Sarah was out sitting in a cafe, working on her laptop.

Another woman comes up to her and says, "i thought that was you, Shayannah!"

Sarah went pale.

"Where did you hear that name?", she asked quietly.

"I should know you", comes the response. "I worked for your mother for long enough..."

"You can't have", 'Sarah replies. "My name is Sarah Brady. I'm an accountant. My mum died years ago, when i was a baby."

"Then how do you know the name ‘Shayannah’", the other woman asked.

"I hear it in my dreams...", Sarah replied, staring off into the distance, a wistful expression on her face. "In them, I’m Royalty. A Princess."

"And you are", the other woman says. "My name is Lady Shanira Bell. I’m your families 'executive assistant', Mistress. I’m here to inform you that your mother has passed away, and you are needed to take up your position as ruler."

"Are you nuts, or something?", Sarah replied. "That life is only a dream! It’s not real! Anyway, I’ve got to go. I’ve got a meeting this afternoon."

Sarah gets up to leave. Shanira gets up with her.

"What now?", Sarah asks, looking at her.

"Where you go, I go", Shanira replies. "I’m not just your executive assistant. I’m also your bodyguard and responsible for your safety. I can’t allow you to go anywhere unattended now I’ve made contact with you."

Sarah said something unprintable and quickly walked out of the cafe. She quickly raced down the street, through the back alley into the car park, and jumped into her car.

As she went to start it, she looked up. Shanira was standing in front of it, blocking her in.

“Mistress, please, listen to me! Your life is in danger. Your mother’s death wasn’t an accident.”

“Get away from me, you nutter, or I’ll call the police”, was Sarah’s response. She wasn’t having anything to do with this strange lady.

“Damn it, I was hoping I didn’t have to do this”, said Shanira. Reaching to her neck, she squeezed a blue jewel hanging from a collar round her neck.

A burst of brilliant blue light flashed out from the jewel, hitting Sarah straight between the eyes.

Sarah threw her hands up to shield herself, way too late, screamed once and collapsed behind the wheel of her car.

“I hope you can forgive me, mistress”, Shanira said sadly…

Sarah slowly came back to consciousness. She found she was in the passenger seat of her own car, strapped in, and Shanira was driving.

“What the hell did you do to me? More to the point, where are we going?”, Sarah asked.

“I’m taking you to the Gateway.”, Shanira replied. “That way, you can see the Kingdom is real for yourself. I don’t know what they’ve done to you, but you’re completely turned around.”

“What do you mean?”, Sarah asked. Due to the influence of the beam, she was feeling more relaxed and more open to discussing ‘Shayannah’.

“Shayannah is your real life”, Shanira said. “Sarah is the cover identity Franklin programmed into you to hide you here. You’re stuck as Sarah now; that blast from my gem should have reset you.”

“I think it’s done something”, Sarah said. “I feel like I’m a little more relaxed with all this, now. At least I don’t think you’re a complete nutter anymore.” She smiled at Shanira, who grinned back.

“That’s something, at least”, she said.

Shanira carried on driving for the next few hours, heading further and further into the countryside. It was a warm day, and Sarah found herself dropping off to sleep. This was interrupted by her mobile going off in her bag…

By reflex, Sarah reached over, took her phone out, and answered it.

“Where are you!”, was the urgent question from the person on the other end. “The meeting started half an hour ago! I need those figures!”

“I don’t think I want to tell you”, said Sarah sleepily.

“What! Are you drunk, or something?”, was the reply.

“Or something”, Sarah replied, throwing the phone out of the window.

“Bang goes that job.”, she said. “I did sort of enjoy it, but he was always making passes at me, so I don’t mind losing it.”

“Will anyone else be looking for you, or worried?”, asked Shanira. “We really don’t need any more complications.”

“No, I’m an only child”, said Sarah. “There’s no one at home except the dust bunnies.”

Smiling, she settled back to sleep in the seat, as Shanira drove on.