Disclaimer: I am not Gail Carson Levine nor do I own Ella Enchanted. Thus, anything you recognize does not belong to me. The rest are just products of my overly active imagination.

Prologue

The servants were scurrying around the castle like ants, the feast would begin in a few hours, the overnight guests would be arriving soon, there was still last minute preparation to do, and once again, Alex and Rose were missing. The queen sighed in resignation, when were those two ever not missing? They were always off on some adventure, running though the fields, playing in the forest, hiding in the gardens, always managing, somehow, to infuriate and escape their attendants. Still, she couldn't help but smile when she thought of her son. With his dark curls, lively chocolate-brown eyes, and dimpled cheeks, someday he would melt the hearts of many women. Alone, he was already enough to keep her hands full, but with Rose as well...there was no stopping them. It would take a whole entourage of attendants to keep them in line. The red streaks in her mahogany hair and her flashing green eyes correctly matched Aurora's vivacious spirit. Alex and Aurora (or Rose, as Alex called her) were two years apart but got along like the best of friends. Much like their mothers...

"Liana?" The queen gave a start when she heard her name and turned away from the window she had absently been staring out of in her reverie. The late afternoon sun streamed into the room and fell on the tall, dark haired woman standing in the doorway.

"Oh its you, Sophia."

"I am simply at my wits end with those two," Sophia said before plopping down on the seat next to Liana, "They've been out all day and, still, there is no sign of Alex or Rose. I'm simply going out of my mind with worry."

"Its okay, you know that there is probably no safer place in all of Kyrria than within the castle limits. Besides, I sent Noori out with them today, and they at least listen to her half the time."

"Liana," Sophia said with a sigh, "Its not them I'm worried about. God knows, they can probably survive longer in that forest than I can. No, its us I'm worried about. Gaius, Rose, and I are leaving tomorrow morning, there is a ball tomorrow evening, and Alex and Rose have "suddenly" gone missing for a suspiciously long time. I don't know about you, but I smell mischief."

"Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me," Liana replied with a grin, "Do you think it will be worse than tea with the Applegates last week?"

"Please, don't even remind me! The Duchess of Applegate fainted after seeing the mouse," Sophia said with a giggle.

"And her son's face after they cajoled him into eating those slugs they told him was some sort of chocolate sauce." Liana said laughing.

" I still think that's not nearly as bad as the time they knocked out Countess Rafiella's dog because they thought he was a mutated rat-"

"Or the time Lord Nolan had to jump into a pond after they set fire to his pants..."

Remembering all the embarrassing moments that was a part of motherhood for them, they collapsed with laughter, but it was not for long before they were interrupted by a commotion down the hall. In a moment there was a tap at the door and a ruffled looking maid entered the queen's tapestry room with a low curtsy.

"Highness, I'm sorry to disturb you," she squeaked out ducking into another curtsy.

"Its fine, Alanna," Liana said kindly, trying to regain her slipping composure, "You may speak, and please, tell me what is going on?"

"Well, your Majesty, we found the Prince Alexander and Lady Aurora."

"I'll be there immediately," the queen replied, already half way to the door with Sophia at her heels. "Oh, and is that all?"

"No, Highness, the scout has arrived and says that King Jared should be arriving in Frell tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh! Is he? That's perfect timing! At least there won't be any worry about him being late for the ball we're having for him tomorrow evening!" Liana exclaimed with obvious delight, "Oh yes, and Alanna, one more thing. Please, tell Penelope that I'm ready for my bath."

"Yes, Highness," the nervous maid answered before backing out the door.

Sophie giggled, looking at Liana. "You should have seen the look on your face when she told you Jared was back! You looked like a lovesick dove!" Sophia fluttered her eyelashes and fell into a fake swoon for added emphasis.

"Very funny, Sophia. I did no such thing! Now let's go see to those two troublemakers." Liana replied despite the fact that her cheeks were now tinged with pink.

"Surrre...." Sophia smirked at her friend as she breezed out the door.

"Alexander Jared Augustus, where in heaven's name have you been all day?"

At the sound of his mother's voice, Alex guiltily turned around to face her. It was going to be hard to explain this one, he thought to himself.

"Wait, Mama, I can explain! It wasn't our fault –"

"Wasn't your fault?" his mother interrupted, "Wasn't your fault! So you and Aurora were just walking along when suddenly Noori, plus three other attendants just magically disappeared?"

"- but Mama!"

"No buts this time, young man. You are in serious trouble. Your father is going to have to deal with this one." Liana told her son emphatically.

"I'm sorry, Mama. We really didn't mean to stay out all day long."

Alex hung his head sadly, sending a pang of sympathy through his mother. Her anger disappeared when she remembered that this was the last time he and Rose were going to have to play with each other.

"Go have a bath now. We'll discuss this tomorrow with Papa," Liana said more gently this time. Impulsively, she brushed back her son's curls and dropped a kiss on his sweaty brow before leaving with a heart as heavy as when she entered.

Stepping into the steaming tub, Liana wondered what it would feel like to not have a best friend to talk to and laugh with? Sophia was the old vizier's daughter. She was born and brought up in the castle, indeed it was she who had welcomed Liana to her new home the day Liana had married Jared ten years ago. "Goodness, has it really been 10 years?" Liana thought to herself out loud. She looked back over the years that had been filled with fond memories. The love between her and Jared remained as bright and untarnished as the day they had been joined in wedlock. Through it all Sophia had been there. Liana remembered the day, roughly one year after her own wedding , when Sophia had gotten married. Gaius was the only son of a duke in Ayortha and clearly it had been a love match. Less than a year later, Aurora was born. Now they were leaving. The message had come a week before that Gauis's father had passed away, leaving the dukedom to him. Liana had trouble imagining life without them. It would be dull to say the least.

If only Liana knew how wrong she was....

The next two weeks would be the most eventful of her life. For it was the following afternoon that Liana would find her husband dirty, bleeding, and half dead in her rose gardens. He had enough strength left to tell her to take Alex and run, and that he loved her. That day would remain, ageless, in Liana's memory, but the next few days were a blur. She had run to the castle for help, the huge advancing army was spotted, and Liana had just enough time to grab Alex and disappear into the forest with her loyal lady in waiting, Penelope, among the chaos and confusion around them.

Liana's plans for welcoming her husband home, her dreams for her son, her life as Queen of Kyrria all would disappear, like the sun disappears below the horizon, leaving only darkness in its stead.