"WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"
I wake up, on the fourth day, to loud yelling and a deafening ringing sound. My eyes open wide, to find a guard banging on the bars of my cell, with the same iron rod they use to snatch our food. Next to him, there is another guard with chains hanging from his gauntlets.
Shackles.
I quickly prop myself up with my elbows. "What is it?"
"Stand against the wall, hands raised." Demands the guard with the shackles.
I get into a sitting position and start stretching, letting out a yawn in the process.
"NOW!" Another bang springs me upwards, and I am against the wall in no time.
The guard with the shackles slams the door open and barges in, shackles rattling with every movement.
The other follows, rod at the ready. "Try to do anything funny, and you'll regret it."
Looking at it, I can't help but imagine that rod banging on my head like it was banging on those bars. I hope that's not why he is holding it like that. As the other guard binds my wrists and ankles, my eyes never leave that rod, making sure that it's at a safe distance.
They grab my arms, and despite my attempts to hold it in, I let out a whimper; I think I am still bruised from last time. My shackles rattle, as we walk past Kyla's cell. When we make eye contact, she pulls a sympathetic smile and moves her lips, trying to tell me something. I pull a confused face and she slaps her forehead, then shakes her head exasperatedly. Before she gets a chance to repeat whatever she was trying to tell me, a guard turns my head right ahead.
"Good luck, Princess!" She yells from behind, in her usual coarse voice that makes me want to cough.
"Silence!" Yells the guard with the rod, banging on the bars of Kyla's neighboring cell. Somehow, the guy in there is still asleep.
We walk down the isle, towards the main entrance of this horrid place. Did they finally realize that I don't belong here? Am I finally going to be free? I am finally going back home?
They throw me in a transporter, then slide in next to me. Or rather on me. I try wiggle my thighs from under their heavy armoured ones, but its of no use.
"Take us to Cal Palace." Demands one of them, and the transporter beeps in response.
Home. I am going home! I bend forward and look through the window, eager to spot something familiar. But a guard slams me backwards before I can see anything.
We finally stop, after what feels like forever, in front of a familiar cider field. Mother used to summon her stars here. We walk past the statue of Callianne, that stands serenely tall at the center. I look at the flowing darkness veiling her eyes. Please, I know that you know that I am innocent. Please help me.
"Wait here." commands a guard positioned by the giant silver double-doors of the grand hall, and my guards salute in response.
They slide open, clearing the way for another pair of guards dragging out a prisoner, as her legs uselessly fumble underneath. Her head is hanging numbly from her neck, and is covered by wildly shaking fire. As they drag her away, I finally get a glimpse at her face.
"Luna?"
My guards press harder on my arms. "Silence!"
The guard at the door soon lets us in. As we march across the grand hall, all eyes turn on me. Staff workers that wouldn't dare look my way before, can't seem to look away. To avoid their judgemental stares, I lower my gaze to my feet, and watch them go one step after the other along the long silver carpet, but I can still feel their cold eyes freezing my skin.
"Scarlie?" Amber's sweet voice bounces off every wall in the hall, but I can't bring myself to meet her eyes. "Scarlie, its okay."
I hesitantly look up, and she greets me with her kind dimpled smile from Mother's throne. "How's Moth-" I clear my throat. "How's Her Majesty?"
She nods enthusiastically. "She is getting better. The remedy worked! And her arm looks much better already. The doc-"
"Enough!" Father interrupts. "We do not share such sensitive information with prisoners." He literally spits the word in my face.
I flinch, and blink away tears before they evaporate into clouds in front of me. If my own father doesn't believe me, who will?
"But she is not a prisoner! She is the one who got the lily that saved the Queen." She stands up with excitement. "She deserves to be free. Guards, release her this instant!"
My guards start to undo me shackles, but freeze as soon as Father's angry voice fills the hall. "LET'S not be hasty." He gives Amber a disapproving look and shakes his head. "Clearly, Princess Amber is not ready to rule yet. She seems to be facing difficulties enforcing the law, and punishing this... Criminal." He waves a disgusted arm my way. "For her crimes. Guards! Please escort Princess Amber back to her chambers."
"NO! Amber!" I rush to protect her, but my guards grab me firmly, leaving me kicking uselessly in the air. "Leave her alone." As they grab her and lead her away, I kick even harder. "NO! LEAVE HER ALONE! LEAVE. HER ALOOOONE!"
She turns back to me, and tilts her head with a smile. "Its okay, Scarlie, I'll be fine."
"NO!" I scream, as I watch her walk along so defeatedly. Why isn't she resisting? Why is she letting them take her without a fight?
When she is out of sight, I turn to Father, who has now moved from his seat, next to the throne, on to the throne itself. "Why?" My voice comes out coarse and monstrous. "WHY!"
He eyes me from over his nose. "I don't have to justify anything to prisoners." He then clears his throat and wears a neutral expression. "Now, Respected Mayors, where were we?" He allows the silence to fill the room for a moment, although I am well aware that he knows exactly 'where they were'. "Aaa, yes. We are gathered here to agree to a punishment for this criminal. Does anyone have any ideas?"
"I do, Your Majesty." Regina Kinette's voice poisons the air.
'Your Majesty'? Seriously? He is not even king!
"Please, go ahead. We are listening."
She scans me from top to bottom with unimpressed eyes. "Passing through the gates, uninvited, is a serious offence to the order and peace of Auradoria, and shouldn't be taken lightly. I suggest she should be executed, so we can make an example out of her for whoever considers to commit such a crime."
Father tilts his head in consideration. Is he seriously considering this? For real? He is willing to kill me? His daughter? Suddenly, everything around me starts to sway. All I can hear is my heavy breathing, with a lot of muffled voices in the background. There is a searing pain in my shoulders. Someone is talking, or rather arguing, I think, but I can't identify the speaker's voice; its too distorted.
"The Queen… We should wait… Won't be."
I think someone is calling me. "Scarlie… Scarlie."
Soft hands cup my cheeks. I blink hard to refocus my vision and make sense of the swirling colors in front of me.
"Scarlie, dear, its okay, I've got it covered." Pale gray eyes look into mine with what may be mistaken for concern, but I know better.
"Get away from me." My lips feel heavier than usual. I am not sure the words come out right. "Get away from me." Its clearer this time, as if my anger is somehow fueling me. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" I shove Lady Elanor's hands off. "After all you've done, you have audacity to tell me 'its okay, I've got it covered'!"
My guards press even harder on my shoulders and pull me away from Lady Elanor, but she waves them off. "Its okay, stand down." She shoots a glance at the mayor of Hazelville, from over her shoulder, and he acknowledges it with a blink and a nod. She then turns back to me, and leans in to whisper in my ear. "I have a plan, I just need you to trust me."
"Well, this is a problem, because I don't."
She shakes her head, and puts on a well-crafted hurt face. On her way back to her post, behind the throne, she whispers something in Edward Haze's ear, and he gets up from his seat, next to the throne.
He clears his throat. "If I may speak?"
Father's suspicious eyes bounce between Edward Haze and Lady Elanor. "Of course, Mr. Haze. Please, go ahead."
"I was wondering…" A pause for effect. "How is that a daughter of the royal house, Sardiarre, is accused of passing through the city border gates without permission? As a member of the royal family, shouldn't she be allowed anywhere?"
Father raises an eyebrow at Lady Elanor. "Did your sister put you up to this?" He chuckles, and gradually the subtle chuckle turns into hysterical giggling. "Your desperate attempts, Elanor."
Roland Allure blinks with confusion at Father's informal state, then diverts his eyes to the mayor of Hazelville. "Last I checked, she is not really a royal. She is not a queen, not a princess, she bares no title at all. She doesn't even know how to follow basic protocol."
"What do you mean?" Asks Edward Haze.
"Well, I invited her to my manor, and she simply ignored the invitation." Oops, he seems genuinely offended. "I asked the house keepers to prepare the best guest room upon her arrival. I asked my guards to welcome her right from the gates. But by the time I made it to the grand hall, she was gone!"
"W-well, if it makes you feel any better, I did show up. But you were asleep, so your son invited me to dinner instead."
"Maven." He shakes his head exasperatedly. "I'll deal with him when I get back."
No! That's not what I meant. Now poor Maven is in trouble because of me.
The mayor of Electra's violet eyes glow with shock as she connects the dots. "So… Basically…"
"Tyron is the one that prevented his own daughter from passing through the gate." Completes Lady Elanor, and Father raises an amused eyebrow at her.
So, this is what its about. Lady Elanor's 'plan' is setting Father up. The two of them never got along, but I can't believe she went to the extent of putting me behind bars just to make him look bad.
"Actually, Lady Elanor is the one behind all this." If I am being executed either way. Why not take her down with me?
All of them stare at me, as still as statues. Father is the first to speak. "Well, you've all heard her. Guards! Arrest Elanor Haze." He turns to Edward Haze with a devilish grin. "Edward Haze too, for being her accomplice." He clicks his tongue. "Trying to divide the royal family like this? What a shame? Make sure they both get executed tomorrow!"
While they bind her in shackles, Lady Elanor's eyes never leave mine. Surprisingly, they bare no hostility, considering I just exposed her, and now she is getting executed because of me. In fact, her eyes are warm and gentle. Or maybe this is her last attempt at manipulating me. I shake my head. I am NOT buying it. I am NOT falling for it. Instead, I watch her as they take her away with a victorious grin.
Father turns back to me. "Now, for this prisoner, who is in favor of Regina Kinette's suggestion? Shall we execute her? All those in favor raise your hands."
Father and Regina Kinette raise their hands simultaneously. Then, Roland Allure's hand follows more hesitantly, leaving only the mayors of Electra and Kelva with their hands down.
The two ladies stare at each other, horrified, as Father makes the final declaration. "It's settled then. When she turns eighteen, on the 13th of Aidlynne 178, she shall be EXECUTED."