Part 1
On a night when the stars shone more brightly than ever, the cry of a newborn echoed from deep within a royal palace.It was the cry of the third princess—Lilia.
"Your Majesty, this way," a maid whispered, guiding the king toward the chamber."The Queen is waiting for you."
Serion entered cautiously, his heart pounding. The room was cloaked in a silence heavier than the darkness outside. On the grand bed lay his beloved wife, Flora. Her skin was pale as moonlight, yet her lips curved in a soft smile. In her arms, a tiny baby was wrapped snugly in a swaddling cloth.
"My love…" Flora's voice trembled like a fragile breeze. "Her name… is Lilia."
Serion knelt beside her, reaching out with trembling hands to touch the baby's tiny cheek."So beautiful," he murmured, awe in his voice.
"This child is different," Flora whispered, her eyes clouded with both love and sorrow. "She is not like the others."
In her gaze, Serion saw a flicker of fear. He knew why. Ten years ago, in the depths of the forest, he had met this mysterious woman—a flower fairy. He had loved her, even knowing that if a fairy gave her heart to a human, she would eventually fade away.
Flora had been the youngest and most cherished daughter of Silvarion, the God of the Forest. Because of his mercy, she had not perished completely when she chose Serion. Yet both of them knew the truth: someday, she must return to the fairy realm, leaving him and their children behind.
Flora lifted a trembling hand. Resting upon her palm was a small black stone, shimmering with an otherworldly light like gold hidden in shadow.
"There isn't much time left," she whispered. "Lilia's power… it's too strong. I must seal it before it consumes her."
"What kind of power?" Serion asked urgently.
Flora only smiled, offering no answer. Instead, she closed her hand around the stone and began to sing. Her voice carried an ancient melody, weaving through the air like wind through blossoms.
Petals swirled within the chamber, stirred by unseen magic. The moonlight flickered strangely, shimmering as though alive. And through it all, baby Lilia, nestled in her mother's arms, drifted into a peaceful sleep.
When the song ended, Flora threaded the black stone onto a slender leather cord. Gently, she placed it around her daughter's neck.
"I have poured everything I am into this stone," she said, tears glistening in her eyes. "One day, when Lilia faces her destiny, this will guide her. Until… she meets him."
"Who is he?" Serion asked, but Flora only looked down at the sleeping child.