The Alliance

Chapter 24; Twist of fate

The moment Aurora and Jasmine step into the dimly lit corridor, the weight of silence is shattered by the crack of Aurora’s palm against Jasmine’s cheek. The force of it is so fierce that Jasmine staggers, her head snapping to the side as pain explodes through her jaw. A sharp gasp escapes her lips, and she tastes blood.

The walls of the castle seem to tremble with the sheer force of Aurora’s fury. Her chest rises and falls in rapid, furious breaths, her hazel eyes ablaze with rage.

“You wretched little deceiver,” Aurora hisses, grabbing Jasmine by the arm and yanking her forward. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

Jasmine stumbles, her vision blurred with tears. She has no words, no explanation that will calm the storm raging in Aurora’s eyes.

“I should have unmasked you in the wedding hall,” Aurora spits. “I should have exposed you for the liar that you are, but do you know why I didn’t?” She shakes Jasmine’s roughly. “Because this is bigger than you. Bigger than your pathetic existence. If Mercia knew what you truly were, if they realized that my sister is gone and that a mere maid stands in her place, they would see this as a calculated betrayal. A deceit of war. And they would burn Eldermere to the ground!”

Jasmine sobs, gripping Aurora’s wrist weakly. “Please, I—”

“Silence!” Aurora snaps, dragging her down the corridor. Her grip is brutal, her nails digging into Jasmine’s skin. The torches flicker as they move, casting wild shadows along the stone walls.

They reach a heavy wooden door, and Aurora throws it open. Inside, the Elders of Eldermere are already gathered—grim-faced men with cold, judging stares. Princess Amira stands beside them, arms folded, while Calista, her youngest sister, shifts nervously in the corner.

Aurora flings Jasmine into the center of the room. She falls to her knees, her palms slamming against the cold stone floor.

The doors slam shut behind them.

Aurora unsheathes her sword in one swift, fluid motion and points the gleaming blade directly at Jasmine’s throat. “Tell me where Bianca has gone,” she demands, her voice a dangerous whisper. “Tell me now, or I swear on my crown I will carve the answer out of you.”

Jasmine gasps, her entire body trembling. Blood drips from the corner of her mouth where Aurora’s slap had split her lip. “I-I don’t know!” she cries. “I swear, I don’t know where she’s gone!”

Calista interrupts, trying so hard to hide her smirk “Liar! You’ve been her shadow for weeks. You expect us to believe she vanished into thin air?”

The Elders murmur among themselves, their faces hardened with fury and disgust.

“She has brought shame upon Eldermere,” Elder Gareth, the oldest, growls. “If the prince discovers this betrayal, England will see it as an act of war.” He concludes.

“She is a traitor,” Elder Gerund mutters darkly.

“She has jeopardized the entire alliance,” a third elder hisses.

Calista steps forward, her gaze filled with loathing. “Do you have any idea what will happen if Mercia discovers this treachery? If they find out that you—an imposter—married their prince in Bianca’s stead?” She kneels in front of Jasmine, grasping her chin roughly and forcing her to look up. Calista’s expression is a clear sign of threat to Jasmine, she knows that exposing any of the sisters will put her in a tighter position. “You have put us all at risk. If war comes because of this, it will be on your head.” Calista says.

Jasmine sobs, feeling completely helpless, she shakes her head desperately. “Please, I never meant for this to happen! I had no choice! I was forced into this—they threatened my mother’s life! I was going to tell the prince the truth, I swear it, but I was stopped!”

“Lies!” Aurora snarls, pressing the tip of her blade against Jasmine’s throat. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t sever your head from your shoulders right this moment.”

Before Jasmine can speak, the doors to the chamber burst open. No one noticed Amira had left the room until the door swung open.

Amira rushes in, breathless, her face pale with panic. “Aurora!” she cries, holding up a crumpled piece of parchment. “I found this in Bianca’s chambers.”

Aurora snatches the note from Amira’s hands and unrolls it swiftly. Her eyes scan the message, and suddenly, all the fury in her face twists into something darker.

The parchment bears the crest of Vnyra—the rival kingdom that has long been at war with Eldermere. The message is simple, but its implications are damning.

“Princess Bianca is in our hands now. Eldermere will pay for its treachery.”

A tense silence falls over the room.

Calista’s face drains of color. “Bianca… was kidnapped?”

Aurora clenches her fists, her entire body rigid with barely contained rage. “That must be why she fled before the wedding. They must have taken her before she could make it to the altar.”

One of the elders narrows his eyes. “This is a declaration of war.”

Aurora turns to the guards standing near the door. “Send riders out immediately—search every corner of this kingdom for Bianca.” She then turns back to the Elders, her voice grave. “We must leave for Eldermere at dawn. The king must be informed of this at once.”

She exhales sharply, her fingers trembling as she grips the note tighter. “Could this be the reason why Bianca woke up with a poisoned face? Have they been trailing us since the ambush? If anything happens to my sister I won’t forgive myself!” Aurora’s thought floats above her head, making it spin and ache. Just then her gaze shifts back to Jasmine, still kneeling, still weeping.

For the first time since the ceremony, she hesitates.

If Bianca truly has been taken by Vnyra… then Jasmine, by some cruel twist of fate, might be their only hope of keeping the peace.

For now.