The night air was cool, but Aira Raine woke up drenched in sweat. Her breath came in sharp, ragged gasps as she clutched her blanket. Another dream—no, another nightmare. The same one, again and again.
A grand castle stood before her, its towers reaching into the sky like the fangs of a beast. Fire burned in the distance, and a voice called out to her. A voice she knew but had never heard before.
"Aira... Come back..."
She had never been to this place, yet it felt familiar, like a distant memory clawing its way into her mind. The walls of the castle, the scent of the air, even the golden insignia embroidered onto the crimson banners—why did it all seem so real?
Aira trembled as she sat up in bed, her silver hair falling over her shoulders. The room was silent except for the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner. She reached for the water jug on her bedside table, her hands shaking slightly.
She had to tell her father.
A Father's Secret
Archduke Xavier Raine was not an easy man to rattle. He had fought in wars, commanded armies, and governed his land with an iron will. But when he heard of Aira's nightmares, a shadow passed over his usually composed face.
"Aira, sit down," he said, his voice steady but low.
She obeyed, confusion and unease settling in her stomach.
"There's something I should have told you a long time ago," he began, looking at her with a mix of sorrow and determination. "Your mother... she was not just the Archduchess of Roan. She was Acier Luciana Dawn, the last princess of the Dawn Dukedom."
Aira froze. The words felt heavy, like they carried the weight of an entire empire.
"The... Dawn Dukedom?" she echoed, barely believing it.
Xavier nodded. "In the Ardos Empire, the Dawn family was unlike any other. They were blessed by the dragons themselves. Their strength was unmatched, their wealth beyond imagination. They were considered equals to the royal family."
Aira's heart pounded. She had grown up believing her mother was a commoner who became an archduchess. To learn that she was, in fact, royalty of another empire—it was almost too much to process.
"Then... why did no one know? Why was her identity hidden?" she whispered.
Her father hesitated before answering. "Because the Dawn Dukedom was feared. And because your mother was its first-born daughter in centuries. She was the most precious star of her family." He paused, his expression darkening. "And someone wanted her gone."
Aira's breath hitched. Suddenly, the nightmares felt less like dreams and more like something real. Something she had forgotten... or something she was yet to remember.
As she looked into her father's solemn eyes, one thing became clear—her mother's past was not just a story. It was a mystery, one that was now calling her back.