Chapter 3

Alice 

As my cousins and I made our way to the royal kitchen, something strange caught our attention within the palace. It was impossible to ignore – every royal guard and even the palace knights had paraded into the royal hall. The same hall that was reserved for important meetings and deliberations, especially during times of war. We exchanged puzzled glances, our curiosity piqued and decided to follow the crowd into the hall.

Upon entering the venue, I was taken aback by what I saw. A long table dominated the center of the room, already nearly complete with attendees. Even the entire royal family was present, which was unusual for an unscheduled conference.

I took my seat, choosing one close to my mother, the reigning Queen. My confusion was evident in my expression, and I couldn't help but convey it to her with a questioning look. She, in turn, simply urged me to be patient and wait for the meetings to proceed in their proper order.

Restlessly, I scanned the room, my eyes coming to a halt on Princess Cassandra, Karina's mother. She appeared remarkably nervous, a stark contrast to her usual composed demeanor. My curiosity deepened as I wondered what could possibly be happening to cause such an unexpected gathering.

"As the King of Bridgeton, I have called this assembly to order," my father declared, radiating an authoritative aura that silenced the room. Every eye was fixed on the King as he continued, his voice resonating with urgency.

"I have learned that someone has stolen the royal gem of Bridgeton. Princess Cassandra was entrusted with its safekeeping, and she has failed in that duty. I have ordered a search for the jewel to be conducted before Princess Alice's upcoming birthday. I will spare Princess Cassandra's life if the gem is recovered. If not, I shall not hesitate to remove her from her position," the King's gaze bore into Aunt Cassandra, a stare that could pierce steel.

I had never witnessed my father in such a state of anger. I had seen him on the battlefield, and I had seen him deal with adversaries, but this was different. Perhaps it was because the Royal Gem was not just any jewel. It was the most important heirloom of our family, passed down through generations, never once lost. Without it, the power of the Crystal Light would wane, and our diamonds would deteriorate. If my diamonds weakened, I would lose control over the Kingdom.

I glanced at Karina, who was now questioning her mother. Her usual confident demeanor had given way to a nervous unease. Aunt Cassandra nodded, acknowledging her irresponsibility and the trouble she had caused the entire Kingdom.

"Your Majesty," Karina rose from her seat and respectfully lowered her head before speaking, her voice determined, "I apologize on behalf of my mother. I will do everything in my power to uncover the thief and return the gem to you."

Aunt Cassandra remained impassive, as if she had resolved not to show any emotions, not even guilt. But my father was not appeased.

"Cassandra, are you so afraid to admit your mistake that you allow your daughter to speak for you? If I had known you would be duped by that man's treachery and silver tongue, I would never have entrusted you with the gem," my father's irate tone sent shivers down my spine.

Aunt Cassandra rose hastily and echoed what Karina had just stated, her once-proud self now admitting defeat. It seemed my father already had a strong suspicion of who the thief might be.

I couldn't help but wonder about the repercussions of this theft. When our adversary learned of the lost diamond, they would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to attack us when we were most vulnerable. It raised questions about how the jewel had been stolen, as Aunt Cassandra had hidden it in a vault even Karina couldn't access. Foul play seemed likely, and suspicion fell on her husband, Prince Casper, who was conspicuously absent. But did Aunt Cassandra not consider the impact on Karina?

After a lengthy discussion with the head of the palace knights, my father issued a decree confining Aunt Cassandra to the castle's north wing room, known as the 'Locus de Paenitenia,' in the hope that she would reflect on her actions.

The castle was divided into four wings: south, north, east, and west. The east wing housed Prince Harold and his family, while we resided in the west wing. Princess Cassandra and her family lived in the east wing. The north wing, on the other hand, contained rooms where those who had transgressed were housed. The type and intensity of torment in the north wing varied depending on the severity of one's transgressions.

Aunt Cassandra had been placed in a lower-level room, which meant her suffering would be less intense than in the upper levels. The 'Locus de Paenitenia' was reserved for those who had sworn oaths to protect something and had failed. Such oaths within the palace were considered sacred, with dire consequences for those who broke them.

"Alice!" a voice called out, snapping me back to reality. I turned to see Harriet approaching me.

"Look, my diamond's already losing its shine, which means the Royal Gem is no longer in the Palace," she explained, displaying her once-silver-like diamond, now fading.

I summoned my diamond, and, like Harriet's, its brilliance was gradually diminishing. Each member of the Royal Family possessed their own unique diamond. Mine was red, Harriet's silver, and Karina's orange. Once our diamonds lost their luster, it would affect our abilities and strength in battle. The pressing question remained: where was the Royal Gem now?

I confided in Harriet about my suspicions regarding the thief, only to discover that we both had the same person in mind. He was a Dehova loyalist, a longstanding enemy of our Kingdom. We discussed the situation and devised a strategy to recover the gem.

As we deliberated, Karina approached us, her expression filled with worry.

"I'm sorry," she muttered softly, "my family has failed the kingdom."

After a quick exchange of glances, Harriet and I chased after Karina to reassure her that it wasn't her fault. We combed through the castle's corridors with the assistance of our royal attendants but found no trace of her. I recalled a secret place in the Royal Garden where Karina retreated when she was upset.

With Harriet's diamond, we unlocked the garden's hidden door and ventured inside. There, we found Karina, her expression one of desperation. It was the second time I had seen her look so fragile and vulnerable.

Harriet approached her gently. "Is that you, Karina? Are you alright?"

Karina, who had seemed oblivious to our presence just moments before, suddenly shifted her posture and demeanor, attempting to hide her true emotions.

"I overheard the King say that my father was the one who stole the jewel," she began, her voice shaking with emotion.

"I'm ashamed... I fear that we are only bringing disgrace to the royal family. I don't know how to face all of you, especially the King, who placed his trust in us," her resolve crumbled, and she began to weep.

Harriet comforted Karina, reminding her that it was still an assumption and not yet confirmed. But the weight of her family's actions bore heavily on Karina's shoulders.

"I've already warned Mom... but she never listens... She never listens to me; she only listens to him. I'm not sure how I can save her anymore. How can I save her if she keeps digging her own grave?" Karina's tears broke my heart. She had always been the dutiful daughter, torn now between her love for her mother and her responsibility to the Kingdom. Why did it always seem to be the children who suffered for their parents' wrongdoings?

This was the second time Karina had felt helpless, the first being when her father had stolen the royal script. She had been the one to rectify the situation and earn my father's trust, and now her parents had shattered that trust once more. I wondered how much Aunt Cassandra loved Prince Casper to betray her own daughter and jeopardize the Kingdom.

'What have you done, Aunt Cassandra?' I thought, as the stolen Royal Gem cast a shadow of uncertainty over us all.