I don't own any of the ideas. All characters belong to the wonderful Red Queen Series by Victoria Aveyard! No copyright intended!

It's my first time writing a fanfiction, so feedback is most welcome!

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So for any new readers, I'm actually remastering all my stories right now which means that the chapters are going to go through some massive/minimal edits. I hope you still continue to follow along with what's happening while this process happens because it will be a little slow due to my school work and sometimes lack of inspiration to write. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this remastered chapter!

Prologue . . .

July 28th, 338 NE, at Whitefire Palace (more like a Prison and I can't wait to get out of here)

Dear Diary,

Mother suggested writing an entry in this book, but it seems so stupid to spill all of me onto something tangible, especially something easy to read. Not to mention, it's a waste of time and effort. My days are actually quite full. Not to mention the whole thing about it is a security risk.

But Mother certainly knows how to nag. I get that she cares about me but sometimes her suggestions seem very bad. But of course, she will drone on and on about the benefits of having a diary and how therapeutic is can be. She speaks of it as though she has had one before.

I don't know if Mother's ever written in a book before, but I can guess. She's so secretive about her history and her life, I believe she might've had a diary before. But she doesn't seem like the type to write.

I could be wrong. I could be right.

Still, there are countless reasons why I would not have a diary. It makes you feel so vulnerable. It was something Queen Coriane used to do and left her thoughts unprotected from Grandmother Elara as well as the people who saw it. A lesson for future generations of kings and queens to learn from. Plus, to have such a thing hold your thoughts ... it bares your soul to the world, letting them view the most intimate and private parts of yourself.

Then again, Queen Coriane's mind was always at mercy of Grandma's ability anyway, so it's not a good example. But it would be courtly gossip if people found out the honest thinking of the royal princess. To say some of my thoughts in here could be damning is an understatement: it would shatter the world if everyone knew.

That's why I must keep my thoughts private. And as a newblood whisper, I have that choice. There is no one in this world, in these courts that can read me. Not even Samson. Not even all of House Merandus. I have the option to close my mind unlike so many others, Silver whispers included.

Another reason why I shouldn't write anything too incriminating in here would be due to the slight possibility that my would be "invaded" daily by the red servants in the palace. I am quite the private person so my wing of Whitefire is usually cold and lonely. Still, that might make it easier for someone to steal it from my room. With no one watching, it'd be a piece of cake for them to just snatch it off my desk and walk away without a single scratch.

Maybe if I can keep it expertly hidden, then they won't find out. Right now, I'm thinking of good places to hide this in.

Even then, I'm mostly worried about the telkies of House Provos. My brother Shade says that the courts are growing restless. My sister Gisa also says that the country is balancing on a knife's point. We might have crushed the Scarlet Guard rebellion, but there are still enemies in our home. If the Silver nobles get ahold of this book, it could ruin all of us. It doesn't matter if it has a lock: they wouldn't need a key to open it. Telkies can control objects without physical interaction, and I don't know how far their abilities can go. I've seen how dangerous they can be. I've seen them in the arena, catching even swifts by their neck. And I've seen them choke people until they fall limply, dead.

And if the Lakelanders were to get it—

Maybe I'm being too paranoid. Besides, I know I won't write anything too incriminating. My thoughts are my own, and no one can read my mind, not even the Silver Whispers in my Father's court. An upside for being a newblood Whisper right?

So much work to do, with so little time. I realize that I've been writing in this book for about 30 minutes, and I have three history books to get through tomorrow about the History of Norta. So many classes, so much stress. Is this what Mother felt when she was masquerading as Mareena Titanos?

Ugh. What I would give to just be a normal Red girl in a no name village.

Sometimes, I wish I was Red. I've always despised my ability, however useful it may be. It's a blessing to read to read one's private thoughts, one's memories, their fears, hopes, and dreams. I've sniffed out lies before with just a look alone. But it's also a curse. I've also severed friendships and caused distrust to fester in them as well.

The only person who should have access to their thoughts is them. No one should be poking around in their head or you might do more bad than good.

I've seen what a forced entry into someone's mind can do. My mentor Samson once forced me to watch him torture traitors as a "lesson". It made me sick. Why use your gift for cruelty? When I told Father of this, naturally he was upset. But it dawned on me what good I could do, and what bad I could do with just a glance and a little bit of concentration.

There are things that are better left hidden. Like Mother's life. And like Father's buried demons which threaten to break free every single time he is away from us. My family, my friends— and I mean my closest ones— deserve to keep their secrets as well.

And it's hard being royalty. Some people long to live in royal palaces. To have servants to your beck and call. To never need to work a day in your life. But in return, you sacrifice everything else. You have no say in the basic rights and desires of a girl my age. I may fall in love with someone, only to be sent off to a foreign country as a trading piece to end a war. I may want to forgo all the palace rules only to be scolded by my parents for not upholding the reputation of the family. In other words, I can never do things the way I want.

To be normal may just be a luxury in itself.

As a princess, your duty is to your country, and your country alone. My life belongs to the will of my parents, mostly my Father's. Will I be sold off to princes of foreign countries? Or will I have my Princetrial and be married off to a complete stranger? I have turned sixteen only yesterday, making me eligible for marriage. And the thought of marriage ... it is a scary thing for me but as I said above, I have to do it. My life isn't my own.

I will write to you later but I don't have a name for you. It will be hard to talk about you in secret if I don't have one.

I'll call you Kitty, short for Katherine.

Yours,

Elara Diana Calore

Note: I could work on my entries a little bit. They are a bit rusty.

Also, the story jumps from diary entries to first person view.