The winds had shifted.
For months, the storm had been a distant threat—a cloud on the horizon, ever growing. But now, it was here. The clash of steel and the cry of the wounded had become a constant rhythm in the kingdom's heart. War had come to the princess's doorstep, just as the prophecy had foretold.
Yet, the true test of her resolve had yet to begin.
As the days passed, the castle walls began to show the strain of the battles. The once-immense walls, built to stand for centuries, now felt fragile, as if they might collapse at any moment. The princess stood at the battlements, her eyes scanning the horizon. The armies of the neighboring kingdoms were on the move, advancing with ruthless efficiency. They knew what was at stake. Each one sought the child of the eclipse, hoping to harness the power foretold to save or destroy.
But the princess had not yet revealed herself, and no one knew if she was the one they sought.
A shadow moved behind her, and she turned to find Eldric, the royal advisor, standing silently at her side. His old eyes reflected the weight of the world, as though he had seen the rise and fall of countless kingdoms.
"The enemy draws near," Eldric said, his voice quiet but steady. "We are outnumbered, but not yet beaten."
The princess nodded, though her heart felt heavy. "And the child?"
"The prophecy..." Eldric hesitated, his gaze flickering to the ground. "It is not the salvation they expect, Princess. They believe the child will give them power, but no one knows the true cost."
The princess clenched her fists, staring into the stormy distance. "Then I will fight for my people. Not for a prophecy, but for them."
As the day wore on, the winds grew stronger. From the castle's tower, the princess could see the vast fields below, filled with soldiers and the remnants of fallen warriors. The land had become a battlefield, a grim testament to the unyielding war that had swept across the kingdoms. But it was not just bloodshed that had brought the kingdoms to this point. It was the deep, unspoken fears—the fear of the unknown, of what might come if the prophecy was true.
And it was not just the princess who was watching. Far across the seas, in the heart of another kingdom, a new player stirred. This one had watched from the shadows for as long as anyone could remember, yet now, the tides of fate were shifting, and the time for watching had passed.