I had previously posted this story under my other account, KanikaMeskhenet, however I no longer have access to that account and I have recently started to work on this project again and wanted to share the full story.

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Wherever You Will Go
Prologue

"Queen Anni the vessels you requested are ready for departure." A rather frazzled looking red-haired maid rushed in to the private quarters of the young Queen.

Blinking back tears, Queen Anni smiled gratefully, "Thank you Sophie, you have been a great help to me and my family throughout the years…I'm…I'm going to miss you dearly, my friend."

Taken aback by the sudden confession, Sophie rushed forward and threw her arms around the young woman with long luscious locks of wavy blonde hair. Under normal circumstances such informal contact with royalty would have been punished, but at the current moment neither woman cared. The inevitability of the fact that this was quite possibly the last time the two unlikely friends would ever see each other weighed heavily on their hearts.

"Are you sure there's no other way? You and King Oliver can hide out on another world, can't you?" The red-haired woman, who was roughly the same age as the young Queen pleaded through watery eyes. The two women had grown up together, Sophie only being two years older than Anni, making her 24 while the Queen was 22.

Anni bit her lip, her lavender eyes softening sadly on her best friend, "Darius would find us no matter where we fled to, no, me and Oliver are going to face him head on and whatever happens to us happens."

The door to Anni's room opened quickly and a young man slipped in, barely a year older than the Queen herself. A deep-set frown pulling at the corners of his lips as he ran a hand through his shaggy raven hair, glancing up at the two women with worried lavender eyes.

"Anni, we need to hurry, Darius and his men were spotted coming up on the south gates."

Sophie choked back her sobs, "My lieges, my friends, please reconsider—this is a suicide mission!"

Oliver shifted his lavender gaze to the red-head, "That may be, however our lives do not matter anymore, it's our daughters who must be protected and I'm willing to die to ensure the safety of Lisette and Akii."

Gunshots were heard outside the window, Darius and his followers had successfully made it past the gates and were now on the grounds. Anni and Oliver exchanged panic-stricken looks, both rushing towards the corner of the room where the two cradles were located. The King gently picked up the younger of the two children, hugging her to his chest and motioning for Anni to take their other daughter.

Oliver glanced down at the 1 year old baby girl sleeping peacefully in his arms, tufts of silver hair peeked out from underneath the amethyst colored blanket that she was swaddled in. His eyes saddened at the realization that this was quite possibly the last time he and Anni would ever see their little girls ever again, tears pricked at the corners of his lavender eyes but he refused to shed them. He needed to be strong for his wife.

"Ollie, I got Lisette, let's get them both down to the ships." Anni's voice cracked. She was cuddling their 2 year old daughter to her chest protectively, the tiny girl was wide awake and watching her mother with curious soft lavender eyes. Lisette was too young to understand what was happening, giggling childishly and playing with the necklace around her mother's neck.

The King and Queen of Sanctions Keep stealthily ran out to the gummi hanger where two separate ships were already prepared for them. The smoke from the fires raging outside the castle walls was already beginning to seep in to the building, Anni choked, her eyes watering.

"Everything seems to be in order, my love. The ships are set to auto-pilot and you and I are the only ones who know where Akii and Lisette are going so their location will be safe guarded. Darius won't get his filthy hands on our children." His eyes narrowed at the mention of the man who was currently trying to overthrow him and become king of Sanctions Keep.

With the way things were going…Darius was going to succeed.

While Oliver and Anni ruled with kindness and were all around adored by the citizens of Sanctions Keep, Darius had over the years acquired quite the army of loyal followers who all shared his greed for power. Things weren't looking too good for the current King and Queen, which was why they were hiding their children—their heirs—on other worlds.

Anni felt the sting of hot tears in her eyes as she unclasped the silver chain hanging around her neck, a small silver skeleton-key dangling from it, and securing it around Lisette's tiny neck. "One day you will understand, everything will make sense and you'll find your way back to this world and take back what is rightfully yours. Be safe my daughters." She directed the last part to both children before safely buckling up Lisette in the tiny one-person ship, closing the door and setting it for departure.

Oliver kissed the top of Akii's head before following his wife's lead and safely securing the younger girl in the second one-person ship, watching as both tiny vessels took off in to the sky—amidst the chaos raging outside.

The door to the gummi hangar burst open forcefully and in stepped a man who was similar in appearance to King Oliver, only his eyes were pure black—black with the darkness of his heart. He smirked sinisterly, motioning for his guards to seize the two rulers.

"Brother! How could you?!" Oliver growled as his arms were restrained.

Anni was beside him in a similar fashion, her eyes narrowed in disgust at the man that had just entered the room, she made to reach out to her husband but was shoved forcefully away from him by one of the armed men.

"Anni! Get your filthy hands off of her!" The lavender eyed man snarled, struggling against his captors.

"Oh, dear brother, you were always father's favorite, now it's time to show the world who truly deserves to rule the kingdom," Darius' eyes were alight with malice, "and it's not you."

His intentions were made very clear—Anni and Oliver wouldn't make it to see another day, they had known from the very start that this would happen. The only thought running through their heads was that their little girls were safe; the true heirs to Sanctions Keep were still out there and away from this chaos. One day they'd come and reclaim what was rightfully theirs.