Mirrors ✔️

Chapter 1: Eva

This story is under editing. Please point out any mistakes! It's spent awhile in my drafts-

"Are you coming, Val?" 

Eva says my nickname, giggling happily. Her dark, wavy hair falls in curtains down her back, illuminated in the moonlight.

  "Yes!" I whisper-shout back at her, trying to wedge my fingers through the crack in the window. Eva smiles, letting go of the ladder she's balanced on with one hand to help me pull at it. Her fingers are more graceful and nimble than mine, and she gets it easily. I lift my own hands in mock defeat. Eva will have none of it, and she practically pulls me out. 

 "Be gentle!" I say playfully. "You're talking to a future queen, you know." I lift my head in what's supposed to be a regal way, which sends Eva into another fit of giggles. 

 "Yeah right." She shoots back. "You? Queen?" She laughs again. 

 "Eva!" I hiss in protest, but I'm not really upset. Eva knows I dislike my future position. It's why we're such good friends. 

Eva tosses her head. "I, however..." 

     "Oh, shut up." I frown, starting to climb down towards our tunnel. "We don't want them to hear us."

"You worry too much. Have they ever?" Eva argues, but she lets me drop onto the damp dirt without another word. I pull back the entry thorn brush, then get on my hands and knees to worm my way into the small opening. Eva follows. It's not long, and soon we emerge in a field of daisies and violets. It's our place. Just me and Eva and sometimes Kassidy, though not often. Kassidy hates Eva's friendship with me. She thinks we'll get caught. 

I wonder about it too, sometimes. Eva would get far worse punishment than me, but she never talks about it. Never asks about how this whole thing is illegal. 

   Eva interrupts my train of thought as she tackles me onto the ground, her breath warming my ear. She's smirking, smug from her victory. That little-

  I knee her in the stomach, and Eva gasps, out of breath. I made sure it wouldn't really hurt her, and soon she's on her feet again, holding a handful of daisies. She quickly weaves them into a crown. 

 "Behold," Eva announces. "Princess of Flowers! Valarie!" 

  "Ugh. Ick. Bleh." I complain. "Val, Eva. Never Valarie." 

Eva tilts her head. "Too bad....Valarie."   She launches herself at me again and I hold up my hands to block her. Suddenly, Eva freezes. Her eyes go wide, her breathes short and fast.

  "Sheesh, relax, Eva. I'm not gonna go hard on you. Maybe you'll even win." I tease, but her gaze is on something behind me. "Eva?"

  "Val..." She chokes out. "They-they..."

  Then I hear the footsteps, and with growing dread, I know who it is.

      I turn around, seeing the five soldiers behind me. Cold eyes on Eva. 

  They've just seen Eva and me wrestling on the ground outside the castle...a princess and a commoner. 

"Well, well, well." Says the leader. "What have we here?"

**********

ASSASSIN IN TRAINING ASSAULTS THE PRINCESS

Commoner kidnaps the Princess Valarie.

Twelve-year-old Princess Valarie tricked out of castle.

WHO IS EVA CREST?

Trial set for tomorrow morning.

PRINCESS IN SHOCK.

All of these articles are censored by the King. None of them are true.

I feel sick to my stomach as they bring me into the Trial-but it isn't really one, not when everything they say is a lie. Eva stands in the middle of the room, trying to stay brave. 

She's in chains.

An executioner already stands in the corner.

Someone starts reading off Eva's crimes.

"Convicted of kidnapping the princess, assaulting her, breaking into the castle....." He begins in a bored monotone. I tune out the rest, tears blurring my eyes and running down my cheeks.

  My father's hand stays firmly on my shoulder, holding me down so I can't move. Eva may be the one in chains, but his message is clear. I am also a prisoner. 

   "Guilty." My father stands up when he finishes. "It's quite clear."

"Quite." The other man repeats, breathless. He waves for the executioner.

   "No!" I cry out, the scream ripping at my throat. "NO! EVA!"

"Be quiet." Father says sharply, then to the crowd. "The Princess is delusional." 

"I'm NOT!" I'm sobbing now, a crumpled mess. I kick and scream more, launching myself at my father, launching myself at the nobles around me, my nails tearing at their flesh, leaving long, bloody lines. "Eva!" 

My voice cracks, and I launch myself at the railing too, trying to get down fast enough to save her. 

 I'm too late. The last thing I see is the executioner raising his ax before I lapse into unconsciousness .