“She stood there. In the middle of a battle, as her sword was buried into the ground, the word “equality” was carved into the center of the blade. The air was cold signaling the start of winter. Building fell and gravel powder filled her lungs for the battle has ended. They declared for the crown to be placed on her head. She will lead, she will rise.” Spoke Rosalie to little Angela, even though she knew her seven-year-old brain could not understand a word.
“Mom that’s ridiculous; those Royals took your crown the minute father passed, how would they ever let a girl fight? They will silence her the minute she says ‘hello!’” She exclaimed remembering the minute her father was buried and how the Royals fought hard to take the crown, and pass it to someone else saying, ‘they were going to fall anyway.’
“Patience, Athena, patience,” Rosalie spoke eloquently as if the crown was still on her head. Pride filled her heart. She stared at her daughter with her blue eyes gleaming with hope, as if she knew something Athena didn’t. “Go get ready. There is a meeting with the Royals, for King Adonis is stepping down and Gabriel is taking over.”
“Okay mother,” she replied keeping the conversation short. Athena walked to her room and as she twisted the knob to enter her room. She began questioning the importance of this event when she isn’t even a Royal anymore. She saw her royal blue dress that had a white embellishment at the bottom of the mermaid-styled dress that she would be wearing, it’s beautiful, she thought. She showered, air dried her hair, then styled it into an elegant bun and added some balm to her lips. She wore the dress with white flat shoes and sprayed a rose-scented perfume to her neck.
She exited her room with confidence and saw her mother talking to the nursing mother about Angela. They were discussing Angela’s needs and necessities. The nurse happily smiling and cooing to Angela said, “Oh don’t worry Rosalie, she is in good hands,” smiled the old Scottish women.
“I know, but it’s nearing winter I want her healthy. Keep her warm and near the fireplace alright, Mary.”
The Scottish women nodded and smiled remembering the days she took care of Athena, her gaze then drifted from the young child to the young women that lit the room, Athena. Rosalie smiled at the old Scottish housemaid, the most trustworthy person she’s ever met. She turned to her daughter and said, “Athena grab a coat and go to the carriage.”
“Yes mother,” Athena spoke dreading this evening.

Meanwhile in the huge castle, stood a tall, man named Gabriel staring into the mirror. At age twenty-three, he stood tall at six-three, lean, broad shouldered, traits he received from his father. His teal grey eyes and blonde hair were passed down to him from his mother, a women who he remembers nothing about.
“Gabriel, it’s time,” spoke his father, a bitter old man.
“Let’s get it over with then.” Gabriel walked shoulder to shoulder with his father, the king, the leader of this nation, who is now ready to step down and give his son the throne. Pride filled him but it did not show, which was not helping Gabriel. The two men stood in front of the crowd as the trumpets blew silencing everyone. The bitter man spoke “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for a great new beginning. For I will pass the crown to my son, Prince Gabriel Peterson III. He has my blessing!” the crowd cheered as they thought about their monarch growing more powerful. In their minds, as long as the king and the Royals are strong, those who are wealthy are strong as well.
The cheerful mood of the room did not phase Athena and her mother as they stood with grimaces on their faces. They knew the Petersons very well, because they were the closest of friends in the past and Athena and her mother felt a sense of betrayal from Adonis. Athena turned and saw her mother walking away with some of her friends. Rosalie walked away to forget tonight because her heart was full of betrayal and a sense of nostalgia. Her mind was filled with memories the time her and husband ruled the kingdom in this rusty, old palace they once called home.
Athena grabbed a glass from a waiter as he passed by, drinking the cool liquid and looking around the room until her eyes locked with the teal grey eyes of the future king. A blush formed on her cheeks, she looked away. Gabriel was smiling as her looked her way. He excused himself from the people he talked to and walked towards Athena, his childhood best friend.
“How are you, Athena?”
“I’m fine, you?” she replied.
“Good,” he answered not knowing what to say but unwilling to end the conversation.
“Gabriel, will you let me be part of the Royals?” she asked wary of his reply, because she knew not to mess with Gabriel, but she felt obligated to ask. She waited for his answer, as her heart dreaded what his answer would be.
“Athena, I give you my blessing love, but it is the Royal Council of men you have to worry about.” He spoke while nodding across the room imaging Athena with the crown on her head and a sword in her hand. Gabriel didn’t want it, he practically hated the gold crown and the sword of the kingdom.
“How would I start a revolution against these men?” she asked in a low whisper.
“I don’t know. Find a way before my coronation, for you have a month. Fight, Athena, fight!” he whispered with passion in her ear, making her tense. As she heard those words, adrenaline surged its way throughout her body, as she turned to smile at him and ask him to dance with her.
“Never thought you would ask!” he exclaimed, feeling as though they were children again. Walking to the dance floor, people stared at them, some curious as the band played a show dance song. Gabriel took her hand and waltzed wither, following each step as the beat increased and decreased, she giggled when they made mistakes tripping on each other’s feet.
“Ever heard of the Queen of Elair?” He asked, raising a brow.
“Yes of course mom tell Angel the story every day.” She replied as she knew where this conversation was going. “That was a long time ago people change.”
“Yes they do, but you have to fight! Just be careful!” Gabriel implored. He spun Athena and dipped her and whispered into her ear, “I believe in you.” They parted ways after that encounter but still secretly stared at each other, reminded of each other and their next encounter.
The next day Athena woke up on a mission. She got dressed real warm because the sky was cloudy and grey, resembling the color of the castle that was in the center of the village. The ground was covered in white snow. On the edge of town was a house town to be in discard with the Royals. Athena went to this house and knocked with annoyance as she waited.
“Wait I’m coming, I’m coming!” screamed a high pitched voice that belonged to the one and only women, Mary, she was once a queen. The door opened and the crazy redheaded, blue eyed, tall Italian women stood feeling anxious seeing that Athena Heart stood at her door. “Why, what are you doing here Miss. Heart? Shouldn’t you be at home?” questioned the women.
“Would you like to come in?”
“Yes, there is something I must speak to you about in private.” Athena was soon rushed into the tiny house bearing a fireplace, stove, and a bed. Simple home for such a simple woman, thought Athena. “I want to become a Royal,” she said while sitting on the woman’s bed as Mary pulled up a stool for herself.
“Ah, I see and why is that?” The redhead questioned.

Meanwhile, Gabriel sat in the palace with his father and fifteen other men. Negotiating deals. Suddenly, one of the men stood up. He looked to be in his late twenties, he wore a tailored suit with his dark hair combed back. “I have a meeting two towns over, I was wondering if my sister can take my place?” he asked with a worried tone. His controversial question perked up many ears at the table of old men. The sat at this man, all their eyes expressed anger.
“Absolutely not it’s illegal! A women may never have a seat at this table! Never!” screamed one of the bald men. He was Gabriel’s uncle, a man who had two daughters but in his mind could never imagine a female sitting at the Royals table.
“Why is that?” questioned Gabriel.
“Well women are really irrational!”
“Is that all you have? I think as future king I should start making decisions and maybe one of those decisions could be having a women sit here. Maybe they will be better representatives? So I ask you to let me do this,” Gabriel spoke sternly expecting no one to question his statement.
“Adonis, do you hear the nonsense he is speaking?!?!” screamed one of the chair men.
“Patience, I trust my son’s opinion. So i’ll let it pass,” spoke the King who sit front and center, the crown glistening on his head.
‘There you go Athena I just bought you more time.’ Gabriel thought, feeling pride in his friend and himself, hoping this young man’s sister could lead, and not dissapoint. For all Gabriel wanted was a queen to take this awful crown off his head.

Mary quickly covered her face with a lace scarf, grabbed her supplies and met with her friends in the center of town. All twenty women walked towards the palace and sat in front of the gates. They held up signs and sat there waiting patiently as no one was awake just yet. Guards of the palace did not want to cause a ruckus so they just ignored them. Mary felt proud but was also sad as she remembered her conversation with Athena…
“I will join you, please Mary, let me fight for my belief.”
“No you stay out of this. When the time is right, the Royals will run back to your mother and then you will tell your mother and fight,” spoke Mary. “Don’t worry young child I will have you sitting at that table whither it’s on a chair or someone’s back. You shall rise of Athena Heart. You shall rise.” Mary explained as she held Athena’s hands in her own. As  Athena heard these words she smiled and ran back home hoping for peace to come.

As women protested Gabriel sat at the table of men arguing about whether they should do something or not. They bickered back and forth. “SILENCE!!!” screamed Adonis, the men were quick to shut their mouths, “Do not worry for those foolish women can not do nothing, they are just looking for attention nothing else, let’s not worry.” He finished with a straight face no one knew what was he thinking, because he was worried on the inside, worried for his throne and kingdom, worried for the monarchy, not once has a women defined them, except for that foolish redhead.
Hours passed by and there was no new news except that more and more people were joining those women. There were children, men, and women out there, the silence stopped and now there was screaming. The voices of those people become loud, rising high striking more fear into the Royals hearts. Hoping that it dies down and people never speak of it again.
A knock came to the conference room door and then a servant entered. “More and more people are sitting at the front of the palace. I am afraid it is getting out of hand,” he explained.
“Okay, i’ll come and see it for myself. Come on men for a riot has hit the kingdom.”
The women have been standing outside in the cold for hours. Adonis went outside with the Royals and his son, anger streaming through his veins. As he marched to Mary, he raised his voice with a vicious look on his face and said, “Why are you doing this?”
“Women deserve to rule as well Adonis,” she replied bravely, her chest rising to show confidence.
“No you ruled once upon a time and there may have been peace but you fell and then the Hearts came to power. Martin died making his family not rule, and we couldn’t put the kingdom in his daughter’s hands! So I gained power and it is going to stay that way! Petersons will rule and no female will ever lead again!” Gabriel heard it all, disappointed in his father, he sat down with the women. People gasped at this brave and shocking act.
Athena and her mother left their home for a evening stroll around town. They were walking when they heard shouting in the center of town. Rosalie noticed this and looked at her daughter and asked “What is going on?” Athena shrugged and walked to the palace and saw most of the town villagers gathered.
Athena was nearby and was shocked as of when Gabriel sat, and after that moment she knew what she had to do. “Mom they are fighting for women to be part of the Royals, both males and females deserve to hold the crown. Adonis is preventing that with his group of old men!”
“Athena…”
“Mother please, we must help, please.”
Not knowing what to do she said, “Alright Athena i’ll pull some strings.”
As Gabriel sat down next to Mary, he smiled. Adonis was fuming as he heard the voice of one woman who he fears, Rosalie. “What is going on here Adonis it’s been many years since there has been a protest! What kind of rule do you have here?!?!”
“Let’s discuss this in private then,” he spoke angrily. They walked in the palace and into the room where conferences were held. There was a table with chairs filled with men, except for one. Rosalie noticed it and pushed her daughter to sit in that chair.
“Sit for your future has now begun,” said a proud Rosalie. Athena was grateful and thanked her mother. Finally they argued back and forth, the protest outside had attracted more people and they joined in on the screaming until the council came to a decision. They shall let a women rule, a speech will be made to address the issue that evening.

Gabriel stood outside with the protesters, he did not want to join the meeting and was avoiding his father. He noticed that the palace doors were open. His face was red from the winter’s cold breeze, and his throat burning from the screams. Athena walked out with a bandaged arm. He realized the Royals tattooed the symbol. The tattoo was the crown and the female symbol with a dagger meaning the first council member who is female and fought for her place. Every royal has that symbol and Athena is one of the first women to have that symbol on her wrist.
Happiness filled Gabriel for he was so proud of his good friend. She knew her place in this kingdom. People cheered in the crowd as they saw they have someone will help lead and set an example for the kingdom’s future, which they hope will be great. Gabriel walked towards Athena a smile on his face he grabbed her hand and held it high, for the future king has approved, the crowd erupted into loud screams.
“For a new beginning has started and we hope to improve for the better, now meet your first ever female Royal; Athena Heart!” Louder screams erupted and the kingdom declared this night a night of celebration for the start of a great new beginning in this society.