Deep in the heart of the forest, Iris stood frozen, her gaze fixed on the ancient castle looming before her. The air was heavy with an eerie gloom that made her shiver, despite the warmth of the day. Her blonde hair rustled in the faint breeze that carried the musty scent of age and neglect from the castle walls.

With a final glance at her companions, Iris urged her frost-white mare forward, the horse's hooves echoing against the stone of the gigantic gateway. As they emerged into the castle's courtyard, Iris spotted her friends waiting by the well. Elina's arms were crossed, a scowl etched on her face.

"Damn, they must have been waiting ages," Iris muttered to herself, feeling a pang of guilt.

As Iris approached, Elina strode towards her, her eyes blazing with annoyance. "What the hell took you so long? We've been stuck here for thirty minutes! Don't you own a bloody watch?" Her hand flashed out, delivering a playful but stinging smack to Iris's arm.

Iris laughed, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "Hey, sorry! It wasn't easy sneaking out past my parents, you know?"

"But you're always late!" Harlin chimed in, shaking her head. "No excuses this time."

"Oh, that's rich coming from you," Aylin shot back, rolling her eyes at Harlin. "You just got here yourself."

"I had to lie to my folks, okay? It wasn't easy," Harlin defended herself, a hint of frustration in her voice.

"Well, we all had to lie. Do you think they'd let us come if they knew we were sneaking into a creepy abandoned castle? Fat chance," Aylin said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she fell into step beside Iris.

"Fair point, but that's no excuse for being late," Elina said, though her scowl had softened.

"Hey, sorry, guys. It won't happen again. But shouldn't we get moving? We don't want to be late for...whatever it is we're doing here," Iris said, casting a curious glance at the castle.

Her friends followed her gaze, and for a moment they stood in silence, the only sound the distant call of a bird and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze.

"Oh, right. Yeah," Elina said finally, shaking her head. "Let's get this over with."

They left their horses tied to the well and approached the castle entrance. The massive wooden door was covered in a thick layer of cobwebs that clung to Iris' skin as she reached out to touch it. She shuddered, brushing off the sticky strands. The air around them seemed to grow colder, the shadows deepening into something almost palpable. Despite the midday sun, the forest seemed to be holding its breath, the silence broken only by the faint rustle of bats taking flight from the castle's towers.

Iris reached for the door handle, but to her surprise, there was no lock. The door creaked ominously as she pushed it open, the sound echoing through the stillness like a scream.

Beyond the door lay a grand foyer, the castle stretching out above them like a ghostly monolith. A chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling, casting flickering shadows that danced across the walls. A chill ran down Iris' spine as she gazed up at it, the crystal drops reflecting the dim light like cold, dead eyes.

"Would you guys like to come in, or are you going to make us stand here all day?" Harlin called out, her voice ringing off the stone walls.

Iris startled, tearing her gaze from the chandelier. Her friends were already entering the castle, their footsteps echoing off the marble floor. With a final glance at the forest, Iris followed them into the unknown.

The castle was a labyrinth of cobweb-shrouded rooms and endless corridors that seemed to stretch on forever. Despite the gloom that clung to the walls like a shroud, there was an odd sense of lightness to the air, as if the very stone itself was infused with a faint, otherworldly glow.

As they explored the ground floor, Iris found herself growing more and more restless. There was something strange about this place, something that didn't add up. The castle was abandoned, that much was clear. But there was a sense of...anticipation, as if they were being watched by unseen eyes.

"We should check upstairs," Aylin said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "See if we can find anything interesting."

Iris nodded, though a shiver ran down her spine at the prospect. The stairs loomed above them, curving upward like a ghostly ribbon into the darkness.

The corridor above was narrow and cold, the air thick with the scent of dust and age. Iris' heart pounded in her chest as she followed her friends, their footsteps echoing off the walls. The doors to either side of the corridor were all closed, the rooms beyond them shrouded in darkness.

As they reached the far end of the hall, Iris slowed, her gaze fixed on the final door. There was something about it, something that drew her in.

"It's so spooky," Aylin whispered, clinging to Harlin's arm. "I don't want to go in there. Harlin, you go first."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Are you kidding? I'm not going in there alone. It's creepy," Harlin shot back, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, none of you have to. I'll do it," Iris said, squaring her shoulders. She reached out, her hand closing around the cold metal of the doorknob.

"I'll do it," Elina said, pushing forward. "I'm not a scared little girl."

"You don't have to," Iris said, turning the knob and pushing the door open.

Beyond the door lay a room that took Iris' breath away. The walls were painted a soft, creamy white, the floors covered in plush carpets that felt like silk underfoot. A massive four-poster bed dominated the room, its curtains a rich tapestry of gold and crimson. A dressing table sat against one wall, its surface scattered with delicate bottles and brushes. And on a small table by the window, a vase held a bouquet of flowers so realistic, Iris could almost smell their sweet scent.

"Wow," Elina breathed, stepping forward. "This room is...wow."

Iris found herself drawn to the vase, her fingers reaching out to touch the delicate petals. The flowers were a pale purple, almost lavender, with centers of sky blue. They seemed to glow in the dim light, drawing her in.

"Hey, what's caught your attention?" Elina asked, coming to stand beside her. "Find something interesting?"

Iris started, tearing her gaze from the flowers. "Oh, no...just these. They're beautiful, aren't they?"

Elina followed her gaze, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, they are. But we can't get distracted, Ris. We need to focus. Think about this place, what it might mean."

Iris nodded, tearing her gaze from the flowers. Elina was right - they couldn't afford to get sidetracked. But as she turned away from the vase, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this room, to this castle, than met the eye.

The others were already searching the room, their movements quiet and methodical. Iris joined them, her gaze scanning the space for anything out of place. But there was nothing, only the faint, lingering scent of perfume and the whisper of silk against silk.

As she searched, Iris found her mind wandering back to the castle itself. There was something strange about this place, something that didn't add up. The castle was abandoned, that much was clear. But there was a sense of...anticipation, as if they were being watched by unseen eyes.

"I don't get it," Aylin said finally, straightening from her examination of the dressing table. "There's nothing here. No clues, no hints. It's just...a room."

Iris frowned, turning to scan the space once more. And that was when she saw it - a flash of dark cream from beyond the bed curtains. Her heart leapt into her throat as she realized what it was - a gown, identical to the ones they wore.

Without a word, Iris strode towards the bed, her friends falling silent behind her. She reached out, slowly drawing back the curtain. And what she saw made her blood run cold.

Beyond the curtain, a boy was pinning Elina to the bed, his hand clamped over her mouth. Elina's eyes were wide with fear, her face pale. The boy himself was stunning, with piercing blue eyes and chiseled features. He was dressed in the finery of a prince, a sword at his side and a badge of office on his shoulder.

For a long moment, they stared at each other, the only sound Elina's muffled struggles. Then, the boy's gaze flicked to the others, his eyes widening in surprise. With a muttered oath, he released Elina, who scrambled backward with a gasp.

The boy straightened, his gaze flicking over the others before coming to rest on Iris. He was even more stunning up close, with piercing blue eyes and chiseled features. His dark hair was mussed, his finery slightly rumpled. And though there was a hint of wariness in his eyes, there was also a spark of curiosity.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice deep and commanding. "What are you doing in my castle?"

Iris found herself tongue-tied, her mind racing. What could she say? The truth, that they were a group of curious princesses who had broken into the abandoned castle on a whim? Somehow, she didn't think that would go over well.

"Well, you tell us," Harlin said finally, stepping forward. "This place looks like a dump from the outside, but in here, it's...it's like a palace or something. And you're definitely a prince. So what's the deal?"

The boy's gaze narrowed, a flush rising to his cheeks. "Who else would live in my castle?" he shot back, his voice dripping with arrogance. "And you...you're the princesses of the neighboring kingdoms, aren't you? So what brings you to my home?"

Iris exchanged a glance with her friends, seeing her own shock mirrored in their eyes. They had not expected this, had not expected to run into a prince in the abandoned castle.

"How did you know who we are?" Aylin demanded, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It's my duty to know about the neighboring kingdoms," the boy said, his shoulders squaring. "I'm Prince Zen of Wistaria. And you, Princess Elina, are clearly a little clumsy. I saw you standing by my bed and thought you were an intruder. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Elina's face was still pale, but some of the fear had faded from her eyes. "I...I guess that makes sense," she said finally. "But we still don't know why you're here, or what this place is."

"A few days ago, there was a big festival in Wistaria," Elina explained. "All the royal families were invited, but when we came to the forest, our parents wouldn't let us in. They said there was something here we shouldn't see. So...we got curious."

Zen's gaze narrowed, a frown furrowing his brow. "I see," he said finally. "And did you see my brothers and I at this festival?"

Aylin shook her head. "No, you guys weren't there."

"We were away on business," Zen said, waving a hand dismissively. "But that doesn't matter. What matters is why you're here, in my castle."

Iris shrugged, feeling a flicker of defiance. "Like Elina said, we got curious. Our parents are always trying to control us, to keep us locked away. So when they told us not to come here...well, of course we had to see what the big deal was."

Zen's gaze held hers, a spark of something unreadable in his eyes. "I see," he said finally. "Well, perhaps you can figure that out for yourselves."

As he spoke, a knock echoed from the door. "Enter," Zen called, his gaze flicking toward the sound.

The door opened to reveal two boys, both of whom made Iris' heart skip a beat. The first was tall and lean, with piercing green eyes and chiseled features. His dark hair was perfectly styled, his finery immaculate. Beside him stood a boy of similar age, but with a softer look to him. His hair was a rich brown, his eyes a warm hazel. A shy smile played on his lips as he took in the scene before him.

"Zen, who...," the first boy began, breaking off as his gaze fell on the princesses. His eyes widened, a flush rising to his cheeks.

"Come here for a minute," Zen said, beckoning the boys closer. The three of them conferred in hushed tones, their gazes flicking toward the princesses.

Finally, they turned back, a look of determination on their faces. "Greetings, princesses," the first boy said, bowing low. "I'm Prince Eren of Wistaria, and this is my brother, Prince Erwin.

"I'm Elina, and this is Aylin, Harlin, and Iris," Elina said, gesturing to her friends.

Eren's gaze narrowed, a frown furrowing his brow. "I know. Zen told me."

"So you guys live here too?" Aylin asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The princes nodded in unison, their gazes flicking toward the princesses. And in that moment, Iris felt a spark of something, a sense of connection that went beyond mere chance.

As they fell into conversation, Iris found herself growing more and more restless. There was something about these princes, something that drew her in. But there was also a sense of...secrets, of things left unspoken.

"What's on your mind, Princess Iris?" Zen asked, his voice breaking into her thoughts. "You look a thousand miles away."

Iris started, tearing her gaze from the princes. "Oh, nothing," she said, forcing a smile. "Just...this place, I guess. It's all so strange."

Eren nodded, a look of understanding on his face. "Yes, it is. But perhaps we can make it less so. We're not exactly...typical princes, you know."

Iris raised an eyebrow, a spark of curiosity igniting in her chest. "Oh? And what kind of princes are you, exactly?"

Eren smiled, a mischievous glint in his eye. "The kind who would rather serve you girls a meal than have you standing there like guests. Shall we go downstairs? We'll get something sorted out."

Iris exchanged a glance with her friends, seeing her own surprise mirrored in their eyes. But there was also a spark of excitement, of possibility.

"Yeah, okay," Harlin said finally, a smile spreading across her face. "I could eat."

Eren grinned, bowing low. "Excellent. Then let's get moving."

As they followed the princes from the room, Iris couldn't help but feel a spark of anticipation. There was something about this place, about these princes, that was far from ordinary. And as they descended into the depths of the castle, Iris couldn't help but wonder what other secrets lay hidden, waiting to be uncovered.