Kabos was definitely the most amazing person that Dawn had ever met, but he wasn't the immidiate thing on her mind when she returned home from their date. Her mind swam with the information that she had read the day before, the memories brought back to her head by the color of Kabos's hankerchief. It was the exact same color as the crest she had seen in the book. A beautiful color, really. She wondered why more people didn't wear it.

        Dawn hadn't been to her parent's bedroom in what felt like ages. In fact, she had rarely even seen her parents over the past couple days. It wasn't like she saw her parents regularly anyways, what with all their duties and frequent absences from the castle, but for once Dawn desired her mother's company more than anything.

        Lisabeth hadn't been born into royalty like Dawn had. She had grown up a poor farmgirl, living on the outskirts of the village and helping to support her large family. Dawn had heard her mother's backstory numerous times, but she had never actually gone up to her mother and asked what she experienced as a villager. Villagers tended to know more of the kingdom's gossip than the royal family, and maybe her mother knew something about the fued with Ariesia, even though it had been long before her time.

        Dawn knocked twice on the bedroom door, waiting patiently for an answer. After a few minutes she knocked again, and this time the door opened quickly.

        "Dawn." Lisabeth smiled softly at her daughter. "I've been expecting you."

        "Really?" Dawn asked as she entered the room and Lisabeth closed the door. "Why?"

        "Well, either you or Adriana." Lisabeth amended her words. "I was in the library this morning and I saw the book about the juyts lying open on the table. I figured you two would want to know about yourselfs soon."

        "Well, you must have been there yesterday." Dawn laughed lightly. "I was reading it yesterday and I closed it and put it away afterwards."

        Lisabeth's eyebrows creased slightly. 

        "No, I believe it was this morning." she said quietly. Shaking off the thoughts, she smiled again. "But no matter. You're here. You're interested. That's all that matters."

        Dawn smiled as she sat down on the wooden chair by the door. Lisabeth took a seat in her velvet armchair and placed her hands lightly on her lap.

        "What do you want to know?"

        "What happened between Gregoria and Ariesia? Why were we cursed with the juyts? Why do they change colors? Am I..." Dawn took a deep breath, "Am I going to end up Dark?"

        "Now stop right there." Lisabeth directed. "I've never once called Adriana Dark or you Light for a reason. Yes, I knew about the juyts, but they do not determine your fate, Dawn. I heard someone say once that life is 10% the things that happen to you and 90% the way you react to them. If you can strive to stay Light and stay the amazing girl that you are, there's no way you'll turn Dark. You just have to make sure that nothing drives you so far over the edge that you find the desire within yourself to shut everyone out. That happened to my own sister."

        "You have a sister?"

        "Had." Lisabeth corrected, her smile wry. 

        "I thought you only had six brothers?"

        "We never talked about Yasmine after the incident." Lisabeth replied, her eyes glazing over. "My parents were heartbroken, as was I. Yasmine was my best friend, the only person I was ever close to growing up. She was two years older than me and I looked up to her like no one else. As we grew to be teenagers, she started to date the village boys. I would go to the Spring Dances with her every year to see her be flirted with and flirt with others, while I stood to the side, the ugly younger sister in the shadows of her beautiful older sister.

        "I think this is how Adriana used to feel about you, Dawn. She felt as if she were always living in your shadow, always second-best. You're a beautiful and talented girl, Dawn. Adriana knows that. Up until recently, I thought for sure she would turn Dark just because she was always living in your shadow. I could relate to her. In her case, she met Skylar, who I personally just adore. In my case, I met your father.

        "These Spring Dances aren't anything new, darling. They've had them for years and years, since before I was even born. One year, I went with Yasmine like always. We were dancing together for once, instead of her being off with a boy who found her attractive. She spotted your father, the prince, off in the distance..."

        As Lisbaeth talked, she pictured the scene in her mind from all those years ago...the dancing people, the merry voices, the colorful dresses and the high-heeled shoes of the wealthy. The poor danced as well, their dresses and shoes far less impressive. Lisabeth wore a scarlet-colored dress that sucked the air out of her lungs in an effort to make her look shapely. She envied Yasmine, who pulled off her new green dress and matching slippers beautifully, her blonde hair braided with daisies. Lisabeth laughed as they danced together, their hands in the air and their feet barely even touching the ground.

        "Do you seem him?" Yasmine asked softly, pointing in the distance. "Don't make it too obvious that you're staring, Bethy. But do you see him?" she sighed dramatically, "It's David, crown Prince of Gregoria. I wish I had the nerve to strike up a conversation."

        "You fancy him, Yasmine?" Lisabeth asked, craning her neck to see over the heads of the dancing villagers around her, "Isn't he a bit young for you?"

        "Oh, a year doesn't make a difference." Yasmine laughed, "We're two years apart in age and we're still the best of friends, aren't we Bethy?"

        "Why yes, of course." Lisabeth replied, her dress itching her back. "But I always thought the man was to be older than the woman in courtship."

        "He's a prince, Bethy. Rules can fly out the window."

        Lisabeth looked over at the prince. He was handsome, she supposed, in a way that not many usually looked in the kingdom; his hair swept out of his eyes by his hands and not the wind during a long day out in the fields, his hands themselves smooth and free from marks, not calloused like the village boys who worked day and night to keep their families warm and food on the table.

        "I supposed you could consider him to be attractive." Lisabeth said idly, turning her back on the prince. "But what would he know about work? He wouldn't make for a very good husband."

        "Ah, but what good does it do to dwell on the negatives like that?" Yasmine smiled slyly. "Imagine being the queen of Gregoria, Bethy. I'd give anything to talk to him."

        The rest of the afternoon passed in normality, nothing out of the ordinary happening. But, as it always happened, a young man whisked Yasmine off to the dark corners of the square, leaving Lisabeth to dance by herself.

        She eventually grew bored and depressed, having been ignored by everyone for far too long. Trudging through the crowd, Lisabeth vowed never to go back to another Spring Dance; her sister was too perfect for her.

        Suddenly she lost her footing and tripped over someone's foot. A small squeak escaped her lips as she plumetted towards the ground, until she was caught at the last second by a pair of strong arms. 

        "Thank you." she said as she stood up and brushed herself off. 

        "You're welcome." came the deep-voiced reply.

        Lisabeth looked up and was shocked to see the face of David, crown Prince of Gregoria. He was looking at her strangely, his eyes narrowed.

        "I'm terribly sorry, your Highness." Lisabeth muttered, backing away. "I didn't realize it was you."

        "Don't be sorry." the prince replied, catching her arm. "What's your name?"

        "Lisabeth." she replied slowly.

        "Lisabeth." he repeated, trying the name out on his tongue. "I like it. Say Lisabeth, I don't believe I have ever met anyone as beauiful as you in all of my life."

        Lisabeth couldn't help but let a short, barking laugh escape her lips.

        "Are you sure you're not talking about my sister Yasmine? Because she's the beautiful one."

        David looked confused.

        "Of course not. I was talking about you. You're beautiful."

        Lisabeth felt a warm blush creeping up her cheeks. "Thank you."

        David grinned at her, his face turning boyish and sly. "Say, Lisabeth. Would you like to get some punch and talk a bit?"

        "Of course." Lisabeth replied, her mind completely and utterly starstruck and confused. The prince was talking to her. The prince was talking to her. 

        They talked the night away, the two of them. Lisabeth didn't know tha anyone could be so perfect, so funny, so kind. He was so...normal, for a prince. He had faults and embarrassing stories and fears just like her.

        "I've never enjoyed myself this much in my entire life." David said as the sun set on the horizon. "I want to see you again. Tomorrow?"

        "I wouldn't miss it." Lisabeth promised. David grinned and placed a quick kiss on her lips.

        But as he walked away, Lisabeth caught sight of Yasmine just a few yards away. Her face had dropped and her eyes were hard and angry. The look of betrayal on her face was one that Lisabeth would never forget.

        "She never forgave me." Lisabeth told Dawn, her mind coming back to reality. "Yasmine was never the same after that. She said that I had betrayed her, that I was the most undeserving wench she had ever laid eyes on. It hurt, I'll admit. My role model, my best friend, calling me these nasty things over a boy she had never even spoken to. But I didn't take her seriously. I continued to see your father, and as our relationship got more and more serious, Yasmine got more and more angry. She stopped leaving the house, she stopped going out with friends or boys. But the thing that I noticed the most was that she stopped calling me "Bethy". And then one day, we found her room torn apart, burned in some places, books and clothes and furniture scattered everywhere. On the wall, the words "Happy now?" were written in what looked suspiciously like blood. We never saw her again."

        "Mother, I didn't know---"

        "That's because I didn't want you to know." Lisbaeth replied. "I didn't want you to feel bad for me. But now I think that the story can help you. Don't ever get so attached to someone that they make up your entire existence. Because if that person does something that hurts you beyond fixing, you won't be able to withstand the pressure of turning Dark. Yasmine didn't have the powers that you have. She merely turned her heart against her family and friends. But you? You can do so much more. For good and for bad. Let Yasmine's story be a lesson to you, Dawn. Don't ever let artificial love control the love you have for your family." she stood and walked to the door, leaving Dawn to sit and ponder in silence.

        When Lisabeth reached the door, she turned for a second.

        "And as for your other questions, I think you already know the answers. I'm not here to tell you that everything's going to be fine, Dawn. Because it probably won't."

***

        Knock, knock.

        Adriana looked around the empty hallway. It had been four days since Skylar had been shot, and Rissa had let up a bit on Adriana's guards. There was no one in the foyer of the castle, no one to answer the knock of the front door.

        Adriana sighed and strode over to the door, her scattered mind floating to somewhere else completely. She yanked open the door, expecting to find Kabos or a guard who had forgotten his way back after a tad too much to drink.

        Instead, she found a tall boy who looked to be about her own age, with shaggy brown hair that feel just above his hazel eyes and a well-built body from working in the fields as a villager.

        "Hello. Adriana, correct?"

        Adriana nodded slowly.

        "My name is James. May I come in?"        

        "Oh, um...of course." Adriana said, shaking her head slightly to get rid of the completely hormonal thoughts that she just didn't have time for right now.

        The boy stepped into the castle and stuck his hand out. Adriana shook it briefly before leading him to the nearest armchair. The two sat across from each other and the boy leaned back comfortably.

        "How can I help you?"

        "Well, I'm James."

        "As you've previously stated."

        "Let me finish." he laughed, "I'm James, Skylar's brother."

        Adriana's eyes widened at the sound of her friend's name.

        "I didn't know Skylar had a brother."

        "Twin brother, to be exact." James said, "She's told me quite a bit about you."

        "Well I hope it's all good things." Adriana replied, blushing slightly. "If I may ask, why are you here? Skylar hasn't awoken yet."

        "Yes, I know. Our parents sent me here to check on her and to let them know of any improvements. But I think that can wait." he leaned forward. "One thing that Skylar failed to mention was how incredibly gorgeous you are. Would you like to grab some tea?"        

        "Oh." Adriana stuttered, taken aback. "Are you always this forward?"

        "Usually." James leaned back in his seat again. "Skylar became a Fairling and I became annoying, as she likes to say. I don't usually let things stay in my brain if my brain wants them to come out of my mouth, you know?"

        Adriana laughed. She had never met anyone quite like this boy before. "I suppose so. Maybe I should try that."

        "Perhaps. But you are the princess, so perhaps not." he stood. "Tea?"

        Adriana stood up as well, brushing off the front of her dress.

        "I'd love to."

---

A/N: You know you've been watching too much Sherlock when you're American and the words you're writing echo in your head in a British accent.

This is a pretty long chapter. Did you like the part with Lisabeth's story? It's going to come into play later on. When I first thought of Skylar having a brother I literally punched a wall because I was so excited about it.

Comment below ONE THING you want to happen before the story ends! Also, do you think that there should be a SEQUEL or a PART TWO? (A sequel would be a separate book, a part two would be included in Spiral itself as more chapters) There's still about 6 chapters left in this book, but it's going to end on a major cliffhanger, just warning ;)

Wow, that's a lot to comment...hopefully I'll get some :)

Remember to vote, comment, and check for the next update. I'm SO CLOSE to 2k reads it's amazing!!

-Katherine