Chapter 5: The Second Child in the Royal Nursery
Nobody moved.
Even the guards seemed frozen.
Queen Eleanor stared at Cedric Vale.
"What do you mean?""
Vale slowly straightened his coat.
"The royal physicians recorded two births that night.""
Eleanor shook her head.
"No.""
"Twins, Your Majesty.""
"That's impossible.""
"Your Majesty gave birth to a daughter and a son.""
Adrian looked toward his mother.
"Mother?""
Eleanor's lips parted.
"I was told there was only one child.""
Vale nodded.
"That was the official story.""
Elia felt the room tilt around her.
Twins.
She had a brother.
Someone else had been born that night.
Someone else had disappeared.
"Where is he?"" she whispered.
Vale looked at her.
"That is what I have spent eighteen years trying to discover.""
Adrian stepped forward.
"You're lying.""
"I wish I were.""
"Then why was this never mentioned?""
"Because the second child disappeared before sunrise.""
Queen Eleanor grabbed the edge of the table.
"How could you let me believe both my children were dead?""
Vale's voice softened.
"Your Majesty, the kingdom was on the brink of civil war. Your father had died. The nobles were divided. There were rumors of an assassination plot.""
"And you decided to hide my children?""
"I decided to protect the crown.""
Adrian pointed his sword at him.
"You have spent eighteen years protecting yourself.""
Vale looked at the prince.
"You may hate me, Your Highness. But there are truths in this palace that would destroy your family.""
Elia stepped forward.
"Where is my brother?""
Vale looked away.
"I don't know.""
"Then why did you say he was alive?""
"Because the royal registry contains a second entry.""
He gestured toward the messenger.
"Show them.""
The messenger opened the document again.
At the bottom of the page were two names.
*Princess Eliana Eleanor Valoria.*
*Prince Elias Eleanor Valoria.*
Elia stared at the second name.
Elias.
It sounded strangely familiar.
She had no memory of him, of course.
But the name stirred something deep inside her.
"Was he taken with me?"" she asked.
Vale shook his head.
"No.""
"Then where was he?""
"That information was sealed.""
"By whom?""
Vale looked toward the queen.
"By your father.""
Eleanor stared at him.
"My father?""
"King Edmund ordered the second child's identity concealed.""
Adrian frowned.
"Why would he do that?""
Vale hesitated.
"Because the prophecy surrounding the Crystal Hand did not concern one heir.""
The room fell silent again.
"What prophecy?"" Eleanor asked.
Vale looked toward the ancient documents.
"The firstborn daughter would awaken the Crystal Hand. The second child would awaken the throne itself.""
Elia frowned.
"I don't understand.""
Vale turned toward her.
"The Crystal Hand does not merely recognize royal blood. It recognizes the guardian of the kingdom's oldest power.""
He pointed toward the floor.
"The throne, however, was built over something much older.""
Adrian looked skeptical.
"You're saying there is something beneath the palace?""
Vale nodded.
"An ancient chamber. It has remained sealed since the founding of Valoria.""
Elia looked down at her pendant.
"Why would my brother be connected to it?""
"Because the prophecy says the royal twins must stand together before the final seal can be opened.""
Queen Eleanor's face filled with disbelief.
"Then where is my son?""
Vale lowered his head.
"I don't know.""
Adrian lowered his sword slightly.
"You're the one who signed the records. You're the one who moved the children. You expect us to believe you know nothing?""
"I know only that the prince was removed from the palace before dawn.""
"By whom?""
Vale's gaze shifted.
For a moment, he seemed to consider answering.
Then his eyes settled on Duke Ashbourne.
The duke immediately stiffened.
"Do not look at me.""
Vale said nothing.
Duke Ashbourne slammed his hand against the table.
"This is outrageous! The Lord Chancellor is attempting to implicate an innocent nobleman to save himself!""
Adrian turned.
"Nobody has accused you.""
"Then why is he looking at me?""
Vale finally spoke.
"Because your family was involved in the disappearance.""
The room erupted.
Victoria screamed.
"That's a lie!""
Duke Ashbourne stepped toward Vale.
"You will regret this.""
"Your father was the commander of the royal nursery guard," Vale continued.
"He was the last person to enter the nursery before the children disappeared.""
Ashbourne's face became crimson.
"My father died twenty years ago!""
"Yes. Conveniently, before he could be questioned.""
Adrian signaled the guards.
"Take the duke into custody.""
Two soldiers moved forward.
Ashbourne stepped backward.
"You cannot arrest me!""
"I can.""
"My family has served this kingdom for generations!""
"And now your family will answer for its actions.""
The guards seized his arms.
Victoria rushed forward.
"Father!""
She grabbed Adrian's sleeve.
"Please! You cannot do this!""
Adrian gently removed her hand.
"Your father will receive a fair hearing.""
Victoria looked toward Elia.
"This is your fault.""
Elia shook her head.
"I didn't do anything.""
"You came here and destroyed everything!""
Serena moved closer to Victoria.
"Perhaps we should leave, darling.""
But the guards blocked their path.
"Nobody leaves until the investigation is complete," Captain Marcus announced.
Victoria's face twisted.
She turned toward the queen.
"Your Majesty, I have done nothing wrong. I was raised believing I would one day serve this family.""
Eleanor looked at her.
"Then you should understand why the truth matters.""
Victoria's eyes filled.
"I loved Adrian.""
The prince's expression remained unchanged.
"You loved the idea of becoming queen.""
Victoria recoiled.
"How dare you?""
Adrian looked away.
"Take her to the west apartments. She will remain there until the council determines whether she was involved.""
Victoria was escorted from the room.
But before she disappeared through the doors, she looked back at Elia.
There was hatred in her eyes.
And fear.
Elia had seen that expression before.
She had seen it on Mrs. Hargrove whenever she discovered that Elia had overheard something she shouldn't have.
The expression of someone who knew a secret was about to become dangerous.
That evening, Queen Eleanor took Elia to the old royal nursery.
The room had been closed for eighteen years.
Dust covered the furniture. The curtains were faded. A small wooden cradle stood near the window.
Eleanor walked toward it.
"I used to sit here for hours.""
Elia stood beside her.
"With me?""
"With both of you.""
The queen touched the edge of the cradle.
"I remember your brother crying whenever you fell asleep. He would stop only when he heard your voice.""
Elia looked at her.
"Did you give us names?""
Eleanor smiled sadly.
"Your father chose them.""
She pointed toward a small painting hanging above the fireplace.
Two newborn babies slept beneath a white blanket.
"Eliana and Elias.""
Elia studied the painting.
There were tiny silver stars embroidered into the blanket.
She touched her pendant.
It was the same flower design.
"Mother?""
Eleanor turned.
"Yes?""
"Why did you never find me?""
The queen's smile disappeared.
"I searched everywhere.""
"But you never came to the northern forest.""
Eleanor looked confused.
"What?""
"Mara lived less than a day's journey from the palace. She told me she could hear the bells from the capital on clear mornings.""
The queen closed her eyes.
"I didn't know.""
Elia looked at the cradle.
"Then someone made sure you didn't know.""
Eleanor nodded.
"Yes.""
A long silence followed.
Then Elia asked the question she had been afraid to ask.
"Do you think my brother is alive?""
The queen took her hand.
"I don't know.""
Elia swallowed.
"I don't remember him.""
"You were only days old.""
"But I feel...""
She stopped.
"What?""
"Like something is missing.""
Eleanor pulled her into an embrace.
"Perhaps it is.""
For a moment, Elia allowed herself to rest against the queen's shoulder.
Then a strange sound came from beneath the floor.
A low metallic vibration.
The queen stepped back.
"What was that?""
Elia looked toward the old cradle.
The silver stars embroidered into the blanket were glowing.
One by one, they illuminated.
Then the floor beneath the cradle began to shine.
A narrow golden line appeared across the wooden boards.
It formed the shape of a door.
Eleanor stared.
"Impossible.""
Elia stepped closer.
The pendant around her neck grew warm.
A faint melody filled the room.
The same lullaby Mara had sung to her.
But this time, another voice joined it.
A boy's voice.
Sleep, little star, where the silver rivers flow...
Elia froze.
The voice continued.
The crown may forget, but the heart will always know.
Queen Eleanor began crying again.
"That song...""
Elia reached toward the glowing floor.
A small symbol appeared beneath her palm.
Two stars.
One silver.
One gold.
Then a line of ancient writing emerged.
*THE FIRST CHILD HAS RETURNED.*
A second line appeared.
*THE SECOND CHILD IS WAITING.*
The queen backed away.
"Adrian!""
The prince rushed into the nursery with Captain Marcus.
"What happened?""
Eleanor pointed toward the floor.
"Look!""
Adrian stared at the glowing doorway.
"Is this the chamber Lord Vale mentioned?""
Before anyone could answer, a voice echoed from beneath the floor.
A young man's voice.
Clear.
Calm.
And impossibly familiar.
"Elia?""
The girl stopped breathing.
Adrian reached for his sword.
"Who is down there?""
The voice answered.
"Tell my sister not to trust the queen.""
Eleanor went completely still.
Then the voice spoke again.
"Because the woman standing beside her is not our mother.""
The golden light vanished.
The nursery fell dark.
And from somewhere beneath the palace, three heavy knocks sounded against the sealed door.
May you like
*Someone was waiting for Elia.*
*And he knew her name.*
