The fear that had gripped the room was suddenly replaced by a stunned silence. Not a soul moved until after the accusation had time to settle in. Aliana was just as stunned as everyone else.

"Wh-what are you- why are you saying this?" Aliana stuttered. She stepped past Iora, who was so baffled she made no move to stop her, towards Sanyurn. Her mouth was slightly parted and her eyes were wide with confusion.

Still addressing the crowd, Sanyurn said, "This was found in the princess' room by myself. I have had this tested and found it to be, the deadly poison extracted from the Phaliax plant; the poison that also killed the king! I am here to arrest the princess for the murder."

The stunned silence suddenly evaporated. In an instant, the volume skyrocketed. Every councilman began shouting at once, all trying to get their own opinion in. Some shouts were of disbelief, some were of anger, and some were of conviction.

Guards instantly surrounded Aliana, who was still struggling to comprehend what was happening. "What is happening? Get away from me!" She tried to step away from the guards, but they surrounded her.

"Your highness," Sanyurn said in a deadly whisper, "you can either come with us willingly or we will be forced to bring you away."

"You will not touch her!" Iora snapped back to attention and quickly stepped in front of Aliana. Her blade was level at Sanyurn's throat and her tone matched his. "I will personally escort her highness to her chambers where she will wait until she is proved innocent of this matter. But none of you will dare to lay a single finger on her!"

Thank you, thought Aliana. She was surprised, impressed, and extremely grateful for Iora's show of support.

Iora let down her blade. "Come, Your Highness, allow me to escort you back to your chambers while this matter is settled. I promise no harm will come to you." Seeing the shock on Aliana's face and knowing how trying the past days had been, she spoke again, warmly, softly. "Princess Aliana, stay close to me, and I will keep these soldiers from getting near you."

Slowly, the princess complied, still in a daze. Soldiers surrounded them, but none dared to get close to the ladies. As they guided Aliana through the passageways to her chamber doors, she began to grasp the seriousness of the situation. "What is happening?" she whispered to herself.

"It is simply a mistake," Iora muttered under her breath. Her sword was sheathed, but she had a tight grip on the hilt.

"No talking!" ordered a soldier behind her. The women obeyed not speaking again, but Iora nodded to Aliana, smiling.

If Aliana thought the walk to her father's funeral was long, this walk took eons. To be accused of her father's murder was unthinkable! True, they had not been very close, but she had held no hatred for the man and no desire for the throne. The only reason she had wanted it today was to keep it from being in the hands of another. It was her father's throne, and with Jasper dead, it had been her duty to take it upon herself. She needed to live up to her father's legacy; he had wanted the throne to go to her, and she needed to make him proud.

When her chamber doors opened, most of the guards parted to make way for the princess to enter. Sanyurn, however, stood blocking Iora's path. "You will not accompany her!" he ordered. "The windows have been locked shut and there are guards below as well as guards here. There is no need to protect her, she will not be leaving any time soon."

"I must enter with her!" Iora protested. "She is in shock, she needs help. Your guards below and in the hallways cannot protect her as well as I can. It is my duty. I swore an oath to her dying father to protect her, and I will not break that oath!"

"No! I will not allow you to enter. Now that we know she is the true assassin, we need no longer fear for her safety. You will be assigned to other duties, as your skills as a fighter cannot be overlooked."

"It is alright, Iora," promised Aliana. "I will be fine. Go. Do the duties they require of you. My father would understand. Please. Go." She could barely speak for the tears flowing to her trembling lips. Iora could see the desperation in her eyes, she could feel Aliana pleading for forgiveness and begging her not to be caught in the web that was being woven. Aliana needed needed solitude, and for the first time, Iora was able to comply to her wishes.

Iora nodded in silent agreement, not to Sanyurn, but to Aliana. The soldier, however, misunderstood her gesture. "Good," he said. Then he stood aside and waved his arm into the room, "Princess," he said prompting her to enter, the tone of his voice filled with antipathy.

Aliana entered and the doors promptly closed behind her. She was alone. She had longed to be alone since the death of her father, and now that she had finally been granted that desire, she wanted someone with her. She missed Iora. She missed Jasper. She missed her father. She missed her mother. She simply missed.

Flooded with emotions, yet utterly empty, she sat on her bed and stared at nothing. She did not hear the knock on her door or see the tray of food being slid in. She did not hear a second knock when the tray had been picked up. She did not hunger. She did not thirst. She did not comprehend anything of the world around her. She did not even notice when late into the night she had crawled beneath the covers and fell asleep.

When she awoke the next morning, she remembered nothing of her dreams. She looked around, confused, not remembering the events that had transpired the day before. Why am I in my robes, she wondered, and with shoes still on my feet? Where is Iora? She slowly crawled out of bed, and in a daze tried to open her door. It was locked. She moved to the window, which was also locked. Then she collapsed as all of the memories came at once to her mind, overflowing her thoughts. She let out sobs of pain and grief. "No!" she screamed, then lowered her voice to a nearly inaudible whisper. "No, it can't be true," she sobbed. "I didn't kill my father. I didn't kill him! I am innocent. I am Queen, I am no prisoner."

There was no one to comfort her. No one to bring her a handkerchief as she lay there weeping. She wiped her face repeatedly with her hands, arms, and robes, in an attempt to keep the tears and snot at bay. She began coughing, choking, hyperventilating, and still no help came. Why am I still here? Why have they not discovered their error and released me? There's no way they found that vile in my chambers!

Finally, there was a knock on the door. Aliana brushed away the tears and tried to steady herself, making for the door, but a tray was slid in and the door locked before she could reach it. She kicked the tray in anger, spilling its contents to the floor. But then, realizing how truly hungry and thirsty she had become she picked it up, placing it back on the tray. Then brought the cup to her lips and drank.

The water burned down her throat which had gone raw from the crying and lack of moisture. Slow, steady sips were all she could manage with the pain. She looked at the rest of the food on the tray: porridge and bread. This was not the type of meal she was accustomed to. The princess had not eaten porridge a day in her life! The bread was old, stale, and hard, too hard to eat with her throat so tender. Aliana placed it in her clothes chest, wrapping it in cloth for later then sat and slowly finished her meager meal.

Placing the empty tray back onto the floor next to the door, it was not long before a soldier opened the door to whisk it away. "Wait!" she cried out. "I..." but it was too late. The guard paid her no heed. They must all believe me to be guilty! Why? What have I ever done to make them believe I was capable of such an atrocity!

Her thoughts next went to proving her innocence. How could she do it? Where would they have found the vial? I must think. Have I noticed anything out of place, out of ordinary in my chambers since my father died? Where could someone have placed the vial where I would not have noticed but that would be found by guards? Why had guards even searched my chambers? They had no right to be in here.

Aliana was suddenly filled with rage. The guards had no right to even be in her room! Even if she had been in possession of the poison, it would have never been able to be found because no one, except the occasional servant, entered her room. She must have been framed! Someone had to have put the vial in her room and then alerted the guards! It was the only possible explanation.

She rushed to her door, and began beating on it with her fists. "I am innocent!" she screamed desperately. "The poison was not mine! I was framed!"

There was no reply.

She beat against the door for a while longer, until her pale, slender hands were red and raw. Quickly, she gave up trying to speak words, and resorted to pathetic sobs and hopeless screams.

Long after it had become obvious no one would come to her aid, she finally stood up. She gently touched the tears that were streaming down her face. Looking in a mirror, she was disgusted by what she saw. Her hair was even messier than it had been yesterday, and her pale face was red and splotchy. The regal queen that had led a council meeting less than twenty-four hours prior had now been reduced to a pitiful mess. She hated it.

There will be no more crying.

She grabbed a handkerchief from her dresser and wiped away the tears. A brush was then taken to her hair in a futile attempt to tidy it; she merely succeeded in ripping out a few knots. It didn't take long for her to give up and simply put it in a braid. Next, she removed her council robe and the blue dress that lay underneath it. In its place, she put on a simple, but comfortable, nightgown.

Slowly, Aliana walked to her window. Through the glass, she could see the courtyard below. People walked on the pathways and lounged on the benches. Servants bustled about and noblemen strode purposefully. Life went on and she was not part of it. She may never be part of it again.