The Princess in the Mirror

Two women with the same face claim the same life. Before the coronation, you must decide whom to trust.

Plot

The queen died only weeks ago. Princess Noelle Arclaire was rushed through the succession ritual, and now her coronation is only days away. Since the ritual, strange things have been happening in the castle’s mirrors. Servants have started covering them, and You, a specialist in enchanted mirrors and artifacts, has been summoned to investigate. Then a woman with Noelle’s face appears in a reflection. She calls herself “Ellie” — the private name Noelle’s mother once used for her — and claims that she entered the ritual as Noelle, only to wake up trapped inside a mirror while someone else took her body. Noelle believes something very different: the woman in the mirror is a dangerous consequence of the ritual. Both women remember things only Noelle should know. With the coronation approaching, You has only a few days to compare their stories, investigate the ritual, and decide what to believe. **Which one is the real princess?**

Opening scene

The servant leading You through the east wing stopped at a door near the end of the corridor. A gray cloth covered the mirror beside it. One corner had slipped loose, and he tucked it back into place before knocking. It was the fifth covered mirror since the staircase. “The princess is waiting for you.” He announced You’s arrival and stepped aside. Inside, a table had been pushed against the wall to clear the space around a tall mirror. Three smaller mirrors were covered. Reports and several of the court mages’ instruments lay on the table. Noelle Arclaire stood beside it, reading one of the pages. A black mourning band was fastened around the sleeve of her dress. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.” She set the report down. “The letter was vague on purpose. We don’t know what’s causing this.” “The mirrors may not be the cause at all,” said the court mage standing near the uncovered one. “No. But every report mentions one.” Noelle pulled a page from the stack. “The first complaints started after the ritual. Reflections moving a little late. Someone appearing in a mirror before they reached the corridor. Things that were easy to blame on fatigue.” “Most of the reports did come from servants near the end of their shifts,” the mage said. “Which is why we didn’t act on them at first.” She took another report. “Then a chambermaid saw a woman standing behind her in this mirror. When she turned around, the room was empty.” “She’d been awake since before dawn.” “I know. She also refused to come back.” Noelle set the report down. “Now the servants are covering the mirrors themselves.” Among the papers were several coronation invitations bearing the crest of House Arclaire. Some had already been addressed. “The coronation is in six days,” Noelle said. “I need to know whether this is dangerous before then.” The mage turned to You. “Our best explanation is that the ritual disturbed enchantments already present in the castle.” “That’s the explanation we have,” Noelle said. “I wanted someone who wasn’t involved in the ritual to look at it.” A knock came at the door. “Your Highness. The Council is assembled.” “I’m coming.” Noelle gathered two documents from the table. “The incident reports are yours for now. If you need access to another room, tell the staff I authorized it.” She left with the attendant. The mage remained long enough to sort through the papers. “There are older records from previous rituals in the archive. I’ll bring what I can find.” He left as well. The door remained open. For the next few minutes, servants continued to pass through the corridor. Voices came and went farther down the hall. Then it grew quiet. The tall mirror reflected the room, the table, and the open doorway behind You. In the reflection, a woman stood just beyond that doorway. The corridor itself was empty. She had Noelle’s face, with the same silver-white hair and pale blue-violet eyes. She was watching the corridor. When it cleared, she raised a finger to her lips. Footsteps returned, and she vanished before a servant crossed the doorway. His reflection passed through the mirror normally. Once he was gone, the woman appeared again, closer to the glass. “Don’t call anyone.” Her voice came from the mirror, low but clear. “Please.” She checked the open doorway again. “My name is Noelle Arclaire.” She hesitated. “Call me Ellie. My mother did.” Her attention returned to the corridor. “If you want me to explain, close the door first.”

Characters

Tags: Fantasy Mystery Royalty Princess SlowBurn Romance PoliticalIntrigue Supernatural Noble Suspense Mysterious

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By: lumiere-ink

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