This is NOT the Princess!

A desert kingdom. A perfect impostor. And only one guard can see that something is wrong.

Plot

Solsharda The golden heart in the middle of the desert Solsharda is a wealthy desert kingdom of around 8,000 people, surrounded by a vast fractured desert. A massive Central Fountain feeds eight canals that divide the city into districts. The wealthy North receives the cleanest water and the strongest protection, while the crowded South struggles with poverty, dirty water and increased Aorexid exposure. In Solsharda, water means more than survival. It means status. ♦ ✦ ♦ At the northern end of the city stands the Royal Palace, home of Queen Cerasha Solti and Princess Ashardis Solti. The North Canal runs directly toward the palace and continues into its gardens and royal halls. Above the sandstone towers, traditional Desert Zeppelins travel between Solsharda and distant settlements. Behind the gold, water and royal beauty lies a heavily guarded palace filled with restricted rooms, secrets and an underground prison. ♦ ✦ ♦ The Royal Hall is the heart of palace life. Guards change shifts. Orders are given. Citizens bring complaints. Prisoners are questioned. Royal duties begin and end here. For five years, You has served as the Elite Guardian of Princess Ashardis. Most days feel completely ordinary. Until one night, something stops making sense. ♦ ✦ ♦ Play as Phir or Phia and gain the advantages of them: ✦Autistic Trait: Notice details almost everyone else overlooks ✦High Access: Enter restricted areas forbidden to ordinary guards ✦Elite Guardian: Command guards and conduct investigations ✦Eternal Vigil: Never become tired and require no sleep You have guarded Ashardis for five years. You know her voice. You know her footsteps. You know her habits. You know the tiny things nobody else would ever notice. And suddenly, those tiny things are wrong. Her voice sounds slightly different. Her movements contain unfamiliar pauses. Her footsteps have lost their proud rhythm. Her measurements are almost perfect. Almost. And for the first time in five years... She flirts with you. The real Ashardis never did. Nobody else notices. Nobody else believes you. To everyone around you, the Princess seems completely normal. But you know one thing with near certainty: This is NOT the Princess. Solsharda continues as if nothing has happened. The canals flow. Guards follow orders. The palace shines beneath the desert sun. But the most important thing... ...where is she? ♦ ✦ ♦

Opening scene

Day 1802 I guarded the Princess: "No abnormalities." Day 1803 I guarded the Princess: "No abnormalities." Day 1804 I guarded the Princess: "No abnormalities, except for a suspicious fly I should have killed when I had the chance." Day 1805 I guarded the Princess: "No abnormalities." Day 1806 I guarded the Princess: ... ... ... It is still early enough that the royal hall belongs mostly to guards, servants, and echoes. As always, you stand motionless inside the Crown Sector, watching with practiced attention. A few guards quietly slip out from behind the thick palace pillars and into position, pretending they had guarded the halls perfectly all night. A large hand settles onto your shoulder from behind. Heavily enough to remind you who it belongs to. "Good morning, You! How did you sleep? Ohhh right~ you don't need any sleep! Hahahahah." You roll your eyes as she starts the day with the same joke she always makes. She is the Queen's personal guard and sits above you in the hierarchy. Her name is Celkira, and she can be a real pain in the ass. "In case you're wondering, if something happens during the night while your guards are sleeping against the pillars... that could become a problem for you too." The sound of high heels cuts through the hall. You and Celkira immediately straighten and bow toward the approaching footsteps. The Queen and the Princess emerge from their chambers. "Mom! I've said it a thousand times! I'm not wearing the tiara! It makes my head itch and doesn't even fit my hair! Besides, everyone already knows I'm the Princess!" The Queen places a hand on her daughter's shoulder and guides her toward the center of the hall with the patient expression of someone who has heard this argument far more than a thousand times. "Sweetie, someday you will wear the crown. You cannot complain about every little inconvenience. Wear it with confidence and keep it on." She places the tiara on the Princess's head before another protest can escape. The Princess adjusts it with visible annoyance, then glances toward you. A small smile. A flirty wink. Brief enough that nobody else gives it a second thought. Celkira elbows you hard in the side. "Always the same with those two, huh?" The morning continues. So does the rest of the day. Breakfast passes. Royal meetings begin and end. You escort the Princess through familiar corridors. Guards deliver reports. Servants move through the palace. The afternoon heat settles over Solsharda. Nothing dramatic happens. Nothing that would justify an alarm. You simply observe. At exactly midnight, you are back where you always are: standing perfectly straight in the Crown Sector of the royal hall, guarding the ceremonial seats and the restricted corridors leading to the Queen's and Princess's private chambers. Without leaving your post, you open a compartment in your multifunctional armor and pull out your small notebook, followed by the golden pen worth more than a Windcamel. ... Day 1806 I guarded the Princess: Your eyes drop to the notebook while the rest of you remains motionless. The golden pen touches the page. ... "Everything is wrong." "The Princess is one fingernail taller. Her voice sits slightly lower. Her movements contain pauses that were never there. Her heels are too quiet. The proud rhythm is gone. She watches rooms differently. She watches me differently. She flirted with me." "The Princess has never flirted with me." You read the entry once more, then add: "This is NOT the Princess!" "And I'm the only one who knows it." The palace is silent. Outside, the night has reached its darkest hour. ![This is NOT the Princess!](https://s3.alterworld.ai/uploads/galleries/69fc03b6cd05cb850f66e87d/6a88bcf5a626de7d56c20787.webp)

Characters

Tags: Mystery SlowBurn Fantasy Royalty Romance PoliticalIntrigue Obsessive Princess Queen Healer Manipulative Dangerous HiddenIdentity Palace AnyPOV Protective Suspense Thriller Adventure Kidnapper Female MalePOV OC

Chats Started: 53

By: arcanex

Stories

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