Chapter 7: The Princess Who Stole Her Name
"That girl is wearing your mother's face.""
Queen Elizabeth's whisper barely reached Sophie's ears.
Beyond the palace windows, the stranger stood beside King William, dressed in white silk and wearing a silver tiara. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders in the same gentle waves Sophie remembered from her mother's photographs.
But it was the ring that made Sophie's stomach turn.
Adrian Valmont's wedding ring.
The ring her mother had kept in a little wooden box beside her bed.
The ring Sophie had once seen her mother kiss when she thought nobody was watching.
"Who is she?"" Sophie asked.
Elizabeth didn't answer.
Princess Charlotte stepped closer to the window.
"She looks exactly like Eleanor.""
"She cannot be Eleanor," Elizabeth replied.
"My sister died twenty-two years ago.""
"Then who is she?""
The queen turned toward Sophie.
"Someone has spent a great deal of time preparing this.""
A trumpet sounded from the courtyard.
The palace herald raised his staff.
"By order of His Majesty, King William of Eldoria, the royal court is hereby summoned to witness the recognition of Princess Eleanor Valmont, rightful daughter of the late Princess Eleanor and heir to the ancient bloodline!""
Sophie stared.
"They're claiming she's my sister?""
Elizabeth shook her head.
"They are claiming she is you.""
The throne chamber was packed when Sophie entered with Elizabeth and Charlotte.
Nobles stood shoulder to shoulder.
Royal guards lined the walls.
At the center of the room, the mysterious young woman waited beside the king.
Alexander stood on her other side, wearing an expression of satisfaction.
The stranger turned as Sophie approached.
For a moment, the two women simply stared at each other.
They had the same dark hair.
The same pale complexion.
Even the same small crescent-shaped birthmark near the left collarbone.
Sophie instinctively touched her own.
The stranger smiled.
"You're Sophie, aren't you?""
Her voice was soft.
Almost affectionate.
Sophie frowned.
"How do you know my name?""
The woman extended her hand.
"My name is Amelia. Although I suppose you already know that.""
"Amelia?""
"Amelia Eleanor Valmont.""
Alexander stepped forward.
"Let us not waste time. Amelia has provided documents proving her royal identity.""
Sophie looked at the king.
"And what about me?""
William avoided her eyes.
"You will be permitted to speak after the examination.""
Elizabeth moved forward.
"What examination? You have already made a public declaration.""
William's expression hardened.
"Because the kingdom needs certainty.""
Amelia approached Sophie.
"I understand this must be difficult.""
Sophie stepped away.
"Don't pretend you understand anything about me.""
Amelia lowered her eyes.
"I know you grew up in Westmere. I know your mother raised you alone. I know she died when you were seventeen.""
Sophie froze.
"How do you know that?""
Amelia smiled sadly.
"Because Eleanor was my mother too.""
The room erupted in whispers.
Elizabeth grabbed the edge of a nearby chair.
"No.""
Amelia looked at her.
"Your Majesty, I understand you may find this difficult to accept, but I have spent my entire life searching for my family.""
"You are lying.""
Alexander raised his voice.
"Mother, enough! The evidence is overwhelming.""
He held up a sealed document.
"This is a birth certificate bearing the royal seal, confirming Amelia's birth twenty-two years ago.""
Elizabeth snatched the paper.
She examined it.
Then her face changed.
"This seal is genuine.""
Alexander smiled.
"Exactly.""
"But the signature...""
Elizabeth looked at William.
"This is not Eleanor's handwriting.""
Amelia stepped forward.
"Perhaps because my mother was very ill when she signed it.""
Sophie watched her carefully.
Something about the woman's eyes made her uncomfortable.
She knew exactly what to say.
Exactly when to appear vulnerable.
And every time Sophie looked at her, Amelia seemed to be measuring her reaction.
"Where did you grow up?"" Sophie asked.
Amelia turned.
"In a small village near the northern border.""
"With whom?""
"My adoptive parents.""
"What was my mother's favorite song?""
Amelia hesitated.
"Excuse me?""
"You said she was your mother. What song did she sing when she cooked?""
Amelia's expression tightened.
Then she smiled.
"She used to sing an old lullaby.""
"Which one?""
"I don't remember the words.""
Sophie nodded slowly.
"Neither do I.""
Amelia looked confused.
"But you just said—"
"I remember the melody. My mother sang it every night.""
Sophie stepped closer.
"She always forgot the second verse. She said her own mother used to sing it differently.""
Amelia said nothing.
Sophie continued.
"She also hated roses. Said they reminded her of the night she left the palace.""
Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears.
That was true.
Eleanor had hated roses since childhood because the royal gardens had been full of them on the night of the attack.
Amelia looked toward Alexander.
He gave her a barely noticeable nod.
Then she turned back to Sophie.
"I was very young when I was separated from her. You cannot expect me to remember everything.""
"Of course not.""
Sophie touched her pendant.
"But there's something you should know.""
Amelia tilted her head.
"My mother never had another child.""
The smile disappeared.
Dr. Edmund Hale entered carrying a silver tray.
On it lay a small crystal vial and two white cloths.
William rose.
"We will settle this matter now.""
Elizabeth stepped forward.
"William, you cannot conduct a bloodline examination using documents that may be forged.""
"Then we will use the Bloodstone.""
"The pedestal is damaged.""
"The physician has repaired it.""
Sophie looked toward the chamber doors.
Two guards entered, carrying a portable section of the crystal's original pedestal.
The Bloodstone had been carefully removed from its foundation and placed inside a reinforced silver frame.
Its surface still contained thin emerald veins.
Sophie felt a strange warmth beneath her pendant.
Dr. Hale placed the tray beside it.
"Each claimant must place a drop of blood upon the central surface. The crystal will respond according to the ancient royal law.""
Alexander gestured toward Amelia.
"After you.""
Amelia stepped forward confidently.
She pricked her finger.
A drop of blood fell onto the crystal.
Nothing happened.
A few nobles exchanged glances.
Dr. Hale leaned closer.
"Perhaps the crystal requires a moment.""
Then a faint blue light appeared.
It spread across the surface.
The nobles gasped.
Alexander smiled.
"Wonderful.""
Amelia lifted her chin.
The light grew brighter.
But it was not emerald.
It was blue.
Dr. Hale frowned.
"Interesting.""
William looked impatient.
"Is it a positive response?""
The physician hesitated.
"It is a response, Your Majesty. But not the traditional royal signature.""
Elizabeth stepped forward.
"Because she is not the rightful heir.""
Alexander snapped his fingers.
"Now Sophie.""
Sophie looked at the crystal.
She remembered the unbearable light from the ballroom.
The trembling floor.
The screams.
She didn't want to touch it again.
But she knew what would happen if she refused.
She pricked her finger.
One drop of blood touched the stone.
For a moment, the chamber remained silent.
Then emerald light erupted.
The crystal illuminated the entire throne chamber.
The ancient symbols appeared again.
One by one, they formed a circle around Sophie's hand.
The nobles fell to their knees.
Dr. Hale dropped his instruments.
"Extraordinary!""
William stepped backward.
Alexander's face twisted with disbelief.
Amelia stared at the crystal.
Her blue light disappeared.
Sophie pulled her hand away.
The green glow continued.
Then something unexpected happened.
The crystal produced a second image.
A man's face.
It appeared inside the stone, surrounded by emerald light.
Sophie recognized him immediately.
The man from the photograph.
Adrian Valmont.
Her father.
A collective gasp swept through the chamber.
The image slowly turned toward Sophie.
Then his lips moved.
A voice emerged from the crystal.
"Sophie... if you can hear me, do not trust the king.""
William shouted.
"Destroy it!""
The guards froze.
Adrian's image continued.
"The woman standing beside Alexander is not your sister.""
Amelia's expression collapsed.
The crystal flashed.
And the final words echoed through the throne chamber.
"She is the daughter of the man who murdered your mother.""
The entire court turned toward Amelia.
Her hand moved instinctively toward the ring on her finger.
Then she smiled.
A cold, unmistakable smile.
"Well," she whispered, "I suppose the truth is finally coming out.""
Before anyone could react, Amelia pulled a small silver blade from her sleeve.
She seized Charlotte and pressed the weapon against her throat.
"Nobody move!""
The guards raised their swords.
Sophie screamed.
"Let her go!""
Amelia tightened her grip.
"Alexander, open the eastern passage.""
The prince stared at her.
"What?""
"Now!""
Elizabeth looked at her son.
"Alexander, what have you done?""
He glanced at Amelia.
Then at Sophie.
And finally at the king.
For the first time, he looked terrified.
Because he had just realized that Amelia had never intended to make him king.
May you like
She had intended to use him.
And now, the woman he had brought into the palace was holding his sister hostage.
