I woke with start, drenched in sweat, to the sound of an insistent rap on the door. Ignoring the knock, I just sat there on my bed, stunned. It was only a dream. I hadn’t really seen my mother. I burst into tears just as Reyna walked through the door.



“What’s wrong Aurora?” Reyna asked worriedly as she put her arms around me.



I hated the fact that I wanted a different set of arms holding me. This was Reyna, my governess who did everything for me. She had practically been a second mother to me.



“I was just dreaming about Mother,” I replied after my sobs had quieted.



“Oh child, it will be alright. You will see your mother again one day.”Reyna held me for a moment longer and then stood up, resuming her urgent manner.



“Right now we need to get you dressed. You are expected in Throne Room in fifteen minutes,” Reyna said quickly.


“Why?” I asked suspiciously. “What’s going on?”


“I will tell you while you get dressed, for we have no time to waste.”


I nodded silently, unease growing in my stomach. My ladies in waiting quickly pulled a shirt and pants from my wardrobe. They knew it would be no use to get me into a dress. As they started to brush my golden brown hair, Reyna began to speak.



“Well,” she began. “I don’t know much, but that is only because Maggie would hardly tell me anything.”


The uneasiness grew, until it formed a knot in my stomach. It felt like a fist had grabbed my stomach, leaving me gasping for air. Something was wrong; I could feel it. For one thing, Maggie, my tutor, called for me today. That was unusual in its self. Today was Sunday, and Maggie and I never saw each other on Sunday. It was our day off. To add to my worry, was the fact that we were meeting in the Throne Room. That meant that my father was going to be there. My brothers might be there as well. We never all met together if we could help it.



Reyna saw my panicked look and hurried to finish. “I’m sure it’s nothing, Princess. Everything will be fine. You know Maggie; she’s probably had her nose buried in those books again. Besides, Joseph will be there too.”


I felt the knot loosen ever so slightly. Joseph will be there. I tried to calm myself as I thought this. Joseph, my favorite brother, was the most important person to me. We were as close as siblings could get, and we knew each other like the back of our hand. It probably had to do with the fact that we were only about a year apart and we were so alike. Either that or the fact that our father and other brothers hated both of us.

A couple minutes later, Reyna and I headed to the Grand Staircase that led to the Throne Room. We walked silently, not knowing what to say. Finally, when we reached the top of the staircase, Reyna turned to me.



“I must go; I am not allowed to listen to Royal matters, for that is what this seems to be,” she said to me. “Oh, and Henry and Peter will be there as well,” Reyna added with a grimace. She kissed me on the cheek and left.



I groaned softly to myself. Henry and Peter, my other two brothers, would be there as well. Peter, Henry, and I didn’t get along well. Actually, they got along with each other; it was just Joseph and I they had a problem with. In fact, I honestly believed they hated us. Family tie or not, they recognized us as their enemies. I had no idea why, though.



By then I had reached the doors that led into the throne room. I stopped for a second to catch my breath and calm myself. I heard movement in voices on the other side of the doors. I couldn’t quite make out with the voices were saying, but I didn’t think I wanted to know anyway. I took one more deep breath and slowly opened the throne room doors. As soon as I open the doors, everything went silent.



They were all there, my father, my brothers, and Maggie. I looked each of their faces as I made my way slowly across the painted tile floor. There were four chairs that sat beside my father’s throne, two to the right and two to the left. The eldest two, Peter and Joseph, sat in the chairs to my father’s left. Henry and I sat in the chairs to my father’s right. All five of us sat there facing Maggie, who had begun pacing nervously back and forth in front of our seats. Seeing Maggie pacing like that made the feeling of unease creep back again like winters’ inevitable chill.


“Well?” My father scowled impatiently at Maggie. “Get on with it, we don’t have all day.” He may have agreed to this meeting, but he made sure that everyone knew that he wasn’t happy about it.


Maggie didn’t have to be told twice. “As you all know,” she began, addressing the five of us. “Before His Majesty’s sixtieth birthday, the Firesight games must take place in order for there to be a new king of Firesight.”


Peter and Henry started to scowl as well; they were the spitting images of our father.



“Yes, yes, we already know this Maggie. Now hurry up and spit out what you have to say; Henry and I need to get back to the training grounds,” Peter said. Ah yes, the training grounds. That is where Peter and Henry spent most of their time.


“Well, I have been doing some reading on the laws of the Kingdom of Firesight, you know, for enjoyment, and I….”


Maggie was interrupted by the Peter and Henry’s cruel laughter. “Who reads books for enjoyment? Are you crazy or something?” Henry sneered with that stupid grin of his firmly in place.


This made my blood boil. I just couldn’t stand them at all. They needed to be put in their place for once.

“Shut up, idiots, and leave Maggie alone,” I spat at them viciously. “I am sick and tired of hearing you talking to people like garbage. Just because somebody knows how to read and enjoys doing it doesn’t mean that they should be harassed. So why don’t you do us all a favor and just shut your horrible, idiotic mouths, okay?”


Peter jumped out of his chair and tried to take a swing at me, put someone else beat him to it. A solid, thick hand smashed into the side of my face, twisting my head and knocking me breathless. I refused to let my pain show, though it was great pain. My father had not held back.


I turned back around to face him as he said, “You shall learn to respect your brothers, for one of them will be your future King. That will teach a silly girl to talk back. You need to learn to hold your tongue.”


I was just about to tell him a thing or two to him when Joseph rose to gaze evenly at my father. They just stood there for a few minutes, staring each other down. Suddenly Joseph swung his fist toward my father. Just before fist collided with face, it stopped. My father’s hand held tight to Joseph’s fist. In one fluid movement, he let go of Joseph’s hand and Joseph was on the ground, gasping for air.


“That will teach you to threaten your King,” said our father in a deadly calm voice.


I started to walk over to help Joseph up, but Father caught my wrist. “Leave him be. He can get up himself. He needs to learn to be a man.”


I ignored Father and went to help Joseph anyway. After all, it was my fault that he got hit in the first place. I had just helped Joseph to his feet when I was suddenly tackled to the ground. Henry and I tumbled down the stairs, hitting and smacking each other along the way. Henry was quite a strong fourteen year old boy; most likely that came from all of his time spent on the training grounds. He had been training since he could walk. He had me pinned in a second. I struggled to get up, but he outweighed me, though I was two years older.


“What makes you think that you can defy Father like that? You are nothing but a girl. You need to learn your place. That is sewing and teaching and tending to your husband, should you ever be lucky enough to find one that will be willing to put up with you. Now, do you understand, Aurora?


Instead of answering like I should have, I decided to make things worse. I spit right in Henry’s face. Then I said, “I understand that you are a rotten, evil child and also that you are the spitting image of Peter and Father. I cannot bear to think that our great country of Firesight will have to continue living under the horrible dictation of you or Peter. Also there is no woman in the world that would love you for who you are. The only way a woman would marry you was for your power or money. So I’d rather be alone than be married on a lie. And another thing...”


My little speech was cut off by Henry’s fist pounding against my face over and over. Joseph tried to pull him off of me, but Henry was insane with rage. He had gotten a few more violent hits before Joseph pulled him off. Then it was Joseph’s turn to give the beating. Joseph hit Henry over and over, a lot like Henry had hit me. Then Peter and Father were there, and Joseph didn’t have a chance. While Henry and Father took care of Joseph, Peter walked slowly over to me.

“Well, Aurora, are you happy now? See what you’ve done? Now little Joseph over there is getting what he deserves. But there is no one to give you what you’ve earned. Hmmm, what to do? Well I guess I’ll have to do it.” My eldest brother stood over me, looking down. One punch was all it took and I was out.

I woke up around the first weak light of dawn. Right away I could tell that I was not in my own bed. This bed that was lying on was far too lumpy and far too small. I also noticed that my face and body were so sore. I sat up, stretched stiffly, and looked around. From what I could tell, I was in the Tower.

The familiar old room was not at all comforting. The small basin in the corner was coated in grime. The old dressing screen was faded and tattered. The only other thing in the room was another bed. I could see a figure on it, under the musty covers. I could see Joseph’s unruly blond curls sprawled out on the pillow.

As I got up and stretched, I noticed some cold soup and a glass of water on the floor just beside the closed door. I sighed and went over to the cold food, it didn’t look very appetizing, but I had no choice; I was ravenous.


After I had finished eating, I went to check the lock on the wooden door; it was locked, as I knew it would be. I sighed and went over to sit on the creaky bed. I hated this tower; I had been locked in here before. Yes, it was no new thing, being in here. Joseph and I got locked in here all the time. It was weird though, because we were usually in separate towers instead of together. I didn’t know what to make of it.


I lay down on the bed and looked up at the rotting ceiling. I saw a spider crawling along its web in the corner. I envied that spider. All she had to worry about was spinning a web, catching food, and laying eggs. It didn’t seem so hard. She didn’t have to deal with a horrible family and everyday problems. It just gets to sit there all day. As soon as I had thought all this, I laughed out loud at how pathetic I sounded.


“What’s so funny?” Joseph asked, startling me.


I jumped a little, surprised that he was awake. He was standing beside my bed. I hadn’t heard his bed creak.



“Nothing, I was just laughing at myself for envying a little spider,” I said without turning around. “I felt like her life was simpler than mine for a little while. But then I realized that everything has to do their part. They have to do what they’re made for. That little spider was made to spin webs, lay eggs, and catch food. My job is to do the sewing, mind the children, and tend to my husband, just like Henry said.”


My bed groaned softly as Joseph’s weight was added to it. I still faced away from him as he started to talk. “Come on, Rory. You know that’s not true. You one of the strongest people that I know, man or woman. You aren’t going to work for anyone; they are going to work for you. I would bet some serious money that you could even become Queen, regardless of what those mindless idiots say. Remember what Mother always told us? Keep your head up.”



I smiled, remembering the countless times that my mother said this to us. It made me feel sad to remember these things, to know that I’ll never hear them again.



“Joseph, I don’t think that I will become Queen. I’m more likely to end up in the ground if I even suggest that.”


“You don’t think that they would actually try and kill us….Do you?” Joseph asked nervously.


“Well, I used to think that they wouldn’t, because of the Blood Law, but now, honestly, I wouldn’t put it above them. Peter has actually come pretty close a couple times, you know by ‘accident,’ so you never really know, do you?” This all came out of my mouth in a rush, and I realized how true it sounded.



This too, made me sad. Why couldn’t we be a civilized family? Why does it all have to be about money and power? But I guess that’s the way the world has been for centuries.


Just then, the sound of the old steel bolt sliding across its rusty track rang throughout the room; someone was coming in. The old oak door swung open slowly, creaking and groaning loudly before hitting the wall with a loud thunk. Normally this would have made me slightly nervous, but I was way past the point of caring anymore.


Dane, the soldier that guarded the tower door, walked into the room, his heavy footsteps echoing in the small space that was the tower room. At of all of the soldiers, Dane was probably my least favorite. He was such a slob, and he was also just downright mean. He loved to make fun of people and he also loved pushing people around, especially those that were smaller than him. I had actually seen him kick puppies. Now, he looked at me with disgust, and I know that my own face mirrored his.


“The King is ready to see you know,” Dane said in his deep, rough voice.


Joseph and I both got up off the bed. Wearily, we started to walk toward the tower door.


“Not you,” said Dane, pointing to Joseph. “Just the girl.”


I looked at Joseph cautiously; I knew he was going to try to put up a fight. He had just opened his mouth to say something, but I just looked at him and shook my head. It wasn’t worth it. Fighting it would just make things that much worse. Thankfully, Joseph seemed to realize this. He sat back down on the bed, thinking hard. Dane grabbed me roughly by the arm and started to push me out the door.


“Don’t worry,” Dane said to Joseph. “I will be back for you in a minute.”

We walked silently down the stairs. Well, Dane walked, and I was practically being dragged by the arm that he still had gripped tightly in his own beefy hand. I was getting very tired of being pushed around. I jerked my arm out of his reach, catching him by surprise.


“I know how to walk by myself, thanks,” I said to Dane, letting my voice leak with the hatred that I felt for him and my father.


He glared at me, no doubt considering whether or not to grab my arm again. He glared for a few seconds longer, grumbling to himself. He didn’t grab my arm again though.


By then we had reached the outside of the Throne Room. I didn’t know what waited for me on the other side of those heavy wooden doors, but I did know that it was not good. That much I was sure of. Dane shoved me toward the door, and then walked away without looking back. I took a deep breath before walking through the doors.


I walked into the room, my head held high, trying not to let my fear show. I was scared of whatever evil thing my father had dreamed up as a punishment this time. It was always something new.


My brothers sat on either side of my father, staring at me with smirks on their faces. My father on the other hand looked calm and rather bored actually. That expression made me more nervous than when he was angry. At least then you could kind of tell what was coming. Right now though, I had no idea.


I stared evenly at my father, waiting for him to speak. Instead of speaking, the King gestured to someone behind me. Just as I turned to see who it was, one of the soldiers grabbed me and spun me around, holding my hands together behind my back. He bound them together with rope. The rope bit into my flesh, extra tight to make escape impossible. Still, my father did not speak.


Just then, the doors opened again, this time revealing an already bound Joseph being pushed inside by Dane. Joseph had a couple angry red marks on his face, showing that he had struggled against the binds, resulting in a beating from Dane.


Joseph came to a stop beside me, outrage filling his features. “What is going on, Father?” he yelled. “What do you plan to do with us?”


I was wondering the same thing. My father had tried many things, but we had never been bound before. Usually he would just have many guards around in case we tried to escape. I also now realized why Joseph and I weren’t allowed to come in together, in case we tried to make a break for it together. But if we were separated, they knew that we wouldn’t try anything without the other.
Now, as we stood before our Father, Joseph and I waited for the King to speak. He stared at us for a moment longer, and then finally spoke.



“Do you realize that I could have both of you executed?” our father said in a low, dangerous voice. “You both committed acts of violence and assault to your brothers and I. Not only did you strike your father and brothers, you assaulted royalty. I am the King of Firesight, Peter and Henry are Princes. You dare defy us?”


My father took a deep breath, preparing for more. “Some might say that you were trying to commit treason.”


Treason? Was he serious? Joseph and I weren’t even the ones that started hitting first. That was the King himself. All of this because of what Maggie said about her reading. I really wish she hadn’t brought that up. If this was happening to us, God only knows what was going to happen to Maggie. Oh no. Maggie.


My father had started speaking again, but I didn’t even hear what he was saying. “What about Maggie?” I asked, cutting him off in the middle of his sentence. “What are you going to do to Maggie?”


He looked like he wanted to shoot me right then and there. He stared at me skeptically; he couldn’t believe that I had dared to interrupt him. For whatever odd reason, he decided to let the interruption go.



“Maggie will be lucky if she ever sees the light of day again.” Father said in a cold voice, and his words chilled me to the bone. “I haven’t decided exactly what to do with her yet, but I can assure you that it will not be pleasant. Now if you are done interrupting me Aurora, I am going to get back to my point.”


“Since I am feeling rather generous on this fine spring day, I have decided that Joseph and Aurora will not be executed today. Instead, they will be sentenced to forty lashes each in the public square. Viewing will be mandatory.”


Shock fell over me. I couldn’t wrap my mind around what he had just said. We were going to be publicly whipped. Not only that, but everyone in the Kingdom of Firesight had to watch. There was no other option, no way out.


Now, I knew that my father was evil. Darkness filled him, and he showed no mercy. I could never figure out why he was like this. He just simply was. To have your own children whipped in front of the whole kingdom? That had to be the work of the Devil himself.


Joseph chose that moment to voice his outrage. “Generous? You think that you are being generous? You and I must have different definitions of the word then, old man. If you think that you are going to lay a hand on either of us, then you are delusional.” Joseph stopped for a moment, breathing hard, and stared at our father, challenging him with his eyes.

My father stared evenly back at Joseph. Then in that low voice that was really beginning to get to me, he said “Why of course I’m not going to be whipping you. That will be Peter and Henry’s job.”


He stared at the pair of us, letting this news sink in. it took me a moment to grasp what he was saying, though it was a clear as day. He was going to let Peter and Henry do it? That was worse than if he had done it himself, which was saying a lot. I couldn’t see how this could possibly get worse from here, but I’m sure my father could find a way. I also couldn’t see what we could do to get out of this, so I didn’t even bother saying anything. I just fixed my eyes on my father’s face, refusing to speak or show any emotion whatsoever. Joseph, however, had other ideas.


Joseph exploded, yanking himself out of the reach of the soldier that was still holding him by his bound hands. He tried, and failed, to get the rope off. When he realized that wasn’t going to happen, he ran angrily up to where our father sat, intending to try God knows what. He looked as if he was about to attempt a kick, but my father was up before Joseph even reached the throne that the King sat upon.


In one swift move, Joseph was on the ground, gasping for breath from the kick to the stomach that had just been delivered by our father. The soldiers moved towards them, but Father waved them away. They backed off, though not too far away, in case they were called. Turning back to Joseph, the King placed his foot firmly onto the side of Joseph’s face, smashing it into the elaborate tile floor. Joseph’s face twisted in pain, and his lip started to bleed, no doubt from his teeth being smashed into his lips.


“When will you ever learn, boy? Maybe if you learned not to be so foolish, you wouldn’t even be in this situation. Can’t you see? You cannot beat me. I will win every single time, and the sooner you learn that, the better off you will be.” And with that, Father spat in Joseph’s face, and the removed his foot from his face.


The soldier that still held my bound hands had relaxed his grip, so that he was barely holding me. He was watching attentively, making sure that Joseph wasn’t a threat to Father. As far as the soldier was concerned, I was no match for him, nothing to worry about. I waited a few more seconds, making sure that the soldier was focused on the scene in front of us. I twisted myself around so that I was facing the soldier. I gave him a good, solid kick, and he released me, his face twisted in pain.

Joseph was up by then, and I turned to look at him at the exact moment that three other soldiers tackled me to the ground, smashing my body into the tile.


The taste of blood exploded in my mouth as my lower teeth bit into my lip, my face pressed hard against the floor. One soldier held me down as another one twisted my hands behind me again, this time using metal handcuffs to bind me. I didn’t try to fight it; I had already known what the outcome of my actions would be. As I was lifted off the ground, I saw that Joseph had been bound in metal cuffs as well.

The guards shoved us roughly toward the door that led into the courtyard. We were led down the rocky paths until we got to one that led to the center of town. Ten minutes later, we were in the town square. A huge crowd was already gathered, even though the lashings were not supposed to start until four. Nobody dared to not show up; there were serious consequences for citizens that didn’t show up for events declared mandatory by royal edict.


Two wooden posts were set up in the middle of the square. Joseph and I were led over to them, the soldiers dragging us roughly by the arms. The square was absolutely silent; nobody even dared to breathe. We each brought to a stop in front of a wooden post. One soldier stepped up to take my handcuffs off; another did the same with Joseph. I could see from the look on Joseph’s face that he just wasn’t going to give up. Sometimes Joseph’s foolish actions made me want to scream.


I still could hardly believe this was happening. How could my father go this far, to whip his own children in public? Apparently the citizens were having a tough time believing it as well; their faces were masks of incredulity.


I looked into the crowd and saw many familiar faces. When Joseph and I weren’t under lock down we usually came into town, if only to be away from the Palace. These people were my friends, they cared about me, I could see it in their eyes. And now I was going to be whipped in front of them.


We were then bound to the posts by thick rope, the rough material cutting into my wrists. I watched as they did the same to Joseph. I saw the look in his eye. He was up to something. I was about to give him some signal to keep his mouth shut, but all thought ceased to exist as my skin was pierced with the fiery sting of the whip’s first blow. I twisted around to see Peter, whip in hand, arm raised, about to strike again. Then everything went white.

I’m back in the meadow, but this time, it’s different. There is no more swaying trees, no babbling brook, and most importantly, no her. I look around at the vacant clearing, my heart pounding in my chest as I slow down from my sprint. They’re after me, and they’re close. I have to find him before it’s too late. Against my better judgment, I rest, looking, hoping, searching. She is not here, and no amount of wishing will change that, it would seem. I feel the knot in my chest, feel the heaviness rise in my throat. All I want to do is lie here and weep, but the choice of doing what I must and doing what I want has never really been an option at all. So on I go.


I sense their presence before I open my eyes. I can hear their heavy breathing, their deep whispers, and their burning stares. I feel cold stone beneath me, and the dull tug of my arms being held above me by some opposing force that I cannot fight. There is a strange metallic stench in the air, and a sticky liquid all around me. My flesh is numbly burning, the sting pounded into memory forever as scars. This must be Hell, or otherwise the dark side of the moon.


When I finally open my eyes, I am in another world. There are people gasping all around me, their faces and bodies colorful blurs of cloth. There is a trickle of red running all around me, and my hands are bound to a wooden post. I cannot make sense of anything, and I fear I might be going insane. Then I roll my head painfully to the right and see Joseph. That’s when it hits me again with full force, as if I Peter was standing over me with the whip a second time.


Slowly, painfully, I sit up as best I can manage with the awkward positioning of my bound hands. Everyone from the village is still here, staring at us with gruesome fascination. I can hardly bring myself to meet their gazes. Everything is so silent and still, and so I notice immediately when the three dark figures cast their shadows over me.


My father leans down, his breath hot on my face. “Now do you finally see? Have you finally learned? You cannot defy me, because I am always going to win. You are nothing compared to your brothers. You and Josep hare worthless and the only reason I keep you around is by the Blood Law. If it were up to me, you’d already be dead. And keep in mind that the Blood Law only applies to children and grandchildren of the King. When Peter is king, well, that the end of the road for both of you. Your days are numbered, so spend them wisely, child.”


A deadly calm fills me as I stare into my father’s weathered face. That speech doesn’t even deserve a response, and I don’t intend to reward it with one. But then I seen the smirk on Peter’s face, and the calm leaves me, only to be replaced by rage. The King smiles at my reaction, a smile filled to the brim with arrogance and the utter lack of compassion I have received from him my entire life. Without thinking about the consequences, I spit into his face with as much force as I can manage.


Shocked gasps and horrified stares complete the scene in front of me. I brace myself for whatever is coming next, and am silently grateful that Joseph is still unconscious. Peter and Henry attempt to lunge at me, but my father motions once with his hand and they stop, just like trained dogs at the will of their master. In the next moment, my father fixes his steady gaze on me, communicating all that needs to be said in that one look.


In that single moment, I knew it was over. I knew Joseph and I were at the end of the road before even taking a single step. I didn’t know how, and I didn’t know when, but it didn’t matter; we were as good as dead.


Then the King and the two Princes turned on their heels and stomped away, almost as if they’d rehearsed it. I slumped down against the post, my heart crashing in my chest. I felt Joseph stir next to me, and I rolled my head to the side to look at him, oblivious to the people still burning holes into me with their eyes.


“What happened?” Joseph asked wearily.


But all I could do is shake my head and say, “We have to get out of here, and fast.”