Chapter 5: The Woman Who Raised a Princess
The chapel door opened before dawn.
A young guard entered carrying a lantern and a sealed message.
He fell to one knee.
"Your Majesty. Captain Rowan. I apologize for the disturbance.""
Rowan kept his sword raised.
"Identify yourself.""
"Thomas, third division of the eastern guard.""
"Who sent you?""
"Lady Victoria Ashbourne.""
Adrian frowned.
"Victoria?""
Thomas nodded.
"She requests an audience with His Highness. She claims to have information about Lord Voss.""
The prince looked toward his mother.
"That sounds like a trap.""
"It may be," Rowan replied.
Eleanor took the letter.
"Where is she?""
"At the old west gallery, Your Majesty. She has come alone.""
Adrian gave a humorless laugh.
"Victoria never goes anywhere alone.""
"She said Lord Voss has been watching her family," Thomas explained.
"And that she has something to show you.""
The queen glanced at Elia.
"Can she be trusted?""
"No," Adrian answered immediately.
Then he reconsidered.
"But she may know something useful.""
Rowan lowered his sword.
"I'll check the gallery.""
"Take two men," Eleanor ordered.
Thomas bowed and followed the captain.
When they were gone, Adrian approached his mother.
"We cannot keep running.""
"We are not running," Eleanor replied.
"We are preserving the truth until we can expose it.""
"And what if Voss reaches the royal throne first?""
The queen looked at him.
"Then he will have to answer to me.""
Elia sat near the chapel window, staring at the pendant in her hand.
"Mara knew everything?""
Eleanor approached.
"She knew that the baby she carried was important. I don't know whether she knew the entire conspiracy.""
"She never told me I was different.""
"Perhaps she wanted you to have an ordinary life.""
Elia's eyes filled.
"I used to get angry when she wouldn't tell me about my parents. I thought she was keeping something from me because she didn't love me enough.""
Eleanor sat beside her.
"What did she say when you asked?""
"She would tell me that I had been loved before I could even remember what love felt like.""
The queen pressed a hand against her mouth.
Elia continued.
"She used to say I had the hands of someone who would one day open an important door.""
Eleanor stared at her.
"She said that?""
"Yes.""
"What else?""
Elia tried to remember.
"She told me that if I ever heard the silver swan sing, I must never run away.""
The queen's face turned pale.
Before she could ask more, hurried footsteps sounded outside.
Captain Rowan returned.
"Your Highness, Lady Victoria is here.""
"Bring her in.""
Victoria entered wearing the same ivory gown from the ceremony.
But it was now dirty at the hem, and one sleeve had been torn. Her blonde hair had come loose from its elaborate arrangement.
She looked nothing like the confident noblewoman who had stood before the crystal.
She looked frightened.
Her eyes went immediately to Elia.
"You.""
Elia stood.
Victoria looked away.
"Your Highness, I need to speak with you privately.""
Adrian crossed his arms.
"Say what you came to say.""
Victoria swallowed.
"My father has been meeting with Lord Voss.""
"That's hardly news.""
"He has been meeting with him for months.""
The queen leaned forward.
"About what?""
Victoria glanced toward the guards.
Then she lowered her voice.
"About the succession.""
Adrian's expression darkened.
"Explain.""
"My father believes you should marry me. Lord Voss promised him that the Duke of Ashbourne would receive a permanent seat on the Regency Council after your wedding.""
Adrian stared at her.
"You knew about this?""
Victoria looked down.
"Yes.""
"And you said nothing?""
"I thought it was only a political arrangement.""
"An arrangement to control the crown.""
Victoria's eyes filled.
"I didn't know about the princess.""
Elia stepped forward.
"What do you know about her?""
Victoria hesitated.
Then she pulled a folded piece of parchment from inside her sleeve.
"I found this in my father's private study.""
Adrian took it.
The document contained several names, dates, and sums of money.
At the bottom was a handwritten instruction.
The girl must never reach the crystal. Should she return, the nursery secret must remain buried.
Adrian looked up.
"Where did you get this?""
"My father's desk. Last night.""
"Who wrote it?""
"Lord Voss.""
The queen studied the handwriting.
She recognized it.
"How did you know to look?""
Victoria's cheeks reddened.
"Because I overheard my father telling Lord Voss that the maid's appearance had ruined everything. He said the old woman should have died years ago.""
Elia's fingers tightened around her pendant.
"The old woman?""
Victoria nodded.
"He mentioned a woman named Mara.""
The chapel seemed to grow smaller.
Elia rushed forward.
"What did he say?""
Victoria looked at her.
"He said Mara had hidden the princess so well that even the queen couldn't find her.""
Eleanor stood abruptly.
"Did he say anything else?""
Victoria swallowed.
"He said Mara had left something behind.""
"What?""
"A letter.""
Elia's heart began pounding.
"Where?""
"In my father's study. I don't know whether he still has it.""
Adrian looked toward Rowan.
"Can you reach the Ashbourne estate?""
"Not without crossing the main road.""
"Then we take the old carriage route.""
The queen shook her head.
"No. We cannot risk Elia being recognized.""
Victoria spoke quietly.
"I can get you inside.""
Everyone turned toward her.
"My father is hosting a private breakfast for the council tomorrow morning. The servants will be bringing fresh supplies through the eastern kitchen entrance. I know the guard rotations.""
Adrian looked skeptical.
"Why would you help us?""
Victoria's expression crumpled.
"Because I wanted to become your wife.""
She looked at him.
"I wanted the crown. I wanted the palace, the jewels, the admiration. I thought I was prepared to be a queen.""
Her gaze moved toward Elia.
"But when the crystal chose her, I realized something.""
"What?"" Adrian asked.
Victoria lowered her head.
"I had spent my entire life trying to become something I wasn't. And now I know my father was willing to destroy an innocent girl just to keep me near the throne.""
Elia studied her.
For a moment, the two women looked at each other without speaking.
Then Elia said, "You laughed when they humiliated me.""
Victoria flinched.
"I know.""
"You called me a servant.""
"I know.""
"You told me I didn't belong here.""
Victoria's eyes filled.
"I'm sorry.""
Elia shook her head.
"An apology doesn't undo what you did.""
"No. It doesn't.""
Victoria looked toward the queen.
"But perhaps I can help make it right.""
They left the chapel through a narrow passage shortly after sunrise.
Captain Rowan took two guards with him. Adrian wore a plain dark cloak, while Eleanor disguised herself in a traveling dress borrowed from an old chapel servant.
Elia wore the same faded uniform.
She refused to change.
"Why keep that?"" Adrian asked as they prepared to leave.
Elia looked down.
"Because it's mine.""
He nodded.
"I understand.""
Victoria led them through a wooded path toward the Ashbourne estate.
The estate stood on a hill overlooking the eastern river. Tall iron gates surrounded its gardens, and white stone statues lined the main driveway.
As they approached, Elia noticed a carriage parked near the side entrance.
Its door bore a crest depicting a silver swan.
She stopped.
"That symbol.""
Victoria followed her gaze.
"My father collects old royal objects.""
Elia stepped closer to the carriage.
On its side was a tiny engraving of seven stars.
The exact markings on her pendant.
"Has this always been here?"" she asked.
Victoria frowned.
"For as long as I can remember.""
Elia ran her fingers across the engraving.
A faint warmth spread through her palm.
The crystal's warmth.
"Elia?"" Adrian asked.
She pulled her hand away.
"I'm fine.""
They entered the estate through the servants' kitchen.
Victoria told the guards she was returning home after a difficult evening at the palace.
Nobody questioned her.
The group moved along the narrow service corridor, passing cooks preparing breakfast and maids carrying trays of silver.
At the end of the hallway, Victoria opened a heavy wooden door.
"My father's study.""
Inside, everything was arranged with military precision.
Books filled the shelves. Maps covered one wall. A large desk stood beneath a portrait of the duke's ancestors.
Elia went straight to the desk.
"Where would he keep a letter?""
Victoria opened the lower drawer.
"Here.""
There were several sealed documents.
She searched through them, then pulled out a small leather folder.
It was empty.
"Someone has taken it," she whispered.
Adrian examined the desk.
"Recently?""
"The dust is disturbed.""
Captain Rowan approached the bookshelf.
"Your Highness.""
He pointed to a section of books that appeared slightly uneven.
Behind them was a narrow metal box.
Victoria stepped forward.
"I've never seen that before.""
Rowan pulled it out.
The lock was old.
Adrian struck it twice with the handle of his dagger.
It opened.
Inside lay a folded letter, a small brass key, and a photograph.
Elia reached for the photograph.
It showed a young woman standing beside a palace fountain.
She wore a plain servant's dress.
Her hair was dark, and a faint burn scar crossed her left wrist.
Mara.
Elia's fingers trembled.
"That's her.""
The queen took the photograph.
Her breath caught.
"Yes.""
Eleanor touched the woman's face.
"I remember this dress.""
Then she turned the photograph over.
A date had been written on the back.
The night of the nursery fire.
Beneath it were six words.
The princess is safe with me.
Elia pressed the photograph to her chest.
"Mara...""
Her voice broke.
For the first time, the queen wrapped her arms around her.
But their quiet moment ended when Rowan unfolded the letter.
His expression changed.
"Your Majesty.""
Eleanor turned.
"What?""
He handed her the paper.
It was written by Mara.
The first lines described the journey north, the fear of being followed, and the difficult decision to raise a child under a different name.
Then Eleanor reached the final paragraph.
Her face went white.
"What is it?"" Adrian demanded.
The queen couldn't speak.
Elia took the letter.
The final lines were written in a hurried hand.
Your Majesty, I have kept my promise. The child is safe.
But I must confess something.
The child you entrusted to me was not the only baby in the nursery that night.
Elia looked up.
"Not the only baby?""
Eleanor stared at the letter.
Then she whispered a name.
"Isabelle.""
Victoria's face drained of color.
Adrian looked between them.
"Who is Isabelle?""
May you like
The queen slowly folded the letter.
"My daughter's twin sister.""
