The Solerian Imperial Palace was a masterpiece of art and engineering, a symbol of prosperity and dominance. Its ivory walls gleamed under the light of countless chandeliers, while towering stained-glass windows cast vibrant hues across marble floors. Every corner of the palace boasted wealth: gold-threaded tapestries, ornate columns carved with intricate patterns, and portraits of rulers who had shaped the empire for centuries.
To outsiders, the palace was perfection. But for Princess Luna Estella Thyristsa, it was suffocating.
Luna stood motionless before a massive gilded mirror in her chambers. Her maids worked around her with precision, weaving her platinum-blonde hair into an elaborate braid that gleamed like spun moonlight. Layers of silk and lace adorned her slender frame, the corset pulling tightly against her ribs. Each movement she made felt stiff and rehearsed, as though she were a doll being prepared for display.
"You look beautiful, Your Highness," one of the maids murmured, stepping back to admire her work.
Beautiful. That word echoed in Luna's mind, its meaning dulled from overuse. People had called her beautiful her entire life-minstrels sang of her sunset-pink eyes and porcelain skin, and noblewomen envied her grace. Yet, despite all the admiration, Luna had never felt seen. Her beauty was not her own; it belonged to the empire, a weapon wielded by her father to secure alliances and enforce loyalty.
"Thank you," she replied softly, her voice barely audible.
Nearby, her governess, Lady Beatrix, cleared her throat. "Your Highness, remember your posture. A princess does not slouch, especially not before an event as important as this evening's banquet."
Luna straightened instinctively, hiding her irritation behind a mask of indifference. The banquet was in honor of her upcoming contractual marriage to Crown Prince Aurelian Valehart of the neighboring Aetherion Kingdom. A marriage her father had arranged twelve years ago, when Luna had been just a child.
"Your duty to the empire is of the utmost importance," Beatrix continued, her tone firm. "Prince Aurelian is the key to peace between Soleria and Aetherion. The emperor expects you to make a favorable impression tonight."
Duty. Responsibility. Sacrifice. Luna's entire life had been dictated by these words. She was a pawn on the emperor's chessboard, her fate sealed long before she had the chance to dream of anything else.
Beatrix's voice droned on, but Luna had stopped listening. Her thoughts drifted to the man she was destined to marry: Aurelian Valehart, the infamous Roseblood Prince. Stories of his exploits on the battlefield were whispered across the empire. They said he was a man of few words, his silence more terrifying than the roar of any army. His blade never faltered, his enemies falling like leaves in a storm.
Luna shivered at the thought. She had never met Aurelian, yet she could not shake the image of his cold, unfeeling eyes.
Would he see her as a wife, or as another enemy to conquer?
...
That night, the palace gleamed with activity as preparations for the banquet reached their peak. Servants bustled through the halls, carrying trays of delicacies and crates of wine, while musicians tuned their instruments in the grand ballroom.
Luna watched it all from the shadows of a secluded balcony. The moon hung low in the sky, its pale light bathing the gardens below. For a moment, she closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze brush against her face.
Here, away from the bustling crowds and suffocating expectations, Luna could almost pretend she was free.
But freedom was a distant dream, one she had buried long ago. Her life was not her own. Every decision she made was dictated by duty-. to her father, to the empire, to a world that saw her as nothing more than a pretty face.
She opened her eyes, her gaze drifting to the garden below. The flowers swayed gently in the wind, their vibrant colors muted under the moonlight. Beyond the garden walls lay the city of Soleria, its lights twinkling like distant stars. Luna had only seen glimpses of the city during official processions, but she often imagined what life was like beyond the palace gates.
Did the people there feel the same invisible chains she wore? Or did they live without the constant weight of duty pressing down on their shoulders?
As she pondered, a sudden movement caught her eye. A shadow flitted across the garden, quick and silent. Luna leaned forward, her heart racing.
A thief.
The figure moved with practiced ease, slipping between the hedges and avoiding the guards' patrols. Clad in dark clothing, their face obscured by a hood, they seemed almost like a specter. unreal and untouchable.
Luna's breath caught as the thief paused near the edge of the garden, their gloved hand reaching for something hidden in the shrubbery. Then, as if sensing her gaze, they looked up.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
The thief's amber gaze burned with a strange intensity, as though they could see straight through her. Luna's chest tightened. She should have felt fear..this was an intruder, a criminal- but instead, she felt something else.
Envy.
The thief was free in a way she could never be. They moved without hesitation, without fear of the consequences. In that moment, Luna realized she wanted what they had—freedom, agency, a life beyond the gilded cage she called home.
The thief broke the gaze and vanished into the shadows, disappearing over the garden wall.
But the image of their amber eyes stayed with Luna long after they were gone.
---
The next morning, Luna stood before her father in the imperial throne room. The emperor's presence was as commanding as ever, his sharp features framed by a crown of gold. His gaze was cold, assessing, as he listened to Luna's request.
"I wish to visit the southern provinces," she said, keeping her voice steady. "As princess, it is my duty to understand the people I will one day represent."
The emperor's expression didn't change, but Luna could sense his suspicion. "And what do you hope to achieve with this journey?"
"To strengthen the bond between the crown and its subjects," she replied. "The people must see that their rulers care for them, especially in these uncertain times."
Her father studied her for a long moment, his piercing gaze making her stomach churn. Finally, he waved a hand dismissively. "Very well. But you will take an escort, and you will return before the next moon. Do not test my patience, Luna."
It was the closest thing to approval she had ever received from him.
---
That night, as the palace slept, Luna prepared for her departure. But it was not the journey her father had approved of.
Dressed in plain clothes, with her hair hidden beneath a hood, she packed only the essentials: a small satchel of coins, a dagger for protection, and a silver locket bearing her mother's portrait.
The corridors of the palace were eerily quiet as she slipped past the guards, her heart pounding with every step. When she reached the stables, she saddled a horse and rode into the night, the crescent moon her only guide.
For the first time in her life, she felt the weight of her title fall away. She was no longer Princess Luna Estella Thyristsa of the Solerian Empire.
She was simply Luna.
But as she ventured further from the palace, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.
Amber eyes flashed in her memory, burning like a brand in her mind.
She didn't know who the thief was, or why they had come to the palace, but she couldn't forget the way they had looked at her. It was as though they had seen something no one else could- something even she didn't fully understand.
Unbeknownst to Luna, her escape had already set into motion a series of events that would change the course of her life- and the fate of the empire.
For in the shadows, the thief waited. And the Princess of the Crescent Moon was about to become a prize worth fighting for.