The King smiled and, resting his hands on the balcony railing, began to gaze into the distant depths of the ocean. "It wasn't just rain, Zara. In the history of Abyssonia, that day is considered the 'Golden Day.' Usually, the rule here is that hardly one or two dragons are born in a year. But the moment you took your first breath, hundreds of eggs hatched all at once in the dragon caves across the empire. It was the first time in thousands of years that so many dragons were born at the same time."
Zara was stunned to hear this. She gently touched Vane, who was now quietly listening to their conversation
The King continued, "It is written in the legends that whenever a soul is born in this world who is 'pure' even without magic, the King of Dragons comes to find them himself. Vane... he is the same Primal Dragon who taught our ancestors how to live.
He connects with emotions. He isn't looking for magic in your eyes; he is seeing the truth of your soul."
As soon as Vane heard the King's words, he raised his tiny head and looked at Zara with his transparent eyes. Zara felt as if Vane was telling her something without using any words.
"So, is that why no other dragon was choosing me?" Zara whispered.
"Yes," the King said, placing a hand on her head. "Because they all knew that your companion wouldn't be an ordinary protector. They were all waiting for Vane to arrive. Zara, you aren't just a princess to this empire; you are a sign of 'New Life.' The dragon race has flourished again because of your arrival."
Queen Elara also arrived quietly and hugged Zara from behind. Zara could feel her mother's body trembling with happiness.
"The King is right, my child," the Queen said.
"Today, when Vane sat on your shoulder, I felt like my fifteen-year wait was finally over. People used to say the Princess has no power, but they had no idea that you possess the power to make the King of Kings your friend."
Vane suddenly flew off Zara's shoulder and began to trace a small golden circle in the air. He gave Zara's cheek a gentle pat with his tail.
Zara burst into a clear, ringing laugh. In the quiet night of the palace, her laughter echoed beautifully. Down in the city, people were still singing, and even the dragon statues carved onto the palace pillars seemed to be smiling in the magical light. This celebration wasn't just about a choice; it was about a faith that had finally proven true after so many years.
It was late, and everyone was exhausted and had gone to sleep. But for Princess Zara, her real time was just beginning. This was her daily routine—after a day of royal ceremonies and training, she would spend two hours with her books before bed.
The Royal Library was no ordinary room. It was like a massive hall with a ceiling so high it disappeared into the darkness. The walls were covered from top to bottom with thousands of old books and maps. The air carried the faint scent of old paper and a soft blue light floating from the magical crystals placed there.
As Zara entered, the light sound of her footsteps echoed through the hall. She moved toward the right side of the library. She had read almost every book here—history, politics, and the laws of Abyssonia. Her fingers slid over the shelves as if she were meeting old friends.
Her little friend Vane was asleep on her shoulder. He had tucked his face into Zara's hair and drifted off.
Zara reached the other part of the library, where the books were yet to be read. These shelves were so high that one had to use a long ladder to reach them. Zara picked out a very thick and ancient-looking book from the topmost shelf.
She began to climb the ladder. Vane woke up and looked at Zara with his large blue eyes, as if asking, "Why are you climbing so high this late at night?"
Zara said softly, "Just one more book, Vane, and then we'll definitely sleep."
Standing on the last step of the ladder, Zara tried to reach for the book. Her hand reached the spine, but the book was heavy. As she pulled it, she lost her balance. The ladder slipped slightly from the bottom.
"Oh no!" was all that came out of Zara's mouth. She swung into the air and was just about to fall backward when...
Suddenly, Vane let out a loud cry. In the blink of an eye, he grew slightly larger from his tiny form. He flew quickly and wrapped his soft, transparent tail around Zara's body. A pressure built up in the air so that instead of falling, Zara began to float. Along with her, many old books tumbled to the floor.
Vane lowered her to the ground in a very gentle way.
Zara's heart was racing. She took a breath of relief and sat on the floor. Vane became small again and curled up in Zara's lap. He rubbed his head against her hand as if scolding her for not being careful.
Zara laughed and pulled Vane close. "Thank you, Vane. I didn't know you were so alert."
Vane looked at Zara with his transparent eyes and gently touched her palm with his nose. In that moment, an unspoken bond was formed between them. Zara realized that Vane wasn't just a dragon; he was her most loyal friend.
Zara kissed Vane's forehead, picked up the book that had fallen, and sat in her favorite chair. Vane lay down with his head on her knees. Zara glanced at Vane and then at the book. As she looked at the cover, her eyebrows furrowed.
"This book... it's very strange. What kind of book is this?" she wondered, examining it from all sides.
In the deep silence of the library, the book sitting before Zara looked like a mystery in itself. It was much larger and heavier than normal books. Its binding was made entirely of black leather, which shimmered despite being centuries old. When Zara touched it, she realized the pages weren't made of ordinary paper either, but of thin, soft black leather.
On the cover, a name shimmered in glowing silver letters: "Hidden World."
Just as Zara tried to open the book with trembling hands, a nervous, paper-like rustling voice came from a dark corner.
"Princess... forgive me but... but... this book is only for the King. I mean, only the King or the Queen can read this royal book. It is forbidden for anyone else!"
Zara turned around in shock, her eyes widening. A strange creature stood there. He looked exactly like a living human-book. He had thin arms and legs that looked like ink-stained paper. His face was like a book binding, with large eyes and a moving mouth, but only a flat surface where a nose should have been. He was the guardian of this magical library.
His name was "Biblio."
"Biblio?" Zara said, regaining her composure. "You scared me! And why are you stopping me? No book is forbidden to read in Abyssonia, so why are you stopping me specifically?"
As soon as Vane heard Biblio's voice, he spread his wings over Zara's shoulder. His blue eyes flashed with anger, and he let out a low growl, as if warning Biblio to step out of Zara's way.
Zara took a long, deep breath. Her mind was desperate to open that black book, but Biblio's frightened eyes and trembling voice forced her to stop. She didn't want this innocent guardian to be punished because of one mistake on her part.
Zara gently ran her hand over the 'Hidden World' book and slid it back into the shelf.
"It's okay, Biblio, calm down," Zara said in a soft voice, pulling her hand back. "I don't want to get you into trouble. If Father has forbidden it, there must be a great reason behind it."
Biblio breathed a sigh of relief. His paper-like body, which had been trembling until now, became still. "Thank you, Princess... your wisdom is your greatest strength."
Vane was still looking at Biblio with suspicious eyes. He made a soft sound, as if telling Biblio, "Don't stop her next time!" Zara smiled, called Vane close to her, and walked out through the heavy library doors.
"Blue-lit torches were burning along the long corridors of the palace. In the silence of the night, the 'click-clack' of Zara's sandals could be heard clearly. Vane was now perched on her shoulder, playing with her hair with his tail.
'See, Vane? What a strange day it has been,' Zara whispered. Her voice held a hint of exhaustion and a lot of mystery. 'First the training, then you, and now this "Hidden World" book. There is definitely something being hidden from us.'"
Vane raised his small head and looked into Zara's eyes.