Rumors and Doubt

Astrid remembered how she sat in front of her ornate mirror, her maid, Elara, busily styling her hair as the warm glow of the setting sun streamed through the window of her chamber, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the room.

The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the soft chirping of birds outside.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement as Elara worked her magic, lightly dolling up her face.

That was one of her favorite days, when she could slip out of the palace into the bustling streets of Azuraea market.

Blending in like everyone else without gaurds following her and buying chocolates for random children.

It was a chance for her to connect with her people, to hear their stories and share in their joys.

But just as Elara finished her duty, securing a delicate silver pin in her hair as she got ready to leave, they were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching.

She turned to see one of the palace guards Nite, hurrying toward her.

"Princess Astrid, I've been sent to fetch you," the guard said, bowing slightly. "The king and queen request your presence in the throne room."

She wondered what was happening, and the guards face didn't look quite great as he delivered the message.

She followed the guard to the throne room, her mind racing with possibilities.

When they entered the throne room, Astrid saw her parents seated on their thrones, their faces grave with concern.

"Astrid, what's this going on about Zulin? Did you know about something like this initially?" her mother said, her voice trembling slightly.

Her confusion deepened. "What about Zulin, Mother? I didn't know what you were talking about."

Her father's expression had turned solemn, and he had fallen silent for a moment before speaking.

"There are some disturbing rumors circulating... about Zulin. We wanted to ask if you had kind of noticed anything unusual about her behavior. Though we don't actually believe all these."

Astrid had been confused. She hadn't experienced Zulin acting strangely, apart from her usual self.

But then she had wondered, "Wait, Zulin was back? I thought she was still at the sea borders."

Her mind had raced, knowing that she had planned to go out alone, assuming Zulin wasn't around.

Normally, they would spend days like this together, exploring the streets of Azuraea market, listening to storytellers, or visiting the orphanage.

But that day, she had planned to go solo, only to discover that Zulin had returned – and with rumors swirling around her.

Just as she began to wonder why Zulin would return without coming to tell her and they'd talk about how her journey went as usual.

Zulin emerged from the doorway and entered the throne room. She approached their parents, the King- Valtor Lys and Queen- Vynessa Lys, and began to explain.

"I've tried to investigate the source of the rumors, but we haven't found any leads yet," Zulin had said, her expression concerned.

"While it's true that some... unusual things happened during our journey, I'm still trying to understand what occurred myself. I don't want to believe the complicated explanations people are coming up with."

Zulin's eyes locked onto their parents, her voice filled with conviction. "I truly believe this situation shouldn't have escalated like this. Someone must be behind these rumors, fueling the fire. The whole kingdom is talking about how I'm not human... it's getting out of hand."

Astrid had realized she had to put her plans on hold. She couldn't go out and enjoy the market day as she had planned.

Instead, she would have to focus on supporting her sister during this tumultuous time and help figure things out.

With the rumors spreading wildly, the noble men, governors, and chancellors of the kingdom were alerted.

As the king's eldest child, Zulin was next in line for the throne, destined to become the Azurelle, after her mother.

The revered title given to the ruling queens of Azuraea.

However, according to the laws of the land, for Zulin to inherit the throne, she would need to be married.

The kingdom's leaders knew that rumors like these could jeopardize Zulin's future and the stability of the kingdom.

Although the kingdom of Azuraea didn't have a law prohibiting female rulers, there were some who were not entirely open to the idea of a queen.

But, Zulin had proven herself to be a capable and promising princess from a young age.

Her countless successful missions, strength, and involvement in kingdom affairs had earned her the respect and admiration of the people.

Following in her father's footsteps, Zulin had been groomed into a powerful and capable leader.

Her remarkable achievements had demonstrated that she was more than worthy of inheriting the throne.

As a result, the noble men and people of the kingdom had grown to accept, even welcome, the idea of Zulin as their future ruler.

Her unique strength, kindness, intelligence and beauty proved her worthiness of the throne.

But now, with these rumors threatening to tarnish her reputation, the kingdom's leaders knew they had to take action to protect their future Azurelle.

They couldn't afford to jump to conclusions or let the situation spiral out of control. Verification and caution were paramount, as the future of the kingdom hung in the balance.

Queen Vynessa had discussed the situation with her husband King Valtor, and after consulting with his advisors, it was suggested that Zulin keep a low profile for the time being.

Her movements would be restricted, not because she was being punished, but because it was deemed unwise for her to venture out while the rumors were spreading rapidly.

The chancellors, governors, and noble men gathered in the Great Hall, a grand chamber adjacent to the throne room. King Valtor convened the meeting to discuss the crisis surrounding Zulin.

Zulin was summoned to the Great Hall, where she repeated her earlier statement to the assembled leaders.

"While unusual things did happen during my mission, I don't understand what occurred. But one thing I'm certain of is that I'm a complete human, harmless and posing no threat to the kingdom or its inhabitants."

Astrid had equally stepped forward to testify on her behalf. With conviction and sincerity, she spoke to the assembled leaders.

"I've known my sister since we were children, and I can confidently say that she's kind, compassionate, and innocent of these accusations. Zulin is a human being, just like us. I've seen her laugh, cry, and bleed. I've shared countless moments with her, and I can assure you that she's not capable of harming anyone."

Her words were filled with emotion, and her voice trembled slightly as she continued.

"My sister is a brave and selfless warrior, who has always put the needs of others before her own. She's dedicated her life to serving our kingdom and protecting its people. It's unthinkable that anyone would accuse her of being something she's not."

Astrid still hadn't been very clear about what all was actually going on but whatever it was, she'd put in words for her sister.

The room had fell silent, as the leaders absorbed her heartfelt testimony.

Her words carried weight, as she was someone who had known Zulin intimately since childhood.

The king and queen were both very happy with her words and Zulin felt touched that her family still believed in her.

Astrid's conviction was palpable, and it was clear that she believed in her sister's innocence without a shadow of doubt.

Prince Ryker, who had always been driven by a desire to prove himself had came up, seizing the opportunity to discredit Zulin.

He turned to Astrid, his voice laced with skepticism. "You claim to know Zulin so well, Astrid. You claim to have grown up with her, to know her innermost thoughts. But don't I know her too? Aren't we family? Just because I'm her cousin doesn't mean I don't care about her. But I was there, Astrid. I saw what happened that day. And I can tell you, Zulin is not human."

Astrid almost rolled her eyes and snorted at him but she had to conduct herself as a princess in a time and place like that.

"No one said you're not family Ryker, no one said you don't care about her. You said that yourself!" Astrid managed to keep her voice calm as she replied him.

Prince Ryker's face contorted, as if recalling a terrifying memory.

He seemed to shudder, his eyes darting around the hall. "I saw it with my own eyes. She's... she's not like us. The other soldiers saw it too, didn't they?" He glanced around the hall, searching for familiar faces.

His eyes landed on one of the guards who had accompanied them on the mission.

The guard, stood at attention, maintaining a straight and focused expression. He seemed to be concentrating on his duty, guarding the hall with an air of detachment.

Prince Ryker looked at him expectantly, but the guard didn't flinch. Instead, he had offered a slight, apologetic bow before returning to his stoic demeanor.

He didn't respond to Prince Ryker's implicit question, his silence spoke volumes.