Alright, so I most likely will not make the two day deadline, BUT I will finish this by putting up a chapter when I have the next chapter typed up. And that's when I can get at the computer as my laptop contracted a virus. So I'm using the family pc. Anyway, leave reviews(Like candy to me!) put me on your author alert, fav author, (I'm really not picky) ect. ect. ect.

P.s. Also look at the poll I have on my page. I will be closing that as soon as I get back to my other story, The Young Goblin King. But until then vote as many times you want!

Happy New Year's!

-BeautyandYue


Chapter 1: The Ball

Glittering aristocrats flocked to the castle, brightly lit from within, and decorated with expensive flowers and crystals. They all were dressed and ready to celebrate the 100-year reign of the Rosetta family line. The hordes of people made their way to a large and grand ballroom, complete with a giant crystal chandelier that had been created and placed by the first King and Queen of Dulcina 100 years earlier. Tables heavily laden with rich food and drink were placed along the sides of the room and lively music played as many rich dressed men and women danced in the center of the room before a raised dais with several chairs placed on it. An older, beautiful woman with dark brown hair lightly streaked with gray; seated in one of those chairs, listened gravely to a dark haired girl about 8 years old as she pointed at a drawing and then presented it to the woman. A man wearing an elaborate gold crown came up behind the girl silently, grabbing her and swinging her around. The girl shrieked in laughter as she was spun, her shoulder length hair flying all over the place, and her red and gold dress swirling around her legs as the man set her down.

The man laughed and bowed to the girl. She looked questioningly at the woman behind her. "Its alright Sarah, we can talk later. Right now, have some fun and dance with your father." The woman said nudging the girl forward. Sarah grinned, "Thank you Aunt Sylvia." She took her father's hand and they swept onto the dance floor, a few making room for King Timothy and his young daughter.

Sylvia smiled at the pair as Tobias; Sarah's little brother cut in to dance with Sarah. Sarah's three sixteen year old sisters; Sarina, Amira, and Zaria, identical, save for the colors of their hair, swirled all around their brother and sister in a shower of shining blond, red, and brown hair as their own partners twirled them about in the complicated dance. Left on his own, King Timothy strode to his wife and bowed to her. The group surrounding Queen Sophia parted and all bowed as one, murmuring your majesties, as Timothy took his wife by the hand and led her onto the dance floor.

Sylvia turned from watching her brother's family dance and rummaged through a small bag at her side. She withdrew a small silver box that glinted in the light of the room. "What's that? A Jewelry box?" A young voice questioned to the left of her. Sylvia jumped, nearly dropping the object of her search.

Clutching the box to her chest, Sylvia turned to see a little boy around Sarah's age with blond hair, mismatched eyes of hazel and sapphire, and dressed in the silver/black colors of the royal family of the Labyrinth kingdom. "You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that." Sylvia told the boy.

"Why? It's more fun that way." The boy replied a little scornfully.

"Where are your parents? You could get into trouble for being up here." Sylvia reprimanded him, looking at the crowd, hoping to spot a couple that looked like the boy.

"If you're looking for my parents; they're over there." The boy pointed to the left of them and Sylvia saw them. A tall couple with blond hair danced close together, dressed as the boy was in the royal colors of their kingdom. They didn't seem to be all that concerned on where their child was.

"You must be very lonely." Sylvia replied.

The boy shrugged a shoulder. "It's alright. In my kingdom there are lots of new places to explore. I know every secret tunnel, place there is, and I know all of you castle's secrets too. Plus there are many creatures to play games with. I like games. Father says that our whole country is one big game. But, you know what?" the boy whispered leaning in conspiratorially to Sylvia, "I've already solved the riddle that is our land. My dream is one day to play the biggest game ever. I play dumb when Father asks if I've solved the Labyrinth yet. Besides, Mother and Father are more interested in looking at each other than at me." He replied bitterly, for one so young.

Sylvia had sudden compassion on the brilliant young boy as she realized his parents cared more for each other than for the child that had been born from their love. "I think that some day you will play the biggest game ever." Sylvia said looking the child in the eyes.

He grinned, eyes cheerful. "I don't think, I know so."

Sylvia smiled at his conviction and opened her hands to show the boy what he asked about. "This is a present for my favorite niece. She's just around your age I think." Sylvia explained, turning the small silver box this way and that. It was beautiful with intricate moldings and the cover had a crown of jade. "See she's dancing right over there with her older sister Sarina." She pointed to the pair. Sarina and Sarah held each other's hands and spun in a circle, laughing gaily as they danced. Sarina's blond curls contrasted with her youngest sister's straight dark brown hair.

The boy watched a moment then turned toward Sylvia. "She doesn't look like anything special."

Sylvia shook a finger at him, smiling gently, sadly. "Ah, but she is special to me and that's all that matters."

The boy looked at Sylvia and frowned, "You're sad. Why?"

"Because I'm leaving tomorrow for my home and this is a way to help Sarah with her missing me. " Sylvia explained and twisted a small jade stone in the shape of a flower at the side of the box. The lid of the music box opened and up rose a pair of figures. They were tiny porcelain figures of Sarah's mother and father. They were positioned in the stance of the waltz and as a sweet melody played, the figures slowly turned in a circle. "It plays the lullaby I sing to her each night. Now every time Sarah plays this, it will be like me singing to her." Sylvia began to hum and then sang softly,

On the wind, cross the sea…

Hear this song and remember…

Soon you'll be home with me…

Once upon a December…

"That's kinda cool," the boy commented then blustered, "for a girl that is. But I think that something is missing." He raised his hand and as Sylvia watched, waved a small hand over the figurines. Bright sparkles of light fell from his fingers to land on the porcelain and suddenly it was as if the figures had come to life. The miniature King Timothy bowed to tiny Queen Sophia while she curtsied and they began to waltz around the small patch of platform. The song ended and the King and Queen turned to the astonished Sylvia and the smug boy and bowed as the platform lowered and the cover hid them once more. "Now, when she listens to it, she can see her parents as they are, not stiff playthings."

Sylvia hugged the boy suddenly, eyes teary. "Thank you, from both of us."

The boy pulled away, suddenly shy for the first time since the conversation took place. He looked away and his eyes widened. "Uh, oh. Sorry Grand-Princess Sylvia, I have to go, see you later!" The boy scurried from the dais and dashed into the crowd.

Sylvia turned to see a stern gray haired servant in bearing down to the crowd the young boy had disappeared into. "Prince, get back here! Wait until I tell your mother…!" the servant dove into the crowd and the rest of his rant was swallowed up by the noise of the crowd.

Sylvia looked wonderingly down at the gift she was going to give Sarah and wondered if she hadn't been given a gift herself. "Aunt Sylvia, Aunt Sylvia!" Sarah came dashing up, out of breath.

Sylvia turned to her niece. "Sarah, I have something for you…" she began.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Later into the night when the party was in full swing, a hush started in the back of the room and worked its way to the front where Timothy and his family sat talking to one another. Timothy looked up at the change in sound and bolted from his chair. A figure dressed in a dark red cloak swept down the center of the room as people gasped and scurried to get out of the way of the coming figure, parting like the sea. When he/she reached the dais, Timothy had come down to meet this person while Toby, Sarina, Amira, and Zaria dashed to their mother and Sarah to Sylvia. "Why are you here? I banished you from Dulcina." Timothy said harshly, motioning for the guards.

The figure raised a slender hand and drew back her hood, shaking back long black, curly hair, amid the gasps of recognition. The woman was pretty with full red lips, eyes the color of pale amber, pale skin, and black curly hair that fell to the middle of her back. "But Timothy, I'm your confidant. At least I was…" the woman purred with a look toward Sophia. Sophia hugged her children closer to her.

"That is all behind me. I will not have a whore in place of my wife and I will not have anyone practicing the black arts here." Timothy declared.

The woman drew back, stung. "Then I suppose that this is the reception I expected to receive." She surged forward and two guards firmly took each of her arms. "I will not be removed!" the woman threw the guards off her and drew forth a reliquary that pulsed and glowed a sickly red. "By the power invested in me, Rachel, given to me by the Dark Ones. I banish you!" Rachel cried, eyes gleaming with madness. "By my curse will you and your family die tonight!" Sarah hid her face into Sylvia's protecting embrace. "I will not rest in life or death until I see every single one of you dead and in the cold ground! I will see the end of the Rosetta line forever!" Rachel spun around and turned the reliquary to the chandelier and sent it hurtling to the ballroom floor.

A white light embraced the chandelier before it could land on anyone and hurt or kill them. Rachel turned around to see Timothy with his arms raised, white colored magic around his hands. As he lowered the chandelier to the ground, Rachel cried, "I will see you dead!" and disappeared in a flash of scarlet.

XxXxXxXxX

Hours later, Sylvia shook Sarah awake. "What, what is it?" she asked frightened by the gunshots and screaming.

"The peasants are revolting, we need to flee. Put on clothes Sarah, quickly!" Sylvia answered pulling open Sarah's door and peering around to see if it was safe. She turned to find that Sarah had pulled her coat over her nightgown as she had. "We must hurry." Sylvia took Sarah by the hand and towed her into the hallway.

Sarah held tight to her aunt's hand as she heard her father yell, "Hurry children! Sophia!" There were more gunshots, sounds of magical fighting and most terrible of all, the frightened screams of Sarah's family.

"Wait, my music box." Sarah tugged free of Sylvia and dashed back to her room.

"Sarah! Come back!" Sylvia called as she herself heard the pained shriek of Sophia as a magical blast shook the stairs below them. Sylvia ran into the room and shut the door, but not before hearing the tramp of booted feet on the hallway outside. "Hurry Sarah." Sylvia grabbed the girl as she heard pounding on the door.

"Open up in there!" a gruff voice called out.

The young boy from earlier appeared from behind a wall panel. "In here, quickly!"

"But what about you?" Sylvia asked pushing Sarah before her.

"I'll be fine, go!" he pushed Sarah into the tunnel as she turned around to go back into the room. He managed to shut the hidden door as several armed men burst through the door.

"Alright boy, where are they?" a raggedly dressed man growled.

The child quickly created a small crystal and threw it at the man. It shattered on impact, making the man howl in pain at the crystal shards imbedded in his face and arms. "Why you!" a second man clouted the youngster on the head, knocking the young boy out. He landed limply beside a small silver box trimmed in jade that glimmered in the light of the fires outside.

XxXxXxXxX

Sylvia and Sarah dashed to catch the last train heading out of Dulcina. Sylvia, who had already seen the dead faces of her brother and sister-in-law, side by side, holding hands, knew that Sarah was the only one left of her family. They must get out of Dulcina. Men, on the last car of the train, recognized the unmarried Princess Sylvia and her young niece Princess Sarah, reached out to catch the fleeing pair, hoping to pull them to safety. They managed to grab Sylvia, but Sarah, who was tired by this time, and had much shorter legs, was flung from her aunt's grasping hand to land on the platform below, hitting her head. Sylvia screamed in grief as the train chugged out of Dulcina.

A little girl, about 8 years of age, got up, and staggered off, down a path to the side of the busy train station. She walked through a little wooded area, dazed and confused. Who was she? And why did her head hurt so much?

Passing under a bridge on the frozen river, a dark figure hurtled from the sky, knocking the girl off her feet. "I've got you now, Sarah." Rachel snarled, snatching a flailing leg.

The child shook her head and shrieked in fear as the woman with the crazed amber eyes began pulling her. "Let me go! Let me go!" She screamed.

"Never!" Rachel crooned insanely, spittle flying from her mouth.

From their struggles, the ice under the feet of woman began to crack and break up. The woman gasped, letting go of the child's leg. The girl kicked the woman's hands off of her and ran away.

Rachel screeched in rage as Timothy's little chit ran off. She began to drop, the cloak and her dress weighing her down. Scrabbling at the slick ice for any sort of purchase, Rachel slid up to her chest in the freezing water underneath the ice. "Mistress!" called a voice. A little white mutt/ dog creature dressed in a little purple vest and jaunty purple hat with a yellow feather in it, ran up to the slowly sinking woman. He reached Rachel in time to see her hand above the water then sink into oblivion below. "Oh boy." He muttered, ears drooping, but his beady eyes lighted on the cylindrical shape lying on the ice, pulsing a dying ruddy red.