The Princess's Stolen Body

Chapter 3: A New Body

-Liana-

I lay in bed, utterly exhausted from everything that had happened. The necklace was warm against my skin, offering a calming sensation. Perhaps it was also reassuring to know that Gawain was right outside. He always made me feel at ease, yet I was still struggling to sleep. Why couldn’t my body find any rest?

I sighed deeply, turning to my other side with my hands tucked under my head, plagued by a nagging unease. Would I ever experience a peaceful night again? My powers had always caused me trouble. They weren’t so overwhelming when I was a child, but as I grew older, they intensified and became increasingly difficult to understand.

Now my dreams were tormenting me. It was rare for me to dream of the future, and never as frequently as I was starting to. It could only mean something bad was coming… something truly terrible.

I yawned deeply, finally feeling a bit of fatigue. My eyes grew heavy, and soon, darkness enveloped me.

***

I was disoriented as the darkness around me began to take shape. Was I awake? No, something felt off. It felt as though I was falling or spinning, and I could hear a mumbling voice speaking in an unfamiliar language.

What was happening? Suddenly, it felt like I was being pulled forward. Through the darkness, smoke began to materialize, enveloping everything. Then, a face emerged. Someone was in front of me. The smoke transformed into a mirror-like surface, and I moved closer, seeing the other person approach from the other side. She was looking at me, appearing confused. Wait…

I ran toward her, watching as she ran toward me. When I stopped right in front of her, I looked into her frightened eyes—she was staring back at me. It was as if I was looking at my own reflection. She mirrored my own fear and confusion.

Nothing made sense as we stared at each other. The mumbling voice grew louder, echoing inside me. I glanced around, bewildered, but all I could see was the smoky world I was trapped in.

I turned to my reflection, but it wasn’t me standing there any longer. It was the girl from the stall—the one who had sold me the necklace. She wore a cruel smile as she reached out. I screamed and stepped back, but her hand was already gripping my wrist, pulling me toward her. And then…

I blinked awake, my eyes struggling to open. My body felt incredibly heavy. Groaning, I sat up, rubbing my face and letting the blanket fall away. I stretched, still groggy and confused. It had to be another nightmare. That was the only explanation for feeling so exhausted despite having slept through the night.

Sighing, I threw my legs over the side of the bed and stood up. The nightgown I was wearing felt oddly itchy. I scratched my back absentmindedly, thinking it was just a worn-down fabric.

I walked over to a small table where a bowl and a jug stood beneath a large mirror. Everything around me felt blurry and disorienting, and I was unsteady on my feet, but I managed to reach the bowl. I poured water into it, splashed the cold liquid onto my face, and used a small cloth to dry off. That’s when I froze.

My eyes locked onto the image in the mirror, and I recalled the scene from my dream. She had been looking through the mirror in my dream, too. A small scream escaped my lips as I spun around, but there was no one there.

Turning back to the mirror, I saw her reflection staring back at me, looking frightened. I took a step back, expecting her to reach out again, but she remained motionless, only watching me. I glanced behind myself once more, and that’s when I realized it—this wasn’t my room!

The room was small, with brown wooden walls and a tiny door. I rushed back to the mirror, touching the glass with trembling fingers.

“No… no… no… no,” I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief.

It was impossible! Something like this couldn’t be happening! But how else could I explain what I was seeing?

“Oh no… It can’t be,” I whispered. “It just… can’t.”

“Elisa!” I heard someone call.

Elisa? Was that her name? I looked around, panic rising, unsure of what to do or say.

“Elisa, are you up?”

I tried to speak, but no sound came out. What was I even going to say? Before I could decide, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and then the older woman from the stall appeared. She had the same hair color and bright green eyes.

“You’re up,” she said. “Did you not hear me calling?”

I simply nodded, at a loss for words. Would she believe me if I said I wasn’t her daughter?

“I need you to go out and buy something for me,” she told me.

I remained frozen, not moving or speaking, and her eyes narrowed slightly.

“Elisa?”

I had to say something, right? She would listen to me… wouldn’t she?

“A-Actually,” I began, but my voice faltered.

I was stunned when I heard the strange voice coming from me—definitely not my own. It was deeper and a bit hoarse. I didn’t like it. I wanted my voice back!

“I am not Elisa…”

The woman stared at me, blinking in confusion.

“What?” she asked.

“I’m not your daughter. I’m… Princess Liana,” I explained.

The woman moved closer, and I backed up against the small table with the bowl on it. She was so tall, towering over me as she inspected me closely. She even reached out, tilting my chin from side to side, her eyes scanning me intently. Did she believe me? Would she help me now?

Her daughter had been involved in theft—or was it k*dnapping? I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t care. I just needed to get back!

“I see,” she said. “You really aren’t her.”

“You don’t sound very shocked,” I pointed out as she took a step back.

“Elisa is… well, she’s a special child,” was all she replied.

I wasn’t sure I’d describe her as “special”, but then again, don’t all mothers think their children are special?

“Well, now that you know I’m not your daughter, you’re going to help me, right? I mean, no offense to your daughter, but I would really like to be back in my… body,” I said.

It felt strange to say—being back in my body. But Elisa had somehow taken it, and I hoped she wasn’t planning to harm my family.

“Oh, I will help,” the woman told me.

I exhaled in relief. “Thank you. I don’t know—wait, what are you doing?”

The woman walked toward the door and began closing it behind her. I rushed after her, calling out as I slammed my hands against the door, only to hear the lock click.

“Hey! Open this door!”

But all I heard in response was the sound of footsteps descending the stairs.

“Hey! You can’t leave me here! This is… k*dnapping!” I yelled.

But was it really? I was in her daughter’s body, and she was locking her daughter in her own room. Oh no. I was really in trouble now.