Nadia Edwards was an enigma to most of the kingdom and in fact most of Ostshore in general. When she was first set to wed the then Prince Edwards, it was rumored that they had met outside of Aldham boarders. Nothing was ever confirmed or denied by the palace but it always left a bad after taste in the noble family's lineage.
Typically those chosen to rule had their partners chosen over years of searching by the elders. It was not unheard of for a same aged- child to be chosen years in advance so that the royal family could have some say in their upbringing into future royalty. But Nadia was something different.
When Isadora was little, her mother would tell her the love story of her and her father. How he had ridden into her small outer village one day and seemingly fallen madly in love at first sight. It was even rumored that she was with child before he even brought her back to the kingdom because only three months after their marriage ceremony, she gave birth to a young Isadora.
There was no doubt that the young lovers had been absolutely infatuated with one another but over the years, Izzy seemed to watch her mother and father grow further and further apart. And then her mother became ill. The circumstances surrounding it all were too much for her to dive into, it all seemed to break her apart inside. But she knew that if anyone would be able to help her stop her fathers tyrannical rule and save August then her mother was the one who they needed to talk to.
...
August followed Izzy as she carefully wove through hallways and into hidden corridors until finally they arrived at a small steel door that sat at the end of a long carpeted hall. It had no markings or distinct features besides a small "E" that had been engraved in the top and the rounded handle that she watched turn as Izzy opened it, allowing them inside.
The Queens room was much different than what she had expected. August had always believed that the King and Queen lived in the utmost royalty, with golden floorboards and windows that stretched the length of walls. But in here it looked more like a prison.
Queen Nadia sat in a wheelchair facing out of the only window in the whole room when they walked in. Even from behind August could tell that she was ill. Her small frame barely took up any space at all and what she assumed used to be lush blonde hair like her daughters had fallen to leave nothing more than a head of peach fuzz that caught the light as she turned to see her new visitors.
"Mom!" Izzy cried as she ran out to pull her mother into a hug. The Queen hugged her back in disbelief. Both of there eyes filled with tears as they stayed in their embrace. "He told me you were gone," Nadia cried into her daughter.
The entire scene couldn't help but bring August to tears as well. She couldn't believe that the king would spread the word that the princess was dead when he knew first hand that she was alive.
"I'm right here, mom. I promise." Izzy cried before they finally broke apart.
Nadia turned next and locked eyes with August, the stare sent a chill up the girls spine, unknowing what to say. The queen spoke up, "So is it true the rumors they are saying about you? That you've killed men of the royal guard. That you're a rhyle?" The last word spat off of her tongue as if it left a bad taste. Before August had a chance to speak, Izzy stepped in front of her mom.
"Mother, August means no harm to us. Especially me. Yes she has abilities to do things we cannot and yes she is the reason the guard is two men short, but she has done nothing but risk her life over and over to protect me. She has saved my life more times than I could ever count. So please, trust me for once. Her heart is kinder than any other person in this kingdom, I swear it."
The queen looked her daughter up and down, half stunned at her bold remarks. Izzy had never spoken back to any of her family before, let alone her own mother. Nadia looked back at August once more before returning to her daughter, sighing, and finally asking, "What happened?"
