The Lost Heiress of Avalon

Chapter One: Twins

                                                                                     Avalon                                                                                        Aria

I ran my hand over the ancient carved wooden bow that my father used, gripping the riser, I closed my eyes. I can feel him, guiding me. The wind blows and I can smell his scent all around me. He's here.
I knock the arrow into the string and raise the bow, hitching my breath, I aim at the target in front of me and breathe out releasing the arrow.

"Aria, your mother has summoned you," Ryden says behind me
"Alright," I reply and place the bow on the ground next to the quiver. I turn towards him and he smiles at me. He looks troubled.
"What's wrong?" I ask as we walk toward Raebershire Palace.
"Your mother will tell you," he replies and sighs deeply, "she did not say what it is about, but she did mention that it's something she needs to tell you herself." He takes my hand in his and places a kiss on my knuckle.

As we enter the Palace, I count the steps until we were inside the Grand Hall.
"Your mother wants to see you in the Cabinet," he says and turns left instead of walking straight ahead as usual.
My eyes widen and I stop dead in my tracks, "she's never allowed me in the Cabinet," I breathe out, my voice mere but a whisper.
Ryden notices that I'd stopped walking and turns around to face me, "I know you're freaking out, but we do have to hurry up. She did say that I must accompany you, so I'll be there every step of the way, holding your hand," he brings our entangled hands towards my face and waves them around.

I look at him and nod my head. He lowers our hands and we start walking again. I start counting the fifteen more steps until we were at the Cabinet's door.
As we approach the Cabinet, the doors open and we walk inside.
The moment the doors shut, Ryden unclasps his hand from mine and leads me towards the chair by the right end of the table. He pulls my chair out and I sit down, he takes his seat next to me.

The doors open once again and my mother walks in. Ryden stands up, walks towards the head of the table and pulls out her chair.
"Thank you, dear," she says, sits down and motions for Ryden to take his place.
"Let's begin," she stated, "Aria, your father and I wanted to tell you this when you turned eighteen, but then your father fell ill and passed away before your birthday," she explained and shakes her head, "there's no excuse for this and I do hope that you can understand what we had to endure."
She looks over at Ryden and then at me, "my lovely girl, you have a twin sister," she informs me and it feels as if everything around me is frozen.
"What do you mean, I have a twin sister?" I stammered and look frantically at Ryden, searching his face for laughter, for some sign that my mother has developed a sense of humour and decided to pull a prank on me, but find no such sign.
"Let me finish, baby!" She commands and I freeze in my seat.
"Before your father claimed the Throne, your Grandparents had this rule that the royal family were only allowed one child and that should they have any more children, they'd be turned into faery dust, sent to the nether realm or however you want to call it," I look at her and I see the tears running down her cheeks. It's the second time I have ever seen my mother cry, "we had two beautiful baby girls, but we could only keep one and to avoid either one of you two being turned into faery dust, we decided to hide your sister. We entrusted Ryden's father to travel to Earth and hide your sister there so that she'd be safe from harm." mother reaches for my hand and covers mine with both of hers, "the time has come that you and Ryden travel to Earth and bring her home. Once the two of you have been reunited, both of your powers will start to appear and your Faery Transformations will be complete. The only place where you can learn to control and harness the true potential of your powers is at the Palace. It is of utmost importance that she be found and that you all returned home before your twenty-first birthdays!"

After my mother explained everything, my life is starting to make sense. I now understand why I have felt so empty and incomplete. The dreams I've been having makes sense now.
I have been seeing my sister, Tryamon. Mother said that she was technically the firstborn and heiress to the throne, but in the event of twins, they are allowed to rule the kingdom together, should both parties agree and plead their lives to serve and protect the Kingdom.

We have but a week and three days to locate her and return home.
Mother explained that Ryden and I should go alone and that we should trust no one else.
Everything we need has been packed into our bags, which have been enchanted to be weightless and bottomless. I have my father's bow with me as well as an enchanted compass. We shall be passing through the portal at dawn.