Chapter 6: Two Cradles, One Crown
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The words seemed impossible.
A twin sister.
Elia had never imagined that the secrets surrounding her birth could become more complicated than they already were.
She turned toward the queen.
"Are you saying I had a sister?""
Eleanor nodded slowly.
"Your father and I were told that the second baby had not survived.""
"Then why did Mara write that?""
"I don't know.""
Adrian took the letter from his mother.
"Read the rest.""
"There is no rest," Eleanor replied.
"The page ends there.""
Rowan examined the parchment.
"Something has been cut away.""
He held it toward the window.
The lower edge was uneven, as if someone had deliberately removed another section.
Victoria approached.
"My father must have taken it.""
Adrian turned toward her.
"Why would he keep this letter?""
"Because it mentions the princess.""
"No. It mentions another child.""
Victoria shook her head.
"I don't know what that means.""
Elia stepped away from the group.
"Was I the princess? Or was I the other baby?""
Eleanor reached for her.
"Elia—"
"Please don't tell me what you think I want to hear.""
The queen froze.
Elia's voice trembled.
"I have spent nineteen years believing I was an ordinary girl. Now everyone tells me I might be a princess. But if there were two babies, how can you even know which one I am?""
The queen looked at the pendant.
Then at Elia's hand.
"Because of the crystal.""
"But what if it recognized the other baby?""
"It recognized your hand.""
"That doesn't tell me who I am.""
Eleanor had no answer.
Adrian approached his sister.
"If there were two children, we will find out the truth.""
Elia stared at him.
"You called me your sister.""
He paused.
"I said there might be two children. I don't know what else to call you yet.""
Something in his honesty softened her expression.
Then a sound came from outside the study.
A carriage door slammed.
Rowan immediately moved toward the entrance.
"Someone is coming.""
Victoria went pale.
"My father.""
Adrian grabbed the brass key from the metal box.
"Is there another exit?""
Victoria nodded.
"The gallery connects to the old conservatory.""
"Lead us.""
Before they could move, the study door opened.
Duke Ashbourne entered.
He was a broad man with a carefully trimmed gray beard. His burgundy coat was decorated with gold buttons, and a heavy signet ring gleamed on his right hand.
Behind him stood two armed guards.
He looked at Victoria first.
Then at Adrian.
Finally, his gaze settled on Elia.
His expression changed.
"So," he said quietly, "the little maid has come looking for her family.""
Victoria stepped forward.
"Father, what have you done?""
He looked at her with disappointment.
"I could ask you the same thing.""
"Why were you hiding Mara's letter?""
"Because some truths are better left undisturbed.""
Adrian drew his sword.
"Step aside.""
Duke Ashbourne laughed softly.
"Your Highness, I would advise against making a scene in my house.""
"You are obstructing the heir to the throne.""
"And you are trespassing.""
Ashbourne glanced toward the queen.
"Your Majesty. What a surprise.""
Eleanor stood upright.
"Where is Malcolm Voss?""
"Where he belongs.""
"Answer me.""
"At the palace, securing the kingdom against an unfortunate disturbance.""
Adrian stepped closer.
"Your little arrangement is finished, Duke.""
Ashbourne's eyes narrowed.
"Is it?""
He removed a small document from his coat.
"My lord chancellor has already obtained the council's agreement to suspend the royal succession until the matter of the missing princess has been resolved.""
Adrian stared at him.
"You're both traitors.""
The duke shrugged.
"Words are easy, Your Highness. Proof is rather more expensive.""
He turned toward Elia.
"Come here, girl.""
Elia didn't move.
"Where is the other half of Mara's letter?""
Ashbourne smiled.
"You're a very curious servant.""
"My name is Elia.""
"At the moment.""
He gestured toward his guards.
"Take her.""
Rowan stepped forward.
"Touch her, and you will regret it.""
One guard moved.
Rowan struck his sword aside and drove him against the desk.
Adrian fought the second guard near the doorway.
Victoria grabbed the brass key and threw it to Elia.
"Take it!""
Elia caught it.
"Why?""
"Because I found something else in Father's room!""
The duke turned sharply.
"Victoria!""
She rushed toward the desk and pulled open a hidden compartment.
Inside lay a small black book.
Ashbourne lunged for it.
Victoria snatched it first.
"These are the payments!""
She threw the book toward Adrian.
The prince caught it.
Duke Ashbourne's expression changed completely.
For the first time, he looked frightened.
"Give me that.""
Adrian opened the book.
Rows of names and payments filled its pages.
Royal guards.
Physicians.
Servants.
Noble families.
And beside several dates was a repeated notation.
Nineteen years ago. Northern road. Chapel.
Elia looked at the entries.
Her eyes stopped at one name.
Mara.
Beside it was a payment marked as delivered.
But the amount was crossed out.
Underneath was a handwritten note.
Payment refused. Location concealed.
Elia looked at the duke.
"Why were you paying Mara?""
Ashbourne said nothing.
Then Victoria spoke.
"Father, tell me the truth.""
The duke looked at his daughter.
"You don't understand.""
"Then explain!""
He stepped toward her.
"I was trying to protect you.""
"By helping Voss?""
"By ensuring that this family would survive!""
Victoria shook her head.
"That makes no sense.""
Ashbourne pointed at Elia.
"That girl is dangerous. You have no idea what her return will do to this kingdom.""
"She is not dangerous!"" Victoria shouted.
"She is a living threat to everything we have built.""
Eleanor stepped forward.
"Everything you have built is founded on a lie.""
The duke's eyes flashed.
"Your Majesty, you should be careful.""
"Or what?""
He looked toward Elia.
"Ask your servant what Mara did after leaving the palace.""
Elia frowned.
"What?""
Ashbourne smiled.
"She didn't simply disappear. She returned once.""
The queen stiffened.
"When?""
"Three years ago.""
Elia shook her head.
"That's impossible.""
"She came to this estate," the duke continued.
"She asked to speak with me. She carried a letter from the former king.""
Eleanor gripped the edge of the desk.
"Why was I never told?""
"Because she was asking too many questions.""
Elia stepped forward.
"What happened to her?""
Ashbourne looked at the young maid.
"She was offered money to leave the kingdom.""
"Did she take it?""
"No.""
"Then what?""
The duke's expression became cold.
"She died shortly afterward.""
Elia felt as though someone had struck her.
"You knew Mara?""
"Unfortunately.""
"Did you know she was sick?""
"She wasn't sick.""
Elia's face went pale.
"What are you saying?""
Ashbourne walked toward the window.
"She was murdered.""
Silence crashed through the room.
Elia shook her head.
"No.""
"She refused to cooperate. That was her mistake.""
The queen made a strangled sound.
Adrian immediately stepped between them.
"You will answer for this.""
Ashbourne shrugged.
"Perhaps. But not today.""
He gave a small signal.
The guards outside the study rushed in.
Rowan shouted.
"Protect the queen!""
The room erupted into chaos.
Adrian grabbed Elia's wrist and pulled her toward the conservatory entrance.
Victoria followed.
Rowan remained behind, holding the doorway.
"Go!"" he shouted.
Eleanor hesitated.
"Captain!""
"I'll find you, Your Majesty!""
Adrian pushed the conservatory door open.
They rushed through a long glass corridor lined with dead orange trees and dusty marble fountains.
Behind them, weapons clashed.
Elia could hear Rowan shouting orders.
Then a gunshot cracked through the estate.
She screamed.
"Rowan!""
Adrian pulled her forward.
"Keep moving!""
They reached a narrow garden door.
Victoria unlocked it with shaking hands.
Outside, a small carriage waited beneath the trees.
Adrian helped Eleanor inside.
Then Elia.
Victoria climbed in last.
The carriage moved before the door had fully closed.
Elia looked back at the estate.
Smoke rose from one of the upper windows.
She clutched the black ledger against her chest.
"Captain Rowan...""
"We'll go back for him," Adrian said.
"How do you know he's alive?""
Adrian didn't answer.
Eleanor sat across from Elia, holding the old photograph of Mara.
For a long time, she stared at it.
Then she spoke.
"There is something else in the ledger.""
Adrian looked down.
"What?""
Eleanor turned to a marked page.
A payment had been made to a physician named Dr. Fenwick on the night of the nursery fire.
Beside it, someone had written:
Two children. One must remain.
Adrian frowned.
"Why would Father pay a physician to hide one of his own children?""
Eleanor looked up.
"Because one of them was never meant to survive.""
Elia's blood ran cold.
"What does that mean?""
The queen's fingers trembled as she turned another page.
A second document had been tucked inside the ledger.
It was a birth record.
The paper was faded, and the official royal seal was partially torn away.
But the names were still readable.
*Princess Isolde Eleanor Valoria.*
*Princess Isabelle Eleanor Valoria.*
Both born on the same night.
Both recorded as daughters of King Edmund and Queen Eleanor.
Beneath the names, however, appeared two different markings.
One child had a golden swan.
The other had a black crown.
Eleanor stared at the symbols.
"I remember this.""
Adrian leaned closer.
"What are they?""
"The royal physicians marked each child with a different sign to distinguish the twins.""
Elia touched her right wrist.
"What sign did I have?""
The queen looked at her.
Before she could answer, a distant horn sounded.
Adrian pulled back the carriage curtain.
A line of royal soldiers blocked the road ahead.
At their center stood Lord Voss.
He was holding a small white cloth.
When he raised it, the soldiers lowered their weapons and stepped aside.
The chancellor approached the carriage.
His expression was almost cheerful.
"Your Highness," he called.
"How fortunate. I've been looking everywhere for you.""
Adrian reached for his sword.
"Move.""
Voss ignored him.
He looked directly at Elia.
"There's no need to hide anymore, child.""
The chancellor lifted the white cloth.
Wrapped inside it was a small silver object.
A royal identification bracelet.
Elia recognized the seven stars engraved on its surface.
Then Voss spoke the words that made the queen collapse against the carriage seat.
"Because I finally found the other twin.""
And behind him, a young woman stepped out of the soldiers' ranks.
She had Elia's eyes.
May you like
Elia's face.
And an identical silver swan pendant around her neck.
