Crownless

Chapter One

"Audrielle Sweetie!" I heard as I was face first in my silk pillow. I felt delicate withered hands shake me back and forth. I groaned as I placed my pillow over my head. She relentlessly shook me. I rolled over where she couldn't get me without climbing on the bed herself.  Low and behold, I felt the bed dip. She then jumped on me rocking me and manhandling me.

"Wake up! You have lessons today.'' She shook harder. 

"Fine! Fine, I'm getting up." I rolled my eyes at my mother as I rolled out of bed. She helped me slip on my robe. My eyes were blurry, not yet focused. I sat down at my vanity and stared at the zombie looking back at me.

"Collect yourself, today is an important day." She kissed my cheek. "Yesterday was an important day to mother. I feel like today is ordinary." I yawned as I walked into the bathroom.

Bright caramel eyes stared back at me in the mirror as I tied my long brown hair into a ponytail. I washed my face and brushed my teeth and got ready for what's to come. "Meet your father and me in the garden. And prepare. Stretch." She exited out of the room eloquently.

I entered the beautiful garden. Filled with daisies and tulips. Butterflies kissed the air and landed on tree branch after tree branch. My bare feet felt the sweet dew of the morning between my toes. The garden was my favorite place in Icaria. I bent down to smell a lily when all of a sudden my knees hit the ground.

"Ouchhhh!" I yelped as I held my hands on the slick grass.

"Always stand on guard." My father's thick deep voice boomed through the trees. 

"Good morning father." I got up wiping my hands off on my handkerchief. As I put it away in my pocket and withdrew my dagger. 

"Functional family aren't we?" My youngest brother snorted as the middle one rolled his eyes. 

"Audrielle my love, can we have a moment?" My fathers hardened brown eyes filled with saddened emotion.

My heart dropped and started beating erratically. "Father? What is it?" I stopped him from walking so my mother could catch up. He reached over and plucked a rose from a bush. He tore all the thorns from the stem and put it behind my mother's ear. She smiled with tears in her eyes as she kissed his cheek. 

"Audrielle you have noticed lately we have been training you harder than ever. Keeping you sharp." He sucked in a breath grabbing my face. "You were our first born. Our beautiful Sun.'' He kissed my cheek. I smiled. 

"There is something you must know.." My mother covered her mouth and motioned me to sit by her. "What is it? I'm scared." I had an awful gut-wrenching feeling. I began biting my nails, waiting for the news.

"Never be scared, my dear." My father sat on the other side of me. "When we found out your mother was pregnant with you. Our hearts leaped for joy!" He chuckled loudly slapping my knee. 

" Your father wanted it to be a boy, but when he first saw you.. he melted." She smiled teary eyed again. "

Your mother one day was here in this garden collecting roses..." He stopped. His breath hitched. I crossed my legs leaning forward, attention fully on my father and mother.

"I started bleeding. I yelled for help. No one heard me." She wiped a tear from her golden face. 

"I went looking for her. Angry that she left our room. I asked one of the help and they said she was here." His eyes widened and his voice dropped as if he were in a daze. "I checked her pulse and it was very low." He mumbled. "So I picked her up, put her in a carriage and I went to look for the best healers." I laid my head on his chest listening to his heart race.

"An elderly women stopped the carriage, said she could sense something wrong." He squeezed my mothers hand. "She said she could save you both but there would be a price." A tear fell from his face. "I said name your price in gold. I am king whatever you want you shall be granted." She laughed. "I can save only one... who will it be? Your wife or daughter?" He shuttered. "Save them both and I'll give you all I have." He looked down. " She scratched her head and put her hand on her chin. " Your Kingdom, I want it all." My mother sobbed. " I will not collect just yet. But In eighteen years, I will be back with my son to conquer it all." He bit his lip. " We have two months my Sun. She'll be here. Are you ready?" He kissed my forehead. 

"I need a minute." I ran as fast as my feet would let me through the open garden. I ran and ran until I stopped in the barn. '' Xavier! Xavier are you here?" I yelled with a shaky tear-filled voice. 

"Audrielle what's wrong?" He was grooming a black stallion. 

"Come out here, please? No shoes." I wiggled my toes at him. 

" Yeah, one moment." He threw the brush into the bucket and removed his gloves. "What is it, love?" He pulled me into his chest. 

"I can't tell you... Just hold me." I sobbed into the crook of his neck. 

"If it has you in tears, it has to be really bad.." He murmured to me. 

I kissed the side of his neck. " Its the worst."