The Bloodied and The Crowned

Prologue

Rowena didn't know when her heart began to pick up pace or when her breathing labored, chest tight, fists shaking for the want to escape that dark wretched room. Keiran was right beside her, a cooing mother to her child; murmuring whispers of assurance into her ear. The air was thick with dust, their ruffled hair stuck to their necks like hot summer day, they could barely move in the space hidden away behind the wooden planked walls of Ahmi's cupboards. But what other choice was there? The officers were doing their routine rounds again that morning. That miserable space has been a safe haven for both Keiran and little Rowena every time the officers came about looking for their missing princess.

Ahmi first took them in when Keiran ran away from the King's Palace, a royal stowaway baring her grandson's child. Her grandson being an esteemed member of the Queen's Militia but the officers search everywhere regardless. They don't know about Rowena nor do they know about General Augustin and Keiran's affair, just that the princess had run away from home and that the Queen wants her daughter found.

On the other side of the hardwood wall panels were the shouts of a woman giving out orders and ear-splitting screeches of furniture being moved across the wooden floorboards. It was always the same surprise of sudden intrusion at any given time of day, the same orders by the same woman, not always the same officers but the routine was always the same; has been for the past five years.

Keiran has Rowena's head clutched firmly against her own, eyes wide, lifting a single finger to Rowena's quivering lips. Rowena knew the rules about hiding inside the wall; stay quiet, don't risk making any movements, don't lean on the wall if the cupboards have been moved, and wait until Ahmi comes to get us. She knew it well but Keiran still took precautions to make sure she understood every time.

Rowena wanted to scream, to move, to be anywhere but in that room. Still, she knew that bad things would happen if she did so long as the people invading their home were still lurking. The child taught herself to count to twelve under her breath, repeating it over and over like a prayer until she could finally get out of that place.

The noises beyond the walls faded following the officers out the door on the opposite end of the room until all they could hear was the sound of their breath laboring from the lack of airflow in the dark confined space. No matter how many times Rowena and Keiran had hidden behind that room, the rapid patter of their heart still beats with the fear of being discovered every single time. All that's left to be done now is to wait for Ahmi to come get them as a second precaution to be sure that the intruders are gone in case they came out while one of the officers were still in the room.

Rowena didn't understand why the rules needed to be obeyed she just knew that they needed to be. But the want to get out of that space was somehow stronger today, she was drowning in it, gasping for breaths that didn't seem to reach her lungs. She wanted to hit and kick and shout and above all, Rowena wanted to get out. With an attempt to restrain herself, Rowena leaned on the wall anticipating for Ahmi to come get her and her mother. She had thought the cupboards had been put back and with the realization that they hadn't quickly became shock when the wooden panels gave way and all Rowena knew is that she's falling. It was only a mere second before she hit the ground hard on her behind.

"Sorry momma!" she whispered hastily in her frightened little voice. Keiran had her eyes wide with fear and her hands covering her mouth as she looked at her daughter, panic evident on her face. The thud had been too loud and as Rowena got off the floor, the doors across the room swung open revealing a woman clad in a thick maroon coat that Rowena would always see her father wearing. Keiran lunged and grabbed Rowena tight around her wrists, pulling her daughter behind her.

"You stay away from her." Keiran hissed at the woman, giving her a cold glare.

The woman in the coat stared at the little girl hiding behind the person she'd been given orders to find for the past 5 years, her face a mixture of confusion and disbelief. She looked at Keiran then at Rowena then as though revelation had just hit her, she laughed. Laughter filled the room but somehow it made the entire situation all the more frightening.

"Who knew! Hah!" She gasped out and exploded in a wave of giggles.

Footsteps sounded down the halls and seconds later, three officers in dark brown uniforms rushed into the room. They halted behind the woman in the maroon coat staring eyes wide at the missing princess in front of them, not noticing the little girl hiding behind her. Keiran stayed silently glaring at the woman, her hands behind her in an attempt to shield Rowena.

"We always felt guilty searching Wardell Augustin's home but who would've thought," Said one of the officers, disbelief clear in his tone. "He's been the one hiding the princess this whole time." The woman in the coat frowned at that.

"Julaeyn, Caro, take the princess," she ordered and two of the officers walked towards Keiran while she took a step back.

"I won't go back there!" Keiran spat.

"Your highness, I'm afraid we have orders to bring you back with us." The officers reached out and grabbed hold of Keiran's arms as she struggled for release. Rowena is tugging at the hem of Keiran's stained apron, crying and screaming for her mother.

"Let me go!"

"This'll only be harder for you if you don't cooperate, your highness!" Said one of the officers grabbing hold of Keiran's arms.

"Mommaaaaaa!" Rowena wailed, tears flowing down her reddened cheeks as she watches her mother being dragged out the door.

"Renly, grab the girl." The woman in charge barked another order before the last officer walked towards Rowena and picked her up while she screamed in protest, punching and kicking aimlessly trying to get free of the officer's hold.

"Silence her." The woman simply said and the guard placed his index finger and thumb behind Rowena's head and at an instant, she went silent. Rowena's body, now limp, her breathing slowed, fast asleep in Renly's arms.

"What do we do with this one?" Renly asked, poking his chin to one side, gesturing to Rowena.

"Take her back to the palace with us."

"Who is she?" The officer had curiosity written on his dark features as he looked towards his commander for an answer. But he already had a good guess in mind.

The woman now had a soft smile playing on her lips, eyebrows still creased. Her heavy leather boots sounded off the wooden floorboards as she walked towards the little girl cradled in Renly's arms. She looked in awe at Rowena sleeping soundly before saying,

"She's the Queen's problem now."