《Twelve for a Kingdom》 Preface 4th Day of June 134 R.A. ¡°Damn it! Get back here!¡± King Philip called into the dark hallway as stumbled toward the doorway. His right hand pressed tightly, trying to stop the over flow of blood spilling out of him. He tried to take another step forward into the abyss of the hall, causing him to fall to his knees. Four bodies laid on the ground in front of him, which were likely his personal guards. He couldn¡¯t tell if they were dead or alive. The shock had kept the pain at bay as he tried to chase his attacker out of his bedroom, but there was no one around to help him now. He scrambled across the floor on his knees toward the wall where the phone sat in its cradle. The King pulled the chord of the phone, causing the phone to fall into his lap. He heard a voice call to him through the phone. His breathing was becoming shallow as he managed to speak into the phone. ¡°Attack¡­Royal Suite¡­emergency¡­doctor for¡­the queen¡­¡± ¡°King Philip? Was there an attack on the King and Queen? Where are the-¡± the voice tried to ask. ¡°Help¡­¡± King Philip whispered into the phone. ¡°Of course, your highness. Help is on the way.¡± The voice answered before hanging up. The king dropped the phone and pressed his back against the wall. He had lived thirty-two wonderful years with his wife, and they had never had an attacker make it to their bedroom before. How had someone managed to get into the royal suite without anyone noticing? Were guards on the ground dead? The king could only speculate the hows and whys of the situation, but none of that mattered now. His white nightshirt had turned a crimson red under around his hand. The bleeding was only worsening the more he tried to stop it. His vision blurred and his head felt numb. He looked back at his wife who couldn¡¯t move from the bed. She had been poisoned some time earlier, and was in a state of paralysis. The king could only imagine what would have happened had he come home the next morning as he originally planned to. He had stopped the intruder from violating his wife, but he was pretty sure she was living in her own internal hell since she couldn¡¯t move. King Philip would likely be dead the next time his wife could see his face or move a muscle. The poison wouldn¡¯t stop her from hearing everything that went on in that room. She heard the king wrestle with the attacker. He had groaned in pain when the attacker stabbed him. He didn¡¯t want that to be the last thing she heard from him. ¡°My¡­beloved,¡± he murmured. ¡°I¡¯m not..long for this¡­world. Know that¡­I¡­love¡­you¡­above all else¡­Thank you¡­for the joy¡­you brought¡­just being my¡­wife.¡± He coughed, spitting blood out onto the carpet. ¡°Help is¡­coming¡­my love¡­I would die¡­to save you¡­ any day¡­No re¡­grets.¡± More coughing, more blood sprayed out of his mouth. ¡°Find¡­a daugh¡­ter¡­of¡­Ash¡­land¡­heir¡­¡± The king felt his body numb from the blood loss. ¡°Lo..ve¡­you.¡± ¡°L¡­ove¡­you¡­Phil..ip,¡± the queen forced her mouth to move. Her face was soaked with tears. Fear, desperation, and heartbreak filled her mind. She couldn''t see her husband¡¯s face, but she heard a thump on the floor. She knew at that moment that her darling Philip had returned to the Creator¡¯s Paradise where she hoped to see him again one day.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. 10th Day of June 134 R.A. After nearly a week since the murder of King Philip Ash and attempted murder of Queen Reia Ash. The Royal Inspector, Ian Stocklan, isn¡¯t any closer to catching the king¡¯s murderer. Stocklan is fresh out of leads, leaving the heartbroken queen and nation without answers. Rumors and speculation point to the murder being an inside job in the palace, but an anonymous source points to another kingdom¡¯s involvement. Is the king¡¯s murder an international plot? 12th Day of June 134 R.A. Queen Reia Ash buries her beloved husband, King Philip Ash, in the Roseberry Chapel just outside of the Mortar Palace where the last two generations of royals have been laid to rest. The queen appears stoic in all of her public appearances of late. The citizens of Ashland feel her pain, and the great loss of their king. 23rd Day of June 134 R.A. Royal Inspector, Ian Stocklan, is still stumped as to who is behind the murder of King Philip. No one seems capable of solving the mystery of who attacked the royals and why. What was the murderer trying to accomplish with the death of the King and Queen? Were the royals not the benevolent rulers Ashlanders know them to be? 2nd Day of September 134 R.A. The Queen¡¯s Ministers have called for the retirement of Royal Inspector Ian Stocklan after months of failed progress in the case of the King¡¯s murder. District Governors are set to gather in District Horizon to discuss the matter and possible nominations for a new Royal Inspector. The queen has refused to comment on the situation, but an anonymous source says the queen is dissatisfied with the investigation. The queen appears to be in grief counseling for her loss. Ashlanders stand with the queen in her darkest hour. 9th Day of December 135 R.A. After Ian Stocklan was replaced twice with new Royal Inspectors by the Queen¡¯s Ministers and District Governors to find the murderer of King Philip Ash, there has been no progress on the case. Queen Reia Ash returned to the normal royal routines at the start of this year, and she has asked that Ashlanders leave King Philip¡¯s case in the hands of our Creator. Instead the queen has announced a competition to find an heir to her throne called the Queen¡¯s Challenge. King Philip had always wanted a daughter, so to honor him, the queen will find a daughter of Ashland to be her successor. Although Ashlanders are excited for the upcoming competition, most of the citizens are still hoping for justice for the late king. 1st Day of January 136 R.A. Queen Reia Ash has begun her monthly goodwill and announcement tour across the districts. She will travel by rail car to each district this month to open the entry portion of the Queen¡¯s Challenge. She is expected to make her first speech in District Foundry this evening. 2nd Day of January 136 R.A. Queen Reia Ash was greeted with union protests in District Foundry. The queen in all her grace quelled the crowd with meetings from the district union leaders. Hiked prices on steel have led to pay cuts throughout the district factories. The queen promises to address the issues at the next assembly. In addition 43 young women will begin taking tests to qualify for the district competition to enter the Queen¡¯s Challenge. 15th Day of January 136 R.A. Queen Reia Ash has been met with more of the same in each district. Protests and riots have spurred her into action to quell the public¡¯s out cry of neglect. Although the queen had been in mourning for the last year, Ashlanders have had no voice in the assembly. Elected officials and nobles have failed the people of Ashland with policies and proclamations. The queen is the people¡¯s last hope for relief from over population, pay cuts, and bans across immigration into other districts. The question has been raised if the Queen¡¯s Challenge is nothing more than a stunt to distract Ashlanders from their problems. Queen Reia Ash arrives in White Sands tomorrow to kick off another district competition to select the representative to compete in her challenge. Announcement The crowd rumbled under the heat of the sun. It was midday, so the heat had only begun to reach its peak. The courtyard around the gray brick castle was filled with the residents of Horizon District, which was the capital of Ashland. All the citizens were waiting to see the Queen of Ashland¡¯s announcement. The future of the kingdom starts with the queen¡¯s announcement. Every district would be watching the queen¡¯s speech since broadcast technology had been revived about twenty years ago. It felt like the kingdom was finally past the survival and rebuilding stage. Ashland was a full country that traded with the other countries along the Sea of Davina and the Navian Strait. It was an exciting time to be alive. ¡°Are you sure about this, your majesty?¡± General Lloyd Brown of the Ashland Armed Forces asked the queen. He looked over the queen with great concern. King Philip¡¯s murder was never caught, and no one knew why the king and queen were attacked that night. He worried the queen¡¯s life was in danger. General Brown had just returned last night from collecting all the candidates for the Queen¡¯s Challenge from each district. The queen appreciated the General¡¯s concern. He has been her closest adviser this past year and a dear friend. Sometimes she wished she could confide in him completely, but even a queen has secrets she won¡¯t share with others. She took his hand in hers, so he could escort her to the balcony. ¡°Lloyd, you worry too much. This is the beginning of a new future for our kingdom. It wouldn¡¯t kill you to smile.¡± She grinned at him, causing him to blush slightly and give her a small smile. ¡°Better. Much better.¡± She wrapped her arm around the general¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s get the festivities going!¡± General Brown escorted the queen onto the grand balcony. Cheers blocked out all other sounds as they waved and walked toward the podium. Several guards were posted across the balcony, which eased the general¡¯s worries a bit, but all the cameras made him nervous for the queen. Almost all Ashlanders would be watching the start of the Queen¡¯s Challenge today. He left the queen at the podium and stood behind the queen to her right. He prayed to the Creator that today would go well. Queen Reia Ash stood on the balcony of the Mortar Palace looking down at the sea of citizens below. The crowd was worked up into a roaring cheer that still gave the old queen goosebumps. The people of the capital were dressed in their best dresses and slacks although the sun was bearing down on the crowd, causing everyone a sticky and sweaty discomfort. The sun had risen to its peak only thirty minutes ago, which meant there was no end in sight. Queen Reia hated having her people suffer from the summer heat, but the time had come to announce the candidates of the Queen''s Challenge. She stepped toward the podium on the large, stage-like balcony to begin the first royal speech broadcasted to all the districts of Ashland at once. Queen Reia straightened her maroon gown with princess collared, beaded bodice with sheer beaded sleeves that flowed into a pleated, A-line skirt. Rushing over, her personal maid, Helen, fixed a misplaced hair of her strawberry blonde haired braid and straightened the black plated and diamond encrusted tiara. Minister Guy Gordan called for attention and cued the queen that the broadcast was now live. Cameras focused on the queen as she smiled at her citizens beneath the balcony. ¡°The passing of King Philip Ash, my beloved husband, has taken its toll on me as a wife and the entire kingdom. If Philip was here with us, he would be overjoyed by the journey our kingdom is about to embark on. Please, take pride in knowing that Philip will be smiling down on our kingdom as he watches from the Creator¡¯s Paradise.¡± An image of her beloved husband flashed through her mind. Her smile diminished for only a moment as she refocused on the cameras. ¡°Today, Ashlanders, marks yet another benchmark of success for our great kingdom. Today, I will finally announce the candidates each of the twelve districts voted for to enter the Queen''s Challenge!¡± Queen Reia paused as the clatter of the crowd consumed the air around. She signaled for the crowd to quiet as she began to speak. ¡°The Queen''s Challenge is a competition that will decide my successor since Philip and I were unable to give Ashland an heir.¡± Queen Reia took a deep breath. ¡°The Queen''s Challenge will have the candidates face trials that will help us find the best progenitor of a new dynasty for Ashland! The three left standing at the end of the trials will become the princesses of Ashland, and then face off in a final election, which will be decided by the people of Ashland. The king and I had planned to find an heir to our great kingdom together, but together, Ashlanders, we will find an heir worthy of our great kingdom. A true daughter of Ashland will continue to nurture our kingdom into the next era for Ashland.¡± Another eruption of cheers, forces the queen to pause her speech. Excitement hummed in the air. The queen glanced back at the balcony doors where the girls were waiting to be announced. These young women appeared nervous as a whole as Hellen, the queen¡¯s maid, tried to calm the candidates. ¡°Please welcome the Queen¡¯s Challenge candidates as I present them to you all.¡± The queen gestured to her maid to open the dark blue curtain nestled between a pair of double doors. A camera focused on the curtain as it opened revealing the first young woman in a yellow gown like the golden meadows of her district. Her voluminous, golden brown hair was in tight little ringlets, which framed her sharp cheekbones and soft violet eyes. ¡°Amity Bellrose of District Golden Meadows.¡± Amity walked forward and took her place on the far right of the balcony just like the women had practiced before dawn this morning. ¡°Tylee Jones of District Foundry,¡± the queen called out, and the next woman walked out from the opening in a black gown with silver scrolling details. Her gray eyes sparkled against her dark brown hair, which was tied back into a long ponytail. Tylee holds her head up high, but her walk was masculine in the way she moved. The queen called, ¡°Erina Drake of District Black Bear Cliff.¡± A long faint scar ran over the left green eye and captured the attention of the camera as the next candidate strolled out of the double doors. Her gold, wavy hair was tied back at the top while the bottom fell loosely to her shoulders. Her green gown matches the color of the deep forests of her district. Something about her seemed wild as she settled into her place next to Tylee.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Roisin Castile of District Elder Tree,¡± the queen continued her list. A small red headed woman stepped out of the opening. Her light blue dress made her sky blue eyes stand out more against her braided red hair. She was the shortest woman to be presented so far. ¡°Vestra Fairchild of District White Sands,¡± the crowd began to whisper as the next young lady stepped out onto the balcony. Vestra was one of the more mysterious candidates in the bunch because she looked nearly identical to the Minister of White Sands¡¯ daughter. From her straight, thick, black hair to her deep indigo eyes to her golden tan skin, there wasn¡¯t much difference between her and the Minister¡¯s daughter. The similar appearance was nearly scandalous due to the rule against nobles competing in the Queen¡¯s Challenge. The queen didn¡¯t wait for the crowd to react to Vestra, and quickly moved on to, ¡°Orianna Lyncaster of District West Wind.¡± Orianna walked out with grace as she entered on to the balcony. Her dark blue hair was tied into two long pigtails warped in golden bands. She wore a light pink gown, which complimented her pale skin. Her eyes were gold like the bands in her hair. ¡°Pippa Dollyn of District Buffalo Plains,¡± the queen did her best to keep the girls moving. Pippa had freckles as plentiful as the stars of the night sky. Her eyes were brown like the oak wood of the balcony, and her hair was a dark plum pulled back into two braided buns at the base of her neck. Pippa wore a dark blue gown with gold stitching, making it the more expensive of the gowns seen on the candidates. ¡°Kezia Ballister of District Rivercreek,¡± another name rolled off the queen¡¯s tongue. An olive complected woman walked onto the balcony. She was the tallest woman among the group thus far as her brown and gold gown only reached her ankles instead of the ground. Her sapphire eyes and curly, golden brown made her naturally sharp features soften. Kezia settled next to Pippa in the line up. The queen began again, ¡°Suki Karin of District Port Saya.¡± Suki shuffled out of the double doors in a lavender gown with pink flowers stenciled over it. Her raven black hair was pinned back into a dramatic hairstyle with elegant loops with a lotus flower hair comb at the top. Her jade green eyes contrasted with her fair skin. She looked the most elegant among the women. ¡°Aziza Bane of District Toba Peaks,¡± the queen repositioned herself at the podium. Aziza waltzes onto the balcony in a pink gown with white embellishments, making her the brightest woman in the bunch of girls. She had auburn hair tied back with a pink bow matching her gown. Her dark brown eyes and dark complexion complimented the color pallet. ¡°Lucina Augusta of District Violet Isles,¡± her majesty kept her face even as she waited for the girl to come out. Her bright blonde hair was short like the fabled pixies of old. Her medium blue eyes were complimented by her dimples. She wore a violet dress with cream scrolling on the bodice. The young woman joined the others as the group waited for the last candidate. A sigh of relief left her majesty as she said, ¡°and Zoelle Orleans of District Horizon.¡± A thunder of cheers erupted from the crowd below as a girl with hazel eyes and dark strawberry, gold hair wrapped into a tight bun and layered bangs framing her face walked onto the balcony. Her dress was red and black with a corset type bodice. Zoelle was a crowd favorite because she was the daughter of a captain in the royal guard, making her not quite a noble but very well known in Horizon. The queen had paused to allow the cameras to get close ups on the young women on the balcony and for the crowd below. ¡°Welcome candidates, one and all!¡± A new voice came out from the double doors. The cameras zoomed in on a raven haired man, wearing a silver suit with a glittery maroon tie that matched the queen¡¯s dress. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Jaden Dee, Horizon¡¯s TV personality,¡± the queen said. She knew Jaden Dee was going to make an appearance once the girls had been presented. Jaden Dee had offered to host the Queen¡¯s Challenge at one of the queen¡¯s charity events last month. Honestly, she didn¡¯t think much of Jaden Dee, but he was a nice addition to the televised event. Jaden Dee approached her highness, and extended his hand out to the beautiful queen. Queen Reia accepted his hand begrudgingly. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to work with you, your majesty!¡± He kissed her hand and let it go. Queen Reia didn¡¯t let her smile falter, but there was something very fake about that man, which made her insides crawl. Fifty-two years of life on this planet, and she has been surrounded by fake people like Jaden Dee since she was born. People always kiss up to the crown even though the royal family could potentially lose its power at the election every decade. Her family has been in power for over a hundred years now, which was why Queen Reia was determined to complete the Queen¡¯s Challenge for her people. Anything else she might get out of this competition was a bonus. ¡°Ashland, your candidates have been announced, the host of the Queen¡¯s Challenge has appeared, but we are still missing two things! The judges of the challenge and what¡¯s next for the candidates! Queen Reia, please enlighten us on the events to come.¡± Jaden Dee gestured to the queen to speak. ¡°Ah, yes. I am the first of the four judges. Then, there is Duke Byron Yates of Navien, the younger brother of King Edmund Yates of Navien. Oceana Taylor, the President of New Horizons University, and of course, the ambassador to the Kingdom of Quillian, Wazzly Higgins of District Foundry.¡± The queen revealed to an excitedly astonished crowd. The candidates all had stunned looks on their faces. No one expected royalty from another kingdom to get involved. ¡°What an amazing panel our queen has put together for a once in a lifetime competition! I am sure the events and trials will be as unexpected as the panel evaluating the candidates.¡± Jaden Dee encouraged the queen to explain more. ¡°The first event will be in two days'' time. We are awaiting all of the judges to arrive at the palace for the events.¡± Queen Reia answered. ¡°You heard it here, Ashlanders! The Queen¡¯s Challenge starts in two days after the event. We will be saying goodbye to our first candidate at the end of the first trial until only three remain for the final vote.¡± Jaden Dee flashed his white teeth at the camera, but when he looked back at the podium, the queen was gone. ¡°Queen Reia¡­¡± Crash! The podium blew up into tiny glass pieces that blasted the entire balcony. The people on the balcony were pelted with shards of glass. One the guards called for a medical team and an arson specialist to the scene. Panic and confusion reigned over everyone on the balcony. Some of the women were crying, and the guards were scattering around to gain control of the situation. Jaden Dee stared at the chaos as the crowd roared below into a stampede when someone moved out from behind a large, stone griffin statue. Chaos A gun fired in the air, causing everyone to freeze on the balcony. The cameras were still rolling as the shooter stepped forward. ¡°Ashlanders, calm yourselves!¡± The voice of General Brown called out. ¡°There is no need to panic. Queen Reia Ashland is right here.¡± A disheveled looking queen stepped out from behind General Brown. ¡°Breathe citizens of Ashland. General Brown pulled me away from the podium when we heard a slight whistling noise. No one has died. Some people appear to be injured. Here¡¯s what I need from you, my loyal citizens. Go home and rest while General Brown and a team of specialists investigate. Keep your family safe while I take care of these sweet young women and my dear employees.¡± Jaden Dee scrambles to his feet after a production assistant snaps him back to reality. He still looks shaken, but he stands next to the queen. ¡°You heard your queen, Ashland. Go home and keep your family safe. Ulrika Huffman will be back here at the palace with an update this evening.¡± The camera zoomed out and shut off allowing the queen to turn her attention to the people on the balcony while General Brown had the crowd below dispersed. Jaden Dee watches the queen as she personally cheeks on every person on the balcony except him. Something about the queen ignoring him bothers him to the point he interrupts the queen as she is speaking to a medic. ¡°Well, you seem well, your majesty.¡± Jaden Dee¡¯s voice was laced with sarcasm. The queen¡¯s body shivered at the unwanted intrusion. What was this man thinking just sneaking up on her after she had nearly died. ¡°I am thankful to be so,¡± she retorted. ¡°Although you seem a bit shaken, Mr. Dee.¡± ¡°Hard not to be shocked when the queen nearly dies just a few feet away from you.¡± He sneered. ¡°My, my, Mr. Dee. I think that glass may have sharpened your tongue in that blast although you appear to be physically fit unlike Miss Kezia Ballister with glass shards deeply embedded in her arms or Nigel Fey with the shard in his eye. That man may lose his sight after today.¡± Queen Reia challenged Jaden Dee with a knowing glance. ¡°Thank the Creator for your good health, Mr. Dee. Others wished they had been as lucky as you.¡± Jaden Dee''s smug expression morphed into embarrassment and shame. There was no way to make the queen look bad, but Jaden Dee had wanted to try. He believed the queen was as fake as he was all the time. There¡¯s no way a woman with such stress, grief, and paranoia could be this collected all the time. He decided he would find the crack in her facade during the competition. It shouldn''t be hard since someone was out to kill her. ¡°I suppose I have experienced a bit of luck today, but I am sure it won''t last. Luck is fleeting for everyone. We all run out eventually.¡± He shook her hand without permission and gave a small smile. ¡°See you soon, your majesty.¡± He turned and left the balcony. The queen turned back to the medics discussing the injuries that occurred. Kezia had glass embedded in her arm. Pippa had one shard in her neck causing some blood loss. Aziza needed a few stitches on her forehead because a large shard managed to fly right at her. The rest of the bunch had nicks, scratches, and glass in their hair. ¡°Helen,¡± Queen Reia shouted to her maid. ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± Helen bowed as she approached. She was about ten years younger than Queen Reia with fair hair and an olive complexion. Her face was quite plain, but she was peppy and hardworking. ¡°Call the girls chambermaids. Have all the girls bathed, given fresh clothes and supper in their rooms. Have Captain Thomas station guards at their doors. They do not leave their rooms. I need to protect the girls as much as possible.¡± Queen Reia commanded. Her plan would allow the queen to watch the girls for any suspicious behavior as well as protect them. ¡°It shall be done, my lady.¡± Helen nodded and rushed off. Queen Reia left General Brown in charge on the balcony while she headed to her study With four of her personal guards. Her heart was still racing from the explosion. Was it only shock or did she need a medic herself? She had no way of knowing as she continued down the grand halls with large windows and cream colored walls. The carpets were navy blue and the curtains were a sheer gray to let the light in. The only pops of color came from artwork her family had created over the last century. It felt weird to know how she connected to the past generations when she couldn''t bring about the next.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. It wasn¡¯t long before Queen Reia reached her study one floor lower than the balcony. Her study was covered in books like a library except for her greenery wall. She had opted to choose a study without a window when she first started her reign, but she still wanted to have plants in her office. King Philip had a wall of plants put into her study, which included a young lovers¡¯ willow tree, her favorite. About twenty years ago, she planted the lovers¡¯ willow in the royal garden because it got too big for her study. Everything in this office reminded her of Philip, making it feel like home. Philip and Reia had grown to love each other though their marriage had been one of convenience at a time when Ashland was still rebuilding the last few districts. Their marriage had secured the necessary trade routes that made Ashland successful today. Philip had been the third son of the Kingdom of Jerius, so a political marriage was his only chance at sitting on the throne, but King Philip had never cared about being a king. He had only cared for his wife and his people. His death had been a shock to all. Booming sounds from the ceiling above pulled Queen Reia out of her thoughts over her late husband. She could hear the rumble of feet above her as the palace staff tried to get everything under control. How had everything gotten so out of hand so fast? Queen Reia was well aware of the danger in her life and the looming threat that followed her like a shadow since her husband died. She had nearly died again. Last time, she had been paralyzed and forced to hear her husband¡¯s murder. This time, General Brown had saved her life with his quick thing. Why didn¡¯t she react to the whistling noise when it started? She must have thought it was all the production equipment around her. She was still unfamiliar with it all. ¡°Queen Ash,¡± a cool voice whispered from the corner of the room. Reia turned to the familiar voice after locking the door to her study behind her. She didn¡¯t want a single person to see this man in her study. This man in all black armor with a hooded cowl kneeled before Queen Reia although she wasn¡¯t surprised by his presence. The man was one of the Guardian Shadows of the Kingdom of Ashland, which was a group of guards that no one knew existed. The man in front of her had no name, no family, and no connection to the normal world other than the ruler of Ashland. ¡°You may speak, Tom.¡± Tom was the name Reia had given him when she had first met the Guardian Shadow. ¡°Thank you, my great lady,¡± Tom bowed his head in respect to her. ¡°I apologize for not finding that bomb before the announcement my lady.¡± Reia nodded her head in acceptance. ¡°Your attacker hid the bomb in the frosted ice base of the podium, which lulled us all into a false impression that the balcony was secured. We are working on the who, what, and why of the situation, but the Queen¡¯s Challenge has tripled our number of suspects against you, my lady.¡± Queen Reia shook her head. ¡°Tom, we discussed this. My husband¡¯s killer is likely still a threat toward me, and the only way we will get ahead of the murderer is if we give him the opportunity to mess up. The Queen¡¯s Challenge is doing exactly what it intended to do, which is painting a bigger target on my back.¡± Reia walked toward her desk. ¡°A trap is only as good as its bait, Tom.¡± Tom¡¯s thick eyebrows scrunched up at her words. The queen had been in serious danger today, which had been his fault since he missed the bomb during this morning¡¯s balcony sweep. ¡°But, my lady¡­¡± ¡°No, Tom,¡± Reia hushed the man. She stood behind her black desk with her palms on the desktop. ¡°The Guardian Shadows could only find clues that my husband¡¯s murderer had been hired by a noble of Ashland based on the word of the cook who poisoned my food. Then, the damn cook slipped on some water before hitting her head on the corner of a metal table, killing her instantly. What kind of luck was that? No one else could learn anything about the whole ordeal no matter how hard they tried. What else should I do? Replace my whole palace staff? Nope. I couldn¡¯t guarantee loyalty of new employees. Leave it to the authorities? Well, I tried that, but I am not any safer than I was beforehand, and I still know nothing about the attack. My biggest question is why was my husband killed while I was poisoned to be paralyzed. Why didn¡¯t they kill both of us? I have more questions about the whole event, but you already know them, Tom.¡± Reia¡¯s head sank. The Queen¡¯s Challenge was her only opportunity to try to uncover the secrets behind her husband¡¯s murder, however, it was devised to find Ashland an heir, which the kingdom needed to move forward. Sure, precedent would just have a kingdom wide election to determine the next monarch, but she knew whatever noble attacked her was trying to get control of the crown. Reia wouldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°It seems you will have plenty of opportunities to find clues and solve both my attacker problem as well as my husband¡¯s murderer. Everything will be fine in the end.¡± Tom nodded. Queen Reia could barely make out his expression under the cowl, but she could tell Tom was worried. Reia wasn¡¯t going to let that stop her. Two years of waiting and unanswered questions was enough to cause a woman to lose her mind. Therapy had done wonders to quell her grief, but she desired freedom from assuming that Philip was dead because of her. King Philip had come home early to spend time with her after constant business trips had kept them apart for almost a month. If she hadn¡¯t asked him to return sooner, maybe he would be¡­ Would he be? Reia had no answers. She managed to work through most of her guilt of not being able to help or stop the murder that night, but she still felt responsible for his murder in the end. It was her own personal hell. ¡°I will work on it at once, my great lady,¡± he bowed before fading back into the shadows of the corner in her study. When she was sure he was gone, Reia sat in her chair and allowed her head to collapse on the desk. No one could have predicted what had happened today. Why did her adversary have to start using bombs all of a sudden? If the attack had been successful, Reia would be dead. Her heart began to pound loudly in her chest. The shock was wearing off, and Reia had begun to feel the weight of her near death incident. A few tears escaped as she just stared down at her messy desk. ¡°I almost¡­died¡­again,¡± she whispered. Before she began to spiral about death, she finished her sentence, ¡°but¡­I survived, again.¡± All of her tears streaming down her face had gone from grief to satisfying relief. Reia was alive, and she was determined to stay that way. Vestra Vestra POV Flashback... 14th of January 136 R.A. ¡°The knight¡¯s hand slid under my dress and up my leg as he brushed my lips with a kiss¡­¡± ¡°Whoa! Sam, let me see that.¡± I tried to keep my voice even as I quickly pulled the book from the young boy¡¯s hands. I examined the book to see the spice scene unfolding on the page and closed the book. Sam complained beside me. ¡°Hey, I was reading that!¡± A smut book¡­ of all the things Sam could find to read. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± ¡°It was on momma¡¯s table in her room.¡± The kitchen chair rocked underneath him as he wiggled in his chair. ¡°Can¡¯t I read it?¡± How was I going to explain this to him? ¡°No. This story isn¡¯t right for you.¡± ¡°But, it¡¯s about a knight who slays a dragon though!¡± Sam argued. ¡°Look at the cover. It¡¯s called The Dragon¡¯s Pleasure Hoard.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. The worn, damaged cover of the book showed a knight facing off with a dragon.¡°I think we¡¯re all finished for today, Sam.¡± I smiled pushing the smut book away that Sam had read to me. This was going to be an awkward conversation with his parents. Sam Colts was one of eight kids that I was currently tutoring in the neighborhood. He was only six years old, but he was reading chapter books that my ten-year-old sister struggled with. Normally, Sam reads one of the few books that I bring from home. Books are priceless treasures in my district of White Sands because education was low on the priority list of our district officials. I tried to collect what books I could for my students. Sam was one of my favorite kids to tutor in my neighborhood, so I brought him a new book as often as possible. ¡°Come on, teach,¡± he pleaded. His big brown eyes blinked at me with such hope. ¡°One more chapter.¡± Just then, Riley Colts, Sam¡¯s dad, walked into the room with his newspaper crumpled. He must have been reading it in another room because his expression was one of exasperation. ¡°Don¡¯t hassle Ms. Vestra, Sam. You¡¯ve been studying for hours. Go outside and play for a while.¡± Sam pouted. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I let out a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding. We finished cleaning up our study materials off the kitchen table while Mr. Colts grumbled while reading more of his crumbled newspaper. When we finished, Sam bid me good evening and ran out the back door of the kitchen. Mr. Colts didn¡¯t waste a moment as he called me over to the den. The house was small, but it was newer than my family¡¯s little shack. Our neighborhood was an old one, and most of the nobles called this area the slums. No one around here earned much, and our small school wasn¡¯t too small and too full for new students, which is how I got my gig as a tutor. I had seven other students who were turned away from the school because they didn¡¯t have the resources to teach them. The funny part of all this is I lived in White Sands, the tourist destination of Ashland. The main town was full of rich vacationers who played on the beach and spent their money on fancy little shops. ¡°Ms. Vestra,¡± Mr. Colts'' voice was laced with guilt. His eyes were filled with shame, and I knew just then what he was going to say. ¡°Mr. Colts, please don¡¯t worry about it. I understand. The reason I started tutoring the kids around here wasn¡¯t for money,¡± I looked out the dirty window to see Sam chasing a dragonfly around the yard. ¡°Kids, like Sam, deserve a chance to better themselves. If they can learn to read and write, then they can get jobs in those fancy companies downtown. If they excel at math, they could manage one of those fancy shops downtown.¡± I turned back to Mr. Colts who seemed to be digesting my words. Mr. Colts relaxed his shoulders as he leaned forward on his sofa. ¡°The school can¡¯t give them that chance, but I can.¡± ¡°Ms. Vestra, you¡¯re quite the dreamer, but I appreciate everything you do for Sam.¡± His words made me smile. ¡°I¡¯ll give you what I can next week, I swear.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself, Mr. Colts. Everyone in this neighborhood knows what it¡¯s like to struggle.¡± Mr. Colts¡¯ hand tightened on his crumbled newspaper. ¡°Yeah, but none of those town officials seem to care. Hell, Ashlanders are dying in poverty every day, and our ¡®so-called¡¯ queen is holding a popularity contest to distract everyone.¡± ¡°Popularity contest?¡± This was the first I have heard of Queen Reia doing anything. ¡°I thought she was still in mourning.¡± ¡°No, our dear queen has finally surfaced after two years, and the first thing she does is launch a popularity contest to find an heir.¡± Mr. Colts grumbled. His graying hair made him look older than he was. Maybe, even angrier than he was. ¡°She¡¯s been touring for two weeks to oversee the sign-ups in each district. They say she¡¯ll be in White Sands tomorrow.¡± The queen was coming to White Sands for the first time in two years. It should be a cause for celebration, but not many people were happy with her. I had given up on the idea of her visiting White Sands after the king died since she hid herself from the country for so long. Part of me thought Mr. Colts was right to be angry. The governor and ministers have ignored the citizens of our district for far too long, and the queen has done nothing. Other districts in Ashland were having their troubles like White Sands. Things shouldn¡¯t have gotten this bad in just two years, but I am not sure it was the queen¡¯s fault this happened.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°What¡¯s the contest about?¡± I asked curiously. Mr. Colts sneered. ¡°She¡¯s trying to find some girl to play puppet princess to win back the people of Ashland.¡± That shocked me. Did she not have any family left to serve as heir to the throne? The idea of a contest deciding the next ruler of our fragile little country felt irresponsible. What was a young going to know about leading a country? With the limits of our country¡¯s education system, I am concerned about what kind of heir this contest might produce. I know someone my age isn¡¯t fit to rule the kingdom. ¡°She¡¯s going to name her heir through a contest?¡± It sounded ridiculous when I said it out loud. ¡°Seems like it.¡± He answered. ¡°The queen can do whatever she wants.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± I looked down at the smut book in my hands. Right¡­ I still needed to deal with this. ¡°Umm. Mr. Colts,¡± I handed him the book as my cheeks burned from embarrassment. ¡°Sam found it in your wife¡¯s room and started reading it to me. I stopped him when he started reading a¡­ spicy bit. Please return this to your wife.¡± I didn¡¯t think a black man could turn such a shade of red. He immediately began apologizing. I shook my head and told him not to worry about it. He promised to lock the book away to avoid Sam finding it again. I nodded and left. This was the most awkward day of my life as a tutor. Leaving the Colts'' home, I walked the few blocks home. The sun was going down over the crashing waves in the distance. Kids were running about chasing each other through the streets. It was simple out here in the sandy slums. No one could afford cars around here, so the streets belonged to the few who could afford a bike or the kids playing in the neighborhood. Most could barely afford to eat every day, but the camaraderie between us made the place safe for kids. It made me sick to think of the kids being stuck in this neighborhood forever. There was a serious lack of opportunities for the kids from the slums in White Sands. The only way to change your class around here was to leave or join the Navy. My mind drifted to the contest the queen was having. It would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the winner even if it was all for show. Being a princess could change an entire family¡¯s status overnight. Was it wise for the queen to have such a contest when her citizens were suffering? I wasn¡¯t sure. It was the queen¡¯s problem, not mine. Swirls of pink and orange decorated the sky as the sun faded over the horizon. The sea salt water scent was calming after that awkward interaction with Mr. Colts. I took a deep, heavy breath. A pack of golden sparrows flew overhead toward the sunset. Their flock calls sounded like the melody of a flute in the air. A calming feeling fell over me, which was a side effect of the golden sparrow¡¯s magical song. I stopped at the street corner, looking out over the water to let myself feel this moment as the sparrow¡¯s spell settled over me. It would be the only calm moment I would have all evening. ¡°VES!¡± Was that Chase? Did I just hear my brother¡¯s voice? The calming wave rippled through as I tried to break the calming spell the golden sparrows cast over me. I heard the voice getting louder in the distance. It was Chase calling to me, but it would be a few minutes before the spell would break. A golden sparrow¡¯s song was a brief and harmless spell that only affected those who welcomed the magic or small kids who hadn''t learned to block the magic out. I felt a strong hand on my shoulder as a warm wave rushed through me and shattered the sparrow¡¯s spell over me. ¡°Ves,¡± Chase, my younger brother, huffed next to me. Blinking the rest of the spell away, I felt my body come back to life. I took in his panicked expression and sweaty face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Katherine.¡± My heart sank, and I took off running. Chase called after me as he followed me down the road. Everything around me fell away as I charged back to our run-down, little, yellow house. Sand kicked up behind me as I rushed to my little sister¡¯s side. She was only ten years old, but she suffered from weak lungs. I had spent so many nights at her bedside trying to help her through her next coughing fit. Kathrine was my pride and joy. My responsibility and source of worry. I was only nineteen, but I took on the motherly role for Katherine when our mom passed six years ago. My family was everything to me. Hurrying through the front door, I found Katherine coughing hard in our sister, Charlotte¡¯s, arms. I took Katherine in my arms to get her cleaned up and asked Chase and Charlotte to make some dinner. Hours flew by, but Katherine¡¯s condition didn¡¯t improve. The night air seemed to make Kathrine worse as she coughed hard. I asked Chase to close the window. Her struggles for breath made me tense. Every night, my poor little sister would begin coughing without her medicine. Tonight her temperature had started to rise the harder she coughed, and I felt tears prick at my eyes. Her small hands gripped my arms as I held her steady near the waste basket. Her cough would bring up bile from her stomach some nights, and there was little I could do to help her. I kept her clean and fought her symptoms the best way I could. ¡°Where is Jareth?¡± Chase, my younger brother, paced around our small home. ¡°He should be back by now.¡± Charlotte, my younger sister, groaned at Chase. In her defense, Chase has been repeating the same question over and over while Charlotte is trying to finish her homework. She sat at the kitchen table while I held Katherine in my arms on the small sofa. Chase trailed the same ten-foot trail from the stove to the sofa. If I wasn¡¯t used to this nightly routine, I might have yelled at both of them, but I couldn¡¯t be angry at them now. Kathrine was our sweet, little sister. She dreamed of collecting shells along the seashore and making jewelry from the shells and sea glass. It was a simple dream for a child, but we hadn¡¯t gone shell hunting on the shoreline in years. Katherine¡¯s body was clammy in her cream-colored night dress. Her head felt hot against my wrist. ¡°Chase, get me a pot of cool water and a clean cloth,¡± I instructed my nervous brother. He hustled to the sink to get a pot going. ¡°Is her fever spiking again?¡± He asked. ¡°Not on my watch,¡± I tried to sound encouraging. ¡°Chase, get two pots. We can put her feet in one like an ice bath to combat her fever,¡± Charlotte commanded as she joined next to Katherine. Katherine couldn¡¯t speak because the coughing took her breath away, but I saw her thankful gaze. Kathrine preferred to have us all together instead of arguing like Chase and Charlotte usually did. I held back Kathrine¡¯s hair as her cough became violent, leading to her vomiting. Chase rushed the first pot over just as Katherine vomited into the wastebasket again. Charlotte didn¡¯t miss a beat and grabbed a clean cloth that Chase gave her to wash off Katherine¡¯s face. Katherine¡¯s frail body rested in my lap as she continued to cough. Chase brought over the second pot, and Charlotte lifted Katherine¡¯s pale feet into the pot. All the dirt from the floor that caked her feet dispersed into the water. ¡°Ves,¡± Kathrine cried out between her coughs. ¡°I need water.¡± Chase had a cup ready with a single straw, allowing Katherine to sip on it. ¡°Easy Kat,¡± He cooed. I stroked her raven hair to help her relax. Her hazel eyes looked exhausted. She probably won''t make it to school tomorrow. She only went twice a week because of her poor health. It would be up to me to bathe her tomorrow after she sweats out this fever. I think I will braid her hair into a crown like Mom did for me. For Kathrine, I was the closest thing to a mom she had since our mom died. I would say Charlotte looks the most like Mom. Charlotte was more of a honey tan color whereas I was a light chocolate brown. Kathrine was the fairest with an olive tan tint to her skin. We all shared mom¡¯s raven hair, but I had dad¡¯s blue eyes. Jareth walked through the door with a grimace. He had failed to get an advance from his boss for Kathrine¡¯s medicine. We had taken out every kind of loan we could think of to keep Kathrine on her medicine. We had already lost our mother, and our father worked two jobs. I take care of the house and tutor younger kids like Katherine to earn money. It was all I could do to help pay back the debts. The four of us shared a knowing look. We were out of options. Charlotte explained Katherine¡¯s worsening state as Chase began to pace the floor again. ¡°She might not make it a week without her medicine, Jareth,¡± Chase summed up. Jareth took a closer look at Katherine. Small beads of sweat fell from her forehead as she coughed. Her breath was ragged as she tried to smile at Jareth. ¡°Jareth,¡± She panted. ¡°You¡¯re home.¡± Jareth kissed her cheek and told her to rest. He looked up at me with determination. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing we could try,¡± he said. ¡°But, you¡¯ll have to come with me, Ves.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked my brother. ¡°To see Count Kindly,¡± he answered. ¡°He¡¯s said to be the kindest of the nobles. We are going to beg for his charity.¡± Nobles can be charitable, but there¡¯s always a catch, which is why he wanted me to go with him. One of us would have to pay a price for the noble¡¯s charity while the other gets the medicine. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t condone seeking out nobles for help, but we were desperate. I gently moved Katherine into Charlotte¡¯s arms. Kathrine wished me a brief goodbye. I kissed her forehead and followed Jareth out the door. Price Jareth and I jogged through the night toward the affluent side of White Sands. There were tall iron fences gatting most of the brick, multi story homes. The moon was barely glimmering in the sky, but the stars blinked brightly across the black skyscape. Trickles of light from gloss over the grassy dunes from the lighthouse. Jareth breathed heavily next to me as we trotted up to a gated home. It¡¯s larger than the rest with a giant ¡®K¡¯ decoratively molded into the iron fence. A guard pops out of a tiny guard shack near the long metal gate. The guard takes one good look at me and gives me a puzzling glance before returning to his shack. The guy didn¡¯t say a single word to either of us. He just studied me and ran back into his little shack. Was he calling the police? We weren¡¯t trespassing yet though¡­ The gate suddenly clinked and began to open. Jareth and I stared at the little shack with so many questions, but the guard didn¡¯t come back out. We knocked on the guard¡¯s door to ask for permission to enter. The guy yelled at us to go ahead inside. Jareth shrugged it off and grabbed my hand as we walked toward the front door. I felt like I was walking into a parallel universe or something the closer we got to the front door. There were beautiful, brick columns framing the large oak doors. Jareth approached the door, and I pulled him for a second. This whole thing felt off to me. ¡°I¡¯m not sure we should be doing this.¡± I voiced my concern to Jareth. My brother turned to me in disbelief. ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice, Ves. This is our lost shot to help Katherine.¡± I wanted to argue with him, but I felt my hands drop from his arm. Katherine could be on death¡¯s door right now, and the only thing that might help her is that damn medicine. Why couldn¡¯t Katherine have been born in the District of Violet Isles? That¡¯s where all the doctors and medicines are made. If we lived there, Katheirne might have had her medicine everyday without fail. At least, those were the rumors about the Violet Isles. Everyone had access to medicine all the time there. Jareth didn¡¯t wait for me to process what he was doing as he rang the doorbell. A chime of bells rang out into the night, waking any sleeping person in the house. My gut sank. I had the worst feeling building inside me as we heard shuffling on the other side of the door. There was no backing out now as I heard the door knob turn. The giant door opened slowly, and I swear my heart stopped. I was seeing a ghost. The woman standing in the door looked exactly like my dead mother¡­ ¡°Mari? What are you doing out here and in those clothes? It¡¯s past curfew!¡± The ghost¡¯s voice sounded just like my mom¡¯s, and I felt my mind shut down as I blacked out. Several hours later¡­ On the edge of the White Sands slums stands a shabby, little, yellow shack. The boards of the shack have begun to peel back from the walls, and the window pans have a dark hue of age glossing over them. The little home was passed down from one generation to the next of the Fairchild family. Three generations have lived in White Sands, and the fourth generation has barely reached adulthood. Vestra Fairchild is only nineteen years old, and the second child of Victor and Stella Fairchild. Vestra¡¯s father was an immigrant to Ashland from the neighboring Kingdom of Jerius, so he took her mother¡¯s last name when they married. Stella Fairchild, Vestra¡¯s mother, was considered the only child of Vestra¡¯s grandparents, Milo and Hilda Fairchild. Vestra is part of one of the only families to survive the Kaloth Fires and watch Ashland recover since the fires ended 136 years ago. ¡°Ugh,¡± I cried in frustration. ¡°No matter how I write down my family¡¯s history in my introduction, it sounds horrible.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t give up,¡± Count Kindly encouraged from his cozy, giant desk. A fire is crackling to life behind him as my older brother, Jareth, stokes the flames. ¡°Try making it more personal, Ves,¡± Jareth bids me to continue penning my introduction. It¡¯s currently four thirty in the morning, and instead of sleeping on my tiny mattress on the sandy floor, I find myself in the impressive study at the fancy house of Count Seth Kindly, the most decorated veteran and Minister of White Sands, all because he wants me to compete in the Queen¡¯s Challenge. Well, that¡¯s not entirely true. I am here for my little sister, Kathrine. She has terrible lungs, which get her sick all the time. There¡¯s medicine to treat her, but like all poor people in White Sands, my family can¡¯t afford it. My father and Jareth try to make enough money to cover Kathrine¡¯s health issues, however, we also have bills, debts, and six mouths to feed. My mother died six years ago because of her own terrible lungs. Jareth has worked as a waiter at the Coastal Cafe since he failed his medical examination to join the military two years ago. He has a heart defect that keeps him from the best opportunity in White Sands, joining the Ashland Navy. So, I am here because my brother thought to ask Count Seth Kindly for a loan to buy Kathrine¡¯s medicine last night.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. What I didn¡¯t expect was Countess Syrene Kindly to answer the door and look exactly like my dead mother. Yep, we knocked on the door of a fancy house and saw the ghost of my dead mother. Except, she wasn¡¯t a ghost nor was she my mother. Countess Syrene turned out to be my mother¡¯s secret twin sister who was adopted out to the previous Count Kindly over forty years ago. Countess Syrene mistook me for her own daughter at first and started lecturing me the moment we met. The whole thing sounds like a twisted fairy tale, but my father later came by and confirmed the whole thing. Needless to say, the buried secret was unearthed by accident. Dad was about to pull Jareth and me out of there with promises to never speak to them again when Count Kindly stopped him. That¡¯s when the Countess Syrene came up with a plan to help us and improve their reputation here in White Sands. It was decided by everyone except me that I would enter the Queen¡¯s Challenge. When they looked at me expectantly with an application in their hands, I felt trapped. Katherine, my sweet little sister, was only ten years old. She was barely living her life because she wheezed all the time. Chase, my younger brother, will qualify to take the exams for the Ashland Navy next year, and Charlotte, the sister between Kathrine and me, spent all her time studying when she wasn¡¯t helping me with Kathrine. I was the only one who could take this opportunity, but I didn¡¯t want to. What nineteen-year-old could rule a country? None. Nineteen-year-olds are stupid because we can¡¯t make wise choices! Just last week, I left the market without the milk that I went there to buy. Yet, all the people in that room thought it was a good idea for me to join the competition. They guilted me into the competition with their damn pros list after only five minutes. So, I started again with the pen and paper, writing my introduction for my application. Family. Vestra Fairchild is here for her family. Her sisters and brothers and all of Ashland are her whole heart, and here, she has a chance to improve their lives with this competition¡­ ¡°Why is this so hard?¡± I mutter under my breath from my spot on the couch. Jareth came over to me and ruffled my hair. ¡°Don¡¯t be so stiff in your writing. Just let it flow.¡± Easy for him to say. He isn¡¯t going to be on display like a doll in a beauty competition. ¡°Has Governor Patters announced what the tests or competition will be?¡± ¡°Not officially, but the tests are the same across the districts. You will be tested on arithmetic, language, history, and writing. The tests will be given two days from now. Today is just about entering the competition with a sponsor. The queen doesn¡¯t want anyone worrying about funds during the challenge.¡± Count Kindly answered. ¡°That sounds like she actually cares about her subjects,¡± my brother snickered. Count Kindly glared at Jareth. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about Queen Reia, boy. You would do your best to hold your tongue in my presence.¡± Jareth raised his eyebrow at our benefactor. ¡°Very well, Count Kindly. Would you please enlighten me about the queen¡¯s devotion to her people? Last I heard, our country was falling apart since the king died, and she has done nothing to fix it.¡± An annoyed groan came out of the Count as he stood from his seat. ¡°You have lost someone before, haven¡¯t you, child?¡± Jareth became unsettled next to me as the image of our mother must have flashed across his mind. It didn¡¯t help that Countess Kindly was like an exact copy of our mother. Jareth glanced at the Countess¡¯s picture on the desk and back at the Count. ¡°I have lost someone before.¡± ¡°Then, you know the debilitating grief that follows loss. The darkness that latches on to your soul and threatens to swallow you whole because of your devotion and love for the one you lost.¡± Count Kindly¡¯s words cut into both of us. ¡°I do,¡± Jareth muttered. His voice sounded like it might break. ¡°Now, imagine feeling that while the greediest people of our government seek to take control over the government. Many pretend to have good intentions to curry favor. Most turn their back on the broken queen. She was forced away by her minister until they thought an appropriate time had passed for a woman to finish her grief. In two years, the districts¡¯ problems have become exacerbated by their own politicians. White Sands is no different.¡± His words felt heavy in the air. Jareth gritted his teeth. ¡°So, the first thing she does when she comes back is have a competition for the public?¡± That¡¯s when it dawned on me how genius her plan was. ¡°She has to,¡± I answered before the Count could. ¡°It¡¯s perfect actually. She is making a power move by selecting her successor away from the nobles. The queen is trying to earn back the love of her people while forcing the politicians to back off.¡± ¡°Very good, Ms. Fairchild,¡± Count Kindly looked at me with pride. ¡°We might make a queen out of you yet.¡± ¡°Me? No, I don¡¯t think I can actually win anything,¡± I quickly retreated back to my paper. Jareth placed his hand on my shoulder, forcing me to look back at him. ¡°Vestra, you could be queen if you wanted to. I know it. You have a pure devotion to those you care about, which is why you¡¯re entering this circus of a challenge anyway. We could benefit from your participation whether you win or not.¡± ¡°I will go as far as I can, Jareth, but I don¡¯t believe I could ever become a queen.¡± That was the best answer I could give him and the Kindly¡¯s. There were no guarantees. No promises. Just a willingness to try for my family. Candidates Omniscient POV Present Day 13th day of April R.A. Helen made quick work of the queen¡¯s command. Not that it was hard to find all twelve of the maids assigned to the candidates. All of the maids were nervously standing around in a huddle in the hallway wondering what they should be doing. Helen sighed at the inexperienced maids. These girls knew nothing about dealing with the dangers of life as a royal. Although nobles may be in danger from time to time, only a maid from the royal palace could truly assist royalty. These girls were nothing more than headless chickens wondering about. She sighed, knowing she would need to whip these girls into shape before the end of the Queen¡¯s Challenge at the end of the month. Queen Reia had ambitious plans to take the winners on her monthly tour. ¡°Come now, maids. You are not a panicking hen, waiting for the butcher.¡± All the maids immediately focused on Helen with an incredulous gaze. ¡°You are strong women who have pledged your service to these young women who dared to become candidates for the Queen¡¯s Challenge.¡± Some girls looked confused while others looked inspired. ¡°You must be calm. You are a rock to support your lady, a shield to protect her, and a helping hand for all of the tasks in her life. Act like it.¡± All the maid replied, ¡°Yes, ma''am.¡± They gave a slight bow of respect to Helen although many still seemed unsure of everything. Their faces all seemed the same with forced calm expressions and unsettled gazes. Twelve maids in brown frocks with white aprons stood there like unorganized soldiers, praying for direction on what they should do. Helen breathed in deeply. This may take more hand holding than she anticipated. ¡°Girls, you will go and tend to your mistress. Take her to her room, clean her up, make note of any injuries and tend to them, give her a relaxing bath, dress her comfortably, and keep her company all evening. Dinner will be served in each candidate¡¯s suite.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± the group answered. Helen was about to escort the maids to the balcony when she turned back toward the group. ¡°Girls, if your candidate makes it to the final three, you must understand that events like today will happen to them for the rest of their lives. Royals are always under threat, always being watched, and always being judged. Queen Reia has created the challenge to teach and test the girls in the hopes of finding the few who can stand this life. Remember that when you are advising your mistress going forward.¡± Several faces scrunched up their eyebrows in thought while others glanced at each other gaging the others¡¯ reactions. Only one set of eyes stayed fixed on Helen. Helen recognized the face as Amanda, Vestra Fairchild¡¯s maid. Amanda almost had a look of admiration for Helen, which was unusual. Helen made note of the unusual girl and turned back toward the balcony door. ¡°Come, your mistress¡¯ await.¡± As they entered through the balcony doors, Helen watched General Brown attempt to settle the chaos around them. The medics were finishing checking over each of the candidates, and the palace guard was inspecting the whole balcony under Royal Inspector Miles Croft¡¯s authority. The maids crossed the large balcony toward the twelve women who looked shocked and exhausted. Luckily, General Brown had the camera crews sent away to the Guest Barracks for the rest of the day. Otherwise, this would have been more of a headache to guide twelve novice maids and the twelve candidates through. Helen signaled the maids to help their ladies back into the castle. ¡°Ladies, Queen Reia has requested that you all go back to your suites and rest. Dinner will be served in your rooms tonight.¡± Most of the candidates were obedient and followed their maids with no question through the balcony doors. Three of the girls were still conversing with the medics, but that left the noisiest candidate of the bunch, waiting to speak to Helen. ¡°Is that all ya have to say?¡± Kezia Ballister rambled as she stood from her seat on the ground. Kezia¡¯s maid helped Kezia get steady on her feet. Her arm was bandaged tightly in a sling to keep it still. Her face was a mess from tears she had likely shed as the medic had pulled glass out of her arm. Helen was about to answer when Erina Drake stepped in between Kezia and Helen. ¡°What else could she say, Kezia?¡± Erina gestured to Helen. ¡°Clearly, they don¡¯t know anything yet. Otherwise, the balcony wouldn¡¯t be littered with men like critters searchin¡¯ for scraps.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Kezia put her free hand on her hip and pouted her bottom lip. ¡°Still, the queen shoulda said somethin¡¯. Some of us were hurt after all.¡± ¡°Surely, this attack on the queen wasn¡¯t that surprising to you all.¡± Suki Karin inserted herself into the conversation. ¡°We warned when entering this competition in our districts that there¡¯s a danger in becoming a public figure. Didn¡¯t Queen Reia explain that when she visited your districts during her monthly tour of the kingdom?¡± ¡°Warning? I couldn¡¯t hear half of what she said over the protesters in my district during her speech. The protesters shouted until their lips turned blue about how limited their rights are. They wouldn¡¯t shut up until Queen Reia agreed to have a meeting with them. To be honest, I am not sure what became of that meeting, but there are still protesters in the street crying out for change. So, I guess I never got that warning.¡± Kezia explained with a defensive tone that was almost a slap in the face. ¡°Consider yourself warned then, Kezia. You can always walk away from this competition, and none of us would stop ya.¡± Erina said, dully. Kezia let out a haughty breath. ¡°As if. Making it this far has pulled my family out of the Rivercreek slums, and my brother was able to get an apprenticeship with a carpenter. The longer I am here, the better my mom and siblings will have it.`` ¡°Sounds noble, but I get the feeling that you just like a pampered way of life.¡± Suki responded. Kezia¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s not like your life has changed much. You are the daughter of a successful merchant and ship¡¯s captain. Technically, you aren¡¯t a noble, but you are the next closest thing,¡± Erina giggled at Suki and Kezia as the girls glared at each other. ¡°You both sound ridiculous. The reason we agreed to enter the Queen¡¯s Challenge doesn¡¯t matter. We made it here because either a minister, a noble, or governor backed us in our campaign in our home district. We aren¡¯t that different in the end.¡± ¡°And on that note, this discussion is over.¡± Helen announced before the girls got into an all out brawl. All of these girls were between eighteen and twenty-one years old, and their inexperience with life was obvious given the amount of people who were watching them right now. All three girls looked over to Helen with frustration in their eyes. She refused to answer their childish scorn. ¡°Maids, please escort your candidate to their room before General Brown gets involved.¡± All three girls froze at her words and slowly glanced behind them to find an annoyed General Brown watching them. He had previously been inspecting the scene and speaking with palace staff, but his full attention was on the girls in front of him now. ¡°There isn¡¯t a single candidate in front of me worthy of winning the Queen¡¯s Challenge.¡± His firm voice made their girls cower. General Brown stepped aside and pointed to a young woman assisting the medics with the production crew member, Nigel Fey, who had a lacerated eye due to a glass shard. The woman¡¯s violet dress was stained with blood. Her short blonde hair was a sweaty mess as she used her lap as a pillow for Nigel Fey. A medic was struggling to stop the bleeding with the rags while another was pulling the glass out of the wound. Nigel Fey screamed, causing the few soldiers left on the balcony to flinch. The young woman held Nigel¡¯s head still as he shouted in pain. ¡°That¡¯s Lucina, right?¡± Erina asked with a twisted expression. Suki nodded. Her face was serious but all emotion had fallen away from it. ¡°Lucina Augusta of the Violet Isles.¡± The medic pulling out the glass finally finished, allowing the other medic to pack the wound and bandage it. Some soldiers brought over a stretcher to carry Nigel to the hospital wing of Mortar Castle. Lucina watched the man go as he continued to groan in pain. Lucina¡¯s maid helped the girl off the dirty, stone floor of the balcony, and escorted her over to the three gawking candidates. ¡°She might have the potential to win,¡± General Brown whispered to Helen, but all three candidates could hear him clearly. ¡°It¡¯s too early to tell, General,¡± Helen responded as if she knew the girls were listening. Lucina joined the group of candidates and the quiet maids who acted like nothing more than statues. ¡°Is everyone all right? I thought we were supposed to head back to the rooms.¡± Kezia made a hmph sound and began walking away with her maid right behind her. Erina just shook her head and motioned for her maid to follow after her as the four of them disappeared beyond the doors of the balcony. Lucina¡¯s kind face dropped as the two ladies walked away. Suki watched each move the girls made and decided it would be better to build bridges than burn them this early in the game. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them, Lucina. The general just soured their mood a bit with his opinions. They will get past it after a while.¡± Lucina looked up at Suki with a surprised expression. ¡°Why don¡¯t we walk together? I would love to hear about the Violet Isles since I have only visited the East Coast districts.¡± ¡°Uh, sure. Let¡¯s go,¡± Lucina faltered a bit. Suki seemed unphased by Lucina¡¯s reaction. She knew these girls were in competition with each other, and many of them would return home by competition¡¯s end. However, this competition would not end with one sole winner. There would be three girls at the end, which Queen Reia had a plan to use all three of them to bring about a better future for Ashland. Having respect for all of her competitors would be important in the end, Suki was sure of it. Suki gestured goodbye to the general and Helen, and hooked Lucina¡¯s arm to pull her along. Staying on this balcony would only cause problems for the palace staff. Both maids trailed the girls as they disappeared into the palace. Candidates II King Philip''s POV Present Day 13th day of April R.A. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Blueprints Queen Reia¡¯s POV Flashback 14th day of January 136 R.A. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Newscast 14th day of April R.A. 4:00 a.m. District of Horizon It was discovered Captain Orleans of the Royal Guard had found out the queen¡¯s glass podium had been replaced with a fake that held the bomb in its base. The fake podium was a glass composition different from the original glass podium that was given to Queen Reia¡¯s grandfather, King Harlem Ash, over 80 years ago by a former Governor of the Toba Peaks District, Kevin Shard. The real podium was discovered in a broom closet in the basement in the middle of the night by a member of the custodial staff. In addition to what Captain Orleans found, Royal Inspector Miles Croft received lab reports on the bomb itself. The explosion was detonated via a remote receiver, which means the attacker had to be close enough to the balcony at Mortar Palace to send the signal to detonate the bomb. It was a short-range receiver, so someone in the palace or on the balcony was responsible for the whole explosion. King Philip¡¯s POV Present Day 14th day of April R.A. 9:00 a.m. District of Horizon on News in the Morning ¡°This morning after yesterday¡¯s traumatic opening ceremony to Queen Reia Ash¡¯s Challenge, the remaining judges have arrived and will have breakfast with the queen.¡± News anchor, Ulrika Huffman, reports. ¡°I am live with Jaden Dee who was there yesterday afternoon during the unexpected explosion. Tell us, Jaden. What was your experience yesterday?¡± I watch as the camera pans out to show a dramatic-looking Jaden Dee sitting across from Ulrika at a table. Jaden straightens up with a plastic smile on his face. I swear this man has more makeup caked on his face than the female anchor next to him. He has a badge covering a cut at the top of his forehead that I don¡¯t remember him having last night. ¡°It was frightening, Ulrika. One minute the queen was fine then she disappeared right as the explosion was unleashed. Glass rained down all over the balcony.¡± His words had everyone in the studio engulfed in his story. Ulrika nods along. "Was there any sign of who set off the explosion?" "None," Jaden sighed. "Someone on that balcony or near it wanted to hurt Queen Reia, and when they failed, they hid like a coward. The event left many injured from the glass shards. It was fortunate no one was hurt in the blast. General Brown''s quick actions saved our beloved queen."This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "General Brown is indeed a hero," Ulrika confirms. "The kingdom is fortunate to have him." She adjusts in her seat. "Still, the kingdom is worried that the bombers will get away with the attack." Jaden leans forward pretending he actively cares about the citizens'' concerns. "I wouldn''t worry, Ashlanders. Queen Reia has everything in hand, I assure you." His words sounded reassuring, but there was something hidden in his tone that made me not want to trust him. This guy''s charisma was on par with Reia''s when he was focused. He could be trouble for Reia. "What makes you so sure?" Ulrika probed. ¡°When Queen Reia emerged unscathed, it quieted the chaos on the balcony. She is the pillar of serenity with her calming presence. She commanded her assets gracefully and calmed the crowd below to send them home safely. It was inspiring.¡± ¡°The queen was unaffected by the bomb?¡± Ulrika questioned Jaden. ¡°Seemingly so. She is the epitome of grace, but in that moment when she was unseen the whole place was chaotic. I have to wonder what would have happened if she hadn¡¯t been safe at that moment. Where would we be if she had been hurt or worse yesterday? At the moment, there is no clear line of succession for Ashland, which makes this challenge the queen is holding all the more interesting.¡± Jaden¡¯s words make him as dangerous as a snake in the grass. It¡¯s hard to tell if he¡¯s building Reia up or tearing her down. Shit. What¡¯s Jaden doing? ¡°What makes it so interesting?¡± Ulrika plays right into Jaden¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s interesting because instead of looking for a natural successor through her family tree, picking from Ashland¡¯s robust noble families, or one of the great public servants in our elected government, she has created a game to bring in a fresh face. No nobles or government officials are allowed to compete. One has to wonder why the queen has decided against someone with experience or familiarity with the lifestyle.¡± Jaden slyly leans back in his chair. Double shit. This isn¡¯t a part of Reia¡¯s plan. Ulrika looks gobsmacked in her seat, but she recovers quickly when she sees her producer giving her the symbol to wrap it up. ¡°I suppose that does make this competition interesting.¡± She hums to herself. ¡°A new face may just be a good way to shake up the monarchy after the death of King Philip.¡± Jaden nods in agreement. ¡°I like that answer better than the rumors floating around the districts.¡± Someone shut this guy up! ¡°What rumors have you heard?¡± Ulrika¡¯s curiosity was fanning Jaden¡¯s story. ¡°I have heard whispers that the queen has no confidence in her officials and nobles, which is why it took her so long to return to the public eye after her husband¡¯s death.¡± Jaden appears horrified by his words, but he¡¯s got a smug expression in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s quite the gossip, Jaden. I hope we learn the truth behind these rumors and who attacked Queen Reia soon.¡± Ulrika tries to close out the news segment with her statement. ¡°I plan to shine a light on this competition when I interview the judges tomorrow morning. Hopefully, Queen Reia will have those answers for the Ashlanders.¡± Jaden smiles as the camera cuts to Ulrika once more. ¡°Well, thanks for that, Jaden. This concludes the New in the Morning with Ulrika Huffman signing off. Have a wonderful day Ashlanders.¡± The cameras cut out and Jaden has something against Reia, which is evident from this newscast. I hope Reia knocks him down a peg or two like she did yesterday.