“Get your hands off her!”

Violins stopped mid-note beneath the glowing chandeliers as royal guards surrounded a barefoot orphan boy standing beside Princess Elena’s jeweled throne.

Swords flashed from their sheaths instantly.

“How did he get in here?”

But the child never looked at the guards.

Only at Elena.

Confused. Certain.

“She has the same hair…”

Uneasy laughter spread through the royal banquet hall while Captain Rowen grabbed the boy roughly by the arm.

“You dare touch the princess?”

The child stumbled—but kept staring at Elena.

“My mom said…”

Silence crushed the room.

“…I’d find her here.”

Something changed in Elena’s face.

The Queen noticed immediately.

“Find me?”

The boy nodded slowly.

“She said you wouldn’t remember at first.”

The hall suddenly felt colder.

Then the child reached into his torn pocket.

Guards raised their swords again—

until he pulled out a tiny broken silver hairpin wrapped in faded blue thread.

Some nobles laughed nervously.

“That’s it?”

But the second Elena saw the royal crest hidden beneath the thread—

her breathing stopped.

The Queen rose sharply from her chair.

Tears filled the boy’s eyes for the first time as he looked directly at the princess.

“Mom said you gave it to her…”

A painful beat.

“…the night they took me away.”

Part 2 in the comments.