Crown of Elorian

Prologue: We Need Them All Gone

"We need them all gone," I heard a voice say as I flattened myself to the wall.

"What do you want me to do sire?" I recognized the voice as one of the lords. Lord Jasper.

"I want the world to be wiped of these monsters." My father said as he started to walk closer to where I was. I need to leave but I can't with him hearing me. I tried to gather up my dress and step back. It didn't quite work that way seeing as I can barely walk two steps without tripping.

As fear filled me, my mind went blank. I needed to think of something, and something quick. He walked around the corner and spotted me on the floor trying to stand up. I automatically started crying.

As tears cascaded down my 8-year-old face, he came up to me and asked what was wrong.

"I fell, and now my bottom hurts," I cried out as I pushed more tears from my eyes. He knelt and wiped my tears as he spoke.

"Don't cry Avalon, they will take advantage of your weaknesses, and crying, is the biggest of all." He stood up and walked away. Never once looking back, with his head held high. My tears stopped as an emptiness filled me. Maybe then, was when i realized he cared very little for me, if at all.

In my room I had total privacy. Even from my three siblings. Alexander was the oldest at 10. Followed by me, then the twins, Kelaina and Declan at 7.

It was in that very room two years later that I was caught practicing. Something that my father had banned upon penalty of death. Magic. I was torn from my room when one of the guards had busted in and took me by the arms.

Thrashing as hard as I could, my 10-year-old self couldn't break free of their hold. I was going to die. I was sure of it. I was dragged through the hall as I tried to command them to let me go. It was then I learned that if they didn't respect you, your words meant nothing.

As my last resort, I tried to use my magic. As pain ripped through me, I screamed. I didn't know what was going on. As tears streamed down my face, I felt helpless. More so than ever. I vowed to never let myself feel this way again.

As we walked through the throne room doors, I looked up to see my father, the king, looking at me with such utter distain it hurt physically. Next to him stood my siblings. The twins looked on in confusion while Alexander looked horrified at the thought. Whether at me or our father I had no idea.

Beside the throne sat my mother. Ever so graceful, and beautiful. She had tears in her eyes that wouldn't fall. She tried to keep a straight face, but I could see through her.

She had told me once before that I had a talent for that kind of thing. People, to me, seem to all be open books. They all want someone to find out all their secrets. Maybe so they don't feel so alone.

But an exposed secret is a weakness. Just like crying and showing you care for someone. And I am not weak. I am strong.

"I, King Jared Hilton of Elorian, charge you, Avalon Hilton, of treason by sorcery." I was stunned. He knew. He knew, and he had been waiting to catch me. "Send her to the pit!" he yelled as his voice bounced off the walls. Both in the castle and in my head.

My mother turned away in what I can only assume was disappointment. My siblings protested. I didn't know if they were fighting for a harsher punishment or because I was being sent away.

Father always said to assume the worst. That because we were royalty, people were going to want to kill us. We needed to be vigilant and trust no one. Because they would want to pretend to be our friend first. Then they would steal the kingdom from right under our noses.

I was dragged out of the throne room just like I was drug in. The only difference was that this time around, I was done fighting. An emptiness akin to when I recognized that my father cared very little of me, filled my body from head to toe. The walls of the castle passed by and I didn't pay them much heed.

We reached the dungeons and went even lower. They opened a hole in the ground and threw me in. I screamed as I went through. It finally sunk in that I was alone in this now. I was never going to get out.

As I hit the ground my screams had ceased. They closed the grate above my head and left. I heard their footsteps receding and a coldness filled me.

I stood and tried to get a feel for where I was. My new home. Cold and alone.

"Hello." Not alone. Turning around slowly with a face that let nothing pass through I looked to the other little girl in here. She looked to be about my age.

A voice in my head told me not to trust her.

"Who are you?" I asked with a cold tone.

"My name's Raelynn. It's nice to meet you." She stood and held out her hand.

"Humph," was my so brilliant reply as I turned my back to her and started to walk around.

"Manners aren't that hard of a concept to comprehend," she said as she followed me with her eyes.

"I know what manners are, I just don't think wasting them on someone like you is worth it."

"Well that 'someone like me' is now you. So, check yourself before you wreck yourself missy."

"And who are you to talk to me in such a way?" turning around harshly, I continued. "I am Princess Avalon Hilton of Elorian and I demand respect."

"You don't look like much of a princess down in the pit."

"My father made a mistake. He's coming to get me out right now surely."

"Surely." I was given a blank face. It was then that I notice the candles lighting up the room and chasing away the darkness. "You know, I think that you're not as hard-hearted as you want people to believe."

"And what would you know? You're probably just a mere peasant girl who knows nothing of the real world."

"I know more than you would think Lonny."

"Don't call me that," I say as I turn to inspect more of the room.

"You know, I would, except, your being mean so I'm going to annoy you." She said as she skipped up to me with a smile on her face. As I saw her more clearly, I inspected her face.

With her red hair and brown/green eyes she could be considered very beautiful. I noticed her thin lips and a faint scar on her cheek. Her eyes seemed to be almost even sizes with a slight difference and a nose that wasn't small and not big. Freckles scattered around her nose randomly like the chicken feed being thrown over the ground. Her cheeks were hollow like she hadn't eaten enough in a while and her hair, while fiery, seemed dull, brittle, and lifeless.

As my eyes flicked over her body I was going to tell her that she should eat more, but I decided against it.

"Stay away from me." I replied instead as I walked away to run my fingers over the walls. She tilted her head to the side as she inspected me. She followed me with her eyes and soon her body followed.

I sighed, but chose to try and ignore it. It's kind of nice to know I'm not going through all of this alone.

"So, what are you down here for?"

"Sorcery." I replied hoping it would scare her away.

"Me too! Oh my goodness, we are..." I sighed again.

Maybe it wasn't so nice.