Chapter 3: The Name That Was Erased
The council chamber had not been opened to ordinary servants in more than a century.
Its enormous oak doors were decorated with golden lions, and its ceiling displayed the names of every monarch who had ruled Eldoria.
Sophie stood outside those doors with the queen.
She could hear voices inside.
Angry voices.
Accusing voices.
And one voice louder than all the others.
Alexander.
"This is a ridiculous mistake!""
The doors swung open.
A royal attendant stepped aside.
"Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by Sophie Eleanor Valmont.""
Every conversation stopped.
Twenty-three nobles sat around a long table.
King William stood at its head.
Alexander sat to his right, his face pale with fury.
Charlotte was standing beside the window, holding a document.
The moment Sophie entered, several nobles rose.
Others remained seated, staring at her as though she had arrived carrying a weapon.
William looked at his wife.
"Elizabeth, I hope you understand what you're doing.""
"I do.""
"You have brought a kitchen maid into the royal council.""
"I have brought the daughter of my sister.""
A murmur swept through the chamber.
Alexander slammed his hand against the table.
"Enough! We cannot simply accept this nonsense!""
Elizabeth walked toward the center of the room.
"Then perhaps you should examine the evidence.""
She placed the photograph on the table.
Several older nobles recognized it immediately.
Lord Harrington, a thin man with a silver beard, went rigid.
"Where did you obtain that?""
"From my private collection.""
"That photograph was supposed to have been destroyed.""
Elizabeth looked at him.
"Interesting choice of words.""
Harrington cleared his throat.
"Your Majesty, I merely meant that the image was associated with an unfortunate period in our history.""
"An unfortunate period?""
Elizabeth's voice became cold.
"My sister disappeared. Her child was hidden. The rightful succession was stolen. And you call it unfortunate?""
Alexander stood.
"Mother, you are letting grief cloud your judgment.""
Sophie flinched at the word stolen.
She looked at the queen.
"Your Majesty, I don't understand any of this. I don't want a throne. I don't want to be a princess.""
Alexander laughed.
"Finally, something sensible.""
Charlotte stepped between them.
"Stop humiliating her.""
"She doesn't belong here!""
"Neither does your arrogance, but you've been sitting at this table for years.""
One of the councilors coughed to hide a laugh.
Alexander glared at his sister.
King William struck the table with his ceremonial staff.
"Enough!""
He turned toward Sophie.
"Young woman, do you understand the seriousness of the claim being made?""
Sophie nodded uncertainly.
"I understand that everyone thinks I'm someone I'm not.""
"Do you deny that the pendant belonged to Princess Eleanor?""
"No.""
"Do you deny that you awakened the Bloodstone?""
"No, Your Majesty. But I didn't know what would happen.""
William studied her.
"Then we must determine whether this is truly a matter of blood or some elaborate deception.""
Elizabeth looked at him sharply.
"William.""
He raised his hand.
"I am not accusing her. I am protecting the stability of the kingdom.""
He turned to the royal physician.
"Doctor, explain the inscription.""
The physician, an elderly man named Dr. Edmund Hale, stood and opened a leather folder.
"The crystal has been examined for fractures, foreign substances, and mechanical interference. We found none.""
"And the inscription?"" William asked.
Dr. Hale hesitated.
"It appeared on the inner surface after the awakening.""
He unfolded a sheet of parchment.
The symbols were ancient.
Even Sophie could recognize the shape of the crown.
But the words beneath it meant nothing to her.
Dr. Hale translated slowly.
"When the blood of the first daughter returns, the sleeping crown shall rise. When the lost name is spoken, the kingdom shall remember.""
He paused.
"Then, beneath that inscription, the crystal produced a name.""
Alexander leaned forward.
"Which could have been planted by someone.""
Dr. Hale ignored him.
"The name was Eleanor.""
Elizabeth closed her eyes.
"And the second name?"" she asked.
The physician looked at Sophie.
"Sophie.""
The chamber erupted.
"Impossible!""
"An illegitimate claimant!""
"Could the crystal be damaged?""
"Someone must have tampered with it!""
William raised his staff again.
"Silence!""
He looked at Sophie for a long moment.
"Your mother's name was Eleanor. Do you have any other proof of your identity?""
Sophie touched her pendant.
"Only this. And a few things she left me.""
"What things?""
"A small box. Some letters. A photograph.""
"Where are they?""
"At my home.""
Alexander smiled for the first time that morning.
"Convenient.""
Sophie turned toward him.
"I didn't know any of this existed until last night.""
"Of course you didn't.""
Charlotte stepped forward.
"Alexander, if you have evidence against her, present it. Otherwise, stop treating her like a criminal.""
Alexander leaned back.
"Gladly. Let us conduct a proper bloodline examination.""
Elizabeth's face changed.
"No.""
William looked at her.
"Why not?""
"Because the crystal has already answered.""
"The crystal is an object, Elizabeth. The kingdom cannot be governed by superstition.""
"That object has governed the succession for centuries.""
"Then it can answer again.""
William looked at Dr. Hale.
"Can the examination be repeated?""
The physician nodded reluctantly.
"It can. But the damaged pedestal must first be stabilized. We should not risk another eruption.""
"How long?""
"Two days. Perhaps three.""
Alexander smiled.
"Then we have time to investigate our unexpected princess.""
Sophie looked toward the queen.
Elizabeth gave her a small, reassuring nod.
But something about Alexander's expression made Sophie's stomach tighten.
That evening, Sophie was escorted to a guest chamber in the eastern wing.
It was larger than the room she shared with three other maids.
There were embroidered curtains, a fireplace, and a bed covered in white silk.
She stood in the middle of the room, unable to believe she was supposed to sleep there.
A knock sounded.
"Come in.""
Princess Charlotte entered carrying a tray.
"I brought you something to eat.""
Sophie immediately stood.
"Your Highness, you shouldn't have to—"
"Please. If you call me Your Highness one more time, I'll start charging you.""
Sophie almost smiled.
Charlotte placed the tray on the table.
"How are you feeling?""
"Like I've been dropped into someone else's life.""
"That sounds about right.""
Charlotte sat beside her.
"Alexander has always hated the Bloodstone.""
"Why?""
"Because it has never chosen him.""
Sophie looked up.
Charlotte lowered her voice.
"Our father expected Alexander to inherit the throne. Everyone did. He was the firstborn son, and the court had already begun treating him as the future king.""
"But the crystal—"
"Never responded to him.""
Sophie looked at her pendant.
"Could that be why he wanted me to touch it?""
Charlotte nodded.
"He wanted to prove the crystal was nothing more than an old superstition.""
"Instead, it chose me.""
"Yes.""
Charlotte reached for Sophie's hand.
"And that is why you must be careful.""
Before Sophie could reply, a sharp knock interrupted them.
The queen's personal secretary entered.
"Princess Charlotte, Her Majesty requests your presence.""
Charlotte stood.
"Is something wrong?""
The secretary looked toward Sophie.
"Her Majesty has received an unexpected visitor.""
"Who?""
"A gentleman who claims to have known Princess Eleanor.""
Sophie rose so quickly that the chair fell backward.
"Someone knew my mother?""
The secretary nodded.
"He says he has been searching for her daughter for twenty-two years.""
Charlotte exchanged a glance with Sophie.
"Where is he?""
"In the queen's private study.""
When Sophie entered the study, Queen Elizabeth was standing beside the fireplace.
A man sat opposite her.
He was perhaps sixty-five, with a weathered face, silver hair, and a walking stick resting against his chair.
He rose when Sophie entered.
For several seconds, he simply stared.
Then his eyes moved to her pendant.
His walking stick slipped from his hand.
"My God," he whispered.
Elizabeth stepped forward.
"Sir Thomas, this is Sophie.""
The old man swallowed.
"She has her mother's eyes.""
Sophie approached cautiously.
"Who are you?""
"My name is Thomas Ashford. I was your mother's royal guard.""
"Did you know her?""
"I swore an oath to protect her.""
"Then why wasn't she protected?""
The question struck him like a physical blow.
Thomas lowered his head.
"Because I failed her.""
Sophie stared at him.
"Do you know what happened to her?""
He nodded.
"More than you can imagine.""
Elizabeth moved closer.
"Thomas, you said you had something to show us.""
The old guard reached inside his coat.
He removed a small leather pouch.
Inside was a silver key, darkened by age.
Sophie recognized the design immediately.
Her mother had worn a tiny drawing of that key on a ribbon around her wrist.
"Where did you get that?"" Sophie asked.
Thomas placed it in her palm.
"Your mother gave it to me the night she disappeared.""
"What does it open?""
"The eastern vault beneath the old chapel.""
Elizabeth went pale.
"That vault was sealed twenty-two years ago.""
"Yes, Your Majesty.""
"Why?""
Thomas looked at Sophie.
"Because your mother hid something there.""
Sophie closed her fingers around the key.
"What?""
The old guard took a slow breath.
"Proof of who ordered the attack on the palace.""
Elizabeth gripped the mantelpiece.
"Thomas, be careful.""
He turned toward her.
"I have been silent for twenty-two years. I will not remain silent any longer.""
Then he looked directly at Sophie.
"Your mother did not flee because she feared the crown, Princess.""
Sophie felt her heartbeat quicken.
"Why did she flee?""
Thomas's answer came in a whisper.
"Because the man who tried to kill her was the person sitting on the throne.""
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then, from somewhere beyond the study doors, a heavy object crashed against the floor.
The door flew open.
King William stood in the doorway.
His face was expressionless.
His eyes were fixed on the silver key in Sophie's hand.
"Thomas," he said quietly.
The old guard went deathly pale.
William stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.
"After all these years, I see you have finally decided to tell her the truth.""
Sophie looked at the king.
Then at the queen.
Elizabeth's lips parted, but no words came out.
King William slowly removed his signet ring.
And placed it on the table.
"Very well," he said.
"Let us stop pretending that your mother died in an accident.""
May you like
He turned toward Sophie.
"Because I was there the night she disappeared.""
