I rolled over and stared out the window. The grey morning was something I'd grown used to. Rain pelted the window as I lay there watching. The words of the elder dragons were fresh in my mind.

A dragon heart. I'm a dragon heart. I'm not even human. Not completely.

James's arm wrapped snuggly about my waist, pulling me closer. It was both wonderful and sad. He was my love. The man I wanted to be my king. The man I trusted to rule my country by my side. I'd already made up my mind he would be king of England in his own right. Deep down I knew I would live longer than he would. At least part of me would. I'd have to live for eternity without the man that I love. I would have Draco though.

"It's going to be alright," he whispered.

"I know."

It wasn't going to be alright though. A bad feeling took over and made everything seem uneasy. I sat up and stretched my aching, sore body.

"Come back to bed," James called.

The bed looked like a better option than getting up and getting dressed, but it would never be allowed. Somebody should be in the room at any moment.

"We can't, James. We do have our duties."

"Hmm. I suppose."

As he lay back with his hands behind his head the doors to my chamber flew open and my mother strode in.

"I thought I'd find the two of you here."

"Do you ever knock?" I questioned.

"Is there a reason for me to?" She glanced between the two of us.

I shook my head and sighed heavily. "No, Mother. But I would like a little privacy occasionally."

"When you're married you can have privacy." She paced the room like an anxious puppy. "Your father and I were speaking."

"Yes?"

"We feel the wedding should proceed as planned."

"Wedding? With the threat of the Guild at the doorstep, you want us to get married?"

"There is no guessing when the battle will occur. It could be tomorrow, next year, or ten years from now. No sense in wasting any more time."

"I don't find preparing for a battle to be a waste of time, Mother."

"No, Evelyn. I agree. I don't think we should postpone," James said, sitting up.

"What? You're agreeing to the crazy notion?"

Charlene shut the connecting door to her room quietly, appearing beside my mother. "I concur. It's been quite long enough. It's time for the wedding."

"I don't know. There's so much we have to do."

"Are you stalling for a reason? Do you not love me?"

"James! I love you dearly. You are most precious to me, besides my parents and country of course."

"Of course." Mother nodded.

"Then why hesitate? We will be strong as one. We will be strong as the Prince and Princess of England and Scotland. Whether we marry now or later, it will happen."

"Yes, I know this and I want to marry. I just don't want the possibility of the Guild ruining our day."

"They can't. They've already done so much to harm our very way of life, this will just show them that they cannot divide us."

"Nothing will ever divide us," I mumbled, sitting on the bed in my undergarments. "I just don't want any surprises."

"I understand," Mother said. "But you can't let this affect your life in such a grand way. Do not stop what needs to be done."

I nodded. "Alright. Once things are ready, we shall wed."

"Wonderful! The wedding is in three days' time!"

"Three days!" I screeched.

"Yes. I just spoke with the seamstress and your gown is ready. We simply have to wait on guests and food. Three days. The banquet hall and chapel are already being decorated." A smile spread across my sneaky mother's face.

"You weren't going to let me say no, were you?"

"Of course not, you silly girl. I will see my only daughter married before I die."

"Mother! You are not dying anytime soon."

"Perhaps not, but I also want to see grandchildren. I want a little prince and princess to run through our castles."

"Oh for heaven's sake, mother!"

She turned and traipsed out of the room.

"Well, we were just talked into an early wedding."

"We? You agreed with her, James!"

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"You were in on it, weren't you?"

"Perhaps. She's right though. We can't let the Guild continue to stop us from living our lives."

"We can't ignore them either. They attacked the castle. They murdered almost the entire household. How can we jut move on from that?"

"We just have to," Charlene said, holding my hand.

"I've just never dealt with such brutality and hate before. And it angers me to my core."

Tears streamed down my face as I stood to get dressed.

"Where's Elizabeth?" I asked, looking about.

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen her in some time."

"When was the last time?" My heart slammed against my chest as I tried to think back to the last time I saw my dear friend.

"It must have been when the seamstress was here."

"That was almost three days ago, right?"

"I believe so."

My mouth went dry as I ran from the room. Turning toward the stairs I ran as fast as my legs would move. They felt so weak and shaky. Almost as though they didn't want to go find her. At the landing of the staircase, I made a sharp left and ran along the banister toward the room she'd moved to just last week. The door was cracked. I reached for the knob, still running, and slid in something wet. Scrambling to my feet, I threw myself against the door. Nobody occupied the area. The bed hadn't been slept in and there were no signs anyone had been there that morning. Glancing down at my nightdress, I let out a sharp scream. Blood covered the front of me from where I fell and my legs. That was the only thing out of place. A trail of blood led out the door.

"Oh my!" Charlene clasped her hand to her mouth when she say me.

I brushed the hair away from my face, streaking blood across. The sticky, wet liquid felt odd against my skin.

"What happened?" James asked, pausing at the door.

I could only shake my head. Grabbing a candelabra off the table, I used a torch to light the candles and hurried from the room.

The dark red streak went down the hall and around a corner. A piece of soft, pink fabric stuck to a nail fluttered in the breeze. My stomach flipped about as my heart felt as though it had sunk to my toes. I bent down and picked up the cloth. There were tiny flowers on it, the same as Elizabeth's favorite day dress.

"It's part of her dress," I cried out. "Why didn't we notice her missing? How did we not?"

"It has been such a mess the past few days with the guild attacking, it's nobody's fault."

"She was my friend! Where is she?"

I hurried around the door and into a large sitting room. Propped up in the chair, facing the wall, was my friend. I could see from the glow of the candlelight that her beautiful hair was matted with blood. I choked back a sob, covering my mouth as I stepped forward.

"Evelyn, please don't go in. Allow me."

I shook my head and continued. "I have to see her. I should have noticed she was missing."

I tentatively reached out my hand and touched her shoulder. She slumped forward and fell to the ground.

I yelped and jumped back at the sight of her body tumbling down. Her eyes stared up at the ceiling in terror, her mouth twisted in a grotesque scream that never got out, and her beautiful skin was a horrifyingly ashen color.

I dropped to my knees, letting go of the candles, and sobbed uncontrollably. I grasped at her shoulder, shaking the lifeless body.

"Please! Elizabeth! Wake up! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Oh God, I'm so sorry! Elizabeth."

Charlene gasped and dropped beside me. She reached out and touched Elizabeth's arm. "She's so cold."

"Ladies, please, I think it best we get the guards."

"When did this happen?" I wailed.

"I don't know, Evelyn."

I fell atop her body, hugging her, hoping everything was a bad dream. She had to get up. She couldn't be dead. She was one of my bridesmaids. She was to be married.

I opened the front of her gown, reaching about her neck.

"What are you doing?" Charlene asked, sniffling most unladylike.

"The necklace. Where is the necklace?"

"What?"

"The one given to her. The pearl. It's missing! If we find the necklace, we find who murdered Elizabeth!"

"Guards! Palace guards!" James shouted down the hall.

The thundering of footsteps could be heard coming from everywhere.

"Remove the lady's body to the barn and have every room searched for a pearl necklace. I want all pearl necklaces brought to me! Immediately!"

The guards nodded and ran off. Except for two. Two entered the room and delicately picked up Elizabeth's dead body, carrying her out of my sight.

I will make whoever did this pay dearly!