McKenna pov

The sun was beginning to set behind the castle walls, casting a golden hue across the vast landscape of Auradon. From my balcony at my parents castle in auradon, the view stretched for miles—lush greenery, winding rivers, and the towering spires of Auradon Prep in the distance. It was beautiful, almost perfect, but today, it felt more like a gilded cage than a sanctuary. I gripped the stone railing, feeling the cold against my palms as I took a deep breath, letting the cool evening air fill my lungs.

The weight of responsibility was suffocating. Everyone in Auradon and in Auroria  were so happy to know that the long lost princess who they thought was dead was actually alive and well and now back with them and they also saw me as the perfect future queen who had it all. But they didn’t know what I truly felt inside. They didn’t know how hard it was to live in the shadow of Audrey—my sister, who became the golden child after my disappearance, and the one who had always been destined for greatness. And now, with her bitterness bubbling beneath every encounter, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was truly cut out for this life. Was I even supposed to be here?

Ben had been so understanding, so patient, and yet, I could see the expectation in his eyes too. He never said it out loud, but there were moments—quiet moments—where I could feel the unspoken pressure. He needed a queen, a partner to stand by his side and help him lead Auradon. And I wanted to be that for him. But every time I saw myself in the mirror, dressed in the finest gowns, my hair perfectly styled, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was pretending. That I was playing a role that didn’t belong to me.

The royal court was the worst. The stares, the whispers, the constant comparisons to Audrey. I knew what they thought, what they said behind my back. “She’s not as regal as her sister,” “She grew up in the isle she has no experience,” “Auradon needs someone stronger, someone like Audrey.” No matter how hard I tried to ignore them, those voices seemed to echo louder with each passing day.

I felt a tear slip down my cheek and quickly wiped it away. Weakness had no place in the life of a queen. I had to be strong, I  had to hold it together for Ben, for my family, for Auradon. But deep down, I knew there was only one place where I could find the answers I needed—where I could escape the suffocating expectations of this life.

The Isle of the Lost.

The very thought of it sent a shiver down my spine. It had been 6 months since I’d last set foot there, but the memories were still vivid. The narrow, dirty streets. The dark, damp alleys that held more secrets than anyone could ever know. And Xavier. The name alone brought a rush of emotions I wasn’t ready to face. He had been my first love, my confidant in a world that felt so foreign to me. But when I left the Isle for Auradon, I left him behind too. I had chosen this life, chosen Ben, and in doing so, I had betrayed Xavier. He would  never forgive me.

I turned away from the balcony and stepped back into my room, the soft rustle of my gown brushing against the marble floor. The room was opulent, draped in gold and velvet, a symbol of everything I had gained—and everything I was losing. My heart ached with the weight of it all. I couldn’t talk to Ben about this, not yet. He had enough on his shoulders, and I didn’t want to add my insecurities to the pile.

I would just have to suffer in silence and power through it and just hope and pray that I could keep up the act