My Grandmother told me of a book that could help me understand my powers. I've searched in the Library for it high and low, yet have found nothing. I visited her again and told her of my troubles. She frowned then, an odd look passing on her face.

"What is it?" I had asked.

"Nothing," she replied quickly before standing up and leaving.

Confused, I headed to the council meeting. It did not go well. Everything I said or suggested was shut down. There was so much I wanted to do as Queen. I wanted to make peoples lives better. Introduce a compulsory day off during the week. A minimum wage that all workers must be paid in order to be able to live without hunger and with a roof over their heads. Lower the taxes. We don't need the amount we are getting. There is so much coming in, yet so little we are giving back to the development of the city.  The edges of the city have turned into slums and healing centres are being shut down. Yet, the council don't seem to care. They think I have not noticed what they've been doing. That the clothes they wear are getting finer and finer. That the multiple homes they are buying across Vivelle are getting grander. They are being paid a lot for their jobs as councilmen, but not that much. I suspect that a lot of the tax money goes straight into their pockets. Yet, I can't do anything about it. I can't replace them. They can only be replaced if they die or get a lack of confidence vote. Judging by the fact that a lot of the court seems to be indulging in the same thieving that they are, I doubt a lack of confidence vote would happen.

I may be the queen, but I can't make decisions and changes without the votes of at least two councilmen behind me. I also can't prove their crimes.

Grandmother would never have allowed this to happen. She had respect. The power-hungry snakes that make up the court knew not to try anything with her. Me on the other hand. Well, they don't respect me as their queen. They walk all over me and have no consequences to worry about.  I need to get them to respect me. I have The Gift and that is something they should fear. If I learn how to use my visions and understand them, then I could expose all their secrets. I could know exactly what they were planning and come up with ways to stop it.

I will learn and I will be feared.

~Diary of Orianna Duavelle

The next day of the trials passes quickly. The morning consisted of hunting and tracking. Our objective was to track some warriors through the woods and find them. All five of us were dropped off in different areas of the Kingswood at the same places that warriors had been dropped off an hour before. We each had five warriors to find. To complete the challenge, we had to find at least three of the five. I managed to find all five. They weren't exactly subtle. They left behind footprints and broken branches. They basically made a path for me to follow. No doubt my fathers doing, even though I am supposed to have harder tests. Fallon, Rayana and Shaelyn all passed their tests. Cordelia on the other hand failed. With each failure of my sisters, my determination grows. If this doesn't work, then they are one step closer to being sacrificed.

Once that test was done, we spent the next three hours being dressed up. I wore a spectacular silver dress which glinted with shimmers of dark blues, purples and emerald grees. My make up matched, my eyes lined with shimmering silvers. My sisters all wore very similar dresses too. We looked grand. Once we were done, we were taken to the arena again. Gone were all the obstacles from the fight. Instead, it was decorated with hundreds of flaming torches and small candles along the ground. It actually looked really nice in the dark. Especially as it made our dresses and makeup glitter. That test was the first dance tests. It should have been with our betrothed, but as he is on a mission, we had to make do with some other high ranking males. Lord Emlyn was one of them which made the test much more pleasant and it passed quickly. I don't really remember the point of the test. Something about showing the nation our grace and beauty. None of us failed at least and it was pretty easy. All the dances have been drilled into us since we could walk.

Now, I am back in my room. I strip off the sparkling dress and replace it with a simple black robe. The dress really was stunning. Even now in the small candlelight that illuminates my room, it sparkles. I can only imagine what it would have looked like to the audience watching us in the arena with all the torches. I sigh and pull on a black hooded cloak. Tomorrow is the first test in academics. There will be nine of these tests in total. Three for mathematics. Three for sciences and three for literature. Science I should be okay with and literature. Mathematics, however, I have always struggled with. We will be doing the first three of all these tests tomorrow. Like all the other tests, they will be the easiest of the bunch. The tests getting harder as we progress through the trial. Shaelyn will pass these tests with flying colours though. She's always been extremely intelligent.

I sneak out of my room, heading for the library. I want to get some last-minute practice. The familiar room calms me slightly. The maze of books shelves surround me and the dim light from the candles cast shadows for me to hide in. It is peaceful though and I soon find the section on mathematics. I get a desk and place the book down. Next to me is some plain parchment and a quill. I begin to write down equations and sums. Hoping that by writing them over and over, it will help me commit them to memory. I am so engrossed that when I hear a noise behind me, I jump out in fright.

"You really should be more aware, princess," a cold voice says behind me and my heart stops. 

I turn slowly, seeing a face I hoped I would not see for a little while longer. Sir Jago. The second in command to the Red Guard. He wears layers of black leather, blending perfectly into the shadows. A mask surrounds his mouth and nose and hood sits over his head. I can only recognise him from the jagged scar which cuts over his left eye. It cuts over his skin in a wiggling line, though his eye is undamaged.

"Sir Jago," I say, standing up. "We were not expecting you back so soon. Have the Lupine been dealt with?" I ask, keeping my voice even. "Did you join Lord Kristoff?" I continue. We had convinced the Red Guard that Lord Kristoff had gone to stop the Lupine attacks in the North. We hoped they'd be there for a while, especially as it takes a week's ride at least to reach the Northern borders. So how was he already back? It was only five days ago since Wyatt and Merissa fabricated the letter. It wasn't too hard. Finding parchments with his handwriting and copying it onto a new plain piece of letter paper. Then, all they had to do was break into his room and find his seal to prove it was from him.

"A few men and I thought the orders from Lord Kristoff were a little odd," he tells me, his voice slightly muffled underneath the mask that surrounds the bottom of his face. He steps closer to me. I stand up to face him.

"In what way?" I ask. He gives me a cold glare. I try not to shudder.

"We both know him, Princess. We both know he would not miss The Queen's Trial for a few small villages that were stupid enough to build close to the Northern borders."

"Perhaps," I suggest, starting to feel nervous, "he wanted to make a good impression to the people," I suggest with a shrug. "He is going to be the King after all. What better way to prove himself a worthy king than to help those in need?" He chuckles humorlessly. Then, in a blur, he is upon me. He slams me into the bookshelf, holding me by my throat. I let out a shocked gasp as pain springs in my neck from his grip.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I growl at him. He laughs dangerously in my ear.

"Little princess," he whispers in my ear. "Do not take me for a fool. We both know Lord Kristoff. We know he doesn't care about the people and what they think of him. So that leads me to think that there might be another reason as to why he isn't here with us," he says. I don't bother to struggle against him. I know that the only I'm getting out of his hold is if he lets me go. I don't allow myself to panic though.

"Put me down," I order, keeping my voice cold. The initial shock of his attack has worn off, leaving me with seething anger. I do not fear that he will hurt me. I am the princess and in the middle of a Queen's trial. He wouldn't dare. Though, he does not move apart from a small wrinkle on his skin around his eyes, letting me know he is smiling. He squeezes me tighter and I feel my heart rate increase. Perhaps I was wrong. This is the second in command to the Red Guard. A group of our top spies and masters of combat. He could kill me now and escape with ease. He'd never even be thought of as a suspect. Still, I refuse to let my fear show.

"I am your princess," I tell him. "Soon to be your queen. Unhand me," I order again. He laughs in my ear.

"I want to know what's going on, princess," he tells me. "Where is Lord Kristoff?" He asks with an oddly calm voice.

"I don't know," I reply, looking into his eyes. He laughs again.

"You lie convincingly," he shrugs. "But I know you are up to something Illyana. You always have been and you always will be. Kristoff is stupid and predictable. Which is why I know that he wouldn't go and help those villages. He'd be to busy here making sure his favourite toy survives the trial," he whispers. "What have you done with my commander?" he asks again. I growl out my answer.

"What could I have done to him? There is no way I would be able to incapacitate a man of his skill if that's what you're asking." He squeezes tighter and pushes my back harder against the wall, taking a deep, annoyed breath.

"That fool has always been stupid around you. His arrogance made him never think of you as a threat. I know better than that Illyana. I know how well you can play those around you. So, tell me what you did to him."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I continue. He sighs and drops me. I clutch at my throat and glare at him, taking deep breaths. 

He shakes his head. "You would make a fine queen, Princess," he sighs. "It is a shame that things are the way they are," he taunts. "There is no doubt that you are going to win this trial. Your victory has been ensured since the moment your mother passed with only daughters. I don't really care what has happened to Lord Kristoff. The man is a fool.  I know you've done something to him. It will all come out eventually. Let's hope that when he returns, his punishment for you won't be too severe," he shrugs.

"So if you don't care, why come and interrogate me?" I snap, glaring at him.

"I just wanted to see how you'd hold up. Plus, I came to warn you. There are eyes everywhere, watching everything. You'd best be careful little Princess."

"So what you're saying is that you are going to spy on me?" I ask. He laughs.

"There is more in this palace than just the Red Guard. They scurry through the walls like rats and watch like hawks. Then, they whisper in the King's ear."

"Why are you warning me?" I ask. "Surely we are being watched now," I state. He shrugs before answering.

"I want you to win," he tells me and my eyes widen. "Out of the five of you, you are the one most able to keep control over Lord Kristoff. I, like a few who truly know him, fear what he will be like on the throne." I frown confused. "So when making your little plans,  make sure no one is watching," he shrugs. I gulp and watch as he disappears into the shadows. Slowly, I sink back down onto my chair. What just happened?

"Oh, Princess. It's just you," I jump again at the new voice. It is Master Audwin's apprentice. "I thought I heard voices," he sighs. I gulp and lick my lips.

"I was just revising," I say. He nods his head and walks away. I take a deep breath and rest my head on the table as I try to slow my heart rate.

I wake to being shaken violently. I sit up with a gasp, realising I have fallen asleep at the desk. It takes my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the lack of light around me. It is still the early hours of the morning. Master Audwin stands in front of me.

"What's the matter?" I ask.

"Come," he says, yanking my hand and dragging me away from the table.

"What's going on?" I ask. He drags me through the library and into his study.

"Put these on," he snaps, throwing the robes of a Scholar at me.

"Why?" I ask.

"Just do as I say!" he snaps. I notice him sweating as well as his hands shaking. Quickly, I remove my cloak and replace it with the shapeless robe of the Scholars. A woven belt hangs loosely at my hips and the hood sits heavily over my head. He shoves something into my hands.

"Put these on," he says.

"What are they?" I ask. The first thing is an eye patch, I know that. The thing beneath it, I've never seen before. It is a thin material and a cloudy white colour.

"Here," he says, coming toward me and pulling my eyelids open. "Keep still," he mutters and takes the small bit of thin glass out of my palm. I try not to panic as he brings it up to my left eye.

"What?"

"Stay still!" he says with a shaking voice, on the edge of panic. I try my best to do so, but I flinch in pain as the glass touches my eye.

"Fuck," I whisper in pain as he wiggles it around until I can feel it covering my eye completely.

"Blink," he says. I do, my eyelids sliding uncomfortably over the glass that sits over my eyes. I also can't see anything out of that eye but white.

"What is it?" I ask, feeling my eye swell up around it.

"Put the patch over it," he says and I follow his instructions. It is easier, seeing the darkness of the patch over the bright white of the glass.

"Master Audwin, what is going on?" I ask. He doesn't answer as he drags me from the room and into the corridors. 

"Hold this and keep your head down," he whispers as he hands me an open notebook and a quill. "Write what I'm saying when I start talking. Don't speak."

Confusion fills me as we walk down the corridor. Every time a servant or soldier walks past he begins to talk. Speaking nonsense about various histories. My heart thuds in my chest. What is happening?

As we get further into the palace, I realise the servants are running.

"Master Audwin. Scholar," one of the knights says. "You can't come this way," he pants out of breath.

"Why not, I need to get to the kitchens. My Scholar and I are in need of some herbal tea."

"I'm sorry, but the kitchens are on fire," he says. My eyes widen.

"What?" Master Audwin asks. "Why was I not told? Is it spreading? How quickly? I have to protect my books and texts. What if the fire destroys all my writings? How did it start?" he waffles in a panic. The knight shakes his head.

"All we know is that someone broke into the palace via the kitchen chimney's and started a fire using the ovens," he tells us.

"What about the King? The princesses?" Master Audwin asks, sounding terrified.

"No need to worry. The King has been escorted to his safe room and has an army surrounding him. The Fire will be put out before it reaches him. It is just the intruder we need to worry about. The Fire is just the distraction."

"The Princesses?"

"They will be evacuated to another safe room. Soldiers are heading to their rooms now to bring them to a safe place..." he is interrupted by a string of more soldiers running past, buckets of water in hand.

I gasp with realisation. When they get to my room, they'll see that I'm gone though. I'm given no time to think about it as the Scholar speaks again.

"I need to get to my books and wake my scholars. Come, Scholar Gian," Master Audwin says, running off from the guard.

"Need to find another way out," he mutters as he runs down the corridors. I shake my head in confusion. Everyone who we go past are rushing around with water. Too busy to look at us. We come to a sudden stop. Ahead of us are a group of soldiers. They all huddle around five smaller bodies. My sisters. My heart thuds in my chest. They wear their white night robes with hoods around their heads to keep them warm. A pair of eyes catch mine. Juliet? My lady in waiting. Except her hair isn't blonde, it's black and the hood is high over her head. They think she is me. Though I suppose if she was in my room at that hour, they would have seen the black hair and thought nothing of it. I also see my mark on the part of her chest that is exposed by the shape of the nightgown. In the dim light of the candles and with my mark visible, mistaking her for me would be easy to do. Another robed figure looks at me. Her piercing blue eyes staring right at me. Fallon. There is a small smile on her lips and she nods her head slightly.

"Quickly girls," a soldier urges before the five of them are rushed away. My heart thunders in my chest as the Master pushes me on, not even letting me look at their retreating figures.

"Come, Scholar," he says in my ears. We rush through more corridors which slowly get quieter and quieter. Then, we are in one particular corridor. The one where my father's room sits. There is no one here. All the guards are gone and so is he. We rush into his room.

"What are we doing?" I ask again. I am ignored as the Master Scholar rushes to my father's desk. He yanks it open and grabs two items out of it. Identical, titleless black books. I feel even more scared now. We are stealing from my father. We are in his private chambers. What if someone finds us here?

"Come on, Scholar!" he shouts, grabbing my arm again. He runs over to my father's bed and pulls back the layers of blankets which drape over the sides, revealing the floor underneath.

"Master Audwin, what are you doing?" I ask with panic as he crawls under the bed.

"I was hoping we wouldn't have to go this way," he mutters. He presses at the stones on the floors madly. I think he has gone mad.

"Prepare for a drop," he tells me as he pulls me completely under the bed and presses his hand against a stone that sits on the wall.

"What?" I ask, then scream as the floor falls away beneath us. My stomach plummets as we fall and I scream again. My body feels heavy in the air and whatever opened to swallow us has now shut again. Meaning I can see nothing. Where is the ground? How far from it are we? My thoughts are interrupted as my stomach slaps against water. An intense stinging sensation thrums over my stomach from the landing. I am submerged in the darkness of the water, but somehow I manage to find my way up to the surface, breathing heavily.

"Princess," the Scholar says, managing to find my hand in the freezing water. I take heavy, scared breaths as my heart thuds in my chest. My body is shaking from the cold of the water and I can tell it is dragging us somewhere. From the roar that is beginning to fill my ears, I don't think it is good. I am amazed that the Scholar is able to talk at all. I was winded from the fall and he is a lot frailer than I am.

"Swim, this way," he says. I force myself to swim side on to the current. It is a little easier now my eyes have adjusted to the darkness. Somewhere, light is coming in. A very small amount, but enough for me to just be able to outline the edge of some rocks. It takes all our effort, but together, we make it to a ledge and climb out. I lie down on the side of this underground river, gasping for breath.

"No time to lie around, princess." Master Audwin drags me up and we run again. Somehow he manages to find a passage in the rocks.

"Where the fuck are we?" I ask.

"When the Mad Queen's quatres were closed off, the king needed a new place to find his room. He re-modelled most of the palace," master Audwin pants whilst we run. "They changed the whole layout to ensure that the royal rooms were as far from the Mad Queen's quatres as possible," he continues. "Yet still in an area high enough to look out over the city and far enough from the servants' quatres and kitchens. The current room of the King used to be a bathing room. The trap we fell through used to be a toilet hole. There would have been a line of benches for people to sit over. Then, they'd press one particular stone and the floor would drop away. Allowing the faeces to fall into the river that runs through the stone beneath the palace."

I shake my head in confusion.

"How the hell did you know about it?" I didn't even know about it. I don't think father did either.

"Well, King Niklaus didn't want people to know he was sleeping where the toilet room was, so he destroyed most of the old plans of the palace and changed them. However, he kept one copy so he'd remember where all the secret passages were," he pants. "I managed to find it. We are now heading down the old service tunnel which workers would use to make sure the river wasn't getting blocked by all the shit," he mutters. I shake my head in shock.

"What is going on Master Audwin?" I say through a shaking voice. Ahead of us, I see the light of a flame. Master Audwin sees it too and speeds up. We come to a junction of sorts. Our passage stops and connects to a new tunnel. One lit up by small torches so I can finally see properly. We go left and continue to run. My heart thunders in my chest and my body shakes with exhaustion. My wet robes still stick to me and I am still cold. Finally, there is a ledge in the distance and I can see the outside world. I gasp. Lord Emlyn is here as is my warhorse who is kitted out with a saddle and full saddleback. I give Emlyn a hug.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, angrily, looking at the two of them.

"Haven't you figured it out yet, Ana?" Em asks. I shake my head, my eyes wide. "We're getting you out," he tells me.

"What?" I ask, suddenly feeling a little faint. Emlyn throws me some dry clothes.

"Get changed, quickly." I do as he says, peeling off the wet scholar robes and replacing them with travelling clothes.

"The eye patch will help keep you disguised. The cover on your eye will make it look like you are blinded in one eye," Master Audwin tells me.

"How did you even get the horse down here?" I ask, not even listening.

"Down the other passage. The one you should have come down originally," he says.

"The way to that one was blocked," Master says. "We had to take plan B. Are you sure no one saw you take the horse?" he asks.

"The passage opening is just outside the stables in the courtyard," he tells him. "All the stablehands were busy with the fire. No one was looking at me," he replies.

"Good."

I finish changing and stand up as I am handed a bag to hang on my back. Master Audwin pulls out one of the black books. I am surprised that the water hasn't damaged it.

"Read this when you can, it may give you some answers."

"What is it?" I ask.

"I haven't got time to explain. All I will say is that I wasn't planning on getting it had our route not gone through your father's room. It's a treasure he's been hiding for a long time," he tells me. I nod my head, confused.

"Your saddle bag has a few weapons, food, spare clothes, a map and compass as well as a water canteen. Your backpack has more weapons and clothes plus some spare eye patches and eyeglass for your disguise. I've also packed some makeup cream to cover your mark," he tells me as he attaches a belt to my hips with a sword and then hands me a bow and quiver full of arrows. "You have everything you need," he tells me. My mind is still spinning.

"There is a very narrow, broken path down the cliff face which leads to the flat farmlands. Keep going and don't stop until you are in the mountains. The base of the mountains are full of woodland so there will be food to hunt. Try to avoid heading up the mountains. The weather is temperamental and the higher you go the colder and more barren it gets. Try to follow them around."

"How am I going to survive?" I ask, suddenly panicked. I've never left this city. I've only ever seen maps of the world, never been out of it!

"Don't you get it Illyana?" The master says. "The reasons why you are tested so much on combat or hunting and survival. Why you are taught how to read maps and understand what wild herbs do what. It seems odd that a trial to be queen would include the tasks deemed kingly," the Master says.

"Because it is to prove we are worthy," I whisper.

"No, Illyana," Emlyn sighs. "It's to teach you how to survive outside the palace. It was the Mad Queen's way of making sure that you have the best chance of succeeding in the True Queen's Trial," Master Audwin explains.

"But none have been able to do it before. How can I?" I ask as my breathing gets quicker.

"We don't have time Illyana. Read the book when you can, that will answer many questions," he tells me. I try to ask more but Emlyn lifts me up and places me on the back of my warhorse. I look at them both.

"Trust yourself, Illyana. You can do this. We believe in you. The city believes in you." I gulp.

"Who knew I'd be going tonight?" I ask with a whisper.

"It was all Fallon's plan," Emlyn said. "The other girls had no idea." I nod my head and gulp taking a deep breath as I think of my sisters.

"Go now, Illyana. They'll notice you gone soon."

"How will you stop father from convincing the people I'm mad?" I ask. This plan has so many floors and complicated steps.

"Because you are Visara reborn," he whispers so quietly I barely hear it.

"What does that mean?" I ask.

"Goodluck, Illyana. Don't worry about what is happening here. We will sort it and I will keep your sisters safe," Emlyn says. "Now, go and charm all the creatures of Vivelle," he smiles as though it's an easy task I could do in my sleep.

"Goodbye, Illyana," Master Audwin says as he takes his hand and I see my mark on his wrist. I smile softly at him.

"It has been an honour knowing you," he chuckles. My heart beats loudly. Then, he slaps my horse. The beast takes of, rushing toward the narrow path. My breathing is fast and I try not to panic. The ledge is so broken. It's clear that it hasn't been used for a long time. Next to me is a huge drop to the ground, yet my horse is confident in his stride and unafraid of the ground so far below. The path also descends behind the waterfall that I could see from my room and the one we nearly got swept down. That would explain why no one knows this path is here. We descend down the path at a steady trot. It only takes a few minutes to reach the bottom. I look back up at the cliff face. Even right at the bottom of the little path, it is practically invisible. It just looks like a cut in the stone and is mostly hidden behind the wall of water. Though I suppose that is for the best. This path pretty much leads directly into the courtyard of the palace if they chose the right tunnel to go down. An easy path into my home. I look to the path ahead. I take another deep breath and urge the horse into a gallop.

"Come on Trouble. You're about to run like you've never run before." He is happy to oblige. He takes off and I hold on to his main tightly. My stomach is fluttering with nerves as we run across the open plains that are the flat farmlands. There are a few paths that cut through it and we take the closest one we can find. It goes in one straight line. It is the road that takes farmers to their fields. So many years I've looked out my window at these plains. Now, I'm running across them. The wind whips my hair around me, drying it quickly. My breaths are loud in my ears and my heart is as fast as Trouble's hooves against the ground. After about thirty minutes of running, I pull him to a stop and turn around. The cliff is a lot smaller now, though still daunting as it cuts across the horizon. The palace still looks large, standing on the tallest point of the cliff. The jagged stone of the rock face slowly changes to the smoothly cut stone of the castle. Its towers and spires rise high. I can even see my room. I can see the little light's coming from the windows and a small cloud of smoke from the fire.

"Goodbye," I whisper to my home. I kiss my hand and sigh, thinking about my sisters. "I will do this. I will save you," I whisper to myself and turn Trouble around. With a gentle nudge, he begins to run again. I don't look back.