Chapter 1

The royal carriage was moving along the cobblestone road, surrounded by cheering crowds and colorful flags. Inside the carriage, there were three passengers: the queen of Solara, and her two daughters, princesses Amira and Adella.

The queen was a stunning and graceful woman, with long brown hair and green eyes. She wore a splendid gown of gold and orange, the colors of the sun and the fire, representing the warmth and power of her kingdom. She smiled and waved at the people, who loved and respected her dearly.

Amira was the younger daughter, nine years old. She had curly brown hair and brown eyes, and she wore a cute dress of pink and silver, the colors of the flowers and the stars, representing the joy and wonder of her personality. She was lively and talkative, always curious and excited about everything. She leaned out of the window, trying to see as much as possible.

Adella was the older daughter, twelve years old. She had straight brown hair and black eyes, and she wore a elegant dress of purple and white, the colors of the night and the moon, representing the mystery and wisdom of her character. She was calm and serious, always composed and reserved. She sat quietly in her seat, reading a book.

"Wow, look at all these people!" Amira exclaimed. "They are so happy to see us! I bet they can't wait for the festival!"

Adella sighed and closed her book. "Amira, please behave yourself. This is not a festival; this is a ceremony of the blossoms! A ceremony for princesses and princes only. It's a very important and formal event."

Amira rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Adella. Don't be such a bore. It's a ceremony, and ceremonies are fun! There will be music, and dancing, and games, and food, and gifts, and... and... and maybe we can even get to see Lights!"

Adella shook her head. "Amira, you are too naive. There won't be any Lights. Those lights are forbidden to be use. Only bishops and the priest inside the cathedral church have access to the lights, and they mainly use it for a particular reason. We are not allowed to touch it, or even talk about it."

Amira frowned. "But why? Why can't we have feeling of the lights too, is wonderful and amazing. It can make things happen, things that we can only dream of. Like... like healing or immortality, or making wishes come true."

Adella looked at her sister with pity. "Amira, you are too innocent. The lights they use are so dangerous and unpredictable. It can cause things to happen, things that we can't control. Storms, or fires, or curses, or nightmares."

Amira pouted. "You are no fun, Adella. You always ruin everything with your logic and your facts. You never let me have any fun. You never let me be myself."

'Which you should thank me." Adella spoke not caring. "And you are no help yourself, Amira. You always cause trouble with your imagination and your fantasies. You never listen to anyone. You never think of anyone but yourself."

The sisters glared at each other, ready to argue more. But before they could say anything, the queen intervened.

"Girls, girls, calm down," the queen commanded, in a soft but firm voice. "You are sisters, and Nobel princesses, and you should behave with dignity and grace. You are my daughters, and you should make me proud and happy."

"I'm sorry, mother" Adella said, in a low voice. She was always the first to apologize, even when she felt she was right.

"I'm sorry, mother." Amira echoed, in a reluctant voice. She was always the last to apologize, even when she knew she was wrong.

The queen smiled and hugged them both. "It's alright, my darlings. I know you are both good and kind girls. You just have different personalities and interests. And that's okay."

"You don't have to be the same. You just have to be yourselves. And you have to be supportive and understanding of each other." She ended her sentence.

The sisters nodded, but they still felt uneasy. They knew that their mother was hiding something from them. Something about the lights and the reason why they were forbidden.

"Mother," Amira said, in a curious voice. She was always the first to ask questions, even when she feared the answers.

"Mother," Adella said, in a hopeful voice. She was always the last to ask questions, even when she desired the answers.

"Yes, my darlings?" The queen said, in a gentle voice. She was always the one to answer questions, even when she wished she didn't have to.

"Can you tell us more about the lights?" Amira asked. "Why are they so special? Why are they so dangerous? Why can't we see them? Can you show us the lights?" her question kept on pouring over. "Are they really so wonderful? Or are they really so scary? Can we touch them?"

The queen's smile faded, and she looked away. She knew that this day would come. The day when she would have to tell them the truth. The truth that could change everything.

"Amira, Adella," the queen said, in a serious tone. "There is something I need to tell you. Something that you may not like. Something that you may not believe. But something that you need to know.

The lights are not just lights. They the livings, which can come as a gift to many but mainly curse if it's in the wrong hands."

The queen's words left the princesses speechless and stunned. They wanted to ask more, to know more, to understand more. 

Meanwhile, in a church of little light and much dust far from the palace where the royals dwell, there sat two boys who had no joy nor lust.

They were Chico and Benjamin, who in Solara fell. They were the sons of a holy man name Gerson, who served the lights divine, and by their sacred power they lived and breathed. 

Chico was the elder boy, of twelve years old, black hair as raven's wing, and his eyes as chestnut brown. He wore a robe of faded blue, that scarce his body could hold. Ambitious and aspiring, ever eager and ever sound. Loyal and devout, to the lights he gave his vow.

Benjamin was the younger boy, eleven years old. Brown hair as autumn leaf, and eyes as honey bright. He wore a tunic of plainest brown, that on his shoulders hung. Mainly shy and silent, ever curious and ever slight. Very skeptical, to the lights he gave his doubt.

The boys were sitting on a bench of wood, gazing through a window stained where they could see the garden where the ceremony was being held.

They could hear the music and the laughter, they longed to be there, instead of being in the church restrained.

"Look at them, how they revel and rejoice," Chico said with a sigh. "They are so fortunate; they have all they desire. They are born with silver in their mouths, they have crowns and jewels to admire. Allies and lovers, they have choices and joy to inspire, so unfair."

Benjamin nodded with a groan. "Aye, they are so fortunate."

Chico spoke on bitterly. "They have nothing to trouble them. No rules or limits, they have no duties or burdens to stem. They have no fear or danger, they have no foes or ills to condemn."

"Mm?" Benjamin said with a doubt. "I would not say they have nothing to trouble them-"

Chico cut him off with insisting in his words. "Save for troubling to make a scene in public, I think they are more than fortunate." He glared at Benjamin, his eyes flashing with hate.

The two paused for a moment, both looking then outside the transparent window glass into the beautiful landscape. "Do you think we could ever go there, and join them?" Benjamin asked with a sigh, "You think we could ever be like them, and have what they have?"

Chico shrugged, with a doubtful look. "I know not, Benjamin. Maybe, maybe not. It depends on what you want, and what you are willing to do. Do you really want to be like them, and have what they have?"

Benjamin exhaled heavily, leaning his arms and chin near the glass window. "I want to be a prince, and have wealth and power, maybe a couple more friends and be able to go on fancy parties and stuff."