A warm, refreshing sun rose over the Kingdom of Evok, announcing the day Adara had awaited with great anticipation: her sixth birthday. She woke at dawn, dressed carefully, and wandered the royal halls with the guards, inspecting the final decorations set up for the celebration.
She made her way to the royal kitchen, where the finest dishes were being prepared—sumptuous desserts, roasted meats, and lavishly garnished appetizers. Everything looked perfect, and she felt a quiet satisfaction. Yet, as always, she expressed no gratitude to the staff. She continued her tour through the decorated courtyard, watching the drums being tuned and the horses trained for the royal parade. Though she was surrounded by splendor, a deep loneliness clung to her—neither her mother nor her father had shown the slightest attention to the occasion.
Adara searched throughout the vast palace for her father, King Harold, or her mother, Queen Victoria, but found neither.
Elsewhere in the royal laboratory, Orin examined a sample of the mysterious violet-tainted water. Flipping through a thick, dusty book, he was visibly worn out. All his tests confirmed that the substance in the water was not a typical poison but a strange and powerful energy. It wasn't deadly, but it was certainly harmful. He continued searching for the right antidote.
Just then, a knock echoed on the door. A hooded knight entered, clearly returning from a secret mission. He spoke in a low, urgent tone:
"Sir Orin... I have urgent news."
Orin looked up sharply. "What is it?"
The knight approached and whispered something in his ear. Orin's eyes widened.
"Wait for me outside," he said quickly. "I'll be right there."
Placing the vial carefully on the table, he rushed out.
Meanwhile, Queen Victoria was in a hidden chamber of the castle, deep within the underground corridors. She stood face-to-face with one of her loyal knights. He said:
"My lady, I speak the truth. The king is genuinely searching for a cure, but no one has died from this contamination. Whoever caused this may simply be trying to incite fear and ruin the princess's celebration."
Victoria snapped with quiet fury:
"Listen to me carefully. I do not rely on Harold. What concerns me are the poor and the helpless who might fall victim to this tainted water. I want more knights dispatched to guard the rivers. No cattle, no villagers should get near."
The knight hesitated. "My lady, we can't act openly. The king has forbidden the spread of rumors. If we intervene publicly, panic will spread, and the other kingdoms will learn of the contamination. It could destroy our standing."
Victoria's eyes blazed. "Are people's lives a game to you? You are my knights. When I give an order, you answer, 'Yes, my lady.' I don't care about rumors. I care about protecting my people. I am responsible for them."
The knight paused. "Perhaps, if we disguise ourselves as commoners... we could monitor the areas covertly. Would you allow it?"
"I don't care how you do it," she said firmly. "Just keep them safe. If you succeed, your reward will come from me, and you know I never break a promise."
He bowed deeply. "We serve at your command, my queen."
High above in the castle's tallest tower, King Harold stood at a window, his eyes following the arriving nobles and grand procession. But his thoughts were heavy. The tainted rivers, the fragile alliance with the Eastern Kingdom, and the looming pressure of the celebration weighed on him. This event could either save his kingdom or plunge it into a deeper crisis.
The celebration began: drums pounded, horses danced in formation, jesters entertained the guests, and flags waved high. Everything appeared joyous.
Adara stood near her royal seat, but the chairs of her parents remained empty. She wore a faint smile for the public, but inside, her heart was heavy. She didn't cry, but her mind was lost in confusion and silent sorrow.
Suddenly, Queen Victoria approached her from behind, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.
"You did well, Adara," she whispered. "This celebration is beautiful."
Adara gave her a forced smile. "Did you like it, Mother?"
"I did. And you're the most beautiful part of it."
Just then, the music halted. All eyes turned as the royal guards announced the king's arrival.
King Harold entered and stood beside his wife and daughter. He addressed the guests:
"Welcome, dear friends, to this royal celebration. On behalf of the Kingdom of Evok, my wise queen Victoria, and my lovely daughter Adara, we thank you for your presence. We hope you enjoy the festivities."
Polite applause followed. Harold took his seat. The celebration resumed.
Adara felt a wave of joy. Her parents were finally beside her. Maybe, just maybe, this birthday would be different.
But the warmth didn't last. Queen Victoria leaned toward Harold and whispered:
"What did you do, Harold?"
He replied tensely: "Not now, Victoria. The situation isn't resolved. The celebration must go on."
Just then, Orin entered through a side door. A royal guard approached the king and whispered urgently. Harold immediately stood.
"Victoria, I must leave. I can't stay."
She grabbed his hand. "Please don't do this. It's Adara's birthday."
Adara, watching from her seat, felt a pang of disappointment. Her father was leaving again.
"I gave my speech," Harold said. "This matter is important. I'm sorry."
He left with the knight and Orin.
Adara remained seated, quiet, eyes dimmed. She hadn't wanted jewels or dresses. She had hoped for a single gift: a warm embrace, a kiss on the forehead, and a soft "Happy birthday, my daughter."
But once again, she received only an absence.
Victoria placed a comforting hand on her daughter's, but the moment had already passed. The guests whispered among themselves, murmuring about the king's abrupt departure. To them, it seemed that even the girl's father didn't care for her.
As if her birthday meant nothing at all.
King Harold slipped away from Adara's birthday celebration with Orin, leaving the castle through a hidden back gate under the cover of darkness. Both men were cloaked in heavy black robes, their faces hidden, each astride a horse. They rode in complete secrecy, masking their identities even from the palace guards. This was not a casual ride, but a dangerous and confidential mission.
Orin led the king through winding paths, past river after river, each one more haunting than the last. Every waterway they encountered had turned a sickly shade of violet, its current sluggish and strange. The air around them felt thick, humming with a quiet malevolence.
King Harold watched the unnaturally tinted waters with troubled eyes. "All this," he murmured, "and still we know nothing of its cause. This isn't any poison we recognize: no familiar disease, no known origin. If word spreads, our alliances will crumble. Evok will fall."
Orin, examining a sample of the shimmering liquid in a small vial, replied, "Your Majesty, this is not poison. Not as we understand it. It behaves more like a dark energy, a force filled with malice and hatred. It doesn't kill, but it weakens. It corrupts."
They rode in silence, the hooves of their horses brushing against the dew-covered grass of the countryside. Soon, they reached a familiar patch of land, too familiar. The king pulled on his reins, his eyes narrowing. "Isn't this where Kyle lives?"
"Yes, sire," Orin nodded.
He led the king up a gentle slope that overlooked a quiet stream: the Shimmering Valley. And there it was,clear, pristine, untouched. A river that glowed like crystal under the sunlight, alive with purity.
Orin gestured toward the sparkling waters. "This, Your Majesty, is the only valley that remains untainted. The Shimmering Valley."
Harold was speechless. He stared at the glowing stream, his breath catching. The sunlight danced upon the surface, breaking into tiny glints like scattered pearls. But it wasn't just the beauty of the place that struck him—it was the ache in his heart. This was where he had last seen his true daughter. This was where he had left her, hidden from danger.
And now, fate had drawn him back.
Suddenly, from below the hill, a child's voice rang out.
"Zoe! Where did you go?"
A little girl came into view, running barefoot through the grass, her laughter light and pure. A loyal dog chased after her, tail wagging. She had long white hair that flowed behind her like silk, and eyes of luminous silver-blue. Harold froze. No one had to tell him who she was.
His hands trembled. His heart thudded in his chest.
"It's her... It's my daughter," he whispered.
The girl knelt to scoop a tiny bird into her hands. "Zoe! There you are! Stop playing hide and seek!"
She turned and looked up at the hill. Her eyes locked with the shadowed figures standing above.
King Harold staggered a step forward, as if his soul were reaching out for her. He wanted to drop everything—his crown, his throne, his duty. All he desired in that moment was to embrace her, to smell her hair, to whisper how much he had missed her.
"She's mine," he whispered to Orin, voice cracking. "My little Luna..."
His hand reached forward, trembling.
But Orin stepped in front of him, gripping his arm firmly. "No, Your Majesty. Not now. If anyone sees you, she will be in danger. Her safety depends on your silence."
Luna blinked, feeling something odd stir in her chest. A strange warmth. A sense of familiarity she couldn't explain. She called out toward the hill:
"Father! There are two men on the hill!"
Kyle emerged from the small cottage, leaning on his walking staff. "Where, Luna?"
She pointed toward the ridge.
But it was empty.
Kyle squinted. "Perhaps your imagination, my dear. Did you find Zoe?"
Luna giggled, holding the bird close. "Yes! He was hiding again. I didn't say we were playing!"
Kyle chuckled. "Don't wander so far next time, Luna."
As they walked back to the cottage, the king and Orin crouched behind a towering oak, hidden in the shadows. King Harold watched his daughter fade from view, her laughter echoing faintly behind her.
"I saw her, Orin," the king murmured. "She was happy. She laughed. She was safe."
He looked down at his trembling hands.
"But she was so far from me... too far."
Then he turned toward the gleaming stream, his voice low:
"What use is this valley to us, Orin?"
Orin glanced at the glowing waters, then back at the king with a knowing smile.
"The Shimmering Valley, sire... is the answer to all our problems."