Aune slammed the book shut. She had already read it too many times. It only made her feel more inexperienced and stupid, telling her of a world she couldn't see, a world she was removed from. The tales of knights, princesses, towns, they meant nothing to her, for she knew no experience of them. She only knew a world of her rooms, where food came three times a day, small meals brought in by her nurse, Anna. Her books were her only escape. Scrolls, novels, and thickly bound books covered every available surface in one room. She'd read them all. Thirteen years of books and isolation left her craving something more.

She leaned back in her chair, looking through the glass on her ceiling. The sun would shine in all day, and at night Anna would bring lanterns to light the room. The large clock in the corner boomed out the hour. On time as always, Anna opened the door. "Miss Aune, here is your lunch." Aune didn't bother moving.

"Please leave it on the table, Anna."

Anna did as she was bade, but refused to leave until Aune thanked the King and Queen for her food. Aune grumbled; out of all things she had to do, this was the one which she disliked the most. After hurriedly thanking them, she finally burst out "Why do I have to thank them?"

Anna sighed, as if she knew she would have to say it eventually. "Their Royal Majesties are kind enough to provide for you."

Aune refused to accept that explanation. "Why do I live here, Anna? Why in the castle, when there is a whole other world outside?"

Anna looked at Aune very sternly. "Your parents wished it to be so."

"Who are my parents?" Aune felt her irritation rising, as it had never done before.

Anna didn't answer. She stood and left, agitation hovering in her wake. The door opened and shut, giving Aune a glimpse of the outside of her room.

She had never questioned Anna before, and the idea that she had left her stomach tingling. Leaving the food on its table, she entered her book-room, searching for a book to calm her nerves.

She shifted a pile of books, trying to get to the back of the room. Dropping it on the floor, she failed to notice that the skirt of her long dress had been caught. Picking up another pile, she took a couple steps and tripped. The books went flying into a corner between two bookcases, and Aune fell. Angrily, she tugged her skirts free and went to pick up the books. Where they had hit the wall, a long crack ran down from the ceiling to the floor.

Aune reached for the crack to try to fix it, when she felt a breath of air from it. Gingerly, she pried it open. Instead of needing force, it slid open easily, nearly causing Aune to fall again.

Behind the section of wall, a stone had been removed, leaving a hole from which Aune could peer out. She could see nothing but houses, so she withdrew her head. Reaching to pull the hidden door shut again, her hand brushed against something. A book. Curious as always, she pulled it out and closed the door. It was a thin book, bound poorly in leather.

She opened it. The first page was written in clumsy letters,

"Nephele Sparks

My Journal"

Aune never knew anyone named Nephele Sparks. She thumbed through the pages, which were written in a curious way that Aune had only seen once before: lines across horizontally in black, then lines vertically in a blue ink. Aune left her book-room to find a cozy spot to read the journal, mesmerized by the hidden book.

. . .

"This simple gift of paper is worth more than anyone can imagine. I still hardly dare to mark its pages. I'm not supposed to know how to read or write. At least, that's what nearly everyone has told me. But Old Russell the Librarian has taught me and encouraged me. This is more than anything I could ever do to repay him. He tells me to not worry, it was what he wanted. I fear the days when he passes on and his apprentice Dirk takes over. Dirk is headstrong and handsome, and cares nothing for the trade he is training in. Old Russell is the only kind person here, besides their Majesties. They are young to be crowned rulers, but it is the wish of His Majesty's parents. The old King and Queen are wise, but there are rumors. Rumors that Queen Natela is with child (To write this down is treason, so I must keep it carefully. Old Russell says to record everything around me). Their Royal Majesties have yet to be married, and I with every day, I fear the rumors are true. The Queen is gaining weight, but eating little. She continues to live with vigor, though sometimes it clearly takes effort to do so. What am I doing writing this? Old Russell would be ashamed at my attention to gossip, even if it were true.

A fortnight has passed since I last wrote. The Castle itself seems to be moving with the bustle of the crowds preparing for the Royal Wedding. What excitement! Old Russell has caught cold and it is only Spring! I often fear for him. Today he told me that he would rather leave me as a librarian than Dirk, but I, being a young lady, would not be able to do so anyway. I have had very little rest lately, fetching fabric, kneading dough, helping visitors, and such forth. How many people have been arriving! The Wedding is not for a good seven months, yet it seems as if it is tomorrow! They have planned for the wedding to fall in the early winter, as the suffocating heat starts to cool, though it never gets too cold to swim in the bay. Oh, dear. Somebody's calling me and they sound mad. I must leave.

Goodness me! Has it really been two full months already? I've lost track of all time. The Castle is bursting with people and activity, though Mother says that it will begin to lull soon, until we are about two months away. Then the real rush begins. Old Russell was on his deathbed for several days, but he has recovered and is back to full, if not better than, his old strength. But with the good news, bad news also comes. Queen Natela is pregnant. I am one of the only people to know, and I am sworn by my life to tell no one. Old Russell told me. What will happen, I don't know. I pray that they won't kill the baby. It isn't his fault he is to be born!

Three months later, I have been told that the baby will come any day now. I have been put to work furnishing a few adjoining rooms where the baby will live. The Queen has heard that I know, and forced me to swear on my life, which I did without hesitation, that I would never tell anyone about the baby. The rooms are in a tall tower which appears deserted from the bottom of a long stairway. I have begun to think that-"

Aune slammed the book shut, heart pounding. Footsteps were coming up the stairs outside of her room. She knew the noise. Shoving the book under a chair cushion, she slid to the door, waiting to see who it was. Someone knocked gently.

"Hello?" came a small voice from outside.

"Hello. Who is it?" Aune called back.

There was a pause, but the person was still there.

Then, "Who are you?"

"My name's Aune."

"May I come in?"

This was the strangest question Aune had ever heard. "Of course." People always let themselves in, the door was always locked and they had the key.

The thick door swung open to reveal a little girl, covered in cobwebs and wearing a beautiful dress. A thin gold crown rested on her brown hair. Aune blinked. The little girl looked like her, from her thick brown hair to her grey-blue eyes. It must be a coincidence.

"My name's Adela. I'm a Princess."

Aune stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

Princess Adela giggled. "I hate it when people start bowing to me and calling me princess. It's annoying."

Aune blushed, realizing how disrespectful she had acted. "I'm sorry, I should have bowed." She muttered, making an awkward performance of what she imagined to be a bow.

Adela giggled again. "That's not a bow. I don't want you to bow to me anyway. I like you."

Slightly taken aback by Adela's forwardness, Aune smiled shyly. "Thank you. I like you too. You're the only person I've ever seen besides my nurse."

Adela's jaw dropped. "Really? That's so sad. I feel bad for you." Then she brightened. "Do you want to come play?"

Aune's heart leapt at the thought of leaving her room. "Can I... I mean, may I?"

Adela had already began walking away. "Come on!"

Aune ran out of her room, eyes gleaming. She was free.

Adela raced down the stairs, followed closely by Aune, who wasn't very good at running in skirts. Opening a heavy wooden door at the bottom of the stairs, Adela brushed spiderwebs off of her dress. "Mama told me not to get this dirty, but that's okay because I have a new friend." She smiled at Aune. "Mama and Papa like me to make friends."

Aune took the little hand in hers. "I've never had a friend. Thank you for being one."

Adela shrugged as if it were nothing, then pulled her forward. "Come on! I'll show you the castle!"

Aune was swept along in the wake of Princess Adela, who chattered away happily, revealing all of her favorite places. Aune couldn't believe the sheer size of the castle. She had never seen so many people, working, hurrying, talking. This must have been what Nephele Sparks was talking about when she said that it was busy! Adela turned down another corridor. The castle seemed to be getting fancier as they went. They stopped at a large pair of ornate metal doors. Two men in armor stood guard next to them, and bowed to Adela as she arrived.

"May we go in?" Her voice had a tone of commanding in it.

"Princess, your parents are having visitors very soon. I apologize, but I'm afraid that you should not go in."

Adela's lower lip stuck out stubbornly. "I have to show them my new friend." Now both men turned to look at Aune. Self-consciously, some distant memory reminded her to curtsey. The men looked at each other, then back at Aune, then nodded to the Princess. The doors were opened, and Adela beckoned Aune in.

She turned and whispered "Mama and Papa like it when people call them Your majesties and curtsey. I don't know why, though."

Aune nodded. "I guess it makes sense, Princess Adela."

"Please just call me Adela."

"Of course, my friend."

Adela took Aune's hand again, smiling broadly. "Let's go."

The room was huge. Finery and precious metals and stones of all kinds decorated the walls. If Aune had know the true extent of the decorations, she would not have been able to walk straight. Large murals of the King and Queen donned the gold and silver plated walls, inlaid with stones; sapphires, rubies, emeralds, amber, jet, pearls, garnets, jade, and so many others created a colorful splash of finery.

Adela seemed to pay no attention to it. She pulled Aune out into the open and up to a dais where two beautiful, ornate chairs, even more decorated than the room, were, filled with two people: a willowy, short and slender woman and a powerfully built man with dark brown hair. Aune hastened to dip a curtstey while Adela introduced her.

"This is my new friend, papa."

The king spoke slowly. "What is your friend's name, Adela?"

Adela smiled happily. "She says her name is Aune and she lives in a dark, nasty tower-"

Adela got no further. The King leapt to his feet, roaring "Guards! Bring me Anna and Nephele!" There was a noise from the back of the hall, and the doors swung shut with a boom. He turned his face toward Aune. "Adela, leave."

"But papa-"

"I said, leave!"

Adela took Aune's hand.

"Without your friend."

Adela scurried off, but not before giving Aune a hug.

The King focused on Aune and she trembled, but stood firm. "You, Aune. How did you get out of the tower?"

"I was let out by Adela. I can't open the door from the inside. It's always locked."

He stared at her, the attention making her uneasy. "You are not short of nerve," he whispered "to talk to a king without addressing him as such."

"I apologize, Your Majesty." She murmured, still looking him in the eye.

There was another boom, and the hurried footsteps of two people running towards them. Anna and another woman arrived panting. The other woman was obviously older, with grey streaks in her hair, and she bore a sense of dignity and calm.

They both curtseyed. "Your Majesties."

"Anna!" The King bellowed. She leapt with fright. "How is the girl is out of her room?"

Anna patted her apron pockets, relaxing a little. "Your Majesty, I have the key. There should not have been any way for her to escape."

"And yet she did, Anna. Think carefully now. Did you lock the door."

Anna stared back, an expression of horror crossing her face.

He chuckled darkly. "I see you haven't, Anna."

She threw herself, sobbing, at his feet. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Spare me, I beg of you."

"Guards!" Two men came rushing in from a small door behind the dais.

"Your Majesty, how may I help you?" One said, both kneeling.

"Take her," he pointed to Anna "away. You know what to do."

"Yes Your Majesty." Together they grabbed Anna, sobbing and begging, and dragged her off, back through the door.

"Nephele Sparks, my loyal librarian. You are the only person who knows of this girl, am I correct?"

"I swear it on my life, Your Majesty."

Aune's heart leapt. Nephele Sparks. Librarian. She knows about me... Anger rushed through her veins, and she struggled to keep it down. She, Aune, was the forbidden child.