Chapter 4: The Queen's Confession
The first blow against the door shook dust from the ceiling.
Elia stumbled backward.
Captain Rowan raised his sword, positioning himself between the queen and the entrance. Prince Adrian pulled his own blade from its sheath.
"Stand behind me," Adrian ordered.
Elia looked at the queen.
"Your Majesty, what did the journal mean?""
Eleanor didn't answer.
Her eyes remained fixed on the seven words written in the physician's handwriting.
The king ordered the princess's disappearance.
And beneath them:
Queen Eleanor knew.
The second blow landed.
A crack spread across the wooden door.
"Mother!"" Adrian shouted.
"Whatever you're hiding, tell us now!""
Eleanor looked at her son.
Then she looked at Elia.
"I have spent nineteen years wishing I could take back one decision.""
The door shook again.
"Your Majesty," Rowan warned, "we have seconds.""
Eleanor crossed the room and took Elia's hands.
"Listen carefully. Whatever happens next, you must understand that you were never abandoned because you were unwanted.""
Elia's lips trembled.
"Then why was I left at a chapel?""
"Because I thought it was the only way to keep you alive.""
Before Elia could respond, the door burst open.
Three armed men rushed into the chambers.
Rowan met the first with a sharp swing of his sword. Steel crashed against steel, sending sparks across the marble floor.
Adrian caught the second man's blade and forced him against the wall.
The third reached for Elia.
She screamed.
"Don't touch her!"" Eleanor shouted.
The queen grabbed a silver candlestick from the table and struck the man's wrist.
His weapon fell.
Elia stumbled away as Rowan drove the intruders backward.
"Your Highness!"" Rowan called.
"We need to move!""
But a familiar voice sounded from the corridor.
"How disappointing. I had hoped the queen would cooperate.""
Lord Malcolm Voss entered.
He wore his usual immaculate black coat, his silver hair untouched by the struggle. Behind him stood a dozen royal guards.
In his right hand, he held a rolled parchment.
"Your Majesty," he said, bowing just enough to appear respectful, "I am here to escort you to the Council Chamber.""
Eleanor stepped forward.
"On whose authority?""
"Mine.""
"You have no authority to enter my private chambers without my permission.""
Voss smiled faintly.
"Under ordinary circumstances, perhaps.""
He unfolded the parchment.
"By decree of the Regency Council, signed and witnessed this morning, Her Majesty is temporarily relieved of her royal duties pending an investigation into the attempted concealment of a possible claimant to the throne.""
Adrian stared at him.
"You're attempting to remove my mother?""
"I am attempting to preserve the kingdom.""
"You forged a council decree.""
"Careful, Your Highness.""
Voss raised the document.
"Accusing the chancellor of treason without evidence would be a serious mistake.""
Adrian moved forward, but Eleanor caught his arm.
"Don't.""
"Mother—"
"Not here.""
Voss's eyes shifted toward Elia.
"And the girl will accompany me.""
"No," Eleanor replied.
"She is a potential threat to the succession.""
"She is under my protection.""
"Your protection is no longer recognized.""
Voss gestured.
Two guards stepped forward.
Captain Rowan placed himself in their path.
"I would reconsider that step.""
Voss regarded him with mild disappointment.
"Captain, your loyalty has always been admirable. Unfortunately, your judgment has never matched it.""
He turned toward the other guards.
"Take him.""
Nobody moved.
The chancellor's smile disappeared.
"Did you not hear me?""
One guard looked at Rowan.
Then at the queen.
"Your Majesty," he whispered, "I cannot.""
Voss's expression darkened.
"Very well.""
He raised his hand.
The guards behind him drew their weapons.
Adrian stepped beside Rowan.
For one suspended moment, neither side moved.
Then Eleanor spoke.
"Malcolm.""
The chancellor turned.
"Yes, Your Majesty?""
"I know what happened nineteen years ago.""
Something changed in his face.
Only for a heartbeat.
But Elia saw it.
The chancellor's fingers tightened around the parchment.
"Then perhaps you should have kept your knowledge to yourself.""
Eleanor looked at him with a sadness that seemed older than the palace itself.
"You told me my daughter was dead.""
"And you believed me.""
"I never believed you.""
"Yet you signed the papers.""
The words fell heavily.
Adrian turned toward his mother.
"Mother?""
Eleanor closed her eyes.
"Rowan, the passage.""
The captain immediately understood.
He moved toward the portrait beside the fireplace and pressed a small golden ornament beneath its frame.
A section of the wooden wall shifted.
Behind it was a narrow passage.
"Go!"" Rowan commanded.
Adrian grabbed Elia's hand.
"Come on!""
Eleanor remained where she was.
Elia pulled against the prince.
"The queen!""
Adrian turned.
"Mother, move!""
But Eleanor faced Voss.
"You will not take her again.""
Voss's expression hardened.
"Her?""
He looked directly at Elia.
For the first time, there was no attempt to hide his hatred.
"That girl should never have been born.""
Elia froze.
The queen slapped him.
The sound echoed through the chamber.
"Get out of my sight!""
Voss staggered half a step.
Then his face became frighteningly calm.
"Take them all.""
Rowan struck the nearest guard and forced him backward.
Adrian dragged Elia through the hidden entrance.
Eleanor followed just before the wall closed.
The passage swallowed them in darkness.
The narrow corridor smelled of dust and wet stone.
Adrian carried a small lantern while Rowan moved ahead, listening for footsteps. Eleanor walked behind Elia, holding her hand.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Finally, Elia broke the silence.
"Your Majesty, what did Lord Voss mean?""
Eleanor looked at her.
"He was there the night you disappeared.""
"Who was?""
"Malcolm Voss.""
Elia stopped walking.
The queen gently pulled her forward.
"Please. Keep moving.""
Adrian turned.
"Mother, stop speaking in riddles. What happened?""
Eleanor looked toward the stone ceiling.
"Nineteen years ago, shortly after your sister was born, your father discovered that someone inside the palace was paying the royal guards to report every movement in the nursery.""
"Who?""
"Lord Voss.""
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Why?""
"At the time, your father suspected the chancellor wanted control of the succession. You were seven years old, and your sister was only a baby. If something happened to your father, Voss intended to become regent.""
"Father could have dismissed him.""
"He tried.""
Eleanor paused.
"But Voss had already gathered allies among the noble families. Your father feared that removing him openly would start a civil war.""
Elia listened silently.
"On the night of the fire," Eleanor continued, "your father discovered that Voss had arranged for the nursery guards to be replaced. He knew something terrible was coming.""
Adrian looked horrified.
"So he had the nursery emptied?""
"No. There wasn't time.""
The queen's voice cracked.
"Your father came to me in the middle of the night. He told me that the child was in danger. He had found evidence that Voss intended to remove her permanently.""
"Then why didn't you take her to the guards?""
"Because we no longer knew which guards we could trust.""
They reached a small stone staircase.
Rowan stopped at the bottom.
"Your Majesty, the northern passage leads to the old chapel. We should be safe there.""
Eleanor nodded.
But Elia hadn't moved.
"What happened to the princess?""
The queen turned.
"I took her from the nursery.""
Elia stared at her.
"I wrapped her in a blanket and carried her through the service corridor. Your father arranged for a woman he trusted to meet us outside the palace.""
"Mara?"" Elia whispered.
Eleanor's eyes filled.
"Yes.""
Elia felt the air leave her lungs.
"Mara worked here?""
"She was once a royal nurse. She had been dismissed from palace service years earlier after refusing to obey one of Voss's orders. But your father trusted her completely.""
"Why didn't she tell me?""
"Because I begged her not to.""
Elia shook her head.
"You knew where I was?""
The queen lowered her eyes.
"I knew you were taken beyond the palace. I knew Mara would protect you. But after the fire, the roads were watched, the letters intercepted, and every attempt I made to contact her disappeared.""
"Then you never came looking?""
"I did.""
Eleanor's tears fell freely now.
"I sent men. I searched villages. I questioned every woman who had worked in the nursery. But your father had warned me that if the child was discovered, Voss would finish what he had started.""
Adrian stared at his mother.
"Father knew the whole time?""
"He knew the danger. He ordered that the child's identity be hidden.""
"And the letter?""
Eleanor closed her eyes.
"The last line in that message was his.""
Adrian looked furious.
"He wrote that she must never stand before the throne?""
"Because the crystal would recognize her. And once it did, Voss would know she was alive.""
Elia looked down at her hands.
"So the king wanted me hidden forever.""
"No," Eleanor whispered.
"Your father wanted you alive long enough to choose your own future.""
They reached the top of the stairs.
Ahead stood an old wooden door leading into the abandoned royal chapel.
Rowan opened it carefully.
Moonlight streamed through a broken stained-glass window.
Elia stepped inside.
At the far end stood a marble statue of a woman holding a baby.
Below it was an inscription.
For the children of Valoria, may no crown ever cost them their childhood.
Elia approached the statue.
The carved woman wore a silver swan pendant around her neck.
She touched the pendant hanging against her own chest.
Then she looked at Eleanor.
"Why didn't you tell me who I might be when I first touched the crystal?""
The queen's answer was barely audible.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of Lord Voss?""
Eleanor shook her head.
"Of what the truth would do to you.""
Before Elia could respond, Captain Rowan rushed toward the chapel entrance.
"Your Majesty!""
He looked through a narrow window.
"Someone is approaching.""
Adrian drew his sword.
"How many?""
"Four. No... six.""
Rowan turned toward them.
"They found the passage.""
Then he looked at the queen.
"And they're carrying something.""
"What?""
"A royal banner.""
May you like
He swallowed.
"The banner of the king.""
