Before all the lands were united, each race had their own kingdom. It wasn't until the end of the First War of Vivelle where it actually became one big kingdom. A Kingdom which was called Vivelle from then on.

The First War of Vivelle went on for thousands of years. No race being able to find peace with each other. Though during those times, it was not called the First War of Vivelle as the Kingdom was not yet united and called Vivelle. It was a place of savagery, bloodthirst and betrayal as every race tried to climb for more power. Everyone was against everyone. At the time the world was known as the Bloodlands.

Gods used to watch over the Bloodlands. Many would pray to them and offer gifts for the hopes they would end the bloodshed. Their prayers went unanswered. For the Gods could only watch over our world and made a vow not to use their powers to impact the lives of those below them. They wanted the lives of their creatures to be their own. After thousands of years of observing the Bloodlands and no change, they grew tired. They realised that there was nothing worth watching in the world anymore so they decided to leave. Before they left, they gave us a few gifts. The First time they had ever bestowed any power upon any of our creatures. The God of Time approached the leaders of each of the three Fae races. He gave each one a gift to share with their people. One to watch the past. One to guide the present and One to see the Future. He taught them how to master their visions and understand how time works. He named them the Keepers of time, though why he chose the Fae for this position is still unknown.

The God of Peace also came down to bestow a gift. He had been watching a human woman for many years. He had seen her beauty not only on the outside but within. She was kind, forgiving and intelligent. At first, she was shocked that a god came to her. She was in awe of his beauty as he was with her and the two spent their few hours together locked in each other's arms. Then, he left the world to return to his own. Once he returned to the lands of the Gods, they all left. Gone to watch over a new world without the constant bloodshed. However, the God of Peace left another present.

Nine months after their night, the woman gave birth to a little girl. Half human and half god. Her mother called her Visara Dulavelle. For Visara was the name of her mother. Dulavelle was the name of God who fathered her and the surname she chose her little girl to take. In the language of the Gods, Dulavelle meant peace.

~ History of the First War of Vivelle. Volume Two. Chapter Fifty-seven, Verse Three

"No cloth can be worn during the ceremony," Tiberius says as he pulls the ribbon around my waist. The white robe slides off my skin and lands on the ground around my feet. All I wear now is the large golden necklace which falls between my breasts. I remember what Si said and I make myself stand a little taller. I don't allow myself to be embarrassed by my nudity or the scars on my back.

"What a beauty," Umran says as she pulls at the chords of her black cloak. It falls off her body elegantly. Landing on the floor around her, leaving her body bare. My eyes widen at her appearance. Her skin is a dark, leafy coloured green. It is oddly smooth over all her perfect features. Her frame is tall and slender. Her stomach is toned and her legs are long. She is perfect. Her hair is a deep reddish-brown tone and cropped in a perfectly straight line around her shoulders and a fringe hangs in front of her forehead. He pointed ears are hidden behind her hair. Her large eyes are also dark brown, though they don't have the red tone that her hair does. The other Fae strip their robes off too. Tiberius is a Past Fae. His skin is a pale blue colour. He is also tall and slender. His figure is muscular and toned, but his muscles aren't as huge as those of some of our soldiers. His hair hangs down his back in an intricate pale blue braid, his pointed ears visible on the side of his head. His eyes are wide and a similar shade of blue as his skin and hair. Though I do my best not to look at anywhere on his naked body other than his face. The final Fae is Rashar, a Fae of the Future. She has a very similar, elegant slender figure that Umran has. Her skin is dark, almost black. Though her eyes and hair are bright gold. Her hair hangs down her back in soft waves with small braids going around the top of her head.

The three of them are stunningly beautiful and their eyes are all on me.

"She is very beautiful," Tiberius says as his eyes glaze over my body. I raise an eyebrow at him and he smiles charmingly.

"What happened to your back?" Rashar asks as she walks behind me. "It looks as though you've been whipped," she states as she brings her finger softly down one of the many white lines that are across my back. I try not to shiver.

"The necklace is a gift," Tiberius says. "One to the God of Time. If he likes it, only then will you be allowed to enter the time river," he says.

"You must offer yourself freely to him," Umran tells me. "Only then can we see you and the mark that represents you," she tells me.

"As we said earlier, it will affect everyone who enters differently. Some feel pain. You will be submerged for a long time and though it won't kill you, you would still feel the same effects as drowning. Others do not panic and allow the water to enter them peacefully. It allows for a much more peaceful process. Some will see visions. Things we might see too or some things we won't. Others only see darkness." I nod my head.

"It is time," Rashar tells me and the Fae step away from me. They walk slowly to their spots around the pool and swirl their fingers in the water. They move their fingers in patterns as they chant under their breaths.

"You may enter now, Princess," Rashar tells me. I take a slow, deep breath before stepping on the first step into the pool. The water is cool against my foot. My heart beats wildly with nerves as I walk further into the water. What if the Fae see my plans? It is no secret that the Fae are loyal to my father. I know they said that whatever visions they see won't be told to another, but can I really trust that? I don't have much of a choice. I take a deep breath and submerge myself completely. Calmness surrounds me as I hang effortlessly in the water. Everything is so quiet slow, even the bubble which springs from my mouth and up to the surface of the water.

"Breathe."

A whisper sounds in my head and I do. Water slides down my lungs though there is no pain or burning. It is smooth and cool as it fills me completely.

"Little Princess," the whisper says again. "You have a gift to present to me?"

I go to remove the necklace to find it already floating away from me.

"A very fine piece," the whisper sounds again. "It will earn you a look in the past, present and your future."

"How will this find my mark?" I want to ask, though the words are only spoken in my mind. My question is answered by a whispered chuckle.

My eyes widen as the water around me changes until I don't feel as though I am in water at all. In fact, I'm not.

I stand in a room. I look over my body. A long white robe has appeared over my skin, much like the one I wore down to the Fae in the first place. The room is well made up of stone walls covered in a variety of tapestries. There is a large canopy bed covered in the finest red materials and the furniture is made from polished oak. A woman sits on her bed, drawing. I walk over to her.

"Hello?" I ask. Her back is facing me and she does not turn at the sound of my voice. She hums softly and continues to draw. I walk toward her, then jump at the sound of a door opening behind me. A man walks in. He strides toward the bed, walking straight through me. I shudder and turn back toward the bed where the woman sits. She hasn't seemed to notice the man entering her room.

"Orianna," he says. "You have been summoned by the council." I gasp. I am in the room of the mad queen.

"Niklaus," she sighs.

"What is that you are drawing?" he asks, looking over her shoulder. I walk up behind them too so I can also look at the drawing. I gasp when I see it. It is my mark. The wolf head made up from intricate interlocking shapes and lines with the water swirling behind.

"It is a symbol," she whispers as she shades one of the eyes, yet does not touch the other.

"For what?" Her brother asks. "The Lupine, our enemies?" he asks and I can hear anger sound in his voice.

"The Lupine are not our enemies," she sighs though she does not look away from her drawing. "Though this may represent the Lupine, I think there is more too it. The wolf is freedom, strength and loyalty."

"The water?" he asks. She looks up at him.

"Clarity, power and life," she tells him. He frowns.

"Life?"

"Of course. No creature or plant in this world could survive without water," she tells him.

"Why have you drawn it?" he asks.

"Because I have seen this sign in my dreams on the skin of a girl," she whispers as her eyes go distant.

"A girl?"

"A Princess whose future is unknown and undecided."

"I don't understand what you're talking about..."

"No, you wouldn't," she sighs and I frown.

The vision changes. I now stand in a forest. It is terribly dark. The canopy of the trees are so thick that no light gets through and a low fog hangs through the air. It is silent. I look wildly around me, realising what forest I am in. The Lost Wood. An incredibly dangerous forest, full of odd, bloodthirsty monsters. There is only death in these woods. No one goes in and lives.

There is a faint growl behind me and I jump spinning around. A beast stands there. It is cat-like with silky brown fur matted with blood. It is much bigger than the average house cat. It hunches low to the ground, coming toward me. It growls, its lips pulling back from rows of sharp teeth. Though even if it wasn't growling, I would still be able to see its two front fangs as the huge teeth hang over its jaw. I gulp, walking backwards slowly. I know I am in some sort of vision, but I can't help but feel that part of me is actually here. If it goes in the correct order, I just saw the past so that should mean I am watching the present. Which means there is every chance that I could be partly teleported here. Maybe the cat can sense that. The beast pounces toward me. I go to jump out of its way when another creature smashes into its side. I gasp, stumbling back as a massive bear tears into the cat. Its fur is completely black and its body thick with muscle. The cat screeches for a few seconds before there is a snapping sound and the creature goes limp. The bear turns around, standing on its hind legs. My eyes widen when I see its eyes. A bright, almost glowing blue. I gulp again, not daring to move as it sniffs the air around me. Then, I gasp as the bear effortlessly transforms into a man in a quick smooth transition. I can't see his face as he wears a thick black cloak with a hood that surrounds him. From beneath the hood, I can hear him sniffing.

"I can sense you, princess," he says and my heart thuds wildly in my chest.

"How?" I whisper with a dry throat. He lets out a dark and dangerous chuckle.

"Do you think I wouldn't sense the person descended from the woman who banished me to this awful place?" He growls. "A person of the same blood and the only one who can set me free?" he growls.

"Who are you?" I ask. He laughs again.

"You're leaving now. Perhaps we will meet again, Princess," he chuckles before turning away. He jumps away from me, shifting into a wolf in mid-air. Like the bear, the wolf is black and when it turns to me I can see its glowing blue eyes. It looks at me for a few seconds before it runs off, disappearing into the fog.

The images around me turn into darkness. A new image begins to appear. This must be the future. I look down at myself. I no longer wear a white robe, but a black dress. Covering my face is a black veil. My eyes adjust to the small flames that light up the black room. I gasp, feeling pain rip through me. Four coffins lie on tables. I walk over to the first one.

Fallon. It reads. My hand comes to my mouth and I let out a shaking breath. I look over to the next one.

Cordelia.

Rayana.

Shaelyn.

"No," I whisper as I look over all the coffins. "They can't die." I feel an odd movement inside of me and gasp, clutching at my stomach.

"No!" I shout as I look at the huge bump that is my stomach. My breathing is heavy and panicked as I look around all the coffins. My sisters, they can't die!

"What have I told you about coming down here?" a voice says and I spin around. Kristoff walks toward me.

"I had to see them," I say, the words coming out of my mouth without me even thinking about them. "They are my sisters," I gasp, feeling my eyes prick with tears. Kristoff laughs walking over to me. In a quick movement, he attacks. Slapping his hand across my face and sending me flying across the floor. Pain springs across my face as I let out a shout.

"The only person you have to see is me," he tells me. "They are dead and not your priority. Your job is to bring my son into this world," he tells me, looking down at my belly. "and do exactly what I tell you when I tell you," he snarls. "So when I order you not to come down here, you don't come down here. Do you understand?" he asks.

"Why?" I ask. "Why can't I visit my sister's graves?" I ask. He laughs.

"It is your punishment, for escaping and trying to overthrow your father. You should have known you wouldn't be able to do it," he sighs. "But you women have such wild thoughts in your heads. Do you think you are actually worthy? Why must I always have to teach you this lesson?" he snarls and wraps his hand around my throat. "I'm going to make sure you pass none of this nonsense on to my children," he says as he drags me up from the ground. "Now," he tells me as he lets go of my neck. "Out of here and meet me in our chambers in five minutes. I'm in need of a little fun and you are in need of another punishment," he whispers in my ear. My heart races wildly and my hands shake. "If only you would obey me Illyana, then I wouldn't need to go to such extremes to get you in line." I take a deep breath. "Though I did promise I would break you and my god it has been fun trying," he says as he strokes my cheek. I shudder. No. This is not my future.

"No," I tell him, looking into his eyes. A look of rage crosses his features.

"What did you just say?" he asks. "Because I would think very carefully about saying..."

"No," I interrupt. He goes to slap me again but I am ready for it, dodging out of the way and slamming my fist into his gut. I put all my strength behind it and the breath is knocked from him.

"This is not my future," I tell him.

"What are you talking about you mad bitch?" he shouts, attacking again. I dodge out of the way easily. I guess that as he is King, he hasn't been training as much. I laugh as I slam my elbow into his back. He falls to the floor.

"You will never be my husband and you will never be king," I tell him. "I will be the queen and you will bow at my feet or die," I tell him as I snap his neck. The room fades around me and I am momentarily floating in just white.

"I like you, little Princess," the voice whispers again. "Just one warning. Do not trust the Fae," the voice whispers as it fades away. What?

I wake and walk up the steps out of the pool. The Fae aren't where I remember them. They are far from the pool and holding their bodies as though they are picking themselves up. They look at me with an odd expression. Like a mixture of fear and anger. They stand and walk toward me slowly.

"When do you draw my mark?" I ask.

"Normally now," Rashar answers.

"But you already have yours," Tiberius gulps. I frown and look down. I gasp. The wolf head sits in the centre of my chest just above my breasts. It fits perfectly with the shape of my body, the curling features of the wolf head twisting around beautifully. The water around it curls over the top of my breasts as wells as partly down my sternum. I will have to get a better look in the mirror.

"This isn't normal? What did you see?" I ask, wondering if they saw the things I did.

"Nothing," Umran mutters angrily.

"The pool threw us away as soon as you allowed the water to enter you. It knocked us out cold," Rashar snarls at me. I feel an odd sense of relief.

"No, it isn't normal," Tiberius snaps angrily. "How can the water give her mark to her?" he asks the others.

"I don't know," Rashar snaps back. I gulp.

"Am I done?" I ask, picking up the white robe from the floor and putting it back on. The three turn their heads sharply to me.

"Yes, you are done," Umran snarls. I nod my head and Si walks down the stairs.

"Princess," Umran says as I turn to meet Si. "If you ever find yourself in need of an ally, do not hesitate to come to the Fae," she smiles sweetly.

"Whatever do you mean?" I ask, keeping my nerves from my voice.

"We can already tell this Queen's Trial is going to be very different," Tiberius replies with a smile. "Perhaps even, revolutionary," he chuckles. I frown, pretending to not understand even though I know they are talking about my planning to escape and unite the species to be queen.

"Thank you," I tell them, still playing confused. Si goes to lead me away.

"Oh, Si," Umran shouts at us. Si turns. "Can I take your chalkboard, please? I'm sure the princess won't want you chatting away to her whilst you have to get her ready for the first trial." I frown as Si nods her head and hands her board over.

"I don't mind," I say.

"Honestly Princess, it is for the better. For a creature who can't speak, she is quite the talker," Rashar tells me. I frown and nod my head, following Si back out of the cavern into the palace.