That was the truth no one in the kingdom dared to say aloud.
But that night, it began to move like a shadow.
Silent.
Precise.
Deadly.
Before dawn, the palace was already awake.
Not with noise.
But with intention.
Chief Dike stood in the courtyard, speaking in low tones to two royal guards dressed in plain clothing.
“You will not touch her in the open,” he warned.
The guards nodded.
Dike’s eyes narrowed.
Meanwhile, far from the palace walls, Uli had not slept.
She sat outside her hut, watching the sky slowly turn pale.
Her heart felt heavy.
Not from fear alone.
But from something more dangerous.
Hope.
Prince Promise had returned.
Not as a ruler.
But as a man.
And that changed everything.
Ada stepped outside and saw her.
“You’re still here?”
Uli nodded slowly.
“I don’t think this will end well.”
Ada sighed.
“Love never does… especially with queens involved.”
Uli looked down.
“It’s not love.”
Ada smiled knowingly.
“Then why can’t you stop thinking about him?”
Before Uli could answer—
A voice called from the path.
“Uli!”
They both turned.
A well-dressed woman stood there.
Not from the village.
Not familiar.
“I bring a message,” she said.
Uli stood slowly.
“From who?”
The woman smiled gently.
“From the palace.”
Uli’s breath caught.
Ada grabbed her hand.
“Don’t go.”
But the woman continued.
“The queen wishes to speak with you privately.”
Silence fell instantly.
Because everyone knew what that meant.
Ada whispered urgently.
“This is not an invitation… it’s a trap.”
But Uli’s eyes didn’t move.
“If I refuse, it will be worse.”
Ada shook her head.
“Or maybe you won’t come back.”
Uli swallowed hard.
Then said quietly:
“I cannot keep running from something I didn’t start.”
The woman stepped aside.
“The carriage is waiting.”
Uli turned to Ada.
“If I don’t return…”
Ada’s voice broke.
“Don’t say that.”
Uli forced a smile.
“Just remember me as someone who tried to choose peace.”
Then she walked away.
Straight toward the unknown.
Inside the carriage, everything was silent.
Too silent.
Uli sat alone.
No guards speaking.
No explanation given.
Only the sound of wheels turning toward the palace.
But halfway there—
The carriage stopped.
Suddenly.
Abruptly.
Uli frowned.
“This is not the palace road.”
No one answered.
The door opened.
And two unfamiliar men stood outside.
Their faces hidden beneath cloth.
“Step down.”
Uli’s heart dropped.
“This is not the queen’s order.”
One of them smirked.
“Oh… it is.”
She stepped back slowly.
“I won’t go with you.”
The second man grabbed her wrist.
“You don’t have a choice.”
Uli struggled.
But they were stronger.
Faster.
Prepared.
They dragged her out.
The carriage quickly turned away.
Leaving no trace.
No witnesses.
No truth.
Back in the village, Ada paced endlessly.
Something felt wrong.
Too wrong.
“She should have returned by now…”
At that same moment—
Prince Promise arrived.
Breathless.
Restless.
Looking for her.
“Where is Uli?”
Ada turned, fear written across her face.
“She went to the palace.”
Promise froze.
“No… she didn’t.”
Ada’s voice shook.
“She said the queen called her.”
Promise’s expression darkened instantly.
“My mother would never call her directly.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Terrifying.
Then he whispered:
“This is not a meeting.”
“It’s a removal.”
Without another word, he turned and ran.
Toward the palace.
Toward the truth.
Toward war.
Inside Queen Mirabel’s chamber, she stood calmly.
Watching the horizon.
Chief Dike entered quietly.
“It is done.”
The queen did not turn.
“Good.”
“She will not be seen again.”
A faint smile touched her lips.
“My son will forget.”
But at that exact moment—
The palace doors burst open.
Prince Promise stormed in.
His eyes burning with something new.
Not defiance.
Not anger.
But certainty.
“Where is she?”
The queen turned slowly.
Composed.
Unshaken.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Promise stepped closer.
“You took her.”
The queen’s voice remained calm.
“You are imagining things.”
But then—
He said something she did not expect.
“I followed the carriage.”
Silence.
The air shifted.
For the first time—
Queen Mirabel hesitated.
Just slightly.
And that was enough.
Because now…
the truth had witnesses.
And worse—
the prince was no longer a son obeying orders.
He was a man choosing a side.
Outside the palace, the sky darkened suddenly.
Storm clouds gathered.
As if the kingdom itself felt what was coming.
Because this was no longer about love.
It was about power.
About secrets.
About a girl who was never supposed to matter.
But now…
she was the center of everything.
And somewhere far from the palace—
bound.
silenced.
but not broken—
Uli opened her eyes.
And whispered something into the darkness.
A truth no one was ready to hear.
“I am not the one you should be afraid of…”
To be continued… Episode 6: The Prince Breaks the Throne