Prologue
Screams echoed. Two sets of footsteps rapidly journeyed down the halls, high heels smacking the stone floors. A raven-haired princess had picked up her skirts and turned on her heel, tears glistening in her emerald eyes as she tried to put space between her and her mother. Her mother, the Founder of their kingdom and the reigning queen, only chased after her.
“Jessica, get back here this instant!” Isa’s nostrils flared.
The princess ignored her, roughly turning around a corner. Her shoulder crashed into the wall, causing her to yelp in surprise as she lost her balance and slipped to the floor. Gritting her teeth, she placed her hand on the wall, hoisting herself up. She was lucky she put down that candelabra in one of the hallways before she fled.
Pulling the navy blue hood tighter over her head, she took a breath, her heart practically banging out of her chest. A scream escaped her lips when sharp nails tore into her arm. Her mother’s blazing eyes burned into hers.
“Let go!” Jessica grunted, exasperated.
“Go back to your chambers.” The queen glared.
“Why? So I can continue to be your sheltered puppet of an heir?” Jessica scoffed, snatching her arm from Isa’s grip. “No thanks.”
“Jessica-” The princess was already sprinting, throwing open the throne room doors. The Founder screamed out, “Guards!”
Jessica skidded to a stop, her mouth agape. A line of guards stood before her mother’s throne, each holding an iron sword. Reginald, the Captain of the Guard, and George, his lieutenant, were at the center. George had even brought along Murray, a white fluffball of a bichon shitzhu dubbed ‘The Royal Guard Dog,’ except he was curled up on the floor asleep. Reginald took small steps toward her, raising his hand behind him and signaling his men to stay put. “It’s over, Princess. You’re surrounded.”
When she whirled around, more guards had appeared by the entrance. In front of them was her mother, wielding two iron blades. Jessica took a breath, pulling out her own: a blade she had stolen from the armory.
“Don’t do this,” Isa warned.
Mother and daughter circled each other, each holding out their weapons. The princess threw back her hood, unclasping her cloak and allowing it to cascade to the floor, “I can’t keep living like this! I refuse to be a bird in a cage!”
Jessica lunged for her mother. She swung her sword, the blade halting as her mother blocked her attack.
The two still circled, their swords sparking at the contact. Blow after blow, the sound of iron meeting iron echoed throughout the room.
Jessica swung at her mother again, the swords once again shaking once the surfaces met. Isa thrust her blades forward, and Jessica’s grip on hers crumbled. Jumping back in shock, she slightly lowered her weapon.
A few seconds passed. Jessica blinked, and her mother was inches away from her, jumping into a 360. Jessica ripped her sword out front, barely blocking from her late reaction.
Her mother moved back. Jesse ran forward with her blade raised above her head. Their swords clashed, both pausing in the middle to keep themselves from collapsing. The queen planted her foot hard on the ground. Isa pushed her sword to the left, taking Jessica’s blade with her. Her hands moved in a circular motion, and Jessica lost control.
The princess stood with her mouth agape, her blade flying out of her hands and clattering on the ground. Her mother had trained her in combat, as well as Reginald and George, but she was still not at their level. Whether she was or not, she couldn’t singlehandedly take down her mother and the twenty guards in the room.
Two hands squeezed her arms, and Jessica tried thrashing to release their grip. The hold on her arms only tightened, and George seized her sword. The queen sheathed hers, walking past Jessica to the tree behind her throne. Reginald and George forced the princess to turn around, following her mother, and the other eighteen guards flanked them.
Isa sighed, pointing to the tree as she gazed at her daughter with disappointment. “You dare to disrespect our legacy?”
“How can you stand there and say that you find pride in the fact that we live on a dystopian island?” Jessica asked, disgusted.
“It’s not entirely dystopian!” Isa retorted. “The rules are in place to protect our people and our future! That is our job as monarchs!”
“And you expect me to live in suffocation?” The princess said dejectedly.
“Jessica, you know rulers cannot have that luxury. We must put them first.” Isa murmured solemnly.
The queen turned back to the tree, the branches slightly blowing in the wind. “Our kingdom began right here,”
“I know the story, Mother. The island grew from it.” Jessica rolled her eyes. She couldn’t even recall how many times she was tucked in bed by palace staff as they recited the city’s origins to her.
“Don’t you understand? With time, the island will expand again, and our legislation can change.” Her mother stopped before the edge, gazing at the twinkling sky beyond, its dark slate blue transitioning into an ombre of medium purple to a bright lilac below the island.
Isa’s green eyes settled on Jessica’s. “You can be the one who makes that change.”
The princess shook her head. “No.”
She stomped on Reginald’s foot, causing him to wince in pain. His grip on her loosened, and she pushed her other arm away. George lost his grip, too. The teenage princess ran towards the edge, her mother’s nails digging into her hand in an attempt to stop her. Jessica jumped off anyway.
“NO!” Isa didn’t let go of her daughter, falling against the ground and leaning over the edge with Jessica hanging off the island. “Please...”
Her daughter looked at her blankly. She was slowly slipping already, but in a sharp movement, she let go.
“JESSICA!”
