Awakening The Hidden Flame

Awakening the Hidden Flame

The doors to the royal hall slammed shut behind her with a finality that shook Mai to her core. The laughter and whispers of the court echoed in her ears, but she forced herself to ignore them. Her head was spinning, her legs weak, but she walked with as much dignity as she could muster.

She had failed. There was no other way to put it. Not only had she failed in the tests, but she had failed to control the power that was growing stronger within her. The power she had hoped would remain hidden, the power that threatened to consume her every time she felt cornered. Today, in front of the King, the High Council, and the prince—Prince Lilian—the truth had remained buried, and she had been exposed for the failure she was.

As she walked through the palace corridors, Mai barely noticed the servants bowing their heads as she passed. She was lost in her thoughts, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and self-doubt. What was wrong with me? she asked herself. Why couldn't I control it?

Her steps faltered as she neared her chambers, the weight of her failure threatening to crush her. But as she reached the door, a voice called from behind her.

"Mai."

She froze. She knew that voice. She didn't want to turn around, but something inside her urged her to face it. Slowly, she turned, her gaze meeting the eyes of Prince Lilian. He stood a few paces away, his expression unreadable, though there was a faint furrow in his brow. His gaze, as always, was sharp, intense, as if he could see right through her.

"You shouldn't be here," Mai said softly, her voice hoarse with emotion. She wanted to hide. She wanted to disappear, to escape from the weight of his scrutiny.

"I was going to let you go," he said, his voice low, "but I didn't want you to leave without hearing this."

Mai's heart raced as she waited for him to speak. She didn't know if she could bear hearing anything else. She had already been humiliated enough.

"You weren't yourself today," Prince Lilian continued, his tone surprisingly soft. "I saw it—something was wrong. I know you didn't fail because you didn't try. There's something more going on, something I don't understand."

Mai shook her head, taking a step back. "I'm sorry, Prince Lilian," she whispered. "I failed. I couldn't control it. I couldn't—" She stopped herself, realizing what she was about to reveal. The words hung in the air like a forbidden confession.

But Prince Lilian wasn't looking at her with the usual disdain. There was something else in his eyes now—something close to understanding. "You're not like the others," he said quietly. "I've seen it. There's something inside you, something powerful. Something you're hiding."

Mai's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to deny it, to tell him that it was nothing, that she was just a commoner who had no place in the royal court. But deep down, she knew that wasn't true. She knew that what she had felt, what she had struggled with for so long, was real. And it terrified her.

"I don't know how to control it," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's like it takes over me when I'm not paying attention, and I don't know what it is. I don't know why it's there. I don't know what it means."

Prince Lilian stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "Maybe it's not about control," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe it's about understanding. You don't need to fight it, Mai. You need to learn to embrace it."

Mai looked up at him, confusion written across her face. "Embrace it?" she echoed.

He nodded, his expression more serious than she had ever seen. "If you don't learn to accept who you truly are, you'll never be able to use it. You'll always be running from it."

Her chest tightened as the weight of his words sank in. He wasn't just speaking about her power—he was speaking about her, about who she had been hiding from herself. It wasn't just the power she was afraid of. It was what that power meant for her future. It was what it meant for her destiny.

"I can't," she whispered. "I'm not ready."

He reached out, his hand hovering near her arm, but he didn't touch her. "You don't need to be ready. You just need to start." His voice softened, a hint of something almost vulnerable in his tone. "You can't keep pretending to be something you're not. Not anymore."

Mai's heart raced, her emotions swirling. She wanted to push him away, to tell him to leave her alone, but she couldn't. His words had struck a chord deep inside her, and for the first time, she felt a spark of something she hadn't felt in a long time—hope.

For the first time, she felt like she wasn't alone in this.

The next morning, Mai found herself once again standing before the King, her heart pounding in her chest. This time, however, there was no test. No questions. No judgments.

King Eric simply studied her with his piercing gaze, his expression unreadable. "You've failed, Mai," he said softly, but his tone was not as harsh as it had been the day before. "You've failed to show us what we thought you were capable of."

Mai bowed her head, prepared to take whatever punishment was handed down to her. But then, the King's voice softened. "But I still see something in you. Something beyond your failure. I still believe you have the potential to be more than just a tutor. To be more than a commoner."

She lifted her head in surprise, meeting his gaze. "What are you saying, Your Majesty?"

The King leaned forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm giving you one more chance. Prove to me that you are worthy of the title I gave you. Prove to me that you are more than the failure you believe yourself to be."

Mai's heart skipped a beat. This was it. This was her second chance. But now, the question was: could she embrace what she had been hiding for so long? Could she learn to control the power inside her before it consumed her completely?

And could she do it without losing herself in the process?

 The King's gaze bore into Mai as he leaned forward in his throne. His voice, though calm, carried the weight of authority.

"Despite your failure, I am offering you another chance. The council, the nobles, the royal cabinet—they all await your return. Prove yourself before us once more."

Mai clenched her fists at her sides, her heart pounding in her chest. She shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes.

"No, Your Majesty. I cannot. I am a failure, unworthy of this honor."

The King stood, his robes billowing as he stepped down from his throne.

"You may not realize it yet, but there is a prophecy, one spoken long before your time."

The court fell silent, and the King's voice echoed through the chamber as he recited the ancient words:

"When the throne wavers in arrogance and strife,

A heart untamed shall rise to life.

Not bound by crown, nor wealth, nor name,

But by fire unseen, an unyielding flame.

She shall break the chains of fate and lies,

Yet only in darkness will she realize…"

"To control the storm that sleeps within,

She must surrender, yet she must win.

The Prince, the Blade, the Fallen Star,

Shall bow before her, near and far."

A murmur spread through the hall. Mai felt the weight of a thousand gazes upon her. The prophecy—it spoke of her.

She swallowed hard. If she refused now, they would know she was hiding something.

"I… I will do it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The King gave a satisfied nod.

"Then step forward."

As Mai re-entered the royal hall, the laughter and whispers that had once surrounded her fell into stunned silence. Those who had mocked her earlier now felt an unnatural chill in the air. Something was different.

Even Prince Lilian, who stood near the throne, clenched his fists in concern. He turned to his father.

"Father, withdraw your offer. This will not end well."

"Do you fear her?" the King asked, calm but stern.

"I fear what she is becoming," Lilian said, his tone grave.

Mai stepped to the center of the hall, her body trembling—not with fear, but with something far more dangerous. The power within her stirred violently, ready to unleash itself. She tried to suppress it, but it fought against her, stronger and faster than ever before.

The High Court, the noblewomen, and the royal cabinet gathered, preparing to break her spirit once more.

One of the High Court members smirked and stepped forward. "You claim to be worthy, yet you could not answer our questions before. Tell us, Mai, what makes a noblewoman superior to a commoner?"

Mai lifted her gaze, her voice resonating with a power that did not belong to her.

"Superiority is but a delusion crafted by the weak to mask their fear of the strong."

A wave of shock rippled through the crowd. The noblewoman took an uneasy step back.

Another royal cabinet member, eager to test her further, sneered. "Then what does strength mean to a mere peasant like you?"

Mai took a slow step forward.

"Strength is not measured in gold or bloodline but in resilience. And if you doubt me, let me remind you—I am still standing."

The noblewoman was speechless, visibly taken aback.

The next member of the High Court, trying to undermine her yet again, asked, "If a prince is to lead, what should he first know about his people?"

Mai's hands shook as she tried to steady herself.

"He… he should understand their needs…"

Her voice wavered, but there was something unyielding in the way she spoke, despite the doubts clouding her mind.

Prince Lilian, standing close by, eyed her with increasing concern. He could see what was happening. He didn't know what would come next, but he could feel the storm inside her gathering.

The final question came from a stern royal cabinet member. "Mai, what is the most important virtue for a ruler to possess?"

Mai's breath hitched. She knew the answer, had known it for years. But the power inside her surged, drowning out her thoughts. She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn't come. The storm inside her had taken over. The fire had been unleashed.

"I am… not what you think," she said, her voice deeper than before, louder than before, a sound that echoed through the hall like a command.

The court grew still, the tension palpable. Her words, her very presence, were overpowering.

The King looked on, intrigued, but there was a flicker of fear in his eyes. She was no longer just a commoner, no longer just a girl struggling with her place. Something had shifted in her. Something ancient, something powerful.

The combat trial was called. The court, eager for another round of humiliation, awaited the battle. But this time, something was different.

Prince Lilian, hesitant, stepped forward. "Mai. Walk away from this."

Her gaze locked onto him, her expression unreadable.

"Afraid, Prince?" she asked, her voice sharp, cold.

The match began. Mai's movements were like lightning, fast and unrelenting. Each strike she delivered seemed more powerful than the last. The prince dodged, but barely.

The first strike came fast. Prince Lilian dodged, barely avoiding the sharp sting of her blow.

The second strike forced him back.

The third sent him staggering.

The fourth—aimed directly at his eyes—was too fast to stop.

A collective gasp filled the room as Prince Lilian staggered, barely able to regain his footing.

Prince Lilian: (Breathless, desperate) "Mai—stop! You're losing control!"

But Mai, consumed by the power raging within her, was beyond hearing. Her every motion, her every decision, was driven by an uncontrollable force.

A sharp cry echoed as the power in her surged again, and she struck once more, this time causing the prince to stumble, almost blind from the blow.

The King rose in alarm.

King Eric: (Commanding) "Enough!"

But even as the King ordered the fight to cease, the air in the room crackled with tension.

Prince Lilian, on his knees, looked up at her with a mix of fear and disbelief. "Mai, what have you become?"

But Mai was already battling with the storm inside her, her fists clenched as she struggled to regain control.

Then, for a moment, everything stopped. She realized the faces before her—the fear in the eyes of the High Court, the royal guards, the noblewomen, even Prince Lilian. It was the look of fear that finally broke through to her.

The realization struck her: She had to fight back. She couldn't let this power consume her.

With a ragged breath, Mai fought against the storm inside her. Slowly, painstakingly, she began to reclaim herself. The energy, the fire, began to recede.

The King watched in stunned silence, his eyes wide as the girl he had once dismissed proved she was something far beyond what he had ever imagined.

Finally, the King regained his composure and, in a voice filled with awe and authority, said, "She is worthy."

The court, still stunned by the spectacle they had just witnessed, remained silent.

King Eric: "Mai, you are worthy to train my son. You will teach him what he could never learn otherwise."

Prince Lilian stood, his face still pale from the shock, but there was something new in his eyes now. A flicker of respect, perhaps.

Mai's heart hammered in her chest as the reality of the King's words settled on her. She had proved herself. She had been tested—and she had passed.

But this was just the beginning.