The Hidden Royal

Prologue

Knock, knock.

Nessaria, standing in front of her mirror looked back at her bedroom door. Moira, her young maid, stood in the doorway with a small smile on her face. Nessaria looked at the young maid, her simple black dress adorned with a small white apron tied at her waist. Black tights underneath her dress led down to the small pair of black flats on her feet. Her hands were clasped together near her stomach dressed neatly in a pair of silk white gloves and her chestnut hair was tied back into her black bonnet to keep it out of her face.

"It's time, Your Highness." Moira said softly.

Nessaria gave her a small nod and turned back to the mirror. She examined her own outfit, making sure everything was in its place. Her dark brown hair was pulled tightly into a bun that sat on the top of her head. A small braid was done and pinned into her hair directly under her royal crown. She wore a long sleeved black gown that came down to her feet and black silk gloves covered her small, slender hands. The dress was adorned with a thorned blue rose pin fastened to her chest and a black lace veil covered her face. She took in a deep, shakey breathe, trying desperately to settle her nerves. She turned towards Moira, tears prickling her eyes and walked out of her room.

Nessaria and Moira walked in silence down the hallway and towards the staircase. While walking down the steps Nessaria spotted her father waiting patiently by the grand doors that led to the front gardens. As they reached the bottom steps Moira reached over to Nessaria and lightly squeezed her shoulder. Nessaria looked back at her and smiled, grateful to her for all that she had done in these past couple of days. When Nessaria and Moira reached the bottom of the staircase, one of the royal gaurds came to escort Nessaria to her father. Nessaria looked up at him, his black hair done neatly and out of his face. His dark brown eyes looked down at her and in them she saw a sadness that she was sure almost reflected her own. She took his outstretched arm and placed her hand in the crook of his elbow allowing him to walk her towards the doors, towards her father.

King Promerus watched Nessaria as she came to him. He was dressed in a black royal suit and his grey hair was combed to the side framing his face. A pin resembling a thorned blue rose was on his chest and a black cape flowed from his shoulders down his back towards his feet. He showed a small smile to his daughter before he embraced her in his arms. As he held her there for a short while Nessaria could smell his cologne and took a deep, calming breathe. After they separated Nessaria wrapped her hand around her father's arm and proceeded to walk out the door. Everyone was waiting for them at the end of the gardens in chairs aligned neatly on either side of a long red carpet. Citizens from the kingdom, royal dignitaries, and esteemed members of society were all in attendace for today. When Nessaria and her father walked past them they gave a bow and a curtsey and showed a small smile. Nessaria could only look forward and focus on the steps she took. Her heart was beating loud in her chest, tears were brimming in her eyes, her lungs were squeezing tight as she held her breathe. Nessaria and her father reached the end of the carpet and Nessaria looked down at the casket before her. Her father bent down to kiss her mother's cold cheek and Nessaria shut her eyes as the tears overflowed onto her face. She turned away, walking towards a chair placed next to her mother's casket and as she sat down she could hear her father begin.

"Thank you all for coming. I know Abriella would be honored to see so many faces here today, to honor her memory." Her father smiled softly to the crowd of people sitting before him. Nessaria looked ahead at the faces staring at her father, faces soaked in tears and wearing small smiles themselves. Nessaria was not smiling though, for this was not an occasion to smile at. As her father continued with his eulogy, she closed her eyes and willed this day to pass by quickly. For she did not think she could hold her emotions together for much longer. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to have control over her emotions, knowing her mother would never be with her again.

. . .