Chapter 7: The Woman Behind the Door
"Father, don't!""
Victor's shout came too late.
King Gabriel pulled the trigger.
The gunshot shattered the silence.
Sophie dropped to the floor as a bullet struck the wooden door inches above her head. Splinters flew across the library. Eleanor screamed and threw herself over Sophie.
"Are you insane?"" Victor shouted.
Gabriel lowered the revolver.
"Nobody opens that door.""
Madeleine stared at her husband.
"You just tried to kill your own daughter!""
"She is not my daughter.""
"She's my sister's child!""
"And that is precisely the problem!""
Another knock came from the other side.
Then the woman's voice returned.
"Gabriel, you haven't changed.""
The king went rigid.
"How dare you come here?""
A soft laugh followed.
"How dare I? You stole my children, buried my name, and turned my family into prisoners. I think I've earned the right to knock on your door.""
Madeleine rushed toward the entrance.
"Elizabeth?""
The woman answered immediately.
"Yes, Madeleine. It's me.""
Madeleine began crying.
"You're alive.""
"Unfortunately, yes.""
Sophie pushed herself upright.
She looked at Eleanor.
"Who is she?""
Eleanor's face was wet with tears.
"I don't know.""
"How can you not know? You said Elizabeth was my mother!""
"Because the Elizabeth in that photograph died twenty-four years ago.""
The woman outside knocked again.
"Open the door, Alexandra. I can explain everything.""
Sophie stood.
Victor moved between her and Gabriel.
"If you fire that weapon again, Father, you'll have to shoot me first.""
Gabriel stared at him.
"You would betray your own family for a stranger?""
Victor's voice was cold.
"Apparently, that's what our family has been doing for generations.""
He pulled the revolver from Gabriel's hand.
Then he turned toward the guards.
"Open the door.""
The older guard hesitated.
"Your Highness, the king has ordered—"
"I am ordering you now.""
The guard looked at Gabriel.
For a moment, it seemed the king might strike him.
Then the door unlocked.
Slowly, it opened.
A woman entered.
She wore a long charcoal coat, and her silver-streaked hair was tucked beneath a black scarf. She looked exhausted. There were deep lines around her eyes, and a faint scar crossed her left cheek.
But her eyes were unmistakable.
Green.
The same shade as the crystal.
She looked at Madeleine.
For several seconds, neither woman spoke.
Then Madeleine crossed the room and embraced her.
"Elizabeth!""
The woman held her tightly.
"My sister.""
Madeleine sobbed against her shoulder.
"I thought you were dead.""
"I know.""
"Why didn't you come back?""
Elizabeth pulled away.
"Because Gabriel made sure I couldn't.""
The king stepped forward.
"That is enough.""
Elizabeth turned toward him.
"Still giving orders, Gabriel?""
"You're trespassing.""
She laughed.
"And you're still pretending this palace belongs to you.""
Her gaze moved across the room until it reached Sophie.
The moment their eyes met, Elizabeth's expression changed.
She took one uncertain step forward.
"Alexandra.""
Sophie didn't move.
"My name is Sophie.""
Elizabeth nodded slowly.
"I know.""
"Are you my mother?""
Elizabeth's eyes filled.
"Yes.""
Sophie swallowed.
"Then why did you leave me?""
The question seemed to hurt Elizabeth more than any accusation could.
She reached into her coat and removed a small photograph.
It showed a woman holding a newborn baby.
The woman was Elizabeth.
The baby had a tiny emerald mark beneath her left shoulder.
"I didn't leave you willingly," Elizabeth whispered.
"I searched for you every day.""
Sophie looked at the photograph.
"Who took me?""
Elizabeth looked toward Gabriel.
"He did.""
Gabriel shook his head.
"You're lying.""
Elizabeth ignored him.
"After I gave birth, the royal physician told me that one of my daughters had died. I was too weak to question him. When I finally woke, both babies were gone.""
Madeleine stared.
"Both?""
Elizabeth nodded.
"Twins. Alexandra and another little girl.""
Sophie felt her stomach tighten.
"Where is my sister?""
Elizabeth looked down.
"I don't know.""
"You just told me you know what happened to her.""
"I know what Gabriel did. I don't know where she is now.""
Gabriel stepped forward.
"Because she never existed.""
Elizabeth turned sharply.
"You still can't say her name?""
The king's expression darkened.
"Stop.""
Elizabeth looked at Sophie.
"Your sister was named Isabella.""
The name hung in the air.
Isabella.
Sophie repeated it silently.
"Was she alive?""
Elizabeth nodded.
"Yes.""
Victor lowered the revolver.
"Then why was she declared dead?""
Elizabeth reached into her coat again.
This time, she produced a folded medical report.
"Because Gabriel needed one of the twins to disappear.""
She handed it to Madeleine.
The queen unfolded it.
Her face became increasingly pale.
"This says...""
Her voice failed.
Victor approached.
"What?""
Madeleine looked at the king.
"Isabella was transferred to a private medical facility under the name Clara Vale.""
Elizabeth nodded.
"She was taken away when she was three days old.""
Sophie stared.
"Who raised her?""
Elizabeth's eyes filled.
"I don't know.""
Gabriel suddenly laughed.
"You really believe that piece of paper proves anything?""
Elizabeth turned toward him.
"I believe the woman who signed it is standing right here.""
She pointed at Dr. Hart.
The physician went white.
Sophie turned.
"Doctor?""
Dr. Hart removed his glasses.
"I was the junior physician assigned to the nursery.""
"Did you take my sister?""
He looked at Gabriel.
The king's silence was answer enough.
Dr. Hart slowly nodded.
"I carried the second child out of the palace.""
Sophie felt sick.
"Where did you take her?""
"I was instructed to deliver her to a private residence.""
"Whose residence?""
The physician hesitated.
Then he whispered:
"Your father's.""
Everyone turned toward Elizabeth.
She closed her eyes.
"Adrian.""
The library doors remained open as the royal guards escorted Dr. Hart to a chair.
He looked like a man who had aged twenty years in ten minutes.
Victor placed the revolver on the table.
"Tell us everything.""
Dr. Hart rubbed his forehead.
"Adrian was not supposed to receive either child. Gabriel ordered me to take Isabella to a medical facility, where she would be raised under another name.""
"And Sophie?"" Victor asked.
"Eleanor was supposed to take her out of the kingdom.""
Eleanor lowered her head.
"But something happened," Dr. Hart continued.
"Adrian discovered the arrangement. He intercepted the carriage carrying Isabella and took her himself.""
Elizabeth nodded.
"He came to me three days later.""
Sophie stepped closer.
"Did he tell you where Isabella was?""
"He said she was safe.""
"Where?""
Elizabeth shook her head.
"He wouldn't tell me. He believed someone was watching us.""
Gabriel scoffed.
"Adrian always was a coward.""
Elizabeth looked at him.
"No, Gabriel. He was the only person brave enough to challenge you.""
Madeleine approached her sister.
"Why didn't you return with him?""
Elizabeth's face darkened.
"Because Gabriel had another plan.""
She removed a final document from her coat.
It was an old royal order, bearing the king's signature.
The firstborn twins shall be separated. Neither shall be informed of the other's existence. The royal crystal shall remain sealed until the surviving heir returns.
Beneath the order was a second signature.
Adrian Vale.
Madeleine stared.
"He agreed?""
Elizabeth nodded.
"He believed separating the girls would protect them.""
Sophie looked at the document.
"And you let him?""
Elizabeth's eyes filled.
"I had no choice.""
"Everyone keeps saying that.""
Sophie stepped backward.
"Everyone had a choice. Everyone made decisions. And I was the one who grew up without knowing who I was.""
Elizabeth couldn't answer.
Then a small sound came from the corridor.
Three knocks.
Everyone turned.
A young guard appeared.
"Your Highness, forgive the interruption.""
Victor frowned.
"What is it?""
The guard held out a telephone.
"An emergency call from the northern border.""
"From whom?""
The guard looked at Sophie.
"Someone claiming to be Princess Isabella.""
Sophie stopped breathing.
Elizabeth rushed forward.
"Give it to me!""
But the guard handed it to Victor.
He answered.
"This is Prince Victor.""
A woman's voice came through.
"Victor?""
"Who is this?""
"My name is Isabella.""
Victor looked at Sophie.
"Can you prove who you are?""
There was a pause.
Then the woman whispered:
"Tell Alexandra that I still have the other half of the bracelet.""
Sophie clutched her silver charm.
The woman continued.
"And tell her not to trust the man standing behind her.""
Sophie turned.
King Gabriel was gone.
The library's western door stood open.
And on the table, beside the revolver, lay a small piece of paper.
May you like
Written across it were six words.
The princess will never reach the chapel.
