The Kingdom Chronicles Box Set 1

by Camille Peters

  I stopped reading, my mind frozen in shock. I, Rosalina, had just received an invitation to the Sortileyan Palace? Even in my most fantastic fantasies, nothing like this had ever happened to me. The familiar excited flutters that filled me whenever I wove tales returned, and my imagination—which had lain nearly dormant this past week—began to stir awake from its grief-induced slumber as all the possible reasons behind the summons tickled my mind.

  Mother took the invitation and read over it. “A royal carriage will arrive tomorrow to escort you to the castle. Hmm, it doesn’t specify a reason.”

  “Perhaps they have information concerning what happened to my Eileen,” Doreen said.

  Mother opened her mouth—likely to mention that the royal family wouldn’t concern themselves with such trivial matters as consoling the mothers of missing peasants—before she closed it with a tight smile.

  “Perhaps they do. Regardless, one can’t ignore a royal invitation from His Highness. I just wish I understood why they’re also sending for Rosie.” She frowned at me.

  I didn’t care what they wanted me for. This was the most spectacular thing that had ever happened to me. I, Rosalina, had just been invited to the royal palace! I wrapped my arms around myself with my first true smile since Eileen’s disappearance. Ah, bliss!

  At this unexpected turn of events, a new hopeful possibility took center stage in my mind. “Perhaps Eileen’s wanderings in the Forest led her to the palace and she’s been residing there, safe and sound.” Yes, that had to have been what happened. Best friends didn’t die tragically in The Story of Rosalina, not when I was the one writing it.

  I stroked my fingers reverently over the royal invitation that had triggered this spectacular plot twist in my grief-filled week. My forehead furrowed as I noticed a bulge. I peered inside to discover another note tucked away, written in a familiar hand. My stomach jolted in excitement.

  “A note from Eileen!” I pulled it out, but before I had a chance to read it, Doreen pounced on it and wrenched it from my hand. She unfolded it and read rapidly.

  “She’s alive!” She pressed her hand to her heart, looking near a faint in her relief. “She’s at the palace now. She says she has the most fantastic news to share with us, but nothing can be better than knowing she’s alive and safe.” Tears poured down her cheeks.

  My own joy bubbled over. My dearest friend was alive. Naturally. Tragedies didn’t belong in my story. How could I have ever considered any other outcome than a happy one?

  “Oh Doreen, I knew you’d find her.” Mother pulled her into a hug. “I’m so happy for you. When will you leave?”

  “The moment the carriage arrives. I won’t delay being reunited with my Eileen. I hate to ask you to spare Rosie from the bakery on such short notice, but the invitation specifically invites her to come.”

  “Of course Rosie can go. I feel better knowing she’ll be traveling with you.”

  With an excited squeal, I tripped over my skirts in my frantic dash upstairs so I could immediately pack my trunk. I stopped short at the top of the stairs. The village storyteller had been correct—my best friend was safe. If she’d been right about that, she could also be right about my finding a prince. And what better place to find a prince than at a palace? Tomorrow’s grand adventure couldn’t come soon enough.

  Chapter 2

  Why did thrilling adventures take so long to get started? We’d been bumping along in this carriage for what seemed like hours, during which very little had happened except for slight variations in the otherwise near-constant woodland scenery.

  I pressed my face against the glass and watched as the endless trees of our woodland kingdom passed by. “When will we ever arrive?”

  I turned not to Doreen—who’d spent the entire duration of the drive staring unseeing out the window—but to my cousin, Gavin, who as a nobleman was my most prestigious distant relation, making him the natural choice to escort us to the palace.

  “Soon,” he said, his voice strained, before adding in an undertone, “but not soon enough for my liking.”

  I rolled my eyes. Gavin had complained about my excited jabber ever since the endless carriage ride had begun. I couldn’t fathom his reasoning; filling the dull silence was better than enduring it. And naturally, I, Rosalina, would do my part to make the beginning of this soon-to-be adventure as thrilling as possible for all involved.

  “Are you still stubbornly determined not to share even a tiny bit of Eileen’s juicy story?” I asked him for perhaps the dozenth time. The sound of her name caught her mother’s attention. Gavin sighed and leaned his head back against the seat.

  “I’m not even going to humor you by repeating the same answer I’ve given every other time you’ve asked.” For unfortunately, he’d proven relentlessly stubborn when it came to extracting information.

  “Why ever not?” I asked. “Ignoring a lady is rather rude, Gavin.”

  He muttered something indiscernible under his breath before closing his eyes as if he meant to nap. Considering Doreen wasn’t up for conversation, I refused to allow him that for very long; then I’d be left without a conversation partner entirely.

  To keep myself occupied, I chronicled all the things I wouldn’t miss about my old dull life in Arador and anticipated all the magical moments I was sure to experience during my upcoming adventure. Thus entertained, I managed to be silent for three agonizing minutes before I thought of something more to say.

  I turned back to Gavin. “Have I had a chance to tell you the story about—”

  His groan cut me off. “Please Rose, not another story.”

  “Rosie,” I snapped. He, like Ferris, had a strange aversion to using the cutest version of my name.

  Gavin rubbed his temples to ward off a headache, as if this entire carriage ride had been wearing. “How about another tactic to enduring this journey: silence.”

  “How boring,” I said. “If you don’t like my stories, then the least you can do is share your own rather than complain.”

  “Have you heard the tale about the aggravating distant cousin who talked too much? I hear that one doesn’t end well.”

  I pursed my lips. The Tale of the Sister Who Never Stopped Jabbering was my own brother’s favorite story. “I have it: share a juicy tale about the Dark Prince.”

  Certainly, he must have plenty of those. The infamous crown prince of Sortileya always had such thrilling rumors circulating about him. Considering Gavin spent a lot of time at the palace dealing with boring trade affairs, he’d surely have something thrilling to share.

  Unfortunately, Gavin was proving to be the most disappointing of companions on this trip. He straightened in his seat with a sigh. “Nothing interesting, I’m afraid—unless you want to hear about his involvement in trade negotiations with the surrounding kingdoms.”

  I wrinkled my nose. Ew. “Come on, Gavin, can’t you humor me with just one juicy tidbit about the Dark Prince? If you share one with me, I’ll…” I frantically tried to come up with something that would be a worthy trade.

  Gavin gave me a mischievous smirk. “You’ll be quiet for the remainder of this blasted trip?”

  That would most definitely not be happening. “How about this,” I said. “I’ll share the rumors I’ve heard and you can tell me whether or not they’re true.”

  “Untrue,” Gavin stated immediately.

  I pouted. “You haven’t even heard any yet.”

  “Don’t need to,” he said. “Anything coming from your imagination is far too dramatic to be real.”

  I sniffed. “How rude.” But his bad manners wouldn’t dissuade me, not when telling stories was such an excellent way to pass the time. “I shall ask you anyway.” I tapped my lips thoughtfully before deciding on the most perfect one to begin with. “Did he really poison his intended, Princess Rheanna of Draceria?”

  “No,” Gavin said flatly. While his answer was most disappointing, at least he was humoring me…for once.

  “Can he transform into
a dragon?”

  Gavin looked at me as if he found me utterly daft. “No.”

  I frowned. How unfortunate. I was certain I’d heard that he could…. “Oh wait, that’s his sister, the Dragon Princess.”

  “Princess Seren can’t transform into a dragon either.” Gavin’s tone was hardening, as if he found me both ridiculous and annoying. Strange.

  “Does he really have a dungeon full of torture devices?”

  Gavin gave me another baffled look. “Of course not.”

  “How do you know?” I challenged. “Have you ever gone inside the dungeon?”

  “Well, no…”

  “So then you wouldn’t know.” My overactive imagination excitedly played out a possible scenario in my mind: Eileen hadn’t sent for us at all; she’d tragically perished in the woods…no, even worse, she’d been murdered by the Dark Prince, and now he wanted me next. My cousin had been hired to kidnap me to take me to my demise, where I’d be held hostage and subjected to all sorts of torture in the Dark Prince’s dungeon. Coldness seeped over me. Oh, how horrid!

  I refused for my story to end in tragedy. My heart hammered as I frantically searched for an escape. The door. I scooted towards it and reached for the handle, moments from attempting to wrench it open…but paused, blinking rapidly. Now was not the time to allow my imagination to run amok. I created stories for many reasons, both for attention and for much-needed entertainment in my dull life. Neither reason was valid now.

  I took a deep, calming breath, and attempted to tame my imagination. I peeked tentatively at Gavin, who was eying my progress towards the door, ready to yank me away should I actually attempt to escape the carriage.

  “You’re not kidnapping me as part of some dastardly plot, are you?” I asked, not really believing it but wanting to be sure.

  He rolled his eyes. “Kidnapping you? Of course I’m not.”

  I sat back against the velvet seat with a relieved sigh. “Right. I’m not being taken to the Dark Prince’s dungeon.” Saying the words out loud further tethered my mischievous imagination, desperate to escape and continue the dark version of this story.

  Gavin dug his fingers into his hair, as if he meant to yank it out. “Thank goodness we’re arriving soon; I can’t take much more of your dramatics.”

  Doreen pulled out of the stupor that had consumed her our entire journey. “I can hardly wait to see Eileen.”

  Nor could I. My anticipation for our reunion grew with every turn of the carriage wheels. I wriggled restlessly in my seat. When would we arrive so I could finally see her?

  I perked up and glanced out the window just as the trees thinned and the majestic Sortileyan palace loomed into view, a vision of marble and gold accents, all glistening in the sunlight. Ornate gardens, comprised of a rainbow of flowers and manicured shrubs growing in artistic arrangements and patterns, surrounded the royal residence. It was the most majestic, beautiful structure I’d ever seen. To think that I, Rosalina, was moments away from entering a real palace. How thrilling it’d be to wander its opulent corridors in real life rather than through the pages of a book. Ah, bliss!

  There wasn’t a moment to lose. The moment the carriage slowed, I scrambled out before Gavin could even attempt to assist me. I hurried up the steps to the large, intricately carved wooden front doors, where I was certain the most fantastic adventure awaited me.

  The moment the doors swung open, Eileen—wearing an elegant gown of navy silk with pearls woven across the bodice—pounced on her mother, who promptly burst into tears and hugged her tightly. Eventually, Eileen managed to untangle herself from Doreen to embrace me. I squeezed her close, pulling away only enough to beam at her.

  “You’re alive!”

  She nodded, smiling brightly midst her tears. “I’m so sorry to have caused you and Mother to worry.” She wrapped an arm around Doreen, who gave Eileen a snuggle in return as she buried her tear-streaked face against her hair.

  “But what happened to you? We’ve all been thoroughly puzzled and worried sick by the mystery of your disappearance.”

  “I got lost in the storm and the Forest led me here, where I got caught up in a competition vying for the crown prince’s hand.”

  A mischievous smile caressed her lips as she escorted us into the entrance hall, where a man leaned against the wall, watching the reunion with a wide grin. Ooh, he must be her true love whom she’d told me about before her disappearance; I recognized him by the portrait she’d drawn of him. What was he doing at the palace? Furthermore, what was Eileen still doing at the palace? I was practically bursting with curiosity.

  Eileen extended her hand towards him and beamed as he laced his with hers. “Mother, Rosie, this is my fiancé, Aiden.”

  Fiancé! I beamed at Aiden, who smiled warmly back, instantly earning my approval. “This is the man you met in the Forest, isn’t it? I knew he was your true love. And now you’re to be married?” I pressed my hands to my heart at the sheer wonder of it. “How splendid. It’s the perfect fairy-tale ending.”

  My heart warmed for my best friend, especially considering she’d been stubbornly resistant to love for years. How wonderful that she was finally to have her own happily ever after, as all heroines were meant to.

  “I know, isn’t it wonderful? I never dreamed something like this would ever happen to me, and yet here we are.” Eileen laughed, her eyes bright, and allowed herself to receive another tender embrace from her mother.

  “I’m so happy for you, dear.” Doreen turned and smiled at Aiden. “I’m so pleased my daughter has found a man who will cherish her.”

  Aiden bowed, first to Doreen, then to me. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet my fiancée’s dear mother and her story-loving best friend. I’ve heard so much about both of you and am looking forward to furthering our acquaintance.”

  Ooh, such a proper gentleman. I gave Eileen an approving smile, which she returned, seeming on the brink of floating away in her happiness. “You must be tired from your long journey. Come, let’s have tea.”

  Gavin excused himself, and a bowing footman opened a door to a lovely parlor that was a vision of cream carpet and rose-pastel walls. Two guards stood rigidly against the back wall, one dark-haired and handsome, one with sandy-brown hair and rather rough features. I looked at them briefly before taking in my surroundings. Eileen’s fiancé was obviously a man with title and prestige to have free rein of the palace. But where was the royal family? If only I could meet them.

  Aiden and Eileen sat together on the sofa with Doreen sitting on Eileen’s other side, asking her daughter many eager questions. I gracefully settled into an armchair across from them and looked around in a wide-eyed daze. I, Rosalina, was inside the palace, and it was far more elegant than I could have ever imagined. I ran my fingers along my seat’s silky fabric. So this was what palace cushions felt like.

  My wondrous inspection of every fine detail of the opulent room was interrupted by the arrival of a maid, who set a tray laden with dainty floral cups and delectable-looking tarts on the tea table before Aiden and Eileen. She curtsied. “Tea, Your Highnesses.”

  Aiden nodded his thanks as my heart flared in excitement. Wait…Your Highnesses? But that was impossible. Eileen’s fiancé couldn’t possibly be—“Are you the Dark Prince?” I blurted.

  Eileen and her mother’s whispered conversation immediately ceased as Doreen stared at Aiden—Prince Deidric, I hastily corrected my far-too-casual thoughts—in astonishment.

  He chuckled and nodded. “Forgive me for failing to properly introduce myself. Yes, I’m Deidric, the Crown Prince of Sortileya, but I prefer to go by Aiden with my close friends and family.”

  Doreen immediately stood to curtsy, but I sat frozen in astonishment. Even for me, lover of stories, this revelation seemed far too fantastic. Slowly, life stirred in my limbs, allowing me to leap to my feet and spin towards Eileen.

  “You’re engaged to a prince? A real prince?”

  Eileen smiled shyly. “I suppose so.”
>
  I continued to stare, frantically trying to piece together this incredible revelation. “A prince!” I turned my astonishment towards the man in question, who looked both entirely ordinary and utterly princely. “A real prince? And you never thought to tell me?”

  Eileen shrugged, as if this development wasn’t the most incredible thing to ever happen to a girl. “Well, I didn’t know he was a prince until just a few days ago.”

  “Oh, Eileen, this is wonderful.” I knelt down so I could pull her into a tight, I’m-so-blissfully-happy-for-you hug. While I’d always adored stories of common girls winning the hearts of handsome princes, to think such an incredible thing had happened to my best friend…imagine!

  And if Eileen’s fairy tale included such an outcome, did that mean mine could as well? After all, the storyteller had mentioned a prince….

  While Eileen hugged me back, it wasn’t with the proper enthusiasm she should be displaying at such a fantastic development. “Goodness, Rosie, you sure are excited.”

  “Why shouldn’t I be?” I yanked myself away so I could gape at her. “You do know what this means, don’t you? You’re going to be a princess, and then one day queen!”

  “Yes…” For a moment, the light dimmed in Eileen’s eyes before she smiled again. “I’ll get to be with Aiden, which is all I care about.” She squeezed his hand, and although he squeezed hers back, concern lined his expression, Eileen’s brief melancholy clearly not lost on him.

  He leaned towards her ear. “Darling, are you sure you really want—”

  “I’m sure,” Eileen stated, and as if to reinforce her answer, she kissed his cheek.

  He relaxed and turned to the maid, whom he instructed to serve our tea with a rather regal wave of his hand. I watched in fascination as his orders were immediately obeyed and I was handed a cup of royal tea. The steam rose from the cup to tickle my nose in its mouthwatering rose blossom and raspberry scent. It was certain to taste far better than any tea I’d ever had; everything was better at a palace, after all.