ONE: VICTORIA'S POV

I knew it wasn't long until they found us, our Kingdom, my kingdom was taken from me, the only legacy my father adored, and now, I was brought to the home of the king who destroyed that legacy.

Everything I had worked for went down the drain. It's been seventy-five days, and I was still tucked with a few of my maids. We were chosen to do hard chores, wash the dishes, wash sheets and curtains, mop the floors, and sort ingredients for the king. I had hope, hope that the king would come for me. After all, he had come for my kingdom.

I once saw King Kyler when he visited my father during a festival. He was flattering and kind, but he took my legacy away. That's how kings are. One minute they side with you, and the next minute, they are against you. I knew the ways of the royals; after all, my father built his legacy the same way. It's a power that makes Kings powerful. A weak kingdom was just prey to stronger kingdoms.

"Your Majesty, I haven't seen Isabelle yet," Kia whispered, dropping a basket of clothes beside me.

"What? We need to know if she is safe," I said. Kia shook her head.

"I have looked around, no news about her..." she replied. I nodded and forced a smile, inhaling in and out.

Isabelle Teagan, a trustworthy servant of mine, the day we were brought in, she was separated from me and the rest of us, no word from her, no one knew where she was, and she vanished without a trace. The guards who served me were locked in dungeons, and some were enslaved for hard chores.

I wondered, at times, if she was safe, Isabelle had saved me in so many ways a Queen could be protected, she was one ready to die for me, and I wanted to keep her safe, even until now.

"Your Majesty!" Sophie whispered, another servant of mine. She had the lightest shade of ginger hair, almost like Isabelle, fair skin, and golden eyes. She immediately fell to her knees, looking around before turning to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Panting and unable to speak, Sophie stared at me.

"I found-found... I found Belle, your highness," she barely whispered.

"Carry on with your work!" One of the guards yelled. Kia immediately continued while Sophie and I stared at him. Once he was distracted again, she continued speaking.

"Where?" I asked, curious.

Suddenly, her expression changed, and she bit her lower lip worriedly, "Actually, your Highness... I am not sure she is the one, but I saw her hair, and- I-i."

I glanced up and down at her, and her gaze shifted to Kia, who looked away quickly. Something was off. I had to ask.

"Is she dead?" I asked. Sophie swallowed. And seconds later, she shook her head slightly, still wearing a troubled face.

"No, the thing is, Your Highness, Isabelle is the king's bride, Isabelle, Your Highness, is having dinner with the King right now as we speak," She said. I fell numb, and I bet my brain did, too.

"What?" I barely said out, my eyes blinking a thousand times at her words, my chest pondering, goosebumps engulfing my rough skin, and the waters I had my hands in became too cold.

"She was dressed in royal silk, her skin glowed, and her hair was so silky I couldn't recognise her even. She looked so beautiful," I could feel the bitterness in Sophie's voice.

"The King chose his bride well. She's a goddess. I felt the texture of her red hair today, and I have never felt anything so smooth. Her skin was too beautiful for me to touch. Ayn and Betty are so lucky to serve her. I heard the king is so in love, I could understand,"

"Did you hear her speak? Her voice is gold," another said.

My eyes lit up at the two ladies speaking, tears gathered in my eyes; what could become of me if Kyler had chosen his bride? As I turned my head towards their direction, I shivered.

"I bet her old queen isn't useful. She must be lucky to be chosen," she sighed jealously.

"Imagine seeing the king naked," one of them whispered, and they giggled. "Oh, her queen is doomed for, bet she is nothing now, no kingdom, no special life," she took a sharp breath of realisation, "Do you know what she is doing now?"

Anger and rage engulfed me, the zeal to tear them apart, I glared at them furiously, and suddenly, Sophie's sudden stance caught my attention.

"Little whores!" She rushed over to the blonde, grabbing her hair, and the dark-haired, she also grabbed. They yelled, holding their hair and pulling against them.

Kia got up also, and they began to fight each other. I watched, but my mind had zoned off. I thought of the times when Isabelle was a teenager when I saved her from dying at the market that hot afternoon, and she thanked me so much and even offered to serve me.

Letting her serve me was the biggest mistake of my life. She was beautiful, down-to-earth gorgeous. Isabelle had men sending her flowers and gifts even as a servant girl. Whenever we went on a trip together, people assumed I was the serving girl, this made me jealous, but I concealed it. I remembered the night I took a knife against her while she slept.

That night we snuck out of the Palace to see my Declan, a Knight and my lover, but he confessed he had approached me because he couldn't come to Isabelle. I was filled with bitterness, anger and the urge to murder her.

Once again, Kyler had approached my Kingdom because of Isabelle. Maybe if I did then, Kyler would have chosen me as his bride now.

"How dare you speak against my Queen that way? What did you say?!" Sophie screamed, beating up the blonde that her body had turned red.

The door opened, and guards rushed in while I sat quietly on the floor, stupefied.

"Victoria," I gasped at the sound of my name, looking in the direction. An older lady stood in a green dress, hands crossed at her front. "Come with me. Her Highness seeks your presence," she said,

Isabelle, I knew it was she. How dare she summons me? I clenched my jaw tightly, glaring at her.

"Take her," she ordered. I quickly reached for the knife beside me and stuck it in my boots.

"No!" Kia and Sophie yelled, but I looked at them, shaking my head, and they understood it was fine.

I have one more chance, one more chance to kill her. Maybe if I did, I would be chosen.