The Queen of Ashes

She was six years old. A beautiful child, sleeping in the cot, dreaming a dream.

Aurelia was tied into chains. Her hands and legs were in chains. She had a very dirty dress on. It was torn in places.

She was tired and sleepy but she couldn’t even sit down. She was being dragged behind the smelly horses like a ragged doll.

With fear in her heart, she looked up and found people laughing, pitying and looking at her curiously. Some kids threw mud at her but there was no clean place left on her dress to get dirty. She looked down again and tears made way on her mud-stained cheeks. She was crying. For the loss of her family, her home, her dignity, and everything she held dear.

It was when she saw two men standing in front of her that Aurelia woke up. She was in bed, sweating. She touched her cheeks and they were wet. Was she crying in her dream?

That was the night when Aurelia first dreamt of the future. An unknown reality.

After seven years, she lived that dream when she was brought to Qanevell Kingdom. The sole survivor of the royal family in the siege.

Her little sister of 6 was dead. Aurelia had seen her body, lying lifeless on the floor, a spear across her little heart. Her father and mother’s throats sl*t.

Aurelia was not killed. She had caught Prince Vincent’s eyes. He was leading the congregation when they arrived in Qanevell. Aurelia was with the won items.

That’s what she was. A prize of the siege.

When she looked around, she had the feeling of a déjà vu. She had seen it all. She had lived this reality once.

And then she was recalled of the dream. It was the first dream which was becoming her reality. But her eyes looked for the two men she had seen in her dream. They were nowhere.

Was it a power or just a child’s imagination? Was it going to help her ever?

Another dream. This time, she stood atop a hill. Hands behind her back and the two shadows on her sides unmistakable.

The entire kingdom was burning.

“Queen, huh?” The voice on her right spoke. “That’s what you are. A d*mn queen.”

The other voice smirked. “The queen of Ashes.” And indeed that’s what she was.

The fragility of a flower causes the thorns to be its protectors and most beloved companions.

Chapter 1

The palanquin moved from right to left as they travelled through the gravel path. The sounds of insects were getting louder as the evening slowly moved in on them.

Aurelia sat in the corner, her arms bracing her knees close to her chest. She had not blinked for a couple of minutes. The tears had dried on her face. Her mind was conjuring up the images that she had seen earlier that day.

Blood, smoke, screaming people, dead bodies. The body of King and Queen lying on the large dining room floor where everyone was supposed to have dinner and not lose their lives. Thankfully, Vincent was nowhere and so was Princess Elaine.

Where is she? Why did she run? Why did she put Aurelia in such a position? It was supposed to be her wedding, but now, Aurelia was married to two princes and her future was short because t