Ruby’s hands shook as she slid the letter opener under the flap of the sealed envelope. She’d always questioned her name, with golden blonde locks, and sapphire blue eyes she had always found her name to be more fitting of someone with crimson locks, like her Mama. Her Papa always told her he’d promised to give her the name moments before she was born.

She knew her mother died shortly after or before her birth, her Papa wasn’t clear on exactly when, he always grew quiet when asked. She heard her mother was strong and brave, and had a wonderful singing voice, but not much else.

She carefully pulled the crisp white paper from the yellowed envelope. She had been puzzled when her Papa handed it to her, all he or her Mama would say was it was time to learn the truth, her truth.

She ran her fingers over the elegantly scripted words.

Our dearest child,

We’ve been looking forward to your arrival. We’ve been counting the hours until the day you are born. We can’t wait to hold you and see your face for the very first time.

Most importantly, we’re going to be a family. Always there for each other. Ready to understand and believe. We will always be there for you if you ever find yourself in need of a guiding hand or a loving hug.

Life is full of surprises. Ups and downs. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but we’ll love and support you no matter what.

Ruling Cordonia will seem like a big job, but your mother and I have every faith in your ability. Know that you come from a long line of people who once walked a similar path. Though things may seem daunting, we know that you shall preserve just as those before you have.

Ruby paused. Cordonia. The name felt familiar, like she should know where or when she heard it. Her mind falling blank. She pursed her lips as she continued to read. She could work on placing how she knew the country later.

You have so much strength and courage and you aren’t even here yet, but I know this because all I have to do is look at your mother to know you will take after her. You will be strong and courageous just as she’s always been and have the kind and loving heart we both contain. You will be the best of both of us.

Please remember times aren’t always easy, but you can do anything with the right people by your side. We have both learned that from each other and the love of our friends.

In spite of the hardships you may face, know that Cordonia will appreciate all the creativity and heart you bring to each challenge. Because we know you will be ready to take on anything. There are lots of twists and turns in life, and you need to keep your head on a swivel and your mama on speed dial.

We know that we can teach the lessons you’ll need to weather any storm.

We’re already so proud of the wonderful things we know you’ll do, of the person we know you’ll be. And we couldn’t be more proud to call you ours or love you more.

Love,

With all our hearts

Mom & Dad

Ruby watched as fresh tears dropped on the page, mingling with those dried tears of her parents. Her parents. She always knew her Mama and Papa weren’t blood, but they, along with her siblings were all she ever had.

She stared down at her father’s elegant script, watching as the fresh tears blur the once-crisp black letters. She felt as though she understood who they were even in a few lines.

Her eyes retraced the words, falling on two that made her heart race; Ruling Cordonia.

Cordonia. She couldn’t get the word out of her head. She knew she heard or saw it somewhere before. Maybe at school. She laid the letter on the bed and picked up her phone quickly typing Cordonia into the search bar.

I know this place. She could feel it in her bones that she had a connection to this place she was apparently set to rule before today.

She clicked the top link and slowly scrolled down the page as she scanned the words. She let out a gasp and her heart clenched when she reached the picture of the last king.

Her lip trembled and tears welled in her eyes. She did know this country, she read about it when she was ten, she could remember the strange connection she had felt as she had read about the royal family before.

She had found it odd that she shed tears for a family she never knew. She scrolled down further stopping at a picture of the king and his queen on their wedding day, beneath was the only family portrait. The queen wore a peach and gold gown and she was visibly pregnant. King Liam and Queen Carolyn one week before the accident, heir unborn and unnamed.

Tears silently streaked down her cheeks. These were her parents. God, I look so much like both of them.

Something isn’t right. She survived, yet the page clearly stated that none of the royal family had survived. Why do they think I’m dead?

She glanced at her letter, the one her parents had given her. They had told her this would reveal her truth, they knew. She wanted to be furious that they had lied to her all her life, but there had to be a reason. Her mama always told her that the reason may not always be clear but it’s always there.

She picked up her letter standing, she needed answers and she wouldn’t get them from some website. She needed to speak to her parents.

- - -

“Mama, Papa, can we talk … ” Ruby held up the unfolded letter, “about this?”

Olivia nodded, shooing away Ruby’s younger brothers with a look. “Come sit, and tell us what questions you have.” She patted the seat next to her.

Ruby slowly walked towards the only mother she ever knew, a great ache in her chest. Her stomach twisted in knots, all she’d ever known was about to change, didn't it already? Since learning who her parents were she had felt like a hundred-pound weight had been placed upon her head.

Was she really ready to have the only life she ever knew crash down around her like a simple house of cards? Was she ready for her life to change completely?

She swallowed as she sat beside Olivia on the couch laying the letter on her lap. Her sapphire eyes glanced down at the letter, though she nearly had it memorized. “Umm … ” suddenly her mouth went dry. She looked up, her eyes locking on the familiar steely grey of her Papa. “Is — is this real?” She stumbled over the words, she began to question if she was fit for the title she was born to. I’m not cut out to be a princess, I can’t even speak to the parents who raised me. Wait, my parents died … am I already queen? “Am — am I really a — a princess?”

“Ruby’s a princess?!” Lovett gasped, his head peeking from behind the door.

Olivia’s eyes narrowed as she gave her youngest child a warning glare. “Lovett, you and Galen go and wait in your rooms, we will explain everything later.”

“Fine,” Lovett replied, shoulders slumping as he stomped off, he never got to have any fun.

Olivia turned back to her daughter, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You are a queen.”

A million questions ran through her head in a millisecond. What really happened to her parents? Why wasn’t she raised in a palace? Why did everyone think she was dead? Only one question slipped past her lips. “How?”

Bastien and Olivia locked eyes, a silent conversation shared between them before Olivia told her how she’d been best friends with Ruby’s father, watched him fall in love with her mother and both of them fight any obstacle in their way, together. Ruby sat silent, occasionally nodding as she processed every word.

She listened as they recounted that a king and queen of a neighboring nation wanted to force her parents into marrying her off to one of their children before she was even born. How her parents refused, stating their child would marry for love, not alliance. They tried to come to some sort of agreement without a betrothal contract, but the king persisted. He was foolish with his own country’s funds and wanted Cordonia’s, no matter the cost.

Her breath caught in her throat as her Papa explained that he was her father’s head guard, that they had been on their way to the hospital when they were run off the road. Tears silently slipped down her cheeks as he told her that her father died trying to protect both her and her mother upon impact. He spared her the details but told her that her mother only lived long enough to tell him to name her baby Ruby and to protect her.

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as she truly felt the painful loss of her parents for the first time in all her life. She lost out on knowing her parents because a king couldn’t stand being told no. The part she read about him being a dictator finally made sense. He killed them, took them away from me.

She wiped her cheeks and took a deep breath. She needed to hear more, exactly what had happened to her family.

After she urged him to continue he told her how he had cut her from her mother. He told her how every thought had been: be alive. He told her the relief he felt as she took her first breath. She sniffled as she was told she was wrapped in her father’s jacket, which they later found her letter in.

She looked up, surprised to see the man who was always calm in any situation was silently crying himself as he spoke. “I’m sorry Papa, I didn’t mean to —”

“You deserve to know Ruby,” Olivia said. “Let me take over.” She took a deep breath. “Papa walked to where I lived, he was a guard, I was a duchess. Where I grew up, we had more snow than sun.”

“That’s why you always loved the snow.”

Olivia nodded with a soft smile that quickly drifted away. “There was a storm that night, and it was a wonder you and Papa didn’t freeze to death. Papa arrived covered in blood, clutching you to his chest in the middle of the night. He nearly scared my majordomo half to death.

When I saw Papa holding you to his chest I instantly knew. He asked me for help getting you out of the country, we both knew you would be safer elsewhere. I quickly decided it would be safer for you if I went with you both. We’ve used more aliases than I could possibly recount, we moved a lot when you were little. We always posed as husband and wife with a beautiful daughter.” She looked down at her hands. “At some point, I’m not sure when the lines blurred, we got closer, and by your fifth birthday I was pregnant with Galen.”

“So that’s why we always changed names when we moved.”

“Yes,” Olivia patted her hand, “to keep you safe, to keep us all safe.”

“What does it all mean?”

“Well, you are the rightful queen, there might be some pushback but with the head guard and a duchess backing your claim, it would be harder for them to contest.” Olivia pushed back a wave of golden hair. “Besides you look so much like both your mother and father, no one could deny that you are theirs, a Rys.”

“Oh.” Ruby looked down at her hands. When she woke in the morning she never expected her life to change so drastically.

“Of course, you don’t have to claim your title. Papa and I would completely understand if you wanted to continue being a Johnson.”

“No.” Ruby shook her head, the answer coming automatically surprising even herself. Once the word was out she knew she couldn’t answer any other way. “You said I’m a Rys, I’ve always been a Rys — no matter what name I used. Cordonia is my home and I have to take it back.”

Olivia smiled again at Ruby, proud at the Nevrakis strength she was exuding. “Let’s get ready to go home.”

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