Chapter 6: Two Sisters, One Throne
Lady Serena stood beneath the golden chandeliers with her emerald necklace trembling against her chest.
For the first time since Elia had met her, the noblewoman looked genuinely frightened.
"That's not my mother," Serena said.
Ruth Brooks stared at her.
"I held you when you were born.""
"You're confused.""
"I changed your diapers. I sang to you. I watched your mother cry when Margaret took you away.""
Serena shook her head.
"Stop.""
Ruth took one step forward.
"Your mother loved you.""
"I said stop!""
The shout echoed through the ballroom.
Noblemen turned away from Serena's face. Several noblewomen began whispering.
Victoria moved beside her.
"Serena, don't listen to this woman.""
Serena grabbed Victoria's arm.
"Do you know anything about this?""
Victoria hesitated.
That hesitation was enough.
Serena slowly released her.
"You knew?""
Victoria lowered her voice.
"I knew there were documents.""
"What documents?""
"Your birth records.""
Serena stared at her.
"You knew I was adopted?""
Victoria looked toward Margaret.
"I knew you were chosen.""
"Chosen for what?""
Margaret walked toward them.
"For something much greater than a noble family.""
Queen Eleanor stood from her chair.
"Explain yourself.""
Margaret ignored her.
She faced Serena.
"Twenty-two years ago, after the royal child disappeared, I needed someone to preserve the future of this family. I found Evelyn's older daughter and brought her into the palace.""
Serena's voice trembled.
"You told me my parents died in an accident.""
"They did not.""
"Who was my father?""
Margaret looked away.
"That information is irrelevant.""
Serena grabbed her arm.
"Who was he?""
Margaret pulled free.
"Your father was a palace officer. He died before you were born.""
Ruth shook her head.
"No. He was an American doctor. He worked with Evelyn in the medical wing.""
Serena turned toward her.
"Why should I believe you?""
"Because I have the letters.""
Ruth reached inside her coat.
But before she could remove them, Margaret snapped her fingers.
Two guards moved toward her.
Adrian immediately stepped in front of Ruth.
"Don't touch her.""
"Prince Adrian," Margaret said, "this performance has gone on long enough.""
He faced the guards.
"Anyone who lays a hand on her will answer to me.""
One guard stopped.
The other slowly lowered his weapon.
Margaret looked toward the council.
"Are we really going to allow the testimony of a former servant to overturn generations of royal law?""
Lord Pembroke stood.
"Your Majesty, I believe we should hear the evidence.""
Margaret turned.
"I beg your pardon?""
"The prince has produced financial records. The old medical documents have been questioned. And now we have two women claiming direct knowledge of the missing child.""
"Which proves nothing.""
"Then let them speak.""
Margaret's expression turned dangerous.
"Remember your place, Lord Pembroke.""
He held her gaze.
"That is precisely what I am trying to do.""
Adrian gave Mr. Whitmore a brief nod.
The old official brought forward a wooden box and placed it on the council table.
"These are the surviving birth records from the royal medical wing.""
Margaret stared at the box.
"Where did you get those?""
"From the private vault beneath the chapel.""
"That vault was destroyed.""
"Only the entrance.""
Whitmore opened the box.
Inside were several medical reports, two photographs, and a sealed envelope.
Adrian examined the first report.
"According to this record, Evelyn Brooks gave birth to a girl on the fourteenth of November, twenty-two years ago.""
Elia felt her knees weaken.
He continued.
"The child's name was recorded as Elia Brooks.""
Serena's face went pale.
Adrian removed a second document.
"Three hours later, Queen Eleanor gave birth to a stillborn daughter.""
The queen closed her eyes.
A single tear ran down her cheek.
"I never knew.""
Adrian approached her.
"Mother...""
"I thought I had held my child.""
"You were recovering. They lied to you.""
Eleanor looked toward Elia.
"All those years...""
Elia wanted to comfort her.
But she couldn't move.
The truth was too large.
She had spent her entire life believing she was an ordinary girl with an incomplete childhood.
Now she was learning that her biological father was a king, her supposed royal sister was a noblewoman, and the woman she had called grandmother had orchestrated a disappearance.
Adrian continued reading.
"The king's signature appears on the final report.""
Margaret stepped forward.
"That report is irrelevant.""
Adrian looked up.
"Why?""
"Because your father never had the authority to recognize an illegitimate child as an heir.""
"Then why did he commission the crystal hand?""
Margaret said nothing.
The prince opened the last envelope.
Inside was a letter bearing the royal seal.
He read aloud.
To the royal council:
If my daughter Elia is ever found, she must be granted the right to stand before the throne. Her mother's identity must not be used to deny her the protection of the crown.
I do not ask the council to forget the circumstances of her birth. I ask that they remember she did not choose them.
She is my daughter. She is innocent of my mistakes.
And she must never be punished for the love that brought her into this world.
Elia lowered her head.
For the first time, she felt something other than fear.
Her father had known she existed.
He had wanted her.
Adrian folded the letter.
"He recognized her.""
Margaret laughed bitterly.
"Your father was sentimental until the day he died.""
"That letter gives Elia a claim.""
"It gives her a piece of paper.""
"Then let the crystal decide.""
Margaret froze.
Adrian turned toward the pedestal.
"Bring Elia forward.""
The guards hesitated.
"Now!"" he commanded.
Elia approached the crystal.
Her wrists were still restrained.
Adrian took the keys from one of the guards and unlocked her cuffs.
Then he stepped aside.
"Touch it again.""
Elia looked toward Margaret.
The old woman's face had become unreadable.
"I don't want to," Elia whispered.
Adrian softened his voice.
"Nobody will force you.""
Queen Eleanor stood beside her.
"Whatever happens, I will not allow them to hurt you.""
Elia looked at the two people who had become strangers in a single afternoon.
Then she turned toward the crystal.
Slowly, she raised her right hand.
Her palm met the transparent fingers.
The golden lights returned.
Five glowing lines illuminated the sculpture.
A low mechanical sound echoed beneath the pedestal.
This time, however, the crystal did not merely glow.
A section of the marble platform opened.
A narrow silver cylinder rose from the center.
Mr. Whitmore gasped.
"The succession record.""
Margaret suddenly moved.
"Stop her!""
Two guards reached for Elia.
Adrian blocked them.
"Nobody moves!""
The cylinder opened.
Inside lay a thin metal plate bearing an inscription and a small royal medallion.
Queen Eleanor approached.
"Read it.""
Mr. Whitmore took the plate.
His hands trembled as he examined the engraving.
"By the authority of King Edward...""
He stopped.
"What?"" Adrian asked.
The official swallowed.
"This is not an ordinary succession record.""
"Then what is it?""
"It is a declaration of parentage.""
He turned the plate toward the light.
"The king formally acknowledged Elia Brooks as his biological daughter. The declaration also records that the child was removed from the palace under the protection of the queen mother.""
Everyone looked toward Margaret.
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"You personally signed this?""
Margaret straightened.
"I did what your father requested.""
"Then why did you hide her?""
"Because he was dead.""
"And?""
"Because the council would never accept a child born outside marriage.""
Elia looked at her.
"So you hid me because you were ashamed of my mother?""
Margaret's lips tightened.
"I hid you because the kingdom was unstable.""
"No. You hid me because you thought I wasn't good enough.""
Serena suddenly laughed.
It was a small, broken sound.
"Welcome to the family.""
Elia looked at her.
Serena stepped closer.
"You think this makes you special? I was raised here. I was educated here.
I wore the finest gowns and learned every royal custom. I was told I was destined to marry Adrian.""
She touched her necklace.
"I was told I belonged.""
Elia's eyes filled.
"I never wanted your life.""
Serena's face twisted.
"You stole my place!""
"I didn't know you existed!""
"Neither did I!""
The words came out so loudly that even Serena seemed startled.
For a moment, the two women stared at each other.
Then Serena looked toward Ruth.
"Did my mother really love me?""
Ruth nodded.
"More than anything.""
"Then why didn't she come back?""
Ruth opened her mouth.
But she couldn't find the words.
Margaret answered instead.
"Because she was dead.""
Ruth shook her head.
"No. That's another lie.""
The room fell silent.
Ruth stepped forward.
"Evelyn didn't die. She was taken to a private medical facility after the king's death.""
Margaret's fingers tightened around her walking stick.
"Enough.""
"She wrote to me for years.""
"Those letters were never delivered.""
"Where is she now?"" Elia demanded.
Ruth looked toward Serena.
"That's what I've spent twenty-two years trying to find out.""
Serena slowly approached Ruth.
"Did you ever see her again?""
"Once.""
"When?""
"Ten years ago.""
Serena's breath caught.
"Where?""
"In a hospital outside Boston.""
Elia stepped forward.
"Was she alive?""
Ruth nodded.
"She was.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I couldn't find you. Margaret had moved you from one address to another. Every time I got close, someone warned me to stay away.""
Elia looked toward Margaret.
"Did you know she was alive?""
Margaret remained silent.
Adrian faced the guards.
"Take her into custody.""
For the first time, Margaret looked frightened.
"You wouldn't dare.""
"You're accused of kidnapping, fraud, conspiracy, and covering up the king's murder.""
"Your father would never have wanted this.""
"My father is dead because someone believed they were protecting him.""
Margaret turned toward the queen.
"Eleanor, tell him to stop.""
Eleanor looked at her for a long moment.
Then she spoke.
"Twenty-two years ago, you took my right to know the truth. Today, I am taking away your right to decide what happens to this family.""
The guards stepped forward.
But Margaret suddenly smiled.
It was not the smile of a defeated woman.
It was the smile of someone who had been waiting for the right moment.
"Arrest me," she said.
Adrian frowned.
"Gladly.""
"Put me in the deepest cell beneath this palace.""
The guards seized her arms.
Margaret leaned closer to Elia.
"But understand something, child.""
Elia looked at her.
"The crystal has recognized your blood. The king has acknowledged you. But neither of those things makes you the only heir.""
Elia felt a chill.
"What are you talking about?""
Margaret looked toward Serena.
"Your father had another secret.""
Serena stepped backward.
"No.""
Margaret continued.
"The king fathered more than one child outside his marriage.""
Adrian's face tightened.
"Who?""
Margaret smiled.
"Ask Lord Whitmore.""
Everyone turned toward the old official.
He was standing beside the open box, holding a second birth certificate.
His hands were shaking.
Adrian approached him.
"Mr. Whitmore?""
The official swallowed.
"Your Highness, there is something I never told your father.""
"What?""
Whitmore lowered his eyes.
"Before Evelyn Brooks gave birth to Elia, there was another child.""
Serena stared at him.
"What child?""
Whitmore looked directly at her.
"A boy.""
Adrian went still.
"Who was the mother?""
The official's voice broke.
"Your mother.""
Queen Eleanor staggered.
Elia looked toward the prince.
Serena's mouth opened.
And Adrian suddenly understood why Margaret had been so determined to keep the succession records hidden.
He wasn't just standing between two newly discovered sisters.
He was standing before the possibility that he had a brother.
A brother who had been erased from the royal family before he was old enough to remember his own name.
Whitmore slowly turned over the certificate.
The name at the top was written in faded ink.
*PRINCE NATHANIEL EDWARD.*
But beneath it, in a different handwriting, someone had added one final sentence:
*STATUS: ALIVE — LOCATION UNKNOWN.*
Queen Eleanor grabbed the table.
"That's impossible.""
Adrian looked at his mother.
"Mother, did you have another child?""
Eleanor shook her head.
"I never gave birth to a son.""
Whitmore looked toward the royal platform.
"Then someone used your name to hide him.""
Before Adrian could ask another question, a palace guard rushed into the ballroom.
He carried a small recording device.
"Your Highness, this was delivered to the main gate.""
"By whom?""
"We don't know.""
Adrian pressed the play button.
A man's voice filled the ballroom.
It was weak, distorted, but unmistakably familiar.
"Adrian...""
The prince stopped breathing.
He recognized the voice.
It belonged to the king.
"Son, if you are hearing this, it means my mother has failed to destroy the truth.""
A pause.
Then came the words that shattered everything.
"Your brother is not missing.""
Adrian's fingers tightened around the device.
"He's standing among you.""
The recording stopped.
May you like
Slowly, every face in the ballroom turned toward the gathered royal family.
And Elia realized that the next person the crystal would recognize might not be a woman at all.
