Broken Illusion

The story went that she was born on a harsh winter's night. It was the coldest winter the kingdom had seen in years, and the darkest night. The lady queen died mere moments after her daughter was born. The midwife feared that the baby was dead too, she was so still and quiet. But then her eyes, greener than any emerald, opened. Her little red lips broke into a smile. The midwife cleaned her and wrapped her in fresh white cloth. The king was devastated to learn of his beloved wife's passing, but he cradled his infant daughter in his arms with a look of wonder in his eyes. The storm raged through the night, but the morning was washed in sunlight as the king led the procession of servants to the garden to bury his queen. The midwife who had delivered the princess gasped, and the procession halted. Despite the relentless winter, all the roses were in bloom. They rose from the snow like red flames. The king stared down at the dark haired infant in his arms. "She will be the greatest and most beautiful queen Mirador has ever seen," he declared.



"You certainly wouldn't think it to see me now," Kira remarked ruefully to the roses she tended. Her father had told her the story of the night of her birth over and over when she was a child. But then Lucretia came, from the snow capped mountains to the North. She was the queen of Mirador now, and Kira had been banished to the servant's quarters. Her pale skin was often smeared with dust, soot, or dirt from the garden; her raven hair always tied up in a sensible bun tucked beneath a white cap, and her dress was tattered and patched. Hardly the attire of a princess.

"You're up early." Kira glanced up to see Petra, the castle's head cook, watching her.

"Early risers are the most productive," Kira said lightly. "Besides, I like to watch the sun rise."

"Are you having trouble sleeping again, dear?" Petra asked, her tone colored with worry and her brows furrowed. Kira didn't reply. Petra sighed. "Child, it's not healthy. You need your rest. You should see the Healer."

Kira grimaced. "Lucretia wouldn't be happy about that."

"That woman," Petra said with distaste. "She should be locked in her own dungeon and left to rot."

"Petra!" Kira hissed, glancing around nervously. "You mustn't say such things. Someone might overhear you."

"Let them." Petra knelt on the ground a few feet away to collect herbs. "I'm not scared of that vile witch. Someone needs to put an end to her."

"Petra." Kira went to her, resting a hand gently on her friend's shoulder. "Please, don't. Lucretia would have you beheaded for such talk. I don't want to see you hurt on my behalf."

"You belong on that throne, Kira. Lucretia is a danger to this world. You are the rightful queen."

They had had this conversation many times in the past. Kira said nothing, returning to her roses while Petra gathered her herbs and departed for the kitchens. A dark cloud passed overhead, and then a gentle rain began to fall. In Mirador, the weather and seasons changed without warning. One day it would be a blazing hot summer, and the next there was a chill in the air and the leaves turned gold. Kira let the water wash some of the mud from her face. Her eyes strayed to the castle, watching the curtained window of Lucretia's chambers. A chill ran through her. She had heard Petra's rant for years, but for some reason today the cook's words lingered in her mind and made her shiver. There was something sinister building in the castle. A large raven flew overhead, cawing to her ominously. Fear sliced into Kira's heart like the point of a knife.

Kira had the ability to decipher the language of animals and understand them. They brought her news and stories and sometimes simply kept her company while she worked. Usually, the birds were her favorite because they told her tales of far away places that she could only dream of seeing for herself. But today the raven's words were dark, warning of impending danger. Kira left the garden, returning to her room and shedding her tattered, muddy dress. She bathed and changed into a clean dress. As she was preparing to set out and finish her chores, Petra burst into her room, eyes wild. She held a traveling bag, which she thrust into Kira's arms.

"You must leave!" she said breathlessly.

"What? Petra, what are you-"

"No time for questions, child! There are clothes and some supplies in the bag, as well as money from the treasury."

"You took money from Lucretia's treasury? Are you out of your mind?" Kira demanded.

"It's your treasury, and your money," Petra snapped. "The blacksmith also gave you a dagger. It's not much, but it's a weapon you can carry easily on the road."

"On the road? Petra, you're not making any sense!"

"It's the queen, Kira. She's...not right. She flew into a terrible rage this morning. I don't know why, but Kira, some of the serving girls heard her shrieking from her room. Calling for your head. You must leave immediately, or she'll kill you."

Kira's heart pounded wildly in her chest. "That's insane," she said, but her voice shook. "I can't just leave. I haven't left the castle grounds since I was eight years old."

"You'll be all right. Go to Sorren Town. Look for Mathilda Browne. She was the midwife at your birth. She can help you. And take this." Petra thrust something else into Kira's hand and she stared at it for several moments, not understanding what it was.

"Was this...?" She trailed off, a lump forming in her throat.

"Yes, it was your mother's. I paid a white witch to enchant it with a cloaking spell. It will help keep you hidden from Lucretia's magic, at least for a while." Impatiently, she snatched the small emerald pendant from Kira's hand and placed it around her neck. Kira touched the pendant gently.

"Go, Kira!" Petra hissed, pushing her towards the door. "There's no time to waste!" Petra hustled her down the corridor and through the kitchens. Kira followed, dazed. They slipped around the barracks and stables, avoiding the guards. Petra led her through the gardens, where they found several other servants waiting.

"We'll give you a boost over the wall, Your Highness. As soon as you land, make a run for the woods. It's your only chance. The guards are in the middle of changing patrol shifts right now."

Kira stared at him, feeling lost. She turned to Petra, who burst into tears and embraced her. "I should have sent you away from this place long ago," Petra said. "But now you have no choice. Run, Kira. Run fast and hard. And someday, when Lucretia can be defeated, you come back here and take your birth right." Petra kissed her cheek, then nodded to the male servant. He scooped Kira into his arms. She struggled. "Petra?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry." The last thing Kira saw was Petra's tear-stained, anguished face before she was being hoisted over the garden wall. It was an older part of the castle, and the wall was not as high as it was in other places. It was in need of repair. Kira clung to the wall by her fingertips, barely saving herself from tumbling to the ground. Taking a deep breath, she tucked her knees up and dropped. She landed clumsily, but at least she didn't sprain her ankle or break her leg. She did as Petra instructed, and ran for the cover of the forest. She crested the hill, glancing back. She could see guards milling around now, but she doubted they could recognize her from all the way over here. Still, if the queen really did want her dead, then the guards would probably be looking for her soon. Choking on a sob, Kira turned away and kept running. She was nearly at the edge of the forest when a figure stepped from the trees. She stumbled to a halt, her heart in her throat. Dark brown hair and pale eyes so blue she could make them out from here.

Thane. Lucretia's courier, enforcer, and personal assassin. If the queen had sent Thane after her, then she did truly want Kira dead. Thane approached her slowly, and Kira tensed, eyes darting back and forth like a frightened rabbit. It would not be easy to escape him. Thane said nothing as he drew closer, but Kira saw the flash of sunlight against a wicked looking dagger. Kira feinted left, and when Thane moved to block her path, she ran right, buying herself a few seconds.

"Wait!" Thane called. She could hear him running behind her, and a rush of pure, primal terror burst in her chest, making her legs move faster even as tree branches clawed at her hair and face. She wondered if the forest itself were conspiring against her. It wasn't long before strong arms wrapped around her waist, bringing her to a halt.

"Let me go!" Kira screamed, kicking out with her feet and clawing at the hands.

"Stop squirming and hold still!" Thane ordered.

"Hold still so you can kill me? Not likely!" Kira kept up her struggles. If she was going to die, she wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"I'm not going to-ow!" Kira landed a blow to his shin. Thane lifted her, then dropped her unceremoniously on her back, kneeling over her and holding her shoulders. "Listen to me, princess, I'm not going to kill you."

"Why should I believe you?" she demanded breathlessly.

"If I was going to kill you, you'd be dead already."

His words put a stop to her struggles. It was true. He could have easily buried a knife between her eyes while she stood back on that hill. He released her shoulders and stepped back. Kira rose slowly to her feet, watching him. "The queen ordered you to kill me."

He nodded.

"Why?"

He blinked. "Because she sees you as a threat."

Kira let out a startled laugh. "Me? I'm a servant girl."

"No, you are the princess of Mirador, from a long line of noble blood."

"She already has the throne. That's no reason to kill me."

"Her mirror told her that you're the fairest in the land."

Kira stared at him for a long time, not sure if he was joking or not. "What?" she said finally.

"Lucretia is a witch. A powerful one. Her preferred specialty is mirror magic. A century or so ago, she trapped a powerful sorcerer inside a mirror. He's bound to answer any question she asks with complete honesty. Every day, Lucretia sits in front of that mirror and asks it who the fairest maiden in all the land is. Until today, he's always said it was her."

"And today he said it was me? That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. No one is more beautiful than Lucretia."

"The mirror is bound to tell only the truth." Thane shrugged.

"And because some enchanted mirror told her I'm the 'fairest in the land,' she wants to have me killed? No one has even seen me for nine years. The entire world thinks I went insane from a fever after my father died and became a vegetable. I'm not a threat to the queen."

"Well, why don't you head on back to the castle then and explain that to her? She's such a rational, sane person, after all."

She glowered at him as he turned away. She grabbed her bag from where it had fallen and chased after him.

"Wait! Thane!"

"What?" He didn't even slow down.

"Let me go with you."

"You don't even know where I'm going."

"I know you're not going back to the castle. The queen will kill you when she finds out you disobeyed her. Let me come with you."

"Why should I?"

She yanked on his arm, forcing him to turn and look at her. "Clearly, for one reason or another, you couldn't kill me. Leaving me out here alone is as much a death sentence as a dagger, Thane. I haven't left the castle grounds in nine years. I don't know my way through these woods, or my way anywhere, for that matter. You can't just leave me out here." He stared at her, expression unreadable. "At least take me as far as Sorren Town," she pressed.

"You can't hunt or fight off robbers," Thane said.

"I have money," Kira replied. "And you can teach me the other things." That made him laugh and she was tempted to kick him in the shin again.

"I'll just follow you," she said stubbornly.

"I had a bad feeling you were going to say that." Thane sighed. "All right. Come on, Your Highness. Sorren Town is this way."

Kira threw a last glance over her shoulder, seeing the turrets of the castle over the tops of the trees. Her home turned prison. It was all she had ever known, and now she was being ripped away from it all. She hoped Petra and the others were safe. Clutching her mother's pendant, she turned away and followed Thane into the shadows of the forest.