Chapter 3: A Secret Written in Ashes
The sentence remained between them like a blade.
Queen Eleanor stared at the old royal seal.
For a long moment, the only sound in her chambers was the crackling fire.
Then she reached for the parchment.
"Give it to me.""
Adrian handed it over.
Eleanor studied the handwriting.
She knew it.
She had seen it on thousands of royal documents, marriage contracts, military orders, and private letters.
It belonged to King Edmund.
Her husband.
Her hands tightened.
"This cannot be genuine.""
Adrian frowned.
"It bears Father's seal.""
"That seal was locked in the royal treasury after his death.""
"Then someone must have taken it.""
The queen looked toward Elia.
The maid sat motionless in the velvet chair, her pendant clutched inside her fist.
"Your Majesty," Elia said carefully, "who is the child in that letter?""
Eleanor's face softened.
"A child who disappeared.""
"From the palace?""
"Yes.""
Elia looked down at the silver swan.
"Was she important?""
The queen seemed to struggle for words.
"She was everything.""
Adrian turned toward the fireplace.
"Our younger sister.""
Elia looked up.
The room seemed to tilt.
"Your sister?""
Adrian nodded.
"Princess Isolde. She disappeared during a fire in the royal nursery.""
Elia stared at him.
"Was she found?""
"No.""
The answer was quiet.
Too quiet.
"Then..."" Elia swallowed.
"She died?""
The queen closed her eyes.
"That is what the palace was told.""
Elia looked toward the portrait.
The baby in Eleanor's arms.
The small face hidden by the blanket.
She felt suddenly cold.
"Why are you telling me this?""
The queen approached her.
"Because the crystal recognized you.""
"But I am not a princess.""
"You don't know that.""
Elia shook her head.
"I was raised by a seamstress. I have spent my entire life washing floors and serving meals. I don't belong in a royal portrait.""
Eleanor knelt in front of her.
"Listen to me. A person's worth is not decided by the clothes she wears.""
For the first time, Elia met the queen's eyes without lowering her own.
"Then why does everyone keep reminding me that I'm only a servant?""
Eleanor's face crumpled.
She had no answer.
Adrian looked away.
Outside the chambers, footsteps echoed along the corridor.
The queen stood immediately.
"Lock the door.""
Adrian obeyed.
Then he pulled the curtains and lowered the fire screen.
"Mother, we need to speak to the captain of the royal guard.""
"Not yet.""
"Voss has issued an order to take her.""
"And if we announce that we suspect Elia is Isolde, the entire kingdom will know before we have proof.""
Elia stood.
"Your Majesty, I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me.""
Eleanor turned.
"Nobody will hurt you.""
"But that man...""
"Lord Voss will not touch you.""
Adrian moved closer.
"Mother, we need to know how the old seal was used. Someone has access to the treasury.""
Eleanor nodded.
"Find Captain Rowan. Quietly. Tell him to bring the old nursery records.""
Adrian paused.
"All of them?""
"Especially the records from the night of the fire.""
He glanced at Elia.
"Stay here.""
Elia nodded.
As Adrian opened the door, the queen called after him.
"And Adrian?""
He turned.
"Do not trust anyone carrying a message from the chancellor.""
The prince's jaw tightened.
"I already don't.""
He left.
An hour later, Elia was still sitting beside the fire.
A fresh dress had been brought for her, but she hadn't touched it.
She couldn't stop thinking about the princess.
Princess Isolde.
A name that seemed to echo somewhere inside her memory.
At last, she looked at Queen Eleanor.
"May I ask you something?""
"Anything.""
"Was she happy?""
The queen blinked.
"Who?""
"The princess.""
Eleanor sat beside her.
"She was a beautiful baby. She used to laugh whenever her brother made funny faces. She loved music. She would quiet whenever I sang.""
Elia's fingers curled around her pendant.
"Did she have a favorite song?""
The queen smiled sadly.
"She had one. I sang it every night.""
"Was it the song about the silver moon?""
Eleanor nodded.
"Yes.""
Elia stared into the fire.
"Mara sang that song to me.""
The queen's eyes filled again.
"Then perhaps she wanted you to remember.""
Elia shook her head.
"She never told me I came from the palace.""
"Perhaps she was protecting you.""
"From what?""
Eleanor looked toward the locked door.
"That is what I intend to discover.""
A sudden knock interrupted them.
Three sharp raps.
Eleanor stood.
"Who is it?""
"Captain Rowan, Your Majesty.""
The queen crossed the room and opened the door only a few inches.
A broad-shouldered man stood outside, wearing the black and silver uniform of the royal guard. His dark hair was streaked with gray, and a thin scar ran from his temple to his jaw.
He bowed.
"Your Majesty.""
"Come in.""
Captain Rowan entered carrying a leather folder.
His expression changed when he saw Elia.
"Is this the girl?""
"Yes.""
He studied her for a moment.
Then he lowered his head.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I did not expect...""
"Do not finish that sentence," Eleanor said.
Rowan immediately fell silent.
He placed the folder on the table.
"I found the nursery records. Some pages are missing.""
"How many?""
"Seven.""
Eleanor's face hardened.
"Who had access?""
"According to the archive ledger, Lord Voss.""
Adrian, who had returned through the side entrance, stopped in his tracks.
"When?""
Rowan turned.
"Three days ago.""
The prince placed his hand on his sword.
"Why would he be searching the nursery records?""
"That isn't the worst part, Your Highness.""
Rowan opened the folder.
Inside were several yellowed documents, a charcoal drawing of the old nursery, and a faded medical report.
He placed the medical report in front of the queen.
Eleanor read the first lines.
Her expression became pale.
"What is this?""
Rowan answered carefully.
"A physician's record from the night Princess Isolde disappeared.""
Adrian leaned over her shoulder.
"The princess was declared dead.""
"Yes, Your Highness. But this report says the child's body was never recovered.""
The queen looked up.
"Then why was I told she had died?""
Rowan hesitated.
"Because the official report was altered.""
He placed another document beside it.
At the bottom was a physician's signature.
Dr. Alistair Fenwick.
Eleanor recognized the name.
"He delivered Isolde.""
"Yes, Your Majesty. He also signed the death certificate.""
Adrian looked at the report again.
"Where is he now?""
"Dead. He died six months after the fire.""
Rowan hesitated before adding, "But his personal journal survived.""
The queen's eyes widened.
"Where?""
"In the old infirmary. Hidden behind a loose panel beneath his desk.""
Adrian turned toward him.
"Did you read it?""
"Only the last entry.""
"What did it say?""
Captain Rowan looked at Elia.
Then he lowered his voice.
"The princess did not die in the fire.""
Eleanor gripped the table.
"Read the rest.""
Rowan opened a folded page.
His voice was steady, but his fingers were not.
"At approximately midnight, the child was removed from the nursery by an unknown woman. The royal guards were ordered to stand down. I was instructed to record her death, although I was told she would be taken beyond the northern border.""
Elia felt her breath catch.
The northern border.
The same direction as the village where Mara had raised her.
Rowan continued.
"The person who issued the order wore the king's signet ring.""
Adrian frowned.
"That could have been anyone.""
"Not according to the physician.""
Rowan turned the page.
"He wrote that the person gave him one additional instruction.""
The captain swallowed.
"Never let the child return to the palace. If she ever finds the crystal, destroy it before it recognizes her.""
Nobody spoke.
Elia looked down at her right hand.
The old scar across her knuckle had begun to ache.
"Captain," she whispered, "did the journal say anything about the woman who took the child?""
Rowan searched the final page.
"Yes.""
He read the words slowly.
"She was described as a young woman with a burn scar along her left wrist. She carried a silver swan pendant, and she was heard singing a lullaby as she left the palace.""
The room went silent.
Elia stood so quickly that the chair scraped against the floor.
"Mara had a scar.""
Eleanor turned toward her.
"What?""
"On her wrist. A burn scar. She always covered it with her sleeves.""
Elia looked at the queen, frightened now.
"She told me she got it while working near a kitchen fire.""
Captain Rowan exchanged a look with Adrian.
The queen reached for Elia's hand.
"Did Mara ever tell you how she came to take care of you?""
"No.""
"Did she ever mention the palace?""
"Only once.""
Eleanor leaned forward.
"What did she say?""
Elia swallowed.
"When I was little, I asked why she never let me go near the northern road. She said some doors should stay closed because the people behind them were dangerous.""
The queen's eyes filled.
"She knew.""
But before anyone could answer, a violent crash sounded from the corridor.
Someone shouted.
Then the door handle began to turn.
Captain Rowan drew his sword.
"Your Majesty, get behind me!""
Adrian moved toward Elia.
The door shook under a heavy blow.
"Open in the name of the royal chancellor!""
Rowan stood firm.
"State your purpose!""
A voice answered from the other side.
"By order of Lord Voss, the maid Elia is to be taken into custody.""
The queen stepped forward.
"Tell Lord Voss that I forbid it!""
There was a brief silence.
Then another voice spoke.
Not the chancellor's.
It was older, rougher, and unmistakably familiar.
"Your Majesty, perhaps you should read the final page of the physician's journal before you decide who is in danger.""
Captain Rowan glanced down at the open folder.
A final sheet had fallen beneath the table.
He picked it up.
His face drained of color.
Adrian took the page.
"What is it?""
Rowan couldn't speak.
Eleanor grabbed the document.
At the bottom, in Dr. Fenwick's hurried handwriting, were seven words.
The king ordered the princess's disappearance.
And beneath them was a second sentence.
Queen Eleanor knew.
The queen stared at the words.
Elia stepped away from her.
"Your Majesty?""
Eleanor looked up, tears streaming down her face.
For the first time, she looked less like a queen than a woman standing before a truth she had spent nineteen years trying to bury.
"Elia," she whispered, "there is something I never told anyone about that night...""
The door shook again.
May you like
And outside, Lord Voss gave a quiet command.
"Break it down.""
