The click of heels echoed throughout the empty stone hallway, as Queen Avie made her way to her only daughter’s room. Her long emerald dress brushed the ground when she came to a halt at the tall wooden door. Her hand formed a fist as she knocked politely announcing her presence. “If it’s my oh so dear mother, then go away!” The queen felt her heart drop to her stomach at her daughters resentment. She inhaled deeply the pulled the heavy door open, facing her demon.

To the average eye the room would look dull,cramped, and filthy, but Queen Avie was able to see past her daughter’s illusion, aimed to cause unrest among the staff. Past the illusion was a huge room, with the walls painted blue, a queen sized bed neatly made against the wall, the room itself was almost sparkling clean. Blonde hair slowly turned from a desk in front of the giant window in the princess’ room, revealing piercing blue eyes that turned cold as ice when they met the queen’s hazel eyes. “I figured the queen wouldn’t have enough decency to respect privacy,” Princess Ruby’s cold words hit the queen in the heart, causing it to break a little more. “I need to talk to you before guests begin arriving,” Queen Avie stated regaining her composure. “Oh, you mean for the ball that I’m locked up here for as you go and flirt with dignitaries from different kingdoms. Isn’t the princess supposed to go to balls so she may be married off? Not the widowed queen.” Ruby practically spit the last words at Avie, hatred seething with every word she said. “You would have been allowed to come, but considering every time I let you attend events, you attempt to start an uprising against me.” Queen Avie replied calmly. “Your magic may be more powerful than mine, but you’re a fool not to use it. This is why people like me can so easily walk all over you.” Her daughter said slowly rising to her feet, her long blonde hair falling past her shoulders. “I have more control over myself to know when to use my powers and when it is irresponsible,” Queen Avie replied struggling to keep agitation and hurt from her voice. “I did not come up here to fight with you Ruby.” “Then why did you mother?” Ruby replied anger radiating from her voice. “I came up here to see that you were okay, and to tell you that I am having your favorite food brought up here for dinner.” The queen answered trying to gain some sort of sympathy from her hate filled daughter. “Why don’t you just feed me like the prisoner I am?” Her daughter practically shouted. “That’s enough Ruby. You are sixteen now, it’s time for you to start acting like you are one,” Avie said raising her voice in frustration. “Then stop treating me like a child and locking me in my room because you’re scared of what I’m capable of!” Ruby shouted back. “You have given me no other choice Ruby. Every time you’re around guests, you fill their heads with lies and elude them into hatred and rebellion towards me. All I’ve ever done was love you, why do you make it seem like I have not? Are you illuding yourself as well?” Avie desperately yelled, deflating slightly. “I will send up a maid with your dinner,” she continued as she stepped out of her daughters room and slowly shut the door.

Tears threatened to escape Avie’s eyes as she closed the door to her room. She forced herself to hold back the tears and to take shakily deep breaths. After she regained her composure she trudged over to the mirror, making sure her reflection was presentable. Avie felt a shiver run through her body as she tucked a black curl back into the bun pulled tightly on the back of her head. ‘I’m 35. I shouldn’t look this old, or feel this exhausted, or have bags under my eyes, or do this alone’, she thought, her heart dropping at the last thought. Slowly she turned to face the portrait of her last husband, King Aidan. “I don’t know what to do Aidan. It would be so much easier if you were here. I wouldn’t have to marry someone just to keep our daughter off the throne, and maybe she wouldn’t be like this.” Avie knew the last part was a lie. She knew who had poisoned her husband, and began putting deceit in the minds of her subjects that the Queen had killed her husband for power. The fact that her daughter murdered her father baffled Avie. How could someone kill another that only showed unconditional love and patience? A soft knock startled Avie out of her thoughts. “You may enter,” she said brushing wrinkles out of her dress. A tall handsome man with emerald green eyes entered, making Avie’s heart skip a beat. “Your majesty,” he said bowing low, his short blonde hair bouncing slightly. “Hello, Sir William,” Avie responded trying to keep her voice under control as he rose from his bow. “It’s time to make your appearance at the ball, my lady,” William stated, a faint glint of sadness in his eyes. “Unfortunately,” she mumbled, “Let’s get this over with.”

As the ball progressed and Queen Avie met more and more desperate suitors, the more she longed that William was buy her side. She knew he would be a good king if she chose him, he was kind, smart, level-headed, and already advised her in practically every decision she made. She met his eyes from across the room and smiled at the knight, when he smiled back she felt her knees go weak, something she had not felt since King Aidan died. Suddenly, the two wooden door flew open with a loud boom, drawing everyone in the rooms attention to the newcomer. Avie’s heart dropped into her stomach as Princess Ruby strolled into the room, mindlessly followed by the stable hand. “Hello, mother. You look surprised that I escaped my imprisonment,” Ruby stated coldly. At the word ‘imprisonment’ the crowd started to shift restlessly. “I’m not surprised that you deceived the stable hand into ‘rescuing’ you from a second story bedroom that I never locked,” Avie replied calmly although her heart was racing. “Don’t pretend like you haven’t kept me locked up in that room for years out of jealousy and to protect your throne that you had to kill for!” Ruby accused raising her voice, changing the reality of what the crowd saw so that they become furious towards the queen. The queens knights stepped forward mindlessly, drawing their swords. Avie searched their faces desperately for Will’s and let out a small sigh of relief when her eyes never found him. Relief was soon replaced with panic as the knights formed a protective line in front of the princess. “I order you to stop! She is using magic to deceive you into believing that I am an evil witch!” Queen Avie shouted desperately. Princess Ruby let out a laugh as one of the knights charged forward sword raised. Panic coursed through Queen Avie as she braced for the impact. A metallic ring sung through the air as William’s sword clashed with the knight’s. “William how are you not under her control?” The Queen asked astonished. “The royal family isn’t the only one the posses magic. Which is protecting us from her control.” William responded through gritted teeth as he threw the guard of balance and kicked him down. “Now would be a good time to use your magic to break her control. My magic works in combat not defense” William yelled as two more knights charged forward. Avie felt more panic course through her veins as she realized that she had never used her magic on such a large crowd. Watching William struggled to fight off the knights, protecting her from their blades. The crowd looked on anger burning in their eyes waiting for the signal to attack from Princess Ruby. Anger began to bubble in Avie’s stomach opening her mind to break her daughter’s spell. Struggling to breath Avie focused all of her energy on the crowd and knights. A flash was emitted from Avie’s body as her vision went black for a second, waking everyone out of their daze.

A screech left Princess Ruby’s mouth as she lunged for her mother, only to be grabbed by guards. Avie slowly rose to her feet and looked her daughter in the eyes. “Princess Ruby I charge you with multiple accounts of treason and murder, I banish you from this kingdom and will take your magic from you,” Queen Avie said as she approached her daughter. “You wouldn’t do this to your only daughter, would you mother?” Ruby pleaded, desperation growing in her voice as Avie drew closer. “As the murderer of my husband, you are no longer my daughter,”Avie said coldly, touching Ruby’s temple drawing every ounce of magic from her daughters body. An angry scream left her daughters lips as the guards dragged her struggling body from the kingdom. A hand intertwined itself with Avie’s as she watched the scene. William’s eyes smiled down at her as she looked up and squeezed his hand. “May I have this dance?” he asked bowing. “Yes you may Sir William,” Avie replied smiling for the first time in years, knowing that she conquered her demon.