After rejecting the prince's proposal, Idina was debating on locking herself in her private chambers and never coming back out.

With a gorgeous silk bedrobe with floral embroidery over her lace chemise that was delivered to her by Anna in a basket, she spent most of her evening pacing around her bedroom, contemplating how horrible she had messed up. Her mind was racing with how she thought she should have bit her tongue and nodded her head like a good princess should. She had no idea what had come over her, but what's done is done. She felt she had greatly disappointed her family, and her kingdom.

Tonight, Anna was the only lady-in-waiting that Idina allowed in her bedchambers. Anna was solely responsible for carefully removing the princess gown and gently loosening Idina's corset while Idina ranted about the night. She removed Idina's jewelry and placed them on her vanity, and Anna helped her put on her nightgown. She took out all of the pins in Idina's hair, and Idina brushed through it. Anna applied oil to Idina's hair, and prepared a lavender water bath for Idina. After the bath and redressing in her nightgown, Idina dismissed Anna for the night.

Idina sat upon her stool in front of her vanity. Gazing at her own reflection that reflected from the bright blue hue of the moonlight and the glow of candle light, she began to anxiously comb out her hair with the bristle brush. She had placed her tiara on her vanity, and her eyes kept peering to it. She didn't feel worthy of it anymore.

When her hair was fluffy and soft, she began blowing out her candles and decided to calm down by sitting at her window, allowing the moon to bathe her in his light on the cloudless night. 

Her slumber was anything but peaceful. Heavenly shades of night were falling while her mind was racing about the dreaded proposal and her ill-suited reaction. She had perfumed her pillow to try to aid in her sleep, but her stomach kept gathering in knots with every little thought she had. Not even her nightly ritual of private prayer calmed her. Her bed was made, and now she must lie in it.

Idina was half asleep when Anna ran into her dark room in the middle of the night. She raced to Idina's bedside and shouted, "princess, wake up! Quickly!"

Idina's shock of being awoken with a fearful force made a gasp escape her dry throat. She sat up in her bed and her eyes instantly connected with Anna's. The only light in the room came from the dim yellow glow in the hallway from the open door, and the shaking candleholder that Anna was holding close to her face. The shadows casted from her fearful expression, which put a sense of dread into Idina's heart.

"Anna, Anna. What is the matter?" Idina asked her. She inspected Anna's face and saw that her eyes were so wide they could have popped out of her head, and the color in her face had drained. Tears rolled down her flushed cheeks with no chance to dry on her skin. Her breathing was heavy, and fear-stricken panic was set into her youthful features.

Idina reached for Anna's elbow as she slowly came to her feet. She could feel her heart beating faster and her palms got sweaty with every second she had no idea what was happening. She knew that something was terribly wrong if Anna came rushing into her chambers in the middle of the night to wake her.

In turn, Anna clutched Idina's elbow and pulled her in close. Her thumb dug into Idina's muscle, and her grip was as tight as the fear that had a grip on their hearts. Her tearful black eyes locked to Idina's and she managed to say, "it's the kingdom, your highness. We are under attack."

Idina's heart stopped at that devastating news. It was one of the last things she ever expected to hear, yet it was her biggest fear; a nightmare coming true. Her eyes widened and her jaw slacked slightly to express her shock. All she could ask was, "by whom?"

Anna gulped before she answered, "Krozar."

Idina inhaled sharply. The very man who asked for her hand in marriage, so she could spend the rest of her life with him was attacking her kingdom. She had no idea if it was out of retaliation or resentment, but she was aware that Krozar's military power was much stronger that Madya. And he knew it too.

In that moment, the dreadful sound of a cannons exploding echoed throughout the room. The two ladies jumped at the sudden noise, and after they looked at each other they rushed to the large French doors that lead out to Idina's balcony. They both stepped out into the moonless night, where the warm wind whipped around their heads and skirts.

From her balcony, she has a magnificent view of the northern port and the tall lighthouse that's located just before the bluffs of the cliff that the palace was built on. In the daylight, she can see miles upon miles of the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. But on this night, all she saw were the yellow lamps swinging from the warships approaching her kingdom. Even the moon was now hidden away from the terror.

Idina's eyes widened when she heard the petrified cries of her people who were screaming for their lives, with cannon fire and gunshots following their pleas. Everything was on fire. Her blood ran cold, and a fog covered her brain. Idina was nearly frozen with fear. She was so terrified, she had no idea what to think.

Anna's shaky voice snapped Idina out of her trance. "What do we do?"

Idina inhaled to form a sentence, but nothing came out. She was so terrified, she had no idea what to do. Madya was never a very powerful kingdom, so for centuries they have laid low and did not allow anything to cause a stir within the political world. This was the first time Madya had ever been under attack, and they had no protocol for any horrific events like this. There was nothing that could have prepared anyone for this.

Idina was worried for her other ladies-in-waiting: Colette, Margaret, Edith, Theodate, Caterina, Florence, Leonora, Maeve, and Selah. She asked in a soft voice, "where are the others?"

"Safe, Princess. They got out of the castle."

Idina nodded small as she stared out to the open waters. She whispered, "good."

The patter of light footsteps got louder as Queen Narissa ran down the grand hallway and entered into the room. She stood by the doorway and looked into the dark room where she saw her daughter and her maid. She let out a sigh of relief and she gasped out, "oh, you are all right!"

Idina's head shot towards her mother, while Anna's eyes were still wide and fixated on the horrors occurring outside the castle. Her entire body was trembling with fear while a cool wind blew her curly hair back.

"Yes, mother, what's wrong?" Idina asked, still having little to no idea what was happening. She came back into the room with Anna right behind her.

Narissa grabbed a hold of her thick skirt and trotted closer to the girls. "Thank heavens, you are both all right. Get dressed, Pearl, quickly. There isn't much time."

Idina's state of mind was in panic-mode, so she didn't second guess what her mother told her to do. She was too frightened to think of anything else.

Queen Narissa was clad in a beautiful pink dress herself. The skirt of the dress was trimmed with gold, and it had wrappings around her waist and her elbows. She was not in her chemise like Idina was, and Idina noted how given that it was the middle of the night, she should be in a nightgown too. It made her wonder if her mother was aware of what was happening much earlier.

"We are being moved to a secure location to ensure our safety in avoidance of the violence within our kingdom." She handed Anna a corset and ordered, "please, Lady Seymour, assist your princess in putting this on. It's dire that she wears this."

Idina's chest tightened at listening to her mother use her first name. She knew it was serious. Anna ran up to Idina and wrapped the heavy corset around her chemise. This bedtime dress was a floor length linen dress with a gentle scoop neckline, complete with creamy lace. Anna was quick to lace up the corset. It was so tight, it squeezed the air out of Idina's lungs.

"What violence?" Idina asked before taking a much needed breath. Anna then wrapped a petticoat around Idina's hips and tied it in the back.

Anna was just as terrified as Idina. She was aware of what was happening down in the kingdom, and she knew that the palace was soon to be raided. She was trying to work as quickly as she could so she and the family that she grew to love dearly would have a proper chance to escape.

"Due to the failure of bounding our countries, Krozar has decided to attack."

Idina's inhale was sharp and instant. She began to wonder if she was the sole reason for this attack. Her thoughts were quickly distracted when Anna grabbed the closest dress she could find and pulled it on over Idina's head. She cinched this maroon dress to her as well, ensuring that it won't fall off and they quickly followed the queen out of the chamber and down the nearby staircase. Idina left her chambers for the very last time in an organized disarray.

Narissa paused and laced her fingers behind her neck. She gracefully unclasped her beautiful gold necklace of pearls and put them gently in Idina's hand. She closed Idina's hand over the precious jewelry and said, "this is for you, my pearl. Please, don't lose this."

Idina gulped softly and looked down at Narissa's well manicured hand upon her own. Her vision blurred as she blinked back the tears that welled in her eyes. Idina convinced herself that this was a precaution for the unknown of what is to happen, but having her mother give her one of her favorite articles of jewelry had her very worried. But she promised, "I won't."

"Come, hurry. There isn't much time."

Anna and Idina followed Narissa out of the chamber and out into the corridor. They raced down the grand white marble staircase in the entrance hall that's opposite the oak doors. The Grand Staircase was a massive structure in the Casus Palace, it was mainly used to access each floor of the castle, including the dungeons.

The hauntingly beautiful castle had a gothic medieval design that looked just as it did the day it was built in the 16th century. The Casus Palace was decorated with a precious collection of carpets, paintings that were displayed up to the vaulted ceilings, and exquisitely carved oak doors. The stained glass windows were glowing from the distant moonlight, and the women were running down the hall, underneath the pointed arches.

Idina and Anna were walking swiftly to keep up with Narissa, who was walking briskly down the elaborate hall and straight to the gothic style marble staircase. All the ladies were holding their skirts up so they wouldn't trip on them, but their focus was on getting out of the castle before it was raided.

Narissa said, "your father is with your brothers and your sisters. It is arranged that we meet Cecil out by the gardens with a chariot. He will take us to sanctuary."

Cecil was a respected member of the Burlyon-Gotha Family staff. He had worked with the royal family since the coronation of King Victor III, Idina's grandfather. He was an older gentleman, but was very kind and knowledgeable of the kingdom.

"Where?" Idina asked.

"London."

"In England?"

"Yes, the king is expecting us."

A gunshot rang out, echoing throughout the long hallway. All three women gasped and their heads shot back to see King Victor carrying young Sophie and Alexandrina in his arms, who were both clutching their father for dear life. A look of fear was stamped on his face as he raced down the hallway, with Peter, Charolette, Theodore, and Riona right behind him. Everyone was dressed in their most beautiful clothing, but their faces were stricken with fear.

No one had to say a word, because everyone knew what had happened. The castle had been invaded, and they needed to get out of there. Narissa, Anna, and Idina all grabbed a thick hold of their skirts and began bolting down the corridor. They were running for their lives. Idina looked back to see guards turning the corner with bayonet's in their hands. They were not her guards, they belonged to Krozar and they were storming their palace.

Another series of gunshots echoed down the palace walls. Victor held Alexandrina and Sophie tighter and he ducked his head to avoid getting hit by the flying bullets, while Idina nearly tripped on her gown trying to run faster. Anna had tears running down her face, while Charolette was trying desperately to catch her breath. The sound of something heavy smacking the marble floors was almost louder than the gunshots, and it made everyone's heart drop to their feet.

Idina glanced back over her shoulder, and her eyes immediately sprung with tears and a gasp filled her lungs. Her brother, Peter, was laying dead on the floor with his crimson blood pooling around his chest and was leaking out his back, contrasting greatly with the white marble floors.

"Oh my god!" Idina screamed out and covered her mouth with her hands.

"Peter!" Riona wailed.

Riona was the closest to Idina's age, just two years her senior, which gave them a twin-like power of feeling the others pain due to their shared empathetic traits. Idina felt Riona's suffering after she contracted influenza as a child. Riona felt it when Idina broke her foot from a horse-riding accident. And now, Idina felt the fear and agony Riona had pouring out of her body, nearly collapsing to surrender to Krozar.

"Don't look back! Keep running!" Victor demanded. He continued to run, but tears were falling down his red cheeks after witnessing his son get murdered right in front of him. His beloved heir. He had to stay strong for his family, and try diligently to save the rest of them.

Idina nearly tripped over her feet trying to turn back around, but she grabbed a stronger hold of her skirt again and kept running as fast as she could. She could feel her heart beat in her ears and her throat was slowly closing. Her face was burning and hot tears were trickling onto her cheeks. The fabric of her dress swayed behind her, sweeping the floor of the castle with every step she took. Her hair was flying in the wind, sweeping down her back.

The guards continued to chase them in an attempt to seize them. No one stopped running until they reached the door that led them out to the gardens of the palace.

The garden is one of the largest parks in the country. It surrounded the palace on all sides, and it featured grassy areas as well as old and majestic trees. Some were as old as Madya itself. The gardens were developed simultaneously with the construction of the palace, with a rococo gothic elegance that the palace was also styled with.

The royal family raced around the decorative statement water fountain centerpiece, where the gentle sound of trickling water filled the air. On a normal night they would have liked to saunter to enjoy the tranquillity and admire the statues that were placed throughout the gardens. However, this night was far from normal.

The lovely scent of lavender followed as they ran through the peonies, orchids, and rose bushes. The gardens are always in bloom, and always sweetly scented.

The light from the castle was the only light they needed as they ran through the garden, careful not to trip on any cobblestones. They finally reached a gate on the other side of the property, where a chariot awaited them on the other side.

Anna reached the gate first and she pushed it open for the royal family. It squeaked just a bit, but enough to make a few of them cringe at the noise. For the first time, they were all able to catch their breaths.

"Mr. Cecil?" Narissa asked while breathing heavily.

The carriage was there, and so was the horse. The horse was neighing and raising up to its hind legs to kick its front ones. Charolette stood beside him and rubbed his brown neck to calm him down. She was trying to blink her tears away, but they were all still in shock over watching Peter die in front of them.

"Is he in there?" Riona asked in a small voice, brushing her blonde hair back behind her red ears.

Narissa bravely opened the carriage door, and inside sat Cecil. He was hunched over his own legs with blood oozing from the back of his head, coating his white hair.

Narissa promptly closed the door and turned to her family. Idina had never seen her mother cry before, but tears welled in her dark eyes and she refused to talk. All of the children looked to their father, with no clue what to do.

"Get in the carriage, we must get out of here," Victor ordered. He set Sophie down on the ground and she immediately hugged Narissa around her waist. Victor opened the door and grabbed Cecil's collar, apologized to him, and slipped him out of the carriage and onto the ground.

"Where will we go?" Narissa asked while Victor picked Sophie up and placed her in the carriage.

"Anywhere but here."

"They've destroyed our ships and taken our guards hostage. Every single one of our people are in terrible danger of losing their life. We cannot leave them."

Victor stopped and sighed. All he wanted was to protect his family, but the kingdom is his family too. He only took a moment to think, but then the sounds of guns cocking around the carriage made them all lift their heads up.

Victor said in a low voice, just so Narissa could hear, "I don't think we have a choice now."

Guards wearing the crest of Krozar surrounded the royals with bayonets in their faces. They all fell silent and lifted their shaking hands up to show that they had no weapons and that they were going to comply.

"Line up," they were ordered.

They quickly formed a line and everyone had a guard standing beside them to ensure that they wouldn't walk out of line or try to fight back. This organization frightened Victor, and Idina could see it on his face. Idina felt her mother's necklace still in her grasp, so she took the opportunity to carefully clasp it around her neck.

Victor didn't mention to his terrified family that he had requested sanctuary in both France and England following the first reports of a revolution. King Louis XIV of France had so many medical issues, he was not able to grant an exile for the royal family to seek sanctuary in France in time. The English monarchy initially didn't want to be directly involved and have a revolution themselves. They soon changed their mind and accepted the request, but Victor knew that if they could not make it onto a boat tonight, they were never going to make it to England. The Burlyon-Gotha's were on their own.

Through Idina's maternal heritage, she is the great-great-great-great granddaughter of Anne Boleyn, Queen of England. She was the second wife to King Henry VIII, and the mother of Queen Elizabeth. In late 1535, Anne gave birth to another baby girl, Princess Ophelia. Due to her not being a male heir, Henry threatened the newborns life and claimed her to be illegitimate, accusing Anne of adultery. In great fear, Anne contacted Diane de Poitiers, a dear friend she worked with as a lady-in-waiting for Queen Claude of France, and Ophelia was sent to live with her when she was only three months old. Anne wrote to her infant daughter often until her fatal arrest in May of 1536. Ophelia went by her maternal grandmother's maiden name to avoid detection so the English authorities could not find and arrest her in France, as Anne Boleyn was certain she would be executed if captured.

Henry VIII had questioned Anne as to where Ophelia went, and she denied him the truth to protect her daughter. Henry accused Anne of killing Ophelia, and added that to the list of charges she had to publicly vindicate her unjustified arrest. Queen Anne was promptly publicly beheaded in 1536 for her crimes. Henry spent the rest of his life searching for Ophelia. It is up for speculation what he planned to do if she was found, but the general consensus is that Henry would have imprisoned or killed her.

Ophelia grew up as a lady-in-waiting for Princess Claude of Valois. She was never found by King Henry, but she knew of her lineage and the importance of staying hidden from her father. Ophelia married into French nobility, continuing the heritage of nobility and wealth. The resemblance Idina has to her distant grandmother, Queen Anne of England, is her inky black hair and charming nature.

By the letters that Anne wrote to Ophelia, that have survived to this day, the Burlyon-Gotha's and the Hanover's have recognized their heritage through the Tudor's and shared an alliance. However, it took generations from both families to accept their heritage. This is part of the reason why King George initially had trouble accepting them into his country.

Victor looked at Idina next to him, and saw how scared she was. He never thought he would ever have to see any of his children in a situation such as this. His hand held Idina's to try to comfort her, and it worked a bit. It gave Idina a sense of comfort in knowing that she wasn't alone.

"If you step out of line, we will not hesitate to shoot you," one of them said. Idina knew it was a promise.

The guards escorted them around the gardens, where the sounds of shouting, running, and gunshots were becoming more and more clear the closer they got to the front of the palace.

Idina's oldest sister, Charolette, was silently crying with her head held high. Her chestnut brown hair was still in perfect curls from the night before, and her piercing grey eyes were welled with tears. Riona and Theodore were silent, afraid that if they made any noise they would be noticed. Her youngest sisters, Alexandrina and Sophie, were only six years old. Adelaide had just turned twelve. The amount of fear Idina had was not comparable to how they was feeling.

They were escorted out of the palace, forced to walk outside and watch the guards line up their innocent people, force them to their knees, and put a bullet through the back of their head. Idina looked away as she heard them slump to the ground, and their bodies were added to the piles that had already been made. Men, women, and children were crying out in agony.

Krozar stormed their kingdom with no warning. Terror surged as they ran amock, catching the locals by surprise. They were fleeing for their lives while the soldiers were picking them off one by one. Some met their end by the point of a cutlass piercing their bellies. It was bloody and ruthless. Victims lay strewn on the streets. They were strapping people to cannons and firing them if they refused to obey.

"Who else is going to stand up for the Burlyon's?" They asked a group of people who were shaking with fear as guns pointed at their faces.

Everyone looked to the royal family for guidance, but they looked to them helplessly. Every man and woman who raised their hand in loyalty was given the greatest punishment. They were brought to their knees and shot in the head.

"No! No!" Victor screamed and tried to struggle out of the grasp of the guard that was holding him back. Watching his own people die was horrific. Narissa covered Sophie and Alexandrina's eyes so they couldn't see what was happening.

The family was ushered back into the palace, where Idina noticed the gargoyles above. They are supposed to repel evil spirits from entering their home. They were lead to a door that lead to a basement. It was just a small, very dark room but with the big family and all the heavily armed guards, it made it feel even smaller. The brick walls enclosed on the family, representing the anxiety and fear they were all feeling.

"Mother, I'm afraid," Sophie said with a shaking voice.

"I know, darling." She hugged her tight.

Once the door shut, Victor spoke up, "what are you doing to my family? I'm the King. It's me you want. Let the others go. Let my family leave in peace."

Victor didn't know what the future held for him or his family. He began to think about how they likely will have to go to exile, and thought that Paris would be the safest place for them to hide due to Narissa's immediate family in the French monarchy. England would also be a great contender with distant relatives in Britain, they'd just need to figure out how to get there.

"Victor, Narissa, Charolette, Theodore, Riona, Idina, Adelaide, Alexandrina, and Sophie Burlyon, you shall wait here for further instruction," the guard said.

Victor was offended. "King, if you please, sir."

The man did not correct himself. Never has Victor not been called his official title while being addressed, due to it being a sign of immense disrespect. "You will wait here. Stand along the wall."

They all looked to each other, but stood along the brick wall. They could not possibly imagine what fate awaited them. The children imagined they were going to be sent off to another country, or perhaps imprisoned for the rest of their natural lives, but Victor and Narissa exchanged looks of hopeful denial and fear. What was planned for them was far more sinister.

"There are not even chairs here," Narissa stated with her tone so calm and poised, just as a queen.

Victor held Sophie in his arms, while Alexandrina wrapped herself around his leg in comfort. Victor held Idina's hand again and his thumb rubbed against the back of her hand. Idina focused on breathing, with tears spilling into her flushed cheeks.

Victor turned to Idina and said softly, "we will be all right. No one can hurt us. By morning we will all be safe and sound."

"I'm frightened," Idina whispered.

The king squeezed his daughters hand a little tighter. "I'll never let you go. That's a promise."

Idina nodded which prompted some stubborn tears to roll down her cheeks. She sniffed to try to compose herself, because she didn't want to be emotional and scare her younger sisters.

The guard then ordered chairs. One was placed to the right of the entrance, almost in the corner. Narissa sat down in that chair, and her eyes focused on the brick wall in front of them. She let out a shaky breath, while every muscle in her body was tight.

The second chair was put on the left side of the door. Victor's hand slipped from Idina's as he set Sophie down in the chair, and stood in such a way as if he was shielding her from the guards that were in the room with them.

Anna, Adelaide, Charolette, and Idina stood near the king. Theodore stood behind Narissa's chair. Idina's fearful eyes went to her poised mother, who had her chin held high. A queen shows grace, no matter the reason.

"I'm frightened," Alexandrina said.

"At least we all will be together, if the lord allows," Narissa promised. She opened her arms to her young princess, and Alexandrina ran into her mothers arms. Narissa picked her up and placed her on her knee, and tucked some of her brown hair behind her ears.

Suddenly, the guards opened the door and Frederick walked into the room. He wore a military uniform for his country, making Idina think he looked like a dictator. He gazed upon the faces of the royal family he was torturing, and his eyes landed on his sweet Idina.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Idina begged to know.

"When you left me on that balcony, I went mad. I would have done anything to win over your love. This is a fight you started, but I will win this war."

"This is not the way into my heart, Frederick!" Idina shouted. She tried to walk towards him but Victor grabbed her shoulder, keeping her from approaching the man who tried to trick her entire family.

"Look at what you made me do, Idina. Everything that is happening to you, your family, and to your people are by your hand. I am chaste and honorable, which is more than every common, uncouth, weak, and dissipated man who may try to be your suitor."

"I will go down honorably, and everyone will know what a murderer you are." Idina's smoldering amber eyes scorched his soul.

"That's the thing about being the only survivor, is that you get to tell the tale. Everyone knows that I am a righteous man, so I have come to help protect the Burlyon family, but I was too late. With Princess Idina accepting my hand in marriage, I am now the leader of Madya, and the rightful King," he said in his plummy voice.

"Everyone knows it's your doing. No one will accept you as their king," she spat.

"They will if they have no other choice."

"You are heinous."

"It's too late to compliment me, darling. You threw away what we had."

"We had nothing," Idina hissed. His words of only survivor repeated in her head and it made her stomach turn.

"May God have mercy on your souls." He began to leave the room.

"Sir?" The guard asked, making Frederick stop in his tracks.

Over his shoulder he muttered, "follow my orders."

Idina watched helplessly as Frederick left the room. The guards began to line up opposite the family, as if they had rehearsed it a hundred times before. Idina took a small step back, and she felt the cold brick wall behind her chill her fingertips. She grabbed her father's hand, and he squeezed it.

Victor leaned down to Sophie and quietly told her, "close your eyes. Don't open them until I tell you to."

Narissa pet Alexandrina's hair gently and whispered the same thing in her ear, and the twins both shut their eyes. Narissa kissed Alexandrina's cheek tenderly, and continued to pet her hair back to comfort her.

The main guard waited until the heavy door closed before he turned to the king and said, "your royal and close relatives abroad are trying to save you, but we have been ordered to execute you."

"What?" Was all Victor could say. He turned toward Narissa, but in that moment a gun went off. Idina jumped back and she felt his hand lifelessly slip from hers. Victor fell to the floor, dead.

That was their signal. At that moment, disorganized firing began. The room was very small, but bullets were shooting through the door and getting trapped in the brick as they were all ambushed. The initial volley of bullets fired by the executioners killed the royal family instantly, but extra bullets were administered to ensure they were all terminated. Every member of the royal family needed to be killed, due to the potential threat that they could rule the country once again.

Idina was frozen in terror from the shooting around her until she felt a bullet hit her stomach. She screamed through the sounds of the gunshots and she dropped to the floor immediately. She trembled as she laid on the cold floor. All of them were screaming and the firing intensified. Bullets were ricocheting off the brick wall, and she felt the burn of a bullet graze her shoulder.

Idina turned her head and saw that Charolette's body was on the ground beside her. Her grey eyes were wide open with fear, but the life in them were gone. Idina quickly used her blood to get on her dress to make it look like she was bleeding too, which was unnoticeable through the thick gunpowder that lingered in the air.

The firing finally stopped, and it took a while for the thick smoke to clear due to so many weapons being fired in such close proximity. The silence was haunting. Idina didn't dare breathe. Idina was certain that she was dying from the intense exploding pain in her stomach. She couldn't help but glance down and see the entrance holes the bullets made in her dress.

The smoke had yet to clear, but one of the guards checked every body one by one. He started with Adelaide, pointing his bayonet at her. Not convinced that she was dead, he plunged the knife from the end of his musket barrel into her body over and over. Idina tried not to wince at the sound of the blade piercing her little sister's body, her flesh squelching like a sponge.

The guard stood over Idina and saw the bullet holes in her dress and the blood she was covered in. He looked at her for the longest time because he thought he saw her eyes move, but determined that she was dead. He was close to spearing her with his bayonet, but time didn't allow it.

He announced, "the royal family are all dead."

The guards filtered out of the room and shut the door behind them. As soon as she heard the door click shut, Idina let out the breath she had been holding. She rubbed her eyes to blink out the gunpowder that was still flying through the air. She looked around at the bodies of her family in the ground, and she began to hyperventilate. She was petrified and heartbroken. Her entire family was mercilessly executed in front of her.

Idina rolled onto her back and touched her sore stomach, expecting to feel blood oozing from the wounds. However, all she felt was a small hole. A small empty hole with threads of fabric dancing around her sticky fingertips.

Idina sat up and was met with a horrific sight. Her father was on the ground with bullets riddling his chest and head, while her mother was slumped in her bloodied chair. Theodore had collapsed behind the chair in an attempt to hide, and Riona was on the floor surrounded by blood. Sophie's head was hanging low, and Charolette was killed right beside her, with Anna and their other servants littering the floor. Adelaide's body was crumpled to the floor, with no sign of life.

The entire royal family all laid on the ground, cold. All but one.

Idina covered her mouth with her hand and sobbed. She squeezed her eyes shut to try to take the image away but it was no use. She felt like her heart had completely separated from her body and her stomach hurt so much she was certain she was going to puke. She scrambled up to her feet and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand to wipe her tears away. Time was of the essence, and she knew that someone would be down in the room soon to take the bodies away to be buried in unmarked graves. Idina refused to die this night. She was determined to live.

Idina pressed her body against the heavy wooden door and it creaked softly as it opened. She carefully closed it and made sure it didn't make a noise. She quietly crept up the basement steps, where her bare feet against the stone stairs made no noise. The torches on the wall that lit the stairway casted her shadow against the wall, which she prayed wouldn't be seen.

She reached the ground floor of the palace, so she peaked her head out to ensure she wouldn't be spotted right away. She stumbled out and tiptoed around the rooms, trying desperately to avoid being seen.

She was about to turn a corner when she heard unfamiliar voices coming her way. She froze in her tracks and began retreating backwards. She was breathing heavily, knowing that if she was caught she was certain to die instantly. She looked around until she saw a door. She grabbed her skirt and rushed into the room and whipped the door open but caught it when she got into the room and closed it gently. With both palms on the door, she exhaled with great relief and turned around.

Her blood ran cold when she saw a guard. He had been posted in this private sitting room while the family was being rounded up in case someone sought sanctuary in there. Across his chest was the crest of the enemy, and he recognized her the moment their eyes met. They both stood frozen, but his grip on his musket tightened.

Idina was terrified. Her hand began to shake in anticipation, and her lungs wanted to scream out but she was too afraid to. Too afraid to bring more people into the room, and too afraid to make him commit an act that could not be undone.

The guard gasped softly. He was informed that the family was already dead, so standing before Idina alive was quite the shock. "Princess."

Idina saw a look in his eyes that didn't scare her. She saw sympathy, and a bit of confusion. He sounded surprised, but not angry. This gave Idina a bit of hope. She begged, "please, sir, I beg of you. Help me. Please, help me."

"Men! It's time to collect the bodies," one of the guards in the hallway called out. Idina glanced back and saw the shadows of his boots right outside the door. He could open the door any minute and end her life.

The guard looked at Idina, then the door. One word and he could have her killed. One flick of his finger and he could execute her. He was just about to raise his gun, but he made the mistake of looking into her innocent, fearful eyes again.

She pleaded, "please."

"Are you mad?" He whispered harshly.

"Maybe I am. I beg of you. Spare me, and you'll never see or hear from me again."

This man had a choice. He was entranced by her innocent beauty and he decided to take sympathy upon her. This compassionate guard said in a low voice, "go to the Westward port and board the Golden Skye. We have no guards posted from here to there. Set sail to the north. You won't be spotted."

The Golden Skye was a small boat used for fishing within the reef. It cannot withstand a voyage, but Idina was in desperate need to get as far away from the island as possible. She would do anything. Idina had no reason to trust him, but he was her only hope.

"Thank you, sir."

"Now, go. Make haste. If they find you, they will kill you."

Luckily, this room had a window that faced the west. The guard put his gun down and opened the window for the princess. He grabbed her waist and hoisted her up onto the windowsill and as she adjusted herself for the drop, he said, "they are retrieving the bodies now. Once they see that you've gone, they'll stop at nothing to find you. Don't let them find you."

Idina nodded to him with understanding, and pushed herself off the ledge. It wasn't a far drop, but she landed in a bush and twisted her ankle a bit. Her weak legs collapsed, so she laid on the ground for a moment. She looked up and heard the window close, repelling her from the castle.

She waited for her legs to stop tingling before she continued her journey to the docks. Nothing was going to stop her from going onto that ship.

The moon was still hiding, so the sky was pitch black. Not even the stars twinkled to give Idina hope or guidance. She was running blind through the woods that surrounded the castle, with no place to go but forward. She had a tight hold on her skirt so it wouldn't get snagged on outreaching trees, trying to keep her back.

A light fog drifted through the night. Once she escaped the woods, she raced through her kingdom, now empty and broken. Bodies littered the streets, and the survivors were hiding in the buildings and homes. She ran through the cobblestone streets, without a soul seeing her.

As far she she knew, she was running into the great unknown. Idina was afraid of what she was risking if she went to the ship, but terrified of what were to happen if she didn't. She had no choice.

Idina reached the dock and saw that all the ships had been cut from the dock and were drifting out to the black ocean. One was closer than the rest, near a rock that was purtruding out of the waves. It had the name Golden Skye carved into the wood on the back of the boat.

Idina jumped into the water and bobbed up and down between the waves. She had her eyes on the rock, and made it her goal to swim to it. Her thick dress was heavy, and now heavier soaked in water. She swam hard, but waves kept washing over her head, pushing her down below the waters surface. As she was trying to breathe, water would escape the barrier of her lips and fill her mouth with salt water, causing her to cough. She would break over the water and the salt stung her eyes, but she never lost her focus on the rock. She used her hands as paddles and desperately swam for her life. Drowning was not an option after all that she had survived.

Idina finally reached the rock, and climbed up onto it. She had to catch her breath, spitting out the water that snuck into her mouth and coughing it out of her lungs. Her dress was slipping off her shoulders and the maroon fabric was so heavy, she could barely stand. She grabbed the skirt to get the fabric out from under her feet and she carefully stood up so she wouldn't slip on the slick rock.

The ship was so close, she could practically jump to it. Fear and the physical incapacitation of such a leap would render it impossible. She wasn't strong enough to catch herself on the rope, and her dress was far too heavy. Her corset was too stiff for her to move properly, but going back into the water she risked drowning. Instead, she took her chances and she sat down on the rock and slipped back into the water.

She pushed herself off the rock and swam straight for the ship. Her nimble fingers gripped the rope rigging and she pulled herself close to the hull. She closed her stinging eyes to embrace in this victorious moment, but she still wasn't close to safety. She got her feet onto the rope ladder and began climbing.

About halfway up the hull, Idina was tired and when she took a step up, she stepped on her dress. When she tried to straighten up, her foot slipped out from under her, causing her body to drop and her frail arms to collapse. The fall caused her delicate hands to slip from the rope, causing her to plummet back into the water. As soon as her head reached air again, she was beyond frustrated and exhausted from it all. Without another choice and no thoughts on giving up, she grabbed the rope rigging again and began her climb. She refused to stop until she reached the deck.

Idina's arms were shaking by the time she reached the taffrail. She hugged the railing close to her chest and didn't let go as she threw her heavy legs over the railing. It wasn't until she felt the wooden deck under her feet she let herself slip from the railing and she crashed onto the deck.

She stared up at the velvety sky, and the only noise was her heavy breathing and the waves against the ships hull. Her dress was sticking to her body like honey, and so heavy it felt like a weight on Idina's heaving chest and empty stomach. She brought her hand up to her chest, feeling her mother's pearl necklace under her fingertips. Idina trembled and wailed as the reality of the entire horrific night set in. She closed her eyes and watched her entire family get shot to death again. Tears rolled out of her eyes and down her temples.

She felt so overwhelmed, the only thing she could think of to comfort herself was to get this physically painful dress off of her body. She grabbed the bodice and tried to rip the fabric, but it was no use. She stood up and tugged at the sleeves and slipped her arms out of them. Once her arms were out, she pulled the dress down over her hips and stepped out of it, leaving her in just her petticoat, the chemise and her corset.

After pulling off the petticoat, Idina reached back and tugged on the laces of her corset, feeling a great release when she felt the knot slip. The corset fell to her feet with a hefty thud, which made Idina's eyebrows raise in curiosity. She got down on her knees and placed her hands on the soaking wet corset, and felt hard objects sewn inside.

She gripped the corset and set it on her lap, carefully looking over the fabric until she found a rough seam. She pinched the fabric and pulled it apart, breaking the thin thread that kept it together. She reached her hand inside and grabbed something hard and jagged. Confused, she pulled it out and found that her family's crown jewelry, gems, and diamonds had been sewn inside the lining of the corset to hide them from the captors. This corset served as a form of armor against the bullets. It was the only reason she was still alive.

Her mother saved her life. If she didn't give Idina that corset, she would be dead. Did she have the jewels sewn into the corsets of anyone else? Why her? Idina knew her mother was too smart for this to be a coincidence, she must have had a reason.

She slipped the jewels back into the corset lining and rolled it up so they wouldn't escape. This was something she would go back to, because in this moment the only thing she needed to do was get onto the open ocean. She had never sailed a ship before, and didn't know the first thing about it. She just needed to get away from that island.

The Golden Skye is a modest sloop, carrying only four cannons. It's much smaller than a warship, so it rarely ventures out into the ocean. This was a disadvantage. However, since it's small it's easier to sail with just one soul on board.

Idina glanced around and quickly found a discarded cut-and-thrust sword on the deck. She stood up and her wobbly legs barely made it to the other side of the deck. She bent down and grabbed the heavy sword with one hand, but it slipped out of her grasp and clattered heavily to the ground. She tried to wipe her hands off on her wet chemise but tried again. She grabbed the handle with both hands and hoisted it up. It was so heavy, if she walked with it, it would drag on the ground. She dropped the sword and jumped out of the way so it wouldn't land on her foot.

She felt defeated, until she found a dagger dug into the wood of the taffrail. She managed to rip it out from the wood. It was much lighter and less dangerous. She gripped the handle tightly and glanced up at the rolled up sails, noting that she would need to get up there to cut them loose. She carefully walked to the top rigging on the deck and started her treacherous climb up to the sails. She used the dagger to cut through the rope to bring the sails down. The main sail unrolled instantly and the ship catapulted towards the ocean.

She hugged the rope rigging tightly so she wouldn't fly off. Wind filled the sails and she began to sail further and further from the island. She carefully climbed down and went up another rigging to cut loose the second sail. The second sail filled with wind and allowed a quick journey into the sea.

Once she was down on the deck again, Idina looked off the ship and towards the horizon, which was hidden under the dark sky. It was pitch black. She saw nothing, and the unknown petrified her.

She ventured toward a door under the stairs that led up to the ships stern and found the door to be unlocked. Inside, all she cared for seeing was a cot that the ships captain would sleep on. It was a long horrible night, but she climbed into the cot and rested her head on the limp pillow. She hoped to wake up in her own bed, ready to tell her family about the crazy dream she had.