Chapter 1

November 16, 1862

Alvinia was in a joyous celebration. Today was Princess Lucinda Rosethorn's seventeenth birthday. The palace was busy with decorating and cooking. Lucinda sat down as her friend Adeline brushed her black hair, through the tangled curls.

"I'm so exited Adeline. I finally get to get out."

For the past seventeen year, the King and Queen have not allowed her outside the walls. She didn't know why, but it was obvious that they were afraid of something. The look in their eyes was haunting.

"Oh Luce this is wonderful. You can finally meet my family. I've always talked about you to my little sister and she would love to meet you."

Adeline is her maid but Luce doesn't treat her differently and she's met her mother once, the head maid. She was the only friend she had. Well unless she counts her cousin, Landyn. He's always been around but since he was the next heir to the Pendilor, the eastern kingdom, he wasn't around much. Even Luce was pressured because of her upcoming throne. The heavy responsibility and duty. She didn't want to disappoint her parents or her people.

"I'm sure I'll love her. She sounds so adorable and she's just ten. Your mother already seems nice," she met her eyes through the mirror in front of her.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Landyn's head peeked through the door.

"Hello precious. Are you ready for tonight?"

Her neck started to heat up just at the sight of him. Luce turned to him, Adeline stopped.

"Of course. How could I not? Oh and I wanted to ask, how are mom and dad taking this?"

"Lovely of course," his voice dipped in sarcasm.

Luce laughed. The one thing she loved about him was that with all the stress his destiny is putting on him, it didn't change his fun and loving personality. He was just nineteen, his coronation in four months. Adeline lifted multiple strands of hair in a loop and clipped a butterfly hair clip into separate ones.

"I haven't seen your dress yet. Let me see," Landyn tried to catch a glimpse but she blocked it.

"You'll have to wait like everyone else," she teased and he gave her a playful frown.

"Fine," dragging out the I, he kissed her cheek and walked out.

Lucinda placed her fingers where he kissed her, mesmerized. It wasn't the first time but each time was better than the last, breathtaking.

Adeline, Luce realized, had slipped away for that moment and she was grateful. She stood up and straightened her dress out from the wrinkles. It was a deep red, with silver butterflies made of diamonds, the same as the ones in her hair. Lucinda twirled and laughed with delight as the light from the moon shone on the diamonds. Then she realized. The other kingdoms where here for the celebration. The feeling of excitement was quickly replaced with nervousness. She couldn't imagine so many people there. But she had to go. To make her parents proud.