A Queen of no Kingdom

Prologue

"Mommy," Luciana's childish voice rang with excitement "will I get a happily ever after too one day?"

Being the small child she was, it wasn't out of the ordinary for her to believe in fairytales. Her mother smiled "Well Luci," She kissed Luciana's head "everyone finds their happily ever after somehow. Be a good girl and maybe someday soon you will get a very special fairytale life."

This was the way every night went in the palace. Luciana's mother would come in, read her a story, kiss her head, and give her a burst of confidence about the future. Luciana snuggled deep in the bed to get comfy and warm. Her mother was at the door now "Good night my sweet angel." Luciana's heart warmed at her mother's smile. Little did she know. It would be the last time she ever saw that smile.

As her mom blew out the candle and left the room in darkness. Luciana tried her best to get to sleep. She closed her eyes and began drifting away but, not long after there was a thump. It came from outside. Luciana couldn't help but be curious. She walked over to her balcony and looked down at the ground below.

At first she saw nothing unusual. Just some men who normally groomed the garden. Their faces soon became panicked which worried poor little Luciana. She called out to the men but they did not seem to hear. She wouldn't bother to call again. She then approached her bed and got back in. She would investigate in the morning. Or at least that's what she thought would happen.

A guard burst through the door with a loud whoosh. The guard was panting. Had he been running perhaps?

"Princess! You must come with me! I must protect you!" His words came intense and clear but she still did not understand. What did she need protection from? In the kingdom of Aurelia everything was safe. At least that's what her mother told her. She didn't have time to question him. He grabbed her hand and began running.

The confused young girl tried to pull away but his grip was too strong. She gave up as he picked her up and rushed outside. Only then did she see the chaos. The magnificent garden had become a shadow of its former self. The perfectly cut grass and hedges trimmed with the utmost care were on fire. The princess trembled in fear as an arrow whooshed past her, grazing her right cheek.

The guard put Luciana down with a grave look on his face "Your parents are gone. Do not worry. Run as fast as you can and as far into the forest as possible. I'll come find you. Come out once I've whistled three times." He pushed her forward "Go on now! Run!"

Luciana began going full steam ahead. What had the guard meant by that. Her mother was with her only a few minutes ago.Or was it an hour? How much time had past? Was this a dream?

Dream or not she didn't stop running. She staggered her way through the fallen trees and brush of the forest. This was not something a princess should do. Especially not a 6 year old princess. Either way she wouldn't risk going back. No. She would wait like a good girl. The guard would come find her and take her back home to see mama and papa. They would be happy she was alright. She would be happy to see them alright. She would tell them how much she love them and how scared she was. But that day would never come.

Hiding in the woods, she had waited for the guard to come and tell her everything was alright and they could go home to the palace. She had waited to hear those three whistles. What was taking him so long? Maybe he had forgotten the poor little princess whose silk nightgown had been ripped by the harsh forest branches. But who could ever forget her?

When she had gotten tired of hiding she finally came out. What she saw had almost broken her. As she stumbled back in front of her lay the body of a guard. She then tripped over something. When she looked back to see she found the corpse of her savior. The guard who pulled her out of her bed and made her run. Of course he hadn't forgotten her. He was dead.

Luciana began to scream and cry. Why was she the one suffering? She was a princess. She was to be queen. Why was she feeling so much pain.

She watched as her once beloved home burned to the ground. Her home was no more. She was supposed to be a queen. One of the greatest queens. But, how could she rule a kingdom that no longer existed?