The Forgotten Queen

Freedom is a Second Chance

A squeal escaped Marie's lips out of the blue, and she fell to the floor.

Isla glanced at Marie in confusion. Everyone around gazed at Isla and Marie and murmuring buzzed through the garden.

Marie groaned, rubbing her ankle and Isla stepped forward, wanting to help Marie up. However...

"Marie!"

Aeson's concerned voice echoed in the garden, and Isla glanced in his direction as he ran to Marie. He went to his knees and wrapped his arm around Marie's shoulders. "Are you okay?" he asked, and his free hand caressed her belly area.

"What did you do!?" Aeson asked, snapping a burning glare up at Isla.

Isla stepped back, and murmuring amongst the servants grew louder. Her lips parted, wanting to explain the scene, but she stopped hearing the muttering.

"The Ice Queen pushed her."

"She is jealous of Lady Marie."

"She is cruel."

Isla shook the voice and was about to say something. "You tried to hurt her, you soulless witch," Aeson snarled, protectively placing his hand on Marie's belly.

Isla realized Aeson's valid reason for marrying Marie. "She is with child..." she said under her breath.

Aeson's eyes turned red, and he jumped up, then stepped forward and slapped Isla across her face. The c***k of the slap echoed through the garden, and murmuring servants gasped to silence. Isla's head turned to the side by Aeson's slap.

She stayed still, feeling the warmth from that slap spread across her cheek. Her gaze remained on the ground, realizing this was the time Aeson slapped her.

Marie groaned and whimpered in pain, and Aeson snapped his gaze at Marie. His burning gaze softened. "Take Lady Marie to her room and call the royal physician."

The servants followed his order, hurrying to help Marie up and gently taking her to her palace. However, Isla was not safe as Aeson snapped his glare at her.

"You are under house arrest until feather notice... GUARDS! Take the Queen to her palace and make sure she never leaves."

Isla lifted her head, blankly stared at Aeson before bowing at him, and walked away with two guards beside her. She headed to her palace and decided not to explain herself because it would be a waste. Aeson wanted her gone and was going to give him what he wanted.

The royal physician examined Marie and reassured King Aeson that Lady Marie and her child were safe. Aeson was relieved, but a part of him hoped there was something to use against Isla. However, nothing was stopping him, and he organized evidence against Isla.

Queen Dowager heard about the incident in the garden, realizing his son impregnated another woman instead of his wife. Even though the child would be born, it will not be heir to the throne unless the Queen adopts it. But there was more to the story.

"Send word to the King that I want to have an audience with him," Queen Dowager said to her handmaiden.

Her handmaiden bowed and then dashed out the room, but guards stood in her way. The Queen Dowager heard the commotion and went to investigate it. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked.

The guards bowed and said, "forgive us, Queen Dowager. His Majesty, King Aeson, has ordered us to keep everyone within the palace."

"Is this a house arrest?"

The guards glanced at each other and shook their heads 'no.' "His Majesty is concerned for your safety..."

"I would like to have a word with his Grace."

They froze in confusion, glancing at each other again, which angered Queen Dowager more. "NOW!"

"Yes, Your Grace!" They said, bowing at her, and one of them ran off.

Queen Dowager huffed, turned on her heels, and headed back to her room. She finally realized that her son was seriously planning something, and he knew she would stop him.

"Your Grace, do you think His Majesty would use the incident in the garden to divorce Queen Isla?" her handmaiden asked nervously.

"I'm afraid he will..."

"But the Church of Light... They must stop it!"

Queen Dowager sighed deeply, thinking about her late husband as he worked hard to have Isla there. If this kingdom loses her, everything will go to waste. Queen Dowager must find a way to save Isla from her son's planning.

She hurried to her desk, pulled out her writing material, and quickly wrote a note. "I need you to sneak out of the palace and hand this letter to the Holy Priest," she said as she placed her royal seal and gave the letter to her handmaiden.

Her handmaiden nodded her head, took the letter, and rushed out. Queen Dowager sighed loudly and took a seat. "God of Light, please stop him from doing anything stupid."

Queen Dowager's prayer was too late as King Aeson had already prepared the evidence to confront Isla. He ignored the concerns from the palace butler and headed to Isla's palace. All he thought about was getting rid of Isla, the perfect palace doll.

She didn't belong there, and he would ensure she was gone for good.

King Aeson stormed into Isla's room, catching Isla by surprise and ruining her evening tea. Isla knew it was over when she saw the sword in Aeson's hand.

She did not bother standing and paying him any respect.

"Isla Trivia, you are charged for plotting to harm royal blood. As such, your punishment is death," Aeson said.

Isla's handmaidens gasped in shock and confusion. Isla showed no emotion as she placed her teacup down and stood up, facing Aeson.

She wanted to laugh at him for being a spoiled tyrant who never knew anything about responsibility and hard work. Now he would execute her without trial before the Church of Light.

'He must gather pointless evidence,' she thought to herself.

Aeson approached Isla and kept her head high up. Her eyes closed as he lifted his sword, and her lips tilted up.

'I wish nothing more than your downfall...'

A gasp escaped Isla's lips as she pushed herself up from bed. Her breathing heavily, glancing around in confusion as the light shade of lace blocked her sight. A familiar nude color lace and she glanced down at her form.

Her hands were smaller than she last saw them, then she noticed her nightgown and bedding. "How is this possible?" she asked herself in confusion.

Isla crawled out of bed, struggling with the lace, and stumbled towards the mirror. Her hair covered her face as she panted heavily and pushed her hair off her face. "What?"

Her eyes widened, leaning toward her young reflection.

A jingle caught Isla's attention, turning her gaze to the double doors. "Sire, it is time to rise..." a familiar voice said through the doors, and excitement grew within Isla.

She ran to the doors, opened them wide, and her widened gaze met with confused dark eyes. "Edward!" she said, smiling widely and throwing her arms around his waist.

Edward awkwardly glanced down at Isla, then glanced at the confused servants. He nods his head, telling them to leave. Once they left, Edward looked down at the little girl that hugged him. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

Isla lifted her head, gazing up at Edward. He had dark eyes like the midnight sky and long shoulder-length snow-white hair. The high priest of the palace temple in which Isla lives.

"Edward... What year is this?" Isla asked.

Edward furrowed his brows in confusion, then chuckled if she was joking around. He lifted his hand, placed it on her head, and ruffled it gently. "1818, 16th of Peryton."

A quiet gasp left her lips. She was twelve years old again, and King Vincent's attack would be in a month. "Is the Veritas Kingdom and the Amun Kingdom at war?"

"Uh... Yes. What is the matter?"

Isla sighed, pulling away from Edward and standing tall with her head high. "Call the council. A meeting must be held," she said.

Edward was still confused but did not question Isla any further. He stepped back and bowed, then walked down the golden purple hallway.

A light smile played on Isla's lips, happy to see Edward again. She was delighted to see the rich colors of the palace hallways not covered by the blood of the people who fought to protect her. Her head shook, wanting the flash of memories not appearing at this time.

Isla walked back into her room, feeling a chilly breeze caress her face. Realizing the doors leading to the balcony were opened, she approached it as she tried to remember how the view from the room to the kingdom looked.

Hesitantly, she pushed the dancing curtains and stepped out to the balcony. Her clenched shut due to the morning light, and the scent of sea salt filled her nostrils.

She kept her eyes shut, afraid that everything would be a dream and would be back in that nightmare once she opened them.

Until a flock of seagulls scrunched caused Isla to giggle and open her eyes, seeing a clear blue sky and seagulls dancing in the sky. Isla approached the balcony and gazed over the peaceful city surrounding the temple palace.

"Isla!"

A squeal beamed behind Isla before she could glance over. The person jumped on top of Isla. Arms wrapped around Isla's shoulders, pulling her into a tight embrace. "Edward said you were acting weird and wanted a hug. I'm here for you!" she said gleefully, rocking Isla.

"Sara?"

Isla pulled away from her handmaiden, leaning back and holding her shoulders. She gazed over at Sara, her petite frame with messy curly brunette hair braided down to her waist. Sara's pink lips pouted with her cute big brown eyes staring up at Isla.

"Come here," Isla said, pulling Sara back into an embrace. "I missed you..."

"Huh... but we saw each other last night. But I don't mind the hug," she said, tightening her embrace.

Isla chuckled.

"Okay, let's get you ready for the council meeting."

Sara and Isla pulled away from their embrace, and Sara dragged Isla back into her room. Isla dressed in her royal robe, forgetting how comfortable it was. She wished never to wear a corset ever again as she headed down to the council meeting room.

She stood in front of the doors of the council room. At Veritas kingdom, Isla never joined the royal duty, but now she needs to take everything she learned from there and use it here.

"You know you've walking weird," Sara said in a whisper over Isla's shoulder.

Habits.

There was a bang and click as the doors opened. "All rise for our blessed Guardian of Aurora. Isla Trivia!"

Isla walked into the room, and the entire council stood then bowed at her as Edward pulled Isla's chair out. Warmth spread through Isla's chest as she saw everyone's familiar faces, and it surprised her that she missed even some of the council members.

She took a seat, nodding her head for the council members to have a seat. "Thank you for taking some of your time and attending this meeting. As you know, the two kingdoms-Veritas and Amun, are at war. And I believe we must put up a shield over our kingdom." she said.

"Your Grace, you understand what will happen once the shield is lifted?" a man asked. His steel-gray eyes glanced from Isla to the rest of the members. One of his jet-black dreadlocks fell to his face.

"Duke Nix has a point, Your Grace," another member said. He was seated across from Duke Nix. He runs his fingers through ash gray hair as his gray-green eyes. "If we put the shield up, then no one will be able to leave or come in."

"Duke Ivar. Duke Nix. You must consider that we are in the middle of these confronting kingdoms," a member said with a grin. He folds his arms across his chest, making it look bulkier. He had messy fiery orange hair and golden brown eyes; he glanced at Isla. "Of course, this is sudden..."

Isla's lips parted, trying to come up with a lie to shield, but Edward, who stood beside Isla, spoke up. "I believe this must be placed in an effect. It has been hundred years since we were blessed with a Guardian, and now we have Isla. We know the rumors from the outside about guardians."

Isla's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, glancing at Edward from the corner of her eye. What was Edward talking about?