Prologue
Each Kingdom had its own set of rules. Whether it came to love, marriage, or general law of the land, no one Kingdom had the same dictation. Hearts, the religious monarchy, was the largest and most profitable land, known as the breadbasket. Diamonds, totalitarianism, complete and total dominance over their own lands. Clubs, the winter wasteland, starving and communist, but the most welcoming of people. And Spades, the true democracy.
Lily was the princess of the Clubs Kingdom, the little snowy darling. Raven hair and hazel eyes, she greeted everyone with a smile and a wave. Often taking food and blankets from the castle and bringing it to the orphanage or less fortunate. Never once did she ask for any repayment. In fact, when magic long since dead had begun to reappear across the four kingdoms, she was often leading those with it to a safe escape. For you see, magic, being thought dead for so long, had become something of myth, of legend, and therefore was feared. Lily had no fear for herself, only the safety of those who’d had it and the mental welfare of those without. If people with magic were discovered, executions would be paramount, and public.
The soldiers and knights knew of Lily’s benevolence, as did the people. While many did not agree with magic, it was a widely accepted philosophy that what she did was for the benefit of all, and the residents were sent to neutral ground, the kingdom of Bubel. A sanctuary of a kind, where anyone and everyone was welcome. Magic was not something predetermined at birth, it manifested at any age. Young, old, or anywhere in between, it could blossom in the smallest infant or the elderly man in his home. No one was immune to it. Yet while Lily was widely known by the soldiers to get the magical residents to safety, some were not on board with the idea, making frequent reports to the King and Queen.
While the Clubs Kingdom was known for the warmth and welcome of its people, and Lily was the embodiment of such things, her parents’ demeanor was merely a facade, meant to placate the masses and deter against revolts. They’d had many years to develop such a facade, but their daughter… Lily was their scapegoat, a source for their rage and frustrations. Since she was a small child, she was subject to frequent beatings by the more cruel members of staff, or, by more cases than not, her own parents.
