Authors Note: Okay so a lot of this will probably look familiar because story was originally going to run along side Long Road to Love but now it's set the year prior. That's about it, hopefully this fic turns out okay.

Professor Maria Mendoza looked over the evacuation site and looked down at her book. So far everything was recorded as objects were found. The ruins were being very carefully dusted off and packed away to go to the museum. So far it looked like just plates, dishes, nothing really of importance. She heard shifts in the wind from the trees above her as she heard a faint crack.

"Hey, look what we found," called a man that Professor Mendoza recognized as Berto. Everyone dropped what they were doing as they made their way over to where he stood. Maria walked over as she went to see what he was holding.

In his hand was something shaped like a golden ball about half the size of an olaball. It was mainly golden with intricate jade designs of vines across the ball in bands about an inch wide. At the very top was two jaquins facing each other with some ruby's in the body.

Maria looked over at it with a deeper look. This looked like it was in near perfect condition as she could tell that it was very important. She picked up it up to see that it was semi-heavy as she pushed on the jaquins but nothing happened. It was beautiful she couldn't help but wonder what it was used for.

Someone cleared their throat as she spun to look at the person. "Do you suppose it does something?" asked Berto. "Or it's just a shiny ball?"

Nothing they found was this good in near perfect condition. She heard that shift again from the trees above. Hmm, she thought, bouncing orb between her hands. Then out of nowhere did she hear someone yell get out of the way from behind her. She swirled and about to jump back when the ball in her hand gave a faint glow as the branch seemed to bounce right off a barrier.

Everyone that had gathered around them looked downright stunned.

"Stand right there," said Berto as he went behind her and from her peripheral vision saw him throw a stick at her back. It seemed to bounce right off that barrier again. "I think it's magical."

"You think," said a voice among the hushed crowd.

"I need to take this right to Queen Elena and the royal wizard," she said finding a bag to put it in. This was magical and needed to be examined by someone much more qualified than her.

Silently the person working with Berto stepped forward and handed her another bag. "Might as well take this, we found it near the object," said the woman as the professor took it. She didn't want to look inside and have it be magical and do something.

"Keep evacuating," she said nodding. "Berto is in charge."

He gripped his hat a little nervous about that but nodded as she found her horse. Then strapped the bag on the back of the horse. Giving the evacuation site a final look she raced back to the castle. Hopefully Mateo and Elena weren't too busy.

Elena got up out of bed hopping as she squealed a little. Today was the one-year anniversary of her being queen by herself. Very little rules and no grand council to help make decisions. It had been the best year she thought getting up and found her queen gown. The pretty red-purple number slide over her head and twisted her hair into its chignon. She felt like a queen and looked like a queen. Elena squealed again as she raced down the hall before finding herself running straight into Gabriel Nunez.

"Hi Gabe," she said breathless.

"I'd slow down if I were you," he teased offering his arm. Accepting it they went down to breakfast together. Elena felt that warmth between them and got happier as she saw her family.

"It's your anniversary breakfast," said Luisa as Elena sat down next to her abuela and sister. "And cake for after your favorite dinner. Even though I know it's not your birthday, I figured that we should do something special."

"We all even have a gift for you," said Isabel eating her breakfast as she slid her a beautifully wrapped gift to her. Eager, Elena opened it to see a beautiful handmade journal. "Oh, Isabel this is beautiful, I love it!"

Then her abuelo pressed on her to open it as she could see what they had done. Both Isabel and Francisco had made the journal and filled out a couple of pages of her plans for the next two weeks written in it.

"Clever," she said giving her abuelo a hug as well. It was a practical gift that both of them gave half the time.

She saw her best friend as Naomi sat down next to her. "Oh here's mine," said Naomi as she buttered her toast. Elena opened the envelope as she grinned. "One sailing adventure whenever you want."

Happy Elena gave her a side hug before looking at Gabe who was talking to her abuelo about something. He stopped and looked at her as he pulled out a gift as well. Happy she grabbed it from his hand and opened the box. It in was a necklace in the shape of a gold jaquin holding a red gemstone with its paw. That was beautiful as she gave him a side hug too.

"Alright who's left?" said Elena knowing Mateo wouldn't be here until after his chores were done. Then Luisa's was obviously the food she had made herself. That left Esteban as she realized that Esteban wasn't here yet. Maybe he would have something nice for her.

She heard the door open as she saw the disgruntled Esteban coming in. He was holding a gift in his hand and rubbed the back of his head. "Well it took me a minute to get but here is my present," he said as Elena took in the size of it. That was big about two feet long.

"What did you get her Esteban?" asked Naomi. "I mean look at the size of that thing."

"Something I think she'll really like," said Esteban as Elena eagerly got up as she took a big bite of her food.

Then she stepped over and took off the wrapping as she gasped at what it was. It was a portrait. A royal portrait that had been matted and framed. In it was her in her favorite royal queen gown she had made, and it just looked so beautiful.

"Esteban this is…" she was going to finish her sentence before he pulled another one slowly back. He had two of them!? And the other one looked just as good as she briefly fawned over it. It was from the day that she had her white floral gown on. "This is perfect. Where should I put them?"

"I'd suggest one in the hall with the other royals and another somewhere public. I hope to have more done when you marry and have children."

Forgetting that idea seeing as it wouldn't happen for a long while, Elena hugged her cousin squeezing him tightly. Her and her queendom, she thought, getting excited at the two portraits. This was a first that Esteban… Actually, no Esteban did give her great gifts half the time. The others were also marveling over it as the door opened. She saw Mateo slip in the room with Armando following in behind him.

"Hope I'm not too late," said Mateo as he gave her a wrapped gift. "Congratulations on one year on the throne."

"Thanks Mateo," she said as she gave him a lingering hug. "We're going to go practice?"

"You really don't need it," said Mateo as he shook his head. Shuriki and the Delgado's were taken care of a while ago but it felt like yesterday. He went and got some food for himself as he sat down at the main table next to Isabel and Francisco.

"It never hurts to be ready in case something happens," said Elena as she gestured for the two of them to sit down. There was still a lot of food on the table as Elena sat down too. The only people not eating was Gabe and Higgins since they ate earlier before their shifts started.

Elena opened her gift this time seeing a potion flask in the middle of the box. She wondered what this one did. The luck potion worked great the last time she used it.

"That's actually a perfume," said Mateo seeing her open it. Elena uncorked it and smelled the a very faint and sheer lilac and rose smell mixed with vanilla. "Cherry blossoms with a hint of vanilla. It was my mothers idea actually, she used it a lot when she was your age."

"I love this," she said smiling to them, then teased. "I guess I can't keep getting that luck potion every time."

Mateo only rolled his eyes as that was his usual gift as he just ate some of his breakfast. Giving potions was just natural for him. This gift was different and he was glad that she liked it.

Around her people were savoring the food. Everything tasted so much better when her abuela made it. Isabel got up and kissed her cheek before going out the carriage to school. That just made her think that she had to squeeze in some sister time.

Elena mentally made a list of things that she planned on doing today. First do a little bit of training with her scepter with all its powers. No, first she had to find a place for her portraits with Esteban. Next train with Mateo. Then get some fencing in with Gabe. With Francisco they were going to get some horseback riding in. Sailing with Naomi some. Then help cook dinner with abuela. Then have a small camp out with Isabel and stay up past their bed times with sweets. Perfect day.

First find a place to put her portraits, she thought excitedly, as she went to grab Esteban after breakfast. They first went down to the hall with all the portraits made from the about five hundred years ago to now. One of the castle decorators helped hang it right next to her parents.

The next place she was going to hang one in the grand council room. They didn't really use that room much before but it could work just fine. Next, she had to find Mateo as she made a quick pit stop in her room to grab her scepter.

That was when there was a knock on the front door. Elena stopped curious as Armando got the door as he heard it first. He was starting to get really quick as last she saw him was in the dining room. Elena watched as the doors open to reveal a woman with dark hair and exploring clothes. She knew that lady, it was professor Mendoza.

"Queen Elena!" said Professor Mendoza as she saw her. "I need to see you and the royal wizard right away."

"Of course, professor," said Elena as she used her scepter to gesture her to another room she saw Gabe passing by behind her. "Gabe could you go and get Mateo I believe that it's important."

He nodded as the two women sat in the nearest room which was cozy with a fluffy couch and comfy chairs. Curiosity and instinctively Naomi and her abuela to join them. Gabe came back with Mateo. Both looked very curious about what happened. Gabe stayed outside the door to keep an eye out for Francisco who had snuck off for some guitar practice.

"We found this at our dig site," she said holing out her bag as she lifted out the orb. "It's magical and I thought possibly Mateo could analyze it."

Mateo got up to look at it from every angle as he got a good look at it. It was pretty and was in perfect condition. Not even a scratch. He took it from her hands as he held it himself. "What's with the jaquins on it?" he asked curious as he studied the top.

"We think it might be Maruvian. The Maru worshipped jaquins at least in the early days. We have evidence with the motif that we found in some of the ruins left behind," explained Professor Mendoza as Elena looked over the ball. It looked neat anyway. Mateo looked over it again wondering what it all could mean. Yes, it was pretty, yet he didn't understand what the purpose of it would be. What kind of magical features did it even have?

Now in his hands Maria took that opportunity to throw a nearby pillow at him as the shield activated. A small whoa escaped his lips as the other jaws dropped. The thin shield disappeared as Mateo went to try to activate it again with no such luck. It looked like something needed to be thrown at it.

Elena looked on just as surprised. Oh wow, so it protected itself. Maybe it was like her scepter as she looked down at the object in her hand. Luisa and the others stared as the scepter seemed to have a reaction with it. Her scepter gravitated toward the orb as Elena didn't have anything to do with that. It just seemed to float there as it was close together. The scepter was starting to glow as he wasn't sure how it reacted or why.

Elena got up to grab her scepter away. Everyone looked confused at what was going on. So the scepter was just floating and glowed in the presence of another object like it. Nothing happened though.

"Alright let's figure out what's going on," said Mateo as he took her scepter as he pulled away. He visibly winced when his skin touched the metal of her scepter. "It burned me. Touching your scepter burned me."

"What?" said Elena a little shocked. She went to touch it as she dropped it like it was a hot potato.

After she found a pair of gloves Elena was able to pry the two apart. That was just plain strange as Mateo made a grab for his book. This was so exciting she thought wondering what could have made that happen to begin with.

Mateo looked at the codex as Elena read over his shoulder. Apparently, it was enchanted by Maruvian wizards who planned on using it to defend themselves against their enemies. It's supposed to protect the person carrying it from harm. There wasn't a full list of what exactly the orb's powers were. Her eyes scrolled down to other parts of the text that was familiar, yet unfamiliar. At least over a dozen of these objects, mostly jewelry, left behind by the maruvians and the peoples before them. If she had to guess they were all over Avalor or lost and the ones that were found were destroyed and melted down at some point.

Elena looked a little disappointed at the thought that many of them seemed to just be destroyed to her. She wondered she could find more of them but they would have been scattered. It didn't hurt to ask though. Maybe they could get all the remaining ones in the same place.

"I'd love to find more," said Elena, "we could make it a quest, see how many we can find and gather them together."

"Maybe in some ruins," said Gabe as Elena remembered that he was still at the door. However he was right knowing that they could find them there.

Elena didn't know what to think about that. She just figured that it could be something fun she could do. A quest of some kind to keep her second year interesting. Now she could just save all of Avalor. She looked at her family as she wasn't sure what to make of that. "We should go and get them you know before someone else does."

At this Naomi looked excited, she could probably take her boat and go looking. Mateo loved the idea himself as he could study all of them himself. Possibilities were kind of endless.

"We're not even sure what all of them are much less where they are. Plus, we might be the only ones that know of their existence," said Esteban looking at Elena.

Elena considered this for a moment before getting excited. "All the more reason to get them. What if someone does find out and start searching? I'd like to keep my throne for good."

"Well," started Esteban.

"Plus, it'd be fun, they're probably all over Avalor aren't they?" asked Naomi getting excited. This reminded her of their time with the duendes. Maybe they could find a buried treasure with one of them. This is exciting!

Professor Mendoza grinned at Naomi as she remembered how the blond was excited for her dig. That was an adventure all in itself. "Well it's possible. We might find a couple but all of them?"

The others started to talk amongst themselves as Esteban was just getting frustrated. Did Elena really think that they could do this and not think of the consequences? What if she got hurt? Or worse?! Who knew what could happen next.

"How do we know anyway?" pressed Esteban as he thought of the amulet. From the outside it looked ordinary. "I mean Sofia thought the amulet might have been a family heirloom. What makes them different from ordinary jewels or whatever?"

Elena, Mateo, and Naomi thought about this as Luisa contemplated.

Esteban only rolled his eyes as he touched his head. Oh who knew what kind of troubles that they could get into? "Come on Elena, this is a pointless journey that you could get hurt on. It's like finding a needle in a hay stack. Abuela what do you think?"

"I don't see the harm in looking," said Luisa. It wasn't like Elena was leaving Avalor. Although she could see why Esteban would be concerned.

Naomi and Elena shared a look as they looked smugly back at Esteban. He only looked a bit stormy. Elena then looked at her cousin seeing things at his level for a minute. "It's not like I'll be alone Esteban. I'll take Gabe, Naomi, Mateo."

"And who will be ruling while you are gone? Elena, you are a queen, if this is so important to you send out the royal guard."

Elena thought about that for a minute seeing as she didn't have a back up plan. Esteban was looking out for her safety there. Then again searching for something that might not exist didn't seem like a good plan. Hmm, she thought, well they could try to find a list. See what would be easier to locate. And if someone was also looking for them in the wrong hands bad things might happen.

Elena shook her head. She saw his point that was why she wouldn't go off by herself and would be willing to give up the quest if she got hurt. Nothing more and nothing less. Naomi just shook her head as did Luisa. It didn't matter as Elena went to put her scepter away. The time she was going to spend with Mateo was now going to be in the library.

"Alright research. We can't exactly go digging or searching without a map. So, we figure out where they might be. Then go out and get them. It could be a month or two before we find one of them. If something happens to me I just come back and drop the matter altogether, no questions asked."

Now this was going to be fun as she looked at Esteban. He looked really thoughtful about what she was proposing at this point. Then he started to smile some at this.

"Okay," he said after a minute. "As long as this is thought out and you're not away for too long, I can agree. If something goes wrong you're coming back and dropping it correct?"

"Of course," said Elena as she got excited at this. Her family agreed on this, well except Isabel, who would naturally agree. They could just make this a goal for her year. This was getting exciting.

"And maybe you can take me?" he proposed as Elena laughed. Esteban had a third for adventure and this was no exception.

"Maybe Esteban, it'll depend on where we can find them." For all they know it was in the castle somewhere. They found that orb that shrunk them all into block like creatures.

"Works for me," he said a bit gleeful as he thought about what he would be doing. He could see himself going off and doing those adventures he's dreamed about.

As long as it wasn't a repeat with the duendes Elena was fine with taking him. That would mean leaving Isabel for one or something along those lines. She wasn't invincible and had to think about who was going to have to leave behind.

Mateo grabbed Elena by her wrist as he led her down to his lab. Behind her Gabe and naomi followed as they were eager to learn as well.

Okay so the library was out as he went to open his book. Elena got herself comfortable as he looked for a section on Maruvian objects. There had to be list somewhere in these books.

Elena thought back to Amalay all of a sudden wishing she was around. That would have been nice to see what she knew. After all she was the last Maruvian royal wizard that made her scepter. Maybe other sorceresses or sorcerers made more before her time. All she knew was that the scepter was the last one made. Elena started toward the book shelf as she hoped to find something right away. Mateo flipped through the codex for more hints as well. Elena turned to look at the bottom shelf as she felt it, a small breeze. There wasn't a breeze in the castle….

Mateo let out a startled yelp as the books pages started to flip themselves. Both only watched a bit fascinated before landing on two pages. Maybe Amalay was listening to them.

Curious both went to look at where it landed. On the pages look like scribbles with names next to them. One line he could read as circlet-Iktan-13. Hmm, thought, Elena as she tried to decipher them. That was when it clicked in her mind as she turned excitedly to Mateo.

"The objects, they were made for the royal family that's why the names are there. The numbers must be their ages," said Elena excitedly as Mateo saw where she was coming from.

"We just have to translate the objects to what they are now. Wow, this family had a lot in it. There's about twenty objects, nineteen not counting this book," said Mateo.

"Dang, that's a huge family," said Naomi looking over his shoulder too.

Elena sat with Gabe on the other side of the room as they found a book that might help.

He found a book with Maruvian translations in it. The book of translations was handy when he was trying to read parts of the codex for the first time. Then the list looked something like this:

…Amulet, orb, book, tiara, scepter…

And so on. "Look we have three and know where the fourth is," said Elena knowing that the amulet was safely in Enchancia.

"Possibly five," said Mateo. "I'm willing to bet something in the treasury is Maruvian too. You think we'll be able to find the others?"

"I'm positive," said Elena upbeat as she looked at the clock. She had to go find the rest of her family and spend the rest of her anniversary date together. Elena gave Mateo a grin as she went off to find the others. This was so exciting as she could get answers and a quest. Her first rule was great but this was getting even better.