowly, seeing the white bandage stained with old blood.
"How many days did I sleep?"
"Three days."
She paused, then said softly:
"I thought I was dead... but unfortunately, I'm still alive."
---
Chapter Twenty-Six: A Name Everyone Knows
Several days passed, Nirana's wounds started healing, numbness faded, and her eyes opened stronger.
She breathed slowly, staring at the small hut's ceiling, feeling a strange lightness, as if she lost her armor not only literally... but mentally too.
That day, Rylan entered carrying a wooden plate with hot bread and some cooked meat and herbs.
"Come on... you have to eat."
Despite exhaustion, Nirana slowly sat up, picked the plate, and started eating quickly, hunger devouring her.
Rylan watched her, chuckling softly:
"First time I see a princess eat like this."
She stood, lifted her eyes calmly, and said:
"Where's my armor?"
"Your armor? Broken... nothing left of it, even your sword is damaged. They wanted to make sure you didn't leave there alive, right?"
She was silent.
He sat opposite her and asked quietly but curiously:
"
---
"Who are you? What's your story? Were you in the war? Which family are you with? What's your real name? And why do you look so hurt?"
Nirana lifted her gaze to him, cold and steady like stone. A long silence filled the room, then she quietly said:
"Nirana."
Rylan froze in place.
"What? Nirana?!"
He laughed—not in mockery, but in shock.
"You're Nirana? Nirana the princess?… The cruel princess?"
She kept looking at him without expression and said in a steady voice:
"Yes."
He was silent for a few seconds, breathing slowly as if the world stopped.
"News about you is everywhere, literally. People talk about you like you're a demon, not a human."
She didn't respond, went back to her plate, and continued eating coldly, as if she didn't care about what was said.
---
Rylan sat on the ground opposite her, hugging his knees. After learning her name, his eyes studied her more.
"I never thought I'd see you in front of me, not like this…"
He paused, and Nirana pushed her plate away, full, without a word.
"I'm Rylan… I used to be a soldier years ago, far from the warring kingdoms… but I got tired, fed up, got injured, and lost the people I loved, so I decided to live far away, in the forest, where no one knows me or asks about anyone."
He paused to see if she would answer, but she stayed silent.
"When I saw you… bleeding, your body broken, and all your features full of anger and pain… something inside me said don't touch her, but at the same time, it pulled me toward you."
Nirana lifted her gaze, her eyes cold but with a hidden hint of exhaustion.
"Why are you telling me all this?"
"Maybe because you're the first human I've seen in years, and maybe because despite your cruelty, there's something in you screaming for help, but no one hears it."
Nirana narrowed her eyes:
"I don't need anyone… I'm used to standing alone."
Rylan smiled—not mockingly, but sadly:
"But your body says otherwise… you're broken. Even the toughest people need someone to heal them sometimes, even if just for a little while."
Nirana lowered her eyes—not because she was convinced, but as if his words touched something buried deep.
"I have to go back, I must go back."
"To who? To those who betrayed you?"
She quickly looked up with a sharp glare:
"None of your business."
Rylan shook his head:
"Right, it's not my business… but you're not ready to go back, neither mentally nor physically."
She suddenly stood up, despite the pain, breathing heavily:
"I will go back so my body can take revenge before my heart does."
---
Rylan stood up quickly as he saw her trying to leave, gently grabbed her arm, and said seriously:
"Nirana, you're still not fully awake, your body is weak, and you're not even in your right mind. How do you want to go back in this state?"
She pulled her hand away forcefully despite the pain:
"It's none of your business. This is my choice, not yours."
She tried to walk, taking barely two steps before staggering and falling to her knee. She gasped and forced herself not to scream.
Rylan ran to her, knelt beside her:
"Go back! You're not ready yet... and if you go back like this, you won't take revenge, you'll die."
She looked at him, lips trembling but eyes cold and silent. She didn't reply, but she didn't try to get up again.
He helped her back to bed, and she didn't resist, her gaze distant as if trying to escape her mind.
Days passed, one after another, week after week, she stayed there. Her body slowly healed, but inside her, a second war raged. Sometimes she screamed out of sadness or anger in the middle of the night; sometimes she was silent for hours.
And Rylan? Every day, he saw something new in her... not just the cruel princess... but a broken, tired person who refuses to admit it.
---
One quiet night, fire blazing in the small room, Rylan sat opposite Nirana, cutting fruit and watching her every now and then. He paused, then said softly:
"Something's been puzzling me… Everyone talks about you like you're cold and merciless, even your enemies fear your name, but..."
He stopped and looked directly into her eyes:
"But now, after seeing you… I didn't see a monster, I saw a human more hurt than anything else."
Nirana looked at him with a scared gaze—not because she feared him, but because she wasn't used to anyone seeing her like that. She stayed silent, eyes fixed on him, then answered quietly:
"You don't know anything about me. Don't judge."
Rylan smiled quietly and said:
"True, I don't know. That's why I'm asking… what made you this way? Why is war everywhere around you?"
Nirana turned away, staring at the flames as if she was talking to the fire, not him:
"Life taught me that weakness is the road to death… It taught me to kill before someone kills my family… That's why I don't let anyone get close to me."
Rylan was silent, respecting her answer, but kept looking at her:
"But even the hurt deserve rest, right?"
She didn't answer, but the harshness on her face softened a little. After a long pause, she said:
"Thank you… for feeding me and healing me, despite everything."
Rylan chuckled lightly:
"Don't thank me, you still owe me fruit, and those aren't cheap around here."
She smiled a small smile, like she forgot how to smile, and said:
"I'll pay you back… but not in this life."
They laughed together—for the first time. That night was the beginning of a gentle friendship… maybe the first warm feeling Nirana had felt in years.
---
After days of staying with Rylan, Nirana woke up to see him standing at the door holding a wooden spear, as if training himself, moving swiftly.
She watched him from afar and said:
"Where did you learn those moves?"
He looked at her and smiled:
"From life… just like you."
She stayed silent, started putting on her cloak to go outside for a walk. Rylan looked at her and said:
"Where are you going?"
"Just to walk, get some fresh air… don't follow me."
But not long after, a loud scream came from afar. He ran towards her and found Nirana surrounded by wild wolves—about five—suddenly attacking her.
Nirana tried to defend herself, but her old wounds made her weak, and her legs weren't steady yet. She fell to the ground, and one wolf jumped on her.
Suddenly, Rylan dashed quickly, threw his spear at the nearest wolf, and stabbed another with a small knife. After he finished, he extended his hand to help her up.
She looked at his hand but didn't take it, got up herself with difficulty, and said:
"Thanks, but that doesn't mean I trust you."
Rylan looked at her sadly and said:
"I'm not asking for your trust, but I hope one day you see me differently."
She looked at him, eyes quiet, but it was clear his words touched something inside her. She walked beside him calmly this time, not behind him.
---
They returned from the forest to their hideout, and Nirana, tired, said:
"The place is safe, no wolves today."
Rylan smiled:
"Stay here, I'll go get some food from the other side of the forest. Sometimes I find some game there."
She looked at him suspiciously:
"Don't be late, and if you see blood, you know what will happen."
He chuckled lightly:
"Yes, Your Highness."
He was gone for an hour, two hours, and when he returned, Nirana saw blood on his hand, a small cut, but clearly he tried to hide it.
"What's this?" she asked, walking over.
"Nothing, just a scratch from a branch, not important."
She grabbed him roughly, made him sit down, brought some cloth and water, and said:
"You healed me, so now I'm returning the favor."
He looked at her in surprise, silent, and let her clean and bandage the wound. He watched her focused face, and it was the first time he saw calm in Nirana, not cruelty.
Then they sat by the fire, silent for a long time—an odd silence, but comforting.
Night came, and Nirana fell asleep by the fire, her eyes closing slowly. Rylan kept watching her cold face as she dozed, a tear slipping silently from her eye.
He whispered to himself:
"What happened to you to get to this point…?"
He fell asleep beside her, keeping a respectful distance, like every time, as if trying to say to her: "I'm not like the others."
---
---
Gray Morning – The Return
On a gray morning, Nirana woke up quietly. The sun hadn't fully risen yet. Relan was still asleep, his breathing calm. She looked at him for a moment, then got up silently and mounted her horse without waking him.
Her destination? The battlefield… the place where she bled, where everyone abandoned her.
She arrived. The clouds were heavy, the air unsettling. Bodies still lay scattered, their tattered flags flapping in the wind. The blood had dried, but its scent still lingered in the soil.
Nirana dismounted, walked among the corpses. Her eyes watered slightly, but she forced back her tears. She remembered their betrayals, the stabs, the stares—especially Rai's…
She stood in the middle of the field, breathing deeply. Suddenly, she heard slow, cautious footsteps behind her. She raised her sword and spun around.
— "Nirana…"
A soft voice, full of guilt.
She stared. It was Rai.
Same eyes that betrayed her, but different now… his face pale, eyes swollen like he hadn't slept in days, his gaze shattered.
She stayed silent. He looked at her and said:
— "I knew you'd come back here… I've been searching for you…"
Her voice came out calm but burning with hatred:
— "Why? To finish the stab? Or pretend you regret it?"
He stepped closer:
— "Nirana… every second after betraying you has been killing me. I didn't know what to do—they were going to kill my mother and sister…"
She yelled:
— "I was ready to die. But I wouldn't sell anyone. And you? You sold me without a second thought. I bled here, and you ran."
He stood still, as if waiting for a slap. But she didn't raise her hand. She stared at her sword, then slowly sheathed it and said:
— "I won't kill you today. But if I ever see your face again… I won't hesitate."
She got on her horse and rode off, leaving Rai standing among the corpses, with echoes of the old battle ringing in his ears.
---
The Warning
Rai ran after her, breathless, yelling:
— "Nirana! Just wait!"
Nirana pulled her horse to a stop, but didn't turn around. Her voice was cold, hiding deep pain:
— "Speak fast. I can still bear to hear your voice—for now."
He caught up, panting:
— "I'm not here to justify anything. I came to warn you… Your mother is still certain you're alive. She sent a whole unit to search for you—if they find you, they'll kill you on sight."
He paused, eyes pleading:
— "That's all I can do… the rest is up to you. But be careful. Danger is closer than you think."
She was silent for a few seconds. Her eyes narrowed with restrained fury as she whispered:
— "Still the same… warning me about danger, then vanishing. You're good at that."
She kicked the horse into motion, no thanks, no goodbye. Just the sound of hooves echoing in his chest.
---
The Fire Within
Nirana returned to the cabin, her face changed—eyes full of rage and pain. Relan was tending a simple dinner by the fire.
She spoke, voice calm yet hollow:
— "Relan."
He turned quickly, saw her face, and knew something had happened.
— "Where were you? What happened?"
— "I went back to the battlefield… I saw my fallen soldiers, betrayal with my own eyes. And someone I once believed was different… turned out to be just like the rest."
She opened a small chest and pulled out a broken piece of her old armor.
— "I want my old armor. What's left of it. And give me my sword."
Relan stood, tense. He felt the danger in her tone:
— "Nirana, what are you planning? You're still not fully healed…"
She looked straight at him, voice cold:
— "I'm going to finish what I started. And I'll come back. But don't follow me, Relan. Don't be like him. Be different."
He stepped closer, wanting to speak, to stop her—but she cut him off:
— "If you care about me… don't follow."
She left the cabin. Relan stood staring at the closed door, whispering to himself:
— "I wished you'd stay…"
---
The Return of the Phantom
Nirana rode back into the kingdom, cloaked in a thick black robe, her face hidden. The people were celebrating, tossing flowers, laughing, chanting the names of the Queen and her commanders—unaware that their victory came from the girl they thought was dead.
Eyes turned to the lone rider. People cleared her path.
She reached the palace gates. Guards blocked her way coldly:
— "Entry is forbidden. Private celebration."
She slowly lifted her hand and pulled back her hood.
The guards gasped. One dropped to his knee, the other lowered his head in silent terror.
— "N-Nirana?!"
No reply. She walked past them into the palace.
Inside: music, decorations, laughter. The Queen sat on the throne, clapping joyfully with her generals.
Suddenly… silence.
Nirana walked in slowly, eyes ablaze. Her voice was calm, cold:
— "Enjoying yourselves? Celebrating my death?"
The Queen stood frozen. The commanders stared in shock. One dropped his goblet.
— "Nirana?! Impossible… you're…"
She cut him off, voice sharp with fury:
— "I'm the only reason you won that war—and you're here laughing?!"
She drew her sword, eyes locked on her mother:
— "No one leaves this palace alive."
---
Poison and Fire
The Queen, trying to appear gentle, reached toward her:
— "My daughter… I thought you were dead. Come… let's start over."
Nirana's face showed no emotion. Her eyes scanned every movement.
Suddenly, the Queen gasped, stumbled. Her vision blurred, her knees shook.
She collapsed at Nirana's feet. The wine goblet shattered beside her, frothy poison bubbling on the ground.
Everyone froze. Even Nirana was silent, her voice ice-cold:
— "You assassinated my mother? Even she wasn't safe from you."
A commander screamed:
— "Kill her!!"
The soldiers surged toward her—but before they reached—
The door slammed open.
Relan entered, sword bloody, eyes blazing. He sliced through the guards mercilessly and reached Nirana's side.
Relan shouted:
— "Now, Nirana! Do it!"
She screamed, raised her sword, and began cutting down the commanders one by one. No one escaped. Their blood soaked the throne room, and her eyes were black fire.
After the massacre, she stood before the throne, lifted the crown from among the corpses, placed it on her head slowly.
She walked to the balcony and declared, her voice echoing:
— "I am Nirana—the princess you all thought dead. I am your queen now. And whoever objects… will join them."
The crowd was silent. No one dared breathe.
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The Queen Reborn
Days passed…
Nirana ruled with cold strength and unshakable presence. But slowly, things began to change. Relan stayed by her side—talking to her, making her laugh, caring for her wounds. Little by little, her heart softened, and she grew closer to her people.
In time…
They married.
And Nirana transformed—from a merciless queen… to a just one. Still bearing the scars of her past—but building a new future.
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