Chapter 1

On a throne, a young woman held her head in her hands.How did this come about?As expected, everything was in order.Over a thousand years had passed since the kingdom first took on its current form.What had gone wrong while she was in charge?She had carried out all of her instructions.She had done everything that had been asked of her, but it wasn't enough.She was now surrounded by complete chaos, destruction, and rage.

A soft, low voice said, "My queen, I think it's time," quietly.

The young queen raised her head.She had been so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she had not even heard or felt her protector enter the room.

She choked out, "My son."Jonathan..." "The young prince is prepared to depart, and the king is seated in his chambers."It might take some convincing for the king."

The reality the kingdom was facing was still a mystery to Queen Sophie.There must be another option.Things couldn't have been that bad after all.

Daisy, are you positive?Is there really no way out?

Daisy drew closer to his queen after taking a deep breath.He kindly took her hand and stated, "The people are too far gone."They think that these so-called ancients are the way.The kingdom's inhabitants have already been convinced that they must revolt.Our forces will not be able to stop the ancient ones' followers from entering the castle to take what they think is theirs.Half of our troops already hold this new belief;whatever it may be.You cannot be protected by me alone.You're not protected here, and you really want to leave."

Queen Sophie cried out in despair.Is this useful?Where should we go?Isn't it time we just accepted our fate?If I don't do what I was born and trained to do, what good am I?If I am not the queen of my people, what good am I?”

"This will be rectified in the future.The world will once again make sense.When is unknown.It may take some time, but eventually everything will work out as it should.Your family line should go on.You must leave while safeguarding Prince Von.Do so if you can convince the king to go with you; otherwise, my queen, you will have to make a difficult decision.

"Did Jonathan leave?Daisy, I can't;That's clear to you.

"Trick him or convince him then.Do what needs to be done, but leave with the prince and find a safe place.His gaze was fixed on Queen Sophie as Daisy got down on one knee.Since you were born, I have looked out for you.You are now a confident young woman.The blood of each and every leader throughout recent years runs in your veins.You are courageous and strong.You will carry out your survival requirements.not only for your son and yourself, but also for the kingdom.Do you comprehend me?”

The Queen gave a nod.I'll start with Jonathan.I will persuade him there is no expectation.Let it be so if it necessitates enchantment.I promised myself that I would never do it, but no one could have foreseen that it would come to this.We will depart tonight, and Daisy, Emma, and you will accompany us.

However, your majesty, you must remain unseen.You should not cause to notice yourself."

While gently squeezing Daisy's hand, Queen Sophie smiled.You overlook the significance of your line as well.Without the line of protectors, nothing can be corrected.We can escape with enough protection from our magic.We will be able to get away from the city with your protection.We might have to split up at some point, but we all have to leave tonight.

Standing, Queen Sophie brushed her skirts.

"Be prepared in 60 minutes, Daisy.Meet me at the kitchens' back doors.Both Emma and you need to dress discreetly.That is a directive, and you will comply with it.I won't listen to arguments.Provide anything that orders you want, disband your powers assuming you should, however you will leave with us."

Daisy gave a nod.Yes, Queen!"

The queen ran out of the room quickly.

Four figures carrying a small bundle vanished off the cliff behind the palace shortly after, under the cover of the approaching darkness.There was no one around to see if any of them glanced back.

Five hundred years later, the sun's rays reached the large stables' top window as it rose.When Kyle, the young boy, felt the sun's warmth, he shook in his bed.He wished, groaning, that he could simply pull the cover over his head and fall asleep, but he was aware that would be foolish.There was work to do, and he expected to make it happen.It didn't matter that he had been up late helping a mare have a baby.He didn't have to rest for the new day to start.He had learned that well from Danin, his guardian.

Kyle got up from his bed and tried to blink his tiredness away.He noticed that someone had filled his wash basin with water as he looked around his small room.Because it was late in the year, almost harvest time, and he couldn't have a fire in the stables, the room was a little cool.He would have to spend some nights in the cottage of Danin and Jane before it got too cold.

Even though his life wasn't easy, he knew that for a foundling, it was pretty good.He had heard of people who were taken to the other side of the Kingdom of Regventus to serve those who didn't value human life as much as the people in The Great Surrounding did. These people were born without real parents.Even though they didn't have as many modern conveniences as those who lived in Aurumist, the village of Clarton was a place where people's lives were important.

Pulling on a tunic, brushing his teeth, washing his face, and running his fingers through his hair, Kyle stood and prepared for the day.He quickly descended the stairs to find Danin, his guardian, standing there with a biscuit and a cup of hot tea.

“Thought you might be coming down a little later, but here you are.Have you not desired additional rest?”

"Work doesn't wait for us to want it."

True, my boy, but that doesn't mean you aren't tired, Danin said with a grin.Tea and biscuits were left on the table by the wife.That can be put off temporarily for work.

After giving a nod, Kyle made his way to the table and munched on a biscuit and a cup of tea.How are the mare and her calves doing?”He asked while eating a lot.

It appears to be fine.In a moment, you can see for yourself.I anticipate that the straw will need to be changed this morning.

As a result, Kyle had a typical start to the day: emptying stalls, feeding each horse, brushing manes, polishing saddles, and exercising horses that hadn't worked in a while.The primary village in The Great Surrounding was served by their enormous stable.There, a lot of residents kept horses.Kyle was filthy and tired by noon.He sat down at the small table in the stable's corner to see that Jane, Danin's wife, had brought some sandwiches.Jane brought a new water bottle into the room and set it on the table.

Before lessons, Kyle, you should eat quickly and wash up a little.You're a disaster.

"No one cares about how I look in lessons, Jane.The majority of them don't even know I'm there,” Kyle said, his mouth full of food.

I don't think so, and regardless, they'll notice how you smell.Jane replied, "I'm sure Katniss sees you wherever you are," grinning slightly.

Kyle tried not to smile as he felt his face get a little warmer.

As he stood, Kyle said, "Fine."I suppose it wouldn't hurt to change clothes quickly.

"There is a decent boy.I put a new tunic in your wash basin and some warm water in it.

Kyle ran up the stairs quickly.He was in his final year of required classes at sixteen.Everyone between the ages of 5 and 16 had to be taught lessons.After that, you could stop taking lessons or, if you qualified, take advanced lessons.Kyle thought it was good to have an education.He enjoyed being able to read books, draw simple figures, and comprehend maps; however, the majority of their lessons appear to focus solely on the ancients and rulers of kingdoms.They had listened to a lot of lectures about how to serve the kingdom and its leaders in the best way.

Kyle and the other people who lived in The Great Surrounding thought that every ancient method was pointless.Kyle was required to learn everything he could about the Ancient Council of Viceroys who helped run their kingdom, but he doubted that anyone except the Viceroy of the Great Surrounding had ever visited his village or land.Kyle did not know anyone who was overly devoted to the Ancient Gods.Kyle had only visited the ancient temple in the second ring of the village on special occasions or holidays.

He didn't really care about anything that happened in or around Auramist.Although no one talked much about it, he was aware that a few of the local merchants occasionally traveled to the great city or one of the smaller towns nearby to acquire new goods for sale.

Quickly, Kyle got dressed and cleaned himself.He knew it was one of Danin's older ones, so it was a little big on his lean frame.Since Danin and he were both tall, length wasn't an issue.In his small mirror, he examined himself.He used his fingers and water to tame the wild mess of dark hair that was covering his pale face.He noticed a small smudge on his nose as his dark brown eyes examined his reflection.He scrubbed his face with a damp rag, resulting in some redness that blended in with his pale skin.

He thought, well, that's about as good as it gets.

Kyle dashed out the door and down the stairs quickly.He quickly made his way to a modest community building that served the village's third ring.Even though Clarton was the biggest village in The Great Surrounding, it was still small and was made up of the same rings as other kingdom villages and cities.