This is the Edited version of my First chapter. Does it sound better than the first? Also I'm going for a nicer Adelaide from the beginning so any suggestions would be helpful. Also please let me know if I repeat myself at all and point it out because I really didn't get to read it over that closley. Thanks in Advance!

Chapter One

She walked down the same hallway that she had walked since she was young. The red carpet was soft against her bare feet. Something was alive inside her. She glanced down at her hands seeing that they were decorated with blue tattoos.

“Adelaide, you’ve got five minutes. We can only hold the offense for so long,” a harsh voice echoed inside her head.

Adelaide nodded, breaking the connection with the man. Suddenly, the ground gave out beneath her. Adelaide grasped up air as she plummeted down into darkness. A sharp pain vibrated through her legs as she smashed into hard ground.

A voice spoke through the darkness, “Hello princess.”

“Who are you?” Adelaide heard herself say, her voice saturated with fear. She had no idea where she was but darkness had never been a favorite of hers. Or voices that came from stone walls.

“You’ll never know,” it replied. Suddenly, a hand struck her across her face. Adelaide collapsed to the floor, the taste of blood filling her mouth. She touched her face with shaky hands, feeling the five long cuts that now bled onto her pale skin.

“Your powers are mine,” the voice said and a splitting pain erupted in Adelaide’s mind.

Adelaide screamed in agony, twisting away from the voice. She pushed against the wall, looking for an escape but there was none. The pressure became unbearable and she continued to cry out for help. Suddenly, her world receded into darkness.

Adelaide awoke, her forehead soaked with sweat. Her lungs gasped for air and she looked around. Her muscles were tensed, ready to run. Relief returned as she recognized her surroundings. The goose feathered blanket of her bed had tangled itself around her legs. She felt her face, but her skin was still smooth without a speck of blood. The blue tattoos she had seen decorating her hands had disappeared. It was just a dream, she tried to reassure herself, sinking back into her pillows. She reached under her pillow and pulled out a journal.

She opened the black bound book to a blank page and grabbed a quill pen from the side of her bed. She dabbed the pen with ink and began writing furiously.

“Dream entry number 21: Same dream, same images that I’ve been having for the past week.” Adelaide paused placing a hand on her heart, trying to calm herself down. “This time though I actually felt the pain. I tasted my blood. It was different, more real. I have no idea what’s going on, who’s after me.” Her hands shook as she wrote the last line.

Ever since she was young, the schooling scribes of the palace had taught her the importance of dreams. But the same dream repeated so many times was a little much. She shivered and continued, “I hope I find out soon.” She was about to go on when the knob on her door turned. She stuffed the book back under her covers and closed her eyes just enough so she could make out the figure coming her way.

A tall girl with bright red, wavy hair entered the room. Adelaide breathed a sigh of relief. These dreams just make me more afraid, Adelaide said to herself, rolling onto her side.

“Princess Adelaide,” the girl said, coming over to the bed. “Time to get up.”

“Good morning Anne,” Adelaide said sitting up.

Anne smiled. “You’ve got a full day in front of you me lady. No time to waste. Martha’s waiting for you downstairs.”

Adelaide returned her smile, looking straight into Anne’s green eyes. “Just give me a few more moments. I don’t want to get up yet. And anyway, I always have to make sure I’m late. It’s my signature move.”

Anne rolled her eyes, “Late or not, it’s time to dress.” She strode over to the windows and pulled open the curtains. Adelaide squinted her eyes against the bright sunlight. She flopped back into her pillows. I would take nightmares over any day in the palace, she thought to herself as Anne tugged her out of bed.

* * *

“Martha, stick me with that god-awful pin one more time and I’ll make sure you never dress me again,” Adelaide snapped at a wizened old woman standing behind her. Her behind was already sore from the number of times that the woman had stuck her with the sharp object. The seamstress shot her a frustrated look and then returned to her sewing, squinting as she wove the needle unsteadily through the blood red layers of fabric.

“Well, if you kept still for once, your Highness,” Martha mumbled to her jumpy client, “I would be able to see where I be putting it.”

Adelaide sighed, rolling her steel grey eyes toward the ceiling. She never had the patience to stand still for more than a few minutes. The old woman grunted as she pushed the sharp wooden tool with golden thread through the tent of material that enveloped the petite girl. Adelaide felt another sharp pinch bite into her side and Adelaide winced. Suddenly, an unchecked anger surged through the princess’s veins coupled with a thrilling excitement. Martha cried out in pain. Adelaide whirled around in surprise.

Martha held up her index finger, blood oozing slowly from a prick at the tip.

“How, what?” the seamstress sputtered, grabbing a strip of white material from her basket and wrapping it around the wound.

Adelaide felt a shiver go up the base of her spine and she shook it off. I had nothing to do with that, she reassured herself, but her hands shook under the material. This happened a lot, these accidents, but Adelaide tried to convince herself that they were just that, accidents.

Once Marsha had dressed the cut, she lifted the cloth over the princess’s head.

“Thank goodness that’s over,” Adelaide replied, dusting off her lacy petticoats. She shook her unruly blonde curls away from her face and gave Martha a withering look.

“Your eyes don’t frighten me anymore,” Martha said shaking her head. Adelaide sniffed, looking away.

Mumbling to herself, the old granny stood up slowly, “Someone ought to teach her to mind her manners.” Adelaide ignored her comment and signaled for Anne to come to her. The red-head walked over, her eyes trailed on the floor at her superiors feet.

“Anne, take me to the queen,” she ordered. Anne, nodded, leading the princess out of the seamstress’s room and into a stony-walled hallway. It was out of the question for servants to even look royalty in the eye. It was an offense that could get anyone thrown into the dungeon. But Adelaide was always able to skirt by the rules and she was one of few royalty who talked to servants as friends, if only in private. She always had to be careful to obey palace customs in public. You never knew who was watching, she thought to herself as the pair made their way down the hall.

Anne stepped forward and knocked timidly on the frame of the door. It creaked open allowing a small ray of golden light to fall on the pair. Without a word, an elderly man in a black suit beckoned them inside. The sunlight streaming in from the wide open windows blinded Adelaide and she squinted in the brightness. She felt a solitary ache inside her heart, but she wasted little time contemplating the sensation. She was hardly ever allowed outside; the sunlight teasing her with its faux warmth. She padded across the marble floor, dismissing Anne at the same time with a wave of her hand. The butler, Francois, strode back over to the door, resuming his duty. At the center of the room, she stopped and knelt daintily on her knees, her skirt fanning out around her with a whisper of crinkling satin. She bent her head down towards the floor, her pale eyelids coming down over her eyes, contrasting with the dark circles that had formed underneath them.

“Francois,” a commanding voice ordered from the far side of the room. “Leave us.” The butler bowed and without a word, slipped out of the room.

The thump of a cane and the clicking of high heeled shoes were the only sounds the girl could hear, approaching her with an even measured step. She dared not open her eyes. It was against custom and she had been taught to abide by the unspoken rules ever since she was born.

Two stiletto shoes stopped inches in front of the girl’s knees and she slowly raised her eyes. A tall, thin woman with a sharp chin, dressed in a black and red velvet day gown stood above her. The bodice was woven with silken ribbons and Adelaide noticed that there was a small imprint of a heart on the woman’s left sleeve. That’s as big as her heart will ever be, the princess thought grimly, her lips pressed together in a thin line. It’s quite ironic that she wears it on her sleeve.

A golden crown identical to the one Adelaide was wearing sat upon the woman’s black hair, which had been done up in a tight bun. The woman extended her left hand, the one not holding the golden scepter and Adelaide gently took it and kissed the black mica ring on her index finger. With a smirk the woman withdrew her hand and turned around. Adelaide rose, making sure not to fumble with her gown, and followed the woman, bowing her head towards the floor, careful not to lift her eyes upward. The woman walked over to a chair (one of the only furnishings in the room that wasn’t red) and sat down.

“You may sit, Adelaide,” she motioned to the wooden chair across from her.

“Thank you, your Majesty,” Adelaide replied as she bent into a deep curtsy.

The queen drummed her fingers on the arms of her chair as she looked Adelaide up and down. She raised an artistically formed eyebrow in the girl’s direction and cleared her throat before she began. “Your father and I have spoken of what to do with you, my dear step-daughter, and I believe we have found the perfect solution. Your father wishes for you to marry before he dies.” She dabbed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief before she continued. “And the physician says he does not have much longer to live. The virus has utterly destroyed his body.”

Adelaide’s eyebrows creased with worry for a moment before she quickly composed herself. It was important to keep one’s emotions in check.

“We have decided for you to marry Prince Edgar of Mariquit. The negotiations are taking place as we speak. He and his party are due for arrival in a month hence,” the queen continued.

Adelaide winced. Mariquit was a poor, war-ridden kingdom a bit beyond Magnifica’s borders. It was rumored that Prince Edgar was an incompetent oaf who enjoyed gambling the country into debt and participated in the Forbidden Trade. He was known for his unfaithfulness, having at least two previous wives and many mistresses. He was also 20 years older than her. So that’s her diabolical plan, Adelaide thought to herself, she wants me to die poor and dishonored. I could not have expected any more than that, she thought angrily, trying to keep her face straight. I will not marry him, nay I will never marry, she decided stubbornly.

“As you wish, your Highness,” Adelaide said as meekly as she could muster, quelling her gag reflux for the moment.

The queen looked satisfied, “That is all.” She dismissed Adelaide with the wave of her hand.

Adelaide nodded and curtsied then strode towards the exit. Francois opened the door with a brisk pull from the outside and stepped aside to allow her to pass under the arch. Anne had been waiting in the hall and snapped to attention as Adelaide marched past her. Her face was still calm and collected.

“Where am I to escort you, Princess Adelaide?” Anne asked.

“My father,” she said, continuing her journey down the hall.

Anne looked discreetly from side to side, before whispering, “But, I’ve been told explicitly that only the physician and Queen Victoria are allowed to see him.”

Adelaide stopped in mid-stride. Her steel-grey eyes flashed with an anger that her calm voice did not betray. “How could someone do that,” she hissed, and Anne shrugged, keeping her gaze fixed on the floor. The pair continued down the hallway, neither looking at the other, but deep inside they both knew of their concealed friendship.

Curiosity replaced the hate that had enveloped the princess’s eyes. “By whom were you thus informed?” she asked as they turned a corner.

“The queen,” Anne replied, struggling to keep up with Adelaide’s long strides.

Adelaide swore under her breath. “That witch,” she murmured. “Let’s return to my apartments so we can speak in private.”

Anne nodded and glanced up at the princess. Their eyes met for a moment and Adelaide’s gaze softened, a thin smile flashing across her lips. They walked up a spiraling staircase made of shiny black tile which ended in a gold emblazoned door.

“Anne,” Adelaide said, staring straight ahead. The red-head hurried forward and reached into her white bodice, pulling out a cloth pouch. She fumbled with the brown drawstring and finally managed to pry it open. She withdrew a small, but heavy golden key from the purse. It was old fashioned, but a newly polished shine caught the candlelight.

Anne placed the tip of it on the imprint of a heart that had been stamped into the door. The door blazed a fiery orange and a clicking sound erupted from the bottom left hand corner of the golden portal. A metal plate extended out of the door about the size of Adelaide’s palm. On the plate was a keyhole into which Anne inserted the key. Next to it was a small, round disc, embedded in the plate. Anne reached into the woolen pocket of her brown skirt and uncorked a vial half-full of dark red liquid. She let one drop fall onto the disc before lightly tapping the plate with her index finger. The disc spun in a circle, swirling the red liquid into the shape of a heart. The original golden heart on the door glowed red and with a pop, the latch clicked and the door swung open.

Anne replaced both the vial and key to their original places among her clothes and hastened into the room. Adelaide followed close behind and sank into a dark green chair that was in front of a magnificent fireplace. The door closed behind them, the lock clicking back into place.

Adelaide handed Anne a pair of her slippers that needed mending and Anne took her place beside the blazing fire. Anne was known for her stitching and now she weaved the thread in and out of the fabric, closing up a large hole at the toe of the shoe.

“Why do you think she’s making me marry that odious man?” Adelaide asked, closing her eyes.

Anne shrugged, continuing her sewing. “Does she need a reason?”

Adelaide shook her head. “I don’t know anymore. I really don’t. Ever since the king’s been ill, everything’s been going downhill.”

Anne paused, “Well maybe she’s afraid that you may have more power than her. By marrying you off to a poor kingdom, she’ll be in full control.”

Adelaide’s heart sank. “Yes, that’s probably what it is. I’m doomed,” she felt tears welling up in her eyes as the gravity of her arranged marriage struck her.

Anne tried to comfort the poor girl, “We still have a month. We’ll figure something out.”

Adelaide shook her head, leaning back into the cushions. It’s hopeless, she thought, a single tear leaking from her eyes.

Anne stopped her mending, glancing up at the princess. Adelaide was very small for her age. Fragile, with bones as thin as a baby bird, the king had once said of her frame. Her height often got her mistaken for a ten-year old while she was nearing 18. The people of Magnifica called her pale, narrow face beautiful, her golden-blonde hair perfect, and her big grey eyes stunning. However, like many other servants and townsfolk, Anne found her looks haunting, especially her eyes. Adelaide’s gaunt flesh and piercing gaze along with her peculiar behavior caused Anne to shiver. Any man that would marry the princess would sure be in for a lot of surprises she thought. But she kept her thoughts to herself.

“Now, open the windows and let some light in. Lack of fresh air is making me dizzy,” Adelaide murmured, wiping her eyes.

Anne opened her mouth again, but thought better of it and began scurrying to open the shutters. Adelaide greatly disliked the palace customs and refused to abide by them in the privacy of her room. Out in public it was different. Anyone could be thrown into the dungeon for speaking to those of a lower class while looking them in the eye. She didn’t want to risk it outside of her bedroom walls.

People were startled with her eyes to begin with. She didn’t need to attract any more attention. She took a deep breath as the dim sunlight spilled into her room. The drumming that had been carrying on inside her head dulled and her face broke into the slightest of smiles. Slowly, she eased herself out of her chair and approached the open window. She placed her hands on the sill and closed her eyes, letting the frigid breeze toss her hair away from her face. She was at peace for the first moment that day.

She heard Anne shuffle behind her. “It’s quite cold, your Majesty, and it would be terrible for you to get the chills,” she said.

Adelaide turned around, her happiness disintegrating, about to return to the fire to find that Anne held a large goose-feathered comforter in her arms. In that moment Adelaide saw a trace of pity in the servant girl’s eyes, but quickly looked away. Adelaide accepted the blanket, a smile crinkling her grey eyes. She wrapped the warm material around her thin shoulders, looking out at the setting sun.

Winter in Magnifica was absolutely stunning, she thought. The red-gold rays of the sun bounced off the glittering icicles that hung from the trees and reflected off the frozen, snow-covered ground. She could see the small wooden and clay houses of the villagers, their roofs covered with a thick white icing of snowflakes. She could see everything from her tower. She was just beginning to enjoy the view when the bell that hung near her door clanged. Anne quickly stepped forward and opened the inside latch on the door. The visitor, whose face was hidden to Adelaide in the shadows, exchanged a few quick words with Anne before she nodded and shut the door.

Anne turned to Adelaide and said, “The queen requests that you go to sleep because you will be having a very trying day ahead of you, Princess.”

Adelaide nodded and handed over her blanket to her servant. “I relieve you from all other duty tonight, Anne,” she said, her voice tired.

Anne smiled and bowed, locking Adelaide’s door behind her parting figure. Adelaide collapsed on the bed. She lay back against the pillows, closed her eyes, and let the darkness whisk her away. Hopefully no ill-founded dreams will be sent my way, she thought as she fell asleep.