In the early morning light, I found myself lingering near the cliff behind Maria House, my mind occupied with thoughts that were far too heavy for a three-year-old—or at least, far too heavy for the child I appeared to be.
I knew the story well, the novel that dictated this world's events, and it was beginning to unfurl much earlier than it should have.
The presence of Crown Prince Arthur at last night's dinner was a grim reminder that things were already spiraling out of control.
Arthur Balthasar, the Crown Prince of Scadrial, wasn't supposed to formally meet Kaltes until much later, around the time of his fifteenth birthday.
But there he was, making an unexpected appearance, with a gaze that lingered on Kaltes a bit too long, too intently.
I knew that look; it was the same look he had in the novel, an infatuation that only deepened into an obsession.
In the novel, the Crown Prince first saw Kaltes on his third birthday banquet, and it was then that his fascination began.
However, because of the strict boundaries set by the peace treaty between the Grand Duchy of Vespertine and the royal family, Arthur never had the opportunity to be close to Kaltes until much later.
But now, with this early meeting, everything was accelerating, and not in a direction that promised any good.
I couldn't let Arthur confess to Kaltes now, not when I knew the path that confession would lead to.
The novel had been clear—Arthur, blinded by his love, unknowingly gave his leash to Kaltes. Kaltes used that power to manipulate Arthur, eventually turning him into a puppet king.
The empire of Scadrial would fall into ruin because of the dictatorial rule Kaltes would ensue with Arthur as a front.
That's why I had to speak with Arthur, to try and dissuade him before his feelings for Kaltes solidified into something irreversible. I needed to stop him from making that confession, from binding his fate with Kaltes'.
I spotted Arthur near the edge of the cliff, his golden hair catching the morning light, his teal eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and calculation as he stared out over the landscape.
For a moment, I hesitated.
Despite knowing what I had to do, it was still intimidating to approach him, especially knowing how he viewed me—as an obstacle to his affection for Kaltes.
But I had no choice.
"Your Highness," I called out softly, approaching him with careful steps.
Arthur turned to me, his smile almost too perfect, a mask of politeness that barely concealed his true feelings.
"Ah, Lady Himmel," he greeted, his voice sweet, but with an edge that made my skin crawl. "What brings you out here? Shouldn't you be with your dear brother?"
His words were laced with sarcasm, and I forced myself to keep my expression neutral, hiding the unease that bubbled up inside me.
"I wished to speak with you, Your Highness," I said. "Do you read?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow, his smile never faltering. "Oh? And I thought what could be so important that you felt the need to seek me out at the crack of the day?"
Wow, he isn't even hesitating while saying such words as he thinks I wouldn't understand as I am a child.
"I've been thinking," I began carefully, choosing my words with deliberate caution. "About stories... particularly those of love and tragedy."
"How curious," he murmured. "What kind of stories?"
"Stories where love is forbidden," I said, watching his reaction closely. "Where it defies the norm, and those involved are willing to sacrifice everything for it. But... such love often comes with dire consequences."
"And why would you concern yourself with such stories, Lady Himmel? Aren't you a bit too young to be thinking of such things?" he asked, his smile never faltering even once.
I swallowed, pushing past the tightness in my throat.
"Perhaps... but sometimes, it's important to learn from the mistakes of others, don't you think? Especially when those mistakes lead to tragedy."
"Mistakes? Tragedy? You speak as if you know something, Lady Himmel."
I felt a chill down my spine. He was finally listening to me. The change in his tone could tell. From now on, I had to be very careful.
"Your Highness," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, "forbidden love never ends well."
It was like a switch had been flipped.
Arthur's expression darkened, his teal eyes flashing with a dangerous light.
In an instant, he was in front of me, his hand gripping my neck with a strength that belied his young age.
The smile that stretched across his face was anything but kind.
"How much do you know?" he hissed, his voice low and threatening.
As Arthur's hand tightened around my neck, I felt the cold fingers of fear grip.
My mind raced, searching for something—anything—to diffuse the tension.
The pressure on my throat was suffocating, and I could see the fury in Arthur's eyes, a dark storm brewing beneath the surface of his eerily calm exterior.
"Your Highness..." I croaked, forcing the words out through the constriction in my throat. "Stories... they are just... stories..."
He didn't let go, his grip unrelenting.
"Stories have a way of reflecting truths, don't they, Lady Himmel?" His voice was soft, almost a whisper, but there was a deadly undertone to it. "Especially the ones that touch too close to reality."
'How is this a four-year child?' I asked myself.
I gasped for air, my vision blurring at the edges.
"I-I only meant... to warn you..."
Arthur's eyes narrowed further, the grip on my neck loosening just slightly, enough for me to draw in a shaky breath.
"Warn me? Warn me about what, Lady Himmel?" His smile returned, cold and mocking. "About the consequences of loving someone I shouldn't? Is that it?"
My mind was spinning.
Arthur was dangerous—more so than I had anticipated. He was already teetering on the edge, and I needed to tread lightly if I wanted to survive this encounter.
I thought since he's young he might listen to me but...
This motherfucker was sick in the head from the start!!!!
"L-Love... can be a powerful thing," I stammered, trying to keep my voice steady. "But... it can also be destructive... if it's not... reciprocated."
He slowly released me, allowing me to collapse to the ground, gasping for breath.
I pressed a hand to my throat, wincing at the soreness left by his grip.
"Destructive?" Arthur repeated. "You speak as if you know something of love, Lady Himmel. But what could a child like you possibly know?"
'You are a fucking child too, you fucker!!!' I cursed from the depths of my heart.
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my trembling hands.
"I know that... when love is unrequited, it can lead to despair... to anger... even to ruin." I said "I've read enough to understand that, Your Highness."
'Just go already! I am now just reciting fucking love quotes from books!'
Arthur's lips curled into a sneer.
"Books and stories are not the same as real life, Lady Himmel. They are mere fantasies, written by those who have never known true power or the lengths one would go to obtain what they desire."
His words sent another chill down my spine.
"Even so, they serve as warnings... cautionary tales. Your Highness, you must understand that pursuing something—or someone—beyond your reach can only end in tragedy."
Arthur leaned closer, his face mere inches from mine.
"And what makes you think that Kaltes is beyond my reach, Lady Himmel?" His voice was low, laced with dangerous intent. "Do you truly believe that I am incapable of winning him over?"
He knows. He knows. He knows.
My heart began to beat like a drum inside me.
"It's not a matter of capability, Your Highness. It's about the cost. What are you willing to sacrifice for such a pursuit? Your title? Your empire? Your very life?"
He laughed, a short, bitter sound that echoed through the quiet air.
"You think I care about such things? Do you believe that a title, a kingdom, or even my life holds more value than my desires?"
'They don't.'
I told myself as it was very clear from the novel. Even though Kaltes was destroying his own empire that was all he for his existence, he smiled happily whimpering at Kaltes' feet.
I clenched my fists.
"You might not care now, Your Highness... but there are others who will. Those who would use your feelings against you, who would turn your love into a weapon to be wielded against you."
Arthur's eyes darkened, his expression unreadable.
"And you think Kaltes would do such a thing?"
I paused, my heart pounding in my chest.
"I don't know what Kaltes would do," I admitted, my voice trembling slightly. "But I do know that love, when unreturned, can lead to darkness... to pain and suffering. It's a path fraught with peril, one that could consume you whole."
Arthur was silent for a moment, his gaze piercing as he studied me. Then, slowly, a smile crept across his face, cold and calculating.
"You're an interesting one, Lady Himmel. Far too perceptive for your age." He reached down, brushing a strand of hair from my face in a gesture that was almost tender, but the malice in his eyes betrayed the cruelty lurking beneath.
"But you are also naive if you think you can scare me off with warnings of doom and gloom."
I flinched at his touch but held my ground.
"I'm not trying to scare you, Your Highness. I'm only trying to make you see the reality of the situation."
"Reality?" Arthur chuckled, straightening up and looking out over the cliff's edge. "Reality is what we make of it, Lady Himmel. And I intend to shape mine however I see fit."
I watched him, feeling a deep sense of foreboding settle in my chest.
"At what cost?" I whispered.
He glanced back at me, his smile widening into something predatory.
"Whatever it takes."
There was a finality in his words that sent a shiver down my spine.
I had tried to warn him, to steer him away from the path that would lead to ruin, but it was clear that Arthur was not one to be easily swayed.
His obsession with Kaltes had already taken root, and no amount of reasoning or warning would deter him from pursuing what he desired.
As Arthur turned to leave, I called out one last time, desperation edging my voice.
"Your Highness... please, reconsider. Forbidden love—"
"Never ends well," he finished for me, his tone dripping with mockery.
"Yes, you've made that abundantly clear. But perhaps, Lady Himmel, you should be more concerned with your own future, rather than meddling in the affairs of others."
He walked away, leaving me on the cold ground, my mind reeling from the encounter. I knew then that my warning had fallen on deaf ears.
Arthur was determined, and his obsession with Kaltes would only grow stronger with time. The story I knew was beginning to unravel, much faster than intended, and the tragic fate that awaited us all loomed ever closer.
As I sat there, the morning sun casting long shadows across the cliff, I realized that my role in this story was far more precarious than I had ever imagined.
I was no longer just a bystander, a reader who knew the ending.
I was now a participant, a character whose actions could change the course of events—for better or for worse.
But one thing was certain: I couldn't let Arthur's obsession destroy us all.
Even if it meant defying the story itself, I had to find a way to change the ending, to avert the tragedy that I knew was coming.
And if that meant standing against the Crown Prince of Scadrial, then so be it.