Chapter 1: The secret princess

It was just a normal day like every other day in Adernia, the sun rising slowly and the early morning fresh air which always blew the trees from side to side.

Adernia, a kingdom where magic , soccerers and diviners were forbidden. Countless times ,victims were thrown into the burning lake for their act of magic , while others were banished never to be seen anywhere close to the kingdom.

Princess Isabella, the last daughter to king Fredrick of Ardenia, sat in her chambers, staring out the window at the lush gardens below. She was a beautiful young woman with long, flowing black hair and bright, sparkling green eyes.She had always loved nature, especially birds, and would often spend hours watching them fly and chirp from the branches of the trees.

Every morning ,she mounted her window to watch the sun rise and feel the cool breeze run through her skin.

As she gazed outside, she noticed the busy streets of the city beyond the palace walls. People were going about their daily business, chatting and laughing as they walked. Isabella always found it fascinating to watch the hustle and bustle of the world beyond her sheltered life as a princess.

But despite her love of nature and her curiosity about the outside world, Isabella had a secret that she had kept hidden within her.

She was different from her sisters and even her parents. She had a gift, a secret that she had been hiding her entire life.

She could recall it happening when she turned ten, right in the lush garden ,where she played with her childhood friend Elizabeth, suddenly ,there was a change in the weather, as it began to rain heavily,with the thunderstorm ranging.

She could hear voices in her head, speaking out so loudly. it was hard to understand ,as she kept screaming and passed out. She work up later that evening on her bed and found her mother next to her.

" What happened dear?", the Queen asked.

Isabella had wanted to tell her what her experience was, but when she remembered that magic and it's likes where forbidden in the whole east, she feared that she might be executed like the others.

" It's nothing mother, I think I was just stressed ", she replied.

She knew she couldn't open up to her mother until she understood what exactly was wrong with her.

Isabella had the ability to read minds. She could hear the thoughts of those around her, and it had always set her apart from everyone else. She had always wondered why she had been kept hidden from the public eye her entire life, while her sisters were always in the spotlight.

As she sat there, lost in thought, her chambermaid, Elsie, entered the room.

"Your Highness, your father requests your presence in the throne room," Elsie said.

Isabella sighed and stood up. She smoothed down her dress and followed Elsie out of her chambers and down the grand hallways of the palace.

As they walked, Isabella couldn't help but wonder why her father wanted to see her. She had always felt like an outsider in her own family, and it made her anxious to be summoned to the throne room.

When they arrived, her father, King Fredrick, was sitting on his throne, looking stern and serious.

"Isabella, my dear," he said, beckoning her forward. "I have something important to discuss with you."

Isabella's heart raced as she approached her father. She couldn't help but wonder what he was going to say.

"You are not like your sisters, Isabella, neither are you like we your parents" he began. "You have a gift, one that we have kept hidden from the public eye for your safety."

Isabella's eyes widened in surprise. She had always known that she was different, but she had never been told why and neither had she told anyone that she could read their minds.

"What kind of gift?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"You can read minds," her father replied, looking grave. "It is a powerful gift, one that could be used against you if it were to fall into the wrong hands. That is why we have kept you hidden, to protect you."

Isabella felt a wave of shock wash over her. She had always known that she was different, but she had never imagined that her father was aware of it. All these years she kept this to herself, for fear of being killed ,but had no idea that her father actually knew about it all these while.

"Why are you telling me this now?" she asked, feeling a bit betrayed.

"Because you are old enough to know the truth and you would be turning eighteen tomorrow," her father said. "And because we would need your help. Ardenia is on the brink of war, and we need all the help we can get to protect our kingdom. This gift has always been passed down from generation to generation, to help sustain the throne"

Isabella's heart raced as she listened to her father's words. She had always wanted to do something important, something that would make a difference. And now, it seemed like she finally had the chance.

The next day was a special day for Isabella, as it was her eighteenth birthday. However, the celebration was only held within the royal family as usual, with her three elder sisters and her mother, Queen Emilia, in attendance. Isabella had always felt a little left out when it came to family gatherings, as her sisters always seemed to be the center of attention.

For her , she was sure no one knew her. Whenever it was her sisters birthdays, people sent in gifts , and their parties were always elaborate ,with lots of people in attendance and she confided to her chambers. She never got one gift to herself from the people , except the one from her father and mother ,but her sisters recieve numerous gifts.

As she got ready for the celebration, Isabella couldn't help but wonder if today would be any different. She put on her finest gown, a beautiful green silk dress that brought out the color of her eyes. Elsie helped her put on her jewelry, a gift from her father, King Fredrick on her last birthday.

"Happy birthday, Your Highness," Elsie said with a smile.

"Thank you, Elsie," Isabella replied, returning the smile.

She took a deep breath and followed Elsie to the throne room, where her family was waiting for her. As she entered, her sisters greeted her with hugs and kisses on the cheek.

"Happy birthday, Isabella!" they exclaimed.

Isabella smiled, grateful for their attention. Queen Emilia approached her and hugged her tightly.

"My dear Isabella, happy birthday," the queen said, kissing her forehead.

Isabella felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She knew her mother loved her, but there was always a distance between them. She couldn't help but wonder if her gift was the reason why.

As the birthday feast commenced, Isabella couldn't shake off the feeling of isolation she felt. Her sisters and mother were laughing and chatting with each other, while she felt like an outsider looking . She longed to be able to share her secret gift with someone, to have someone to confide in, but she knew it was too dangerous to reveal it to anyone, although she was happy that her father knew about it.

As the feast drew to a close, Isabella's father, King Fredrick, stood up from his throne and raised his glass in a toast.

"Today we celebrate the birth of my youngest daughter, Princess Isabella," he said, beaming with pride. "She has grown into a beautiful and intelligent young woman, and I have no doubt that she will make a great contribution to our kingdom in the future."

Isabella smiled at her father's words, feeling a sense of warmth and love towards him. She had always been close to her father, and he had always treated her with kindness and respect, even though he knew about her gift.

As the night wore on, Isabella found herself growing more and more tired. She knew it was time for her to retire to her chambers, but before she could leave, her father called her over to him.

"Isabella, my dear," he said, taking her hand. "I have a special gift for you on this important day."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Isabella's heart skipped a beat as she opened it, revealing a beautiful pendant with a green gemstone.

"It's beautiful, Father," she said, admiring the necklace.

"It's not just any necklace, my dear," King Henry said, a twinkle in his eye. "It has a special power that will help you to control your gift, I should have given this to you long before ,but I wanted you to grow to control it yourself. A time would come ,when you would need it, please keep it safe."

Isabella's eyes widened in surprise. She had never heard of such a thing before.

"What do you mean, Father?" she asked.

The king leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, "The pendant will help to filter out the noise of other people's thoughts, allowing you to focus on your own."

Isabella's mouth fell open in astonishment. She couldn't believe her father had found a way to help her with her gift. She knew there were times when she found it hard to control multiple voices in her head and most of those times ,those voices tend not to be close to her.

"Thank you, Father," she said, tears welling up in her eyes.

She hugged him tightly, feeling a sense of gratitude and love towards him. With the necklace around her neck, she felt more in control of her gift than ever before.

As she walked back to her chambers, Isabella couldn't help but wonder what other secrets her family had been keeping from her. She had always sensed that there was something different about her, and now she knew for sure. But she was determined to use her gift for the greater good of her kingdom, no matter what challenges lay ahead.