The Making of a Queen

By Bree Vanderland

Most princesses dream of a fairy tale, a happily ever after, but I’m
here to say that doesn’t exist.

In one night, my life changed forever. I lost my parents and my
sister hated me. In attempt to save my life, I fled the country I
was supposed to rule with the man I was betrothed to. I was young
and foolish, but there was so much at stake.

Fleeing to a new country, I had to learn a new set of rules to a new
court. One mistake could cost me my life.

Fairy tales don’t exist. I learned that the hard way. When one thing
after another happens that makes everything harder, I must learn
to embrace the challenges and make the decisions that will help me win back everything I lost.

I will not give up on my country and I will fight and bleed until
my people are free from a reign of terror.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bree Vanderland
• Release date: Aug 26, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386486534

Book preview

Prologue

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The sound of metal hitting metal filled my ears as the copper smell of blood filled my nostrils. I tried to focus my attention on the fight I was dealing with and not the dead bodies that littered the floor like they were nothing more than puppets, waiting to be commanded to rise again. But they wouldn't.

My opponent outweighed me, but that was expected. I was merely a woman and no one expected me out here on the field, defending my country or my crown. But most of all, I was here to defend my family.

The man was heavyset and had a beard that fell halfway down his chest. A smile cracked on his face that was smeared with dirt and blood alike, but I couldn't say much. I was sure I looked the same. His green eyes squinted towards me and they had that spark that a man got when they had their minds set on one thing. I knew what he thought of me. I was a young woman out on the battlefield with no armour on and no man around me protecting me and winning my battles for me. He wanted me like most men would want me and he was ready to stake his claim, right here, right now.

He stepped to the side and I copied him, stepping over the arm of the dead soldier nearby that he was hoping I would trip over, but I was paying attention. He lifted his sword, one that was almost as big as I was, and his arm muscles bulged out. He thought he had me since my blade was smaller and thinner, light like me to enable me to move quicker, but the main thing on his mind was to get me in a position where I would give up. But that would never happen.

When he swung the heavy blade, I was small and light enough to side step and have him miss me. I played my sword against his and the sound put chills down my spine - like when my supper knife scrapes against the metal plate.

Bitch, he muttered as he went to swing his sword around him. I crouched low to the ground and the blade just barely missed me. I went to stand as he muttered another curse and steadied himself, ready to try to attack again, but I didn't give him another chance. I gripped my thin blade tightly and lifted it over my head. With a loud cry, I used all my strength and brought the silver blade onto his shoulder, letting it slice through the flesh like my knife cutting through a slice of turkey. Once I reached bone, I stopped and lifted it out again. He cried out with pain and dropped his weapon, falling to his knees. Once he did, I brought my blade to his neck and pressed hard. I knew he was gone and his eyes started to glaze over as blood seeped through the wound.

After pulling my blade out, I turned to my right where more of my people were fighting. I could hardly tell them apart, but I knew that anyone who attacked me was on the wrong side.

Kressara! I heard Ezra's voice and I spun around just in time as someone else was already trying to stake their claim on me - the queen - the woman who was supposed to be their queen.

I raised my thin blade just in time as their sword clashed against mine. Quickly, he pulled it away and swung again, never standing still. It was always hit, side step, hit, sidestep, hit, front step, hit, back step, trying to make it so I couldn't hit him. I guessed if that's what he wanted, he shouldn't have made a pattern out of his movements. This time when he went to step towards me in his pattern, I was ready. I knew he was going to try to hit my left side so I spun out to my right and plunged my sword into his side. A look of shock spread over his face, blood dripping from his mouth, as a smile captivated mine. I drew out my sword, letting the man fall to the ground abandoned like his comrades, as blood sprayed onto my clothes, not that I cared.

Kressara, Ezra stepped up to me. We need to get you out of here, now!

I spat out some of the blood that dripped down my face and onto my lips and mouth as I shook my head. I'm not going anywhere until I know my country is safe!

Your Majesty, he started, but I shook my head, my two braids on either side of my head jerking with it. I didn't want to hear what he was going to say, but I knew that it was coming anyway. I know you're not giving up. Everyone knows that, but we need to face the facts and the fact is that this battle was lost before it ever began!

How can that be so? I knew we were standing in the middle of a battlefield, but I also knew that my countrymen would serve and protect me and if I were to die among them, I would welcome it. I knew that Ezra would keep me safe as well.

Ezra didn't look like he was paying any attention to me. Instead, he lifted his arm and pushed me out of the way. He lifted his sword and blocked an attack on my life as the blade would have hit the top of my spine, paralyzing me and more than likely causing my death. As the blades were pressed against each other in a crisscrossed pattern, the men decided to see who was stronger and each forgot all about me tangled up with the corpses and pressed harder against the other. I knew Ezra didn't fight fair though.

A smile played across his lips as he raised one eyebrow in a challenge. He bent his knees slightly, something that would be barely noticeable if I hadn't seen the move a thousand times before since he practiced sword fighting with me. With his left foot, he tripped his opponent and once he stumbled, his blade fell to his side, giving Ezra a chance to lean forward and force his head against the other man's. Once his opponent fell to the ground, Ezra slid his blade into his chest where the man shivered for a moment and then fell still.

Please forget it, Kressara. We lost this one.

I knew he was right, but I didn't want to accept it. Looking around, more of my men littered the ground than my enemy’s. We were outnumbered and out maneuvered almost as if they knew our plan of attack and everything was over before it began.

No. Not everything was over, just this one battle was over. I knew that I would come back and face them once more, but we needed to be more prepared.

Sound the retreat, I finally spoke, but I hated every word. They tasted bitter in my mouth, worse than the taste of the blood mixed with dirt tasted, but I knew Ezra was right. Quickly, he grabbed my hand and pulled me away towards someone who still had a horse, a chestnut mare that was covered in dirt from the field and a brown saddle with my flag embroidered near the edge. Once the enemy was dead, Ezra pulled the man off the horse and ordered him to pass along the message of our retreat. My advisor slung one leg to the other side of the horse while my soldier helped me up and we rode away from the chaos of blood and death, leaving my soldiers behind.

We rode away from the disaster, regret filling every inch of my body. I hated that I left my people, but I also knew that I had no choice. Ezra’s priority should have been getting me out of that mess safely and I couldn’t blame him for doing his job.

Other men were following us out of the battle so I didn’t feel too guilty, but once the camp came over the horizon, I couldn’t breathe. I knew that I had to face my advisors and discover which one gave us away. It was the only thing that made sense.

Stop, I demanded as I gripped Ezra’s waist tighter. He pulled on the reins and the horse came to a halt after rearing onto its hind legs for a moment. Once her front legs touched the ground once more, I slid off the saddle and walked away from Ezra. I was angry. I was frustrated. The blood pounded in my head and I couldn’t breathe. Reaching to my stomach, I pulled on the strings that help my leather vest closed and quickly removed it, shrugging it off my shoulders. Without thinking, I dropped it to the ground, abandoning it in the dirt like the dead bodies that played over and over in my head.

Their deaths weren’t your fault, Ezra whispered as he came closer towards me. He had climbed off the horse and was leading her closely, but I paid no mind.

I shook my head, feeling my long hair that was braided into two different sections scrape against the thin fabric of my shirt. Those men trusted me. They trusted me and I abused that trust. Now most of them are dead and it is my fault!

Kressara, it’s not your fault. Those men followed you because they believe your cause. Ask any of the men coming in what they think and they will tell you the same thing. They believe in you and your cause. They believe in this country and nothing will tear their spirit except one thing – you giving up and saying they can’t win this.

He paused for a moment as I turned back around. He had picked up the leather vest and slung it over the saddle before speaking again. He didn’t want me to speak and he was the only person I knew who could order me around and get me to listen other than my husband.

I’ll have your ladies draw you a bath and get you dressed in something nice before you come and see the advisors. There’s a lot to discuss. I’ll leave you to gather your thoughts.

Before I spoke, he climbed onto the horse and rode off in the direction of our tents. It seemed a little unsafe, but I was in yelling distance and the only people around were my own. My soldiers were coming from the battlefield if I needed them, not far behind me. I strode off in the direction that Ezra rode in and when I made it to the outskirts of the camp, I paused, looking around.

There were hundreds of tents, maybe thousands of tents of all different colors, but there were two that stood out the most. The taller white one with one entrance and a guard posted at the door was mine, the one that I should have been heading to now. The other was a red one, slightly shorter than my personal tent. It didn’t have guards at the door and there were four entrances, one on each side of the tent. I knew inside, there was a table with our plans, plans that had been leaked to the enemy, but I couldn’t focus on that right now. What I needed to do was what Ezra told me to do – bathe and then confront them after figuring out what to say.

I weaved through the maze of tents, but once I reached mine, the guard gave a small bow as I walked past him. Opening the flap, I stepped in and closed the flap behind me. My ladies paused what they were doing to give a curtsy, but once I waved my hand, they went back to what they were doing – filling a wooden tub that was polished with a high sheen with water that was heated in clay pots over the fire. Steam rose over the edge and filled the air, but I knew it was just how I liked it.

Vanyssa, I motioned to one of my ladies. Vanyssa happened to be the only one who came with me from home and had been a companion of mine since being in Solime. She was fair, tanned skin and dark brown hair that almost appeared black, but she had bright green eyes compared to my own ocean blue. She was wearing a dress that I had given her as a birthday present, one that was as green as her eyes that had as thin gold line moving over the fabric, creating a vine-like appearance. The dress shifted under her weight and the silk fabric whispered as it brushed against itself. She knew exactly what I wanted and needed most of the time and it was a part of the reason I loved her so much.

She stepped behind me and started to lift the shirt that I had on, tossing it onto a nearby chair so one of the other ladies could carry it to the river and scrub the stains out of it if they could, but I didn’t have any high hopes. After that, I continued to remove my clothes and place them in the pile before stepping into the steaming water.

The water burned, but it was exactly what I needed. I was gross, covered from head to toe in dirt and blood and I didn’t want to know what else, but more than that, I was sore and the hot water would be good to soothe the aching muscles. As soon as I stepped in, the water started turning brown, mixing with the dirt and dried blood that coated my body.

Everything okay? Vanyssa questioned and I shook my head. She reached into the water with a cloth and started to rub my shoulders, trying to help me get some of the grim off, but it was a vain attempt.

I let out a sigh before I spoke again. Leave us, I ordered the other ladies and they hesitated, but they soon left the tent, leaving me and my best friend alone. I hated making them feel as if I was favoring one over the others, but surely they understood that Vanyssa was different. She was someone that was always there for me and had been since I was a little girl. Even now, as she helped me wash off the battle, she was soothing me, holding me and helping me calm.

It was horrible, I finally spoke, closing my eyes and sinking farther into the tub. The wet fabric was soft against my skin, but the water did seep out from the bottom and sides, making it known that I needed to hurry. There were bodies everywhere and no matter how ready I thought I was, I wasn’t ready to see that. There’s a difference between being in a room practicing and being out there on the field.

But isn’t that what you wanted? She reached up and brushed some hair out of my eyes and tucked it safely behind my ear while I nodded, making it difficult for her to complete the simple task.

It is and that’s what scared me, my voice was barely audible. Those men died for me and yet, I loved every second of it. We were ill prepared or they were too prepared. They knew my attacks before I did and that could only mean one thing...

They knew your plans? How?

There’s only one way. The room fell silent as neither one of us really wanted to think about. No one wanted to think about being betrayed, but it was something that I knew we had to face, well, it was something that I needed to face alone.

Take a deep breath, Vanyssa coaxed as she took my hair in her hand and began to unbraid it. The curls fell out in small, loose ringlets and she used her fingers to get out any tangles. Just relax right now. You’re safe and your first order of business should be to address your advisors and find out which one betrayed you. Next, you need to make a public announcement about his betrayal and you know the punishment is for treason. After that, you need to address your troops.

I nodded at everything except when she reached the part about speaking to my soldiers. I thought it was a great idea, but also a bad one. It was my mother who was always a queen who could get her soldiers to follow her anywhere she went, but me? I was someone who could hardly get someone to follow her into the next room, but Vanyssa believed in me. I could see it just by the way she looked at me.

Don’t even think that, she scolded. You have more of your Mother in you than you realize. Look what the soldiers did for you today!

Died? Yeah, because that’s romantic.

Not just died, but gave their last breath to protect you. That’s more than romantic, it’s heroic. Anyone should be proud to have done something like that for their king and queen, but most of all, their country.

I let out another sigh as I leaned back in the tub. The roots of my hair were pulled slightly by the tub, but I ignored it. I had a question on the tip of my tongue, but I honestly didn’t want to ask it in fear of the answer, but Vanyssa was my friend and I knew she would forgive me for anything.

Do you remember that day that the bird fell out of the tree in the gardens at Mithril Palace? How we both watched it struggle? Do you remember Tris saying not to fret over it and give it peace? I recalled. Vanyssa didn’t say anything at first, but I couldn’t even see if she was nodding or shaking her head.

She said not to worry because he probably had a beautiful life and saw many beautiful things before she took the poor creature out of my hands and snapped his neck. She said it was an act of charity and nothing would have saved him from the pain except that one act.

And you were so heartbroken. You snuck into my bed and stayed with me all night. I held your hand and promised that everything would be okay. It was one of the most important lessons I had ever learned and it’s taken me so long to realize that sometimes to save something, you have to let it go.

We both went silent, no doubt thinking about the city with the golden walls and floors, the city that was one of the richest in the world where everyone had a place and everyone knew what they needed to do and they did it. Everyone loved the Queen and King there, just like everyone loved my parents. It was something I wished I had, but my reality is far different than theirs. My life was great when I was younger and then it changed so much in one night..."

I leaned back in the tub and closed my eyes, thinking about everything that had led me here from the very beginning.

Chapter

I

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Kressara! my sister’s voice rang through the empty hallway of the palace of Almira. Juniper was two years younger than me and she had a hard time keeping up, but she tried. She was also just starting to wear the appropriate dresses instead of the loose ones that fell after our waists, but she loved the new fabrics and all the beautiful colors and designs. Kressara, wait for me!

I laughed as I turned the corner, continuing at a pace I knew she would never catch up and when I did, some of the servants caught sight of me and were yelling at me to slow down, walk, or act like a proper lady. I wasn’t interested in listening to them. I knew that I would be scolded for it at one point, but I didn’t care. Juniper was happy and distracted and that’s what mattered.

Kressara! Please wait for me!

I could hear her little heels running down the hall, leaving slight echoes, but they soon stopped with a quiet thud and I heard her crying. I knew then that she had fallen wearing the heels and she had hurt herself again. She just wasn’t used to them and I knew that. I had more experience with the heels and I had the ability to run in them with practice, but I fell flat on my face a few times too.

Peeking around the corner, she had shifted around and drew her knees against her chest, her back against the stone wall. Tears were already streaking down her face as I approached her and sat down beside her, tucking my own dark blue dress under me. We looked like complete opposites as she had light hair, deep brown eyes, and tanned skin compared to my own fair complexion, blue eyes, and dark brown hair color. I knew the rumours that surrounded our parentage, but I didn’t care. She was my little sister and I loved her.

I know it hurt, but soon enough, you’ll be running faster than I can in these shoes.

That didn’t soothe her

I’ll never be that good, she sighed as she rested her chin on her knees. She looked like she was going to burst into another fit of tears, but I reached over and gently wrapped around her waist, tickling her. Instead of tears caressing her face, her laughter filled the hallway, causing me to laugh as well. She was just that contagious.

Come on, I nudged her with my elbow. Let’s go find something sweet in the kitchen.

With a smile, she nodded and quickly jumped to her feet. She knew there were always pastries that the cook gave us despite our Mother’s best efforts to keep them away from us. Mother thought