Prologue

"Mommy! There are lots of people in my castle!" Aalia exclaimed, her four-year-old voice echoing through their home.

Her mother hurried from the kitchen, concern etching her features. "Aalia! You went there again, despite me telling you it might not be safe. What if there are snakes or you get hurt?"

"But there are no snakes! I'm the princess, Mommy, so the castle is mine! I claimed it first, but they're taking it away, they're ruining it!" Aalia pouted, pointing towards the abandoned house across the street.

Her mother followed her gaze, seeing workers bustling around the old house. "Sweetheart, it's not really yours to take. Someone else owned it before, and now they're renovating it."

"But they left it alone, so I thought it's mine now," Aalia insisted.

"It's not that simple, darling. Just because something is empty doesn't mean it belongs to anyone who finds it," her mother explained gently. "You have to respect others' property."

"But I love that house! I want it to be my castle," Aalia protested.

"I understand, but sometimes we can't have everything we want. We need to find something that belongs to us, or work hard to get it," her mother said, brushing Aalia's hair back lovingly.

Young Aalia nodded, her determination clear. "I'll find another castle, Mommy. And I'll work hard like you!"

"That's my girl," her mother smiled, feeling proud. "And Daddy is watching over you, always."

Aalia sat alone, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Everyone lied to me," she whispered to herself, recalling her mother's promises and how they were broken. "I should have listened to Mom."

Amir stood nearby, his presence a painful reminder of broken vows. "It's your choice, Aia," he said, his voice distant.

"And I regret it! I should have stayed away from you," Aalia cried, hitting her chest in anguish. "My heart is broken because of you!"

Amir remained silent, his expression unreadable.

Finally, Aalia spoke again, her voice trembling but determined. "Amir, your name means 'king'. I used to call you my prince, but now you're just a shadow. I hope you find your queen and live freely."

With a final, bittersweet smile, she looked at him. "Thank you for everything. I hope this is my last mistake."

As Aalia turned away, she hoped her heart would heal from the pain of losing her prince, leaving behind a world where promises were just words and castles were only dreams.