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serraphinm · 2 months ago

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♕Chapter 1 - The Crown♕

Notes: This has taken me so long, but it was totally worth it. Hope you all agree. When I wrote this, I thought of The Princess Diaries, but I wanted to make it have magic. There are phones in this world, but nobles are old-fashioned and don't really use them. If you have any questions, put them in the comments, and I'll do my best to answer them!

WC: 8k

Taglist: @bready101

Reblogging and comments are loved and welcomed!!

Field trips were the fucking best. Not only did you get a break from schoolwork, but you also got to run around like an idiot with your friends. The one downside was that I still had to wear my school uniform. Old thing was stiff as a board and smelt like dust, whatever the hell dust smelt like.

Almost tripping up the stairs, I head into the Midiri National Museum, where our professors have chosen to have us walk around for the next 5 hours. My feet were hurting already. I huff, tighten the straps of my satchel, and pull my hair out from under it. Opening the heavy ass doors, I spot my friends and grin. Before I run over to them, I look at the museum entryway again. The massive walls and high ceilings always manage to steal my breath away. Taking in the details, I walk to my friends. Once I reached them, we exchanged whispered hellos and giggled. Our professor, Professor Hallam, instructs us to go wherever we like as long as we remain in the building. We head to the Royalty section to get a look at the Princess's crown and try it on. According to the legend, if you were the heir to the throne, the crown would glow, but everyone was sure they were just rumors. The King and Queen were assassinated twenty years ago, a month after the Princess was born. And on the same night, the Princess was taken. Many hoped the Princess would try on the crown and return, but I believe that's total bullshit.

"You gotta try on the crown.. come on!!!" A voice says to me.

"Absolutely not, Miriam. I'm pretty sure the thing is cursed." Miriam was a sweet girl with butterscotch hair and green eyes. We had met at Sareth Academy about 13 moons ago, and she was well aware of how I felt regarding the Royals and the current temporary monarch. This was partially why I chose to apply to the academy in the first place.

"Not even for a millisecond?" Evelyn practically pleads. She was tall and fair with blue eyes and blonde hair.

She loved the royals and was thoroughly convinced she was the lost Princess despite having completely different features. When we came here a year ago, she tried on the crown and wore it for the full minute. Magic was funny, though; the crown teleported back into the case with some of her hair. We laughed about it for weeks, commenting on her bald spot as if our lives depended on it. I still don't think she's fully forgiven us for that. My footsteps echo throughout the massive room, and I begin to regret wearing these shoes.

"You guys are well aware how much that crown freaks me out. It's still a big fat no."

Miriam and Evelyn both roll their eyes. They didn't understand why I hated the crown so much. And I sure as hell wasn't about to tell them. We reach the Queen and King painting and bow to it before walking over to the crown.

"You know, Y/n.. every year we come here, you look more and more like Her Majesty..it's almost creepy, honestly.." Evelyn says, her eyes still focused on the painting.

"I'm sure it's just a coincidence." Miriam's voice rings out. Looking at the painting again, I study the Queen's face. I hated to admit it, but we were strikingly similar. We had the same nose and skin tone, and our hair and eye color were the same.

"It is kinda creepy, but a lot of people look like the late Queen. I'm sure Miriam is right." I say before I walk over to the crown with the girls. Evelyn puts it on as soon as she can reach it. Miriam and I chuckle, but she just grins at us. Evelyn sets the crown back on its stand, not wanting to lose her hair again, and steps back.

That's when I hear it. A small… whisper..

Y/n

My head snaps in different directions, trying to figure out where that is coming from, but it ultimately lands on the crown. My friends look concerned.

"Y/n, you ok?" Miriam says softly as if she were scared of scaring me.

I ponder telling them that I'm hearing voices. This is why I hated the crown. It gave me a terrible headache and it whispered my name. It creeped me the fuck out.

"It's nothing.. Just thought I heard something."

Y/n

There it is again.

What the hell is going on?

I stare at the crown, almost glaring at it. A group of students comes in, their footsteps like thunder. One of my Professors is among them. My friends' heads snap in that direction, and mine would, too. However, I still stare at the crown as if it were mesmerizing.

Y/n

The voice gets louder, so much so it hurts. I groan and grab my head. Evelyn and Miriam call for the teacher. I hear something about the Prime Minister for some odd reason. Closing my eyes, I try and stop the pain. Dull aches find the smallest corners of my mind as the voice screams.

"Make it stop!" I cry out, my throat going dry.

Opening my eyes, I see a man dressed in a light red suit. He has blue eyes and very short, combed-over, white hair. He smiles calmly at me and reaches for the crown. I panicked and tried to back away from it. A wall of mass sits a few steps back, though, and I look back to see two guards standing tall. I want to yell at them to move. To do something about the screaming. But it hurts so much I can barely think. The Prime Minister gently holds a hand out to me. To steady me. I take the hand with my own shaking. He gently places the crown on my head. And all is quiet. Before I can even take a deep breath of relief, a blinding white light fills the room. Groans and screams fill my senses, and I close my eyes once more. When I open them, I see everyone staring at me in shock. It clicks then….

I was Midiri's Princess.

How the fuck-

Whom the fuck-

WHAT THE FUCK

The prime minister's voice pulls me out of my internalized panic and places a hand on my shoulder.

"We've been looking for you for a long time, Your Highness." What he says makes my ears ring and my brain hurt.

I open my mouth to protest, but he turns to the room before I can. With a booming voice, he announces, "I present to you, her Highness… Princess Y/N L/N!"

He bows to me, and I'm acutely aware of how uncomfortable I am with this situation. Soon, the room follows in varying forms of curtsies and bows. I feel like Percy Jackson when it was revealed he was the son of Poseidon.

The prime minister raises his head and gives me a look, which I can only assume is meant to be calming.

Guards escort me to the front doors, and my feet seem to move on their own. Once outside, a large black limo comes around the street corner and stops in front of the museum steps. I want to scream. Say this is all wrong and go back to my friends. But something inside me is telling me this is right and that I can change what I hate about the monarchy. I steel my resolve and, with shaky legs, enter the limo. It felt bigger on the inside than it looked. On the plus side, I didn't feel claustrophobic. On the negative side, I was so overwhelmed and overstimulated that I felt like I was going to puke. The prime minister sat a few seats away from me, and I decided that while I was stuck here, I might as well ask a few questions.

I look up at him and, with a dry mouth, ask, "How did you know to put the crown on me?"

He looks surprised for a moment, but to be fair, this is the first time I've spoken to him, let alone asked him a question.

"I saw your face.. and saw Her Majesty… I thought it couldn't hurt to try… I'm sorry if I scared you, your Highness." He says gently. I let out a breath I wasn't aware I had been holding and whispered, "What's going to happen now…?"

He gives me a sympathetic look and says, "Now, we begin planning for your coronation. Some instructors will teach you all you need to know, and a seamstress will be by to take measurements for a coronation gown and clothing." He begins listing other things that will need to be done, but I zone out. Switching on the TV, I see news report after news report about me—my face, where I went to school, all of it.

"How did they find me so fast…?" I ask the prime minister, my head snapping in his direction.

"I'm not sure...However, there will no doubt be paparazzi waiting for you when we arrive at the palace." His voice is stressed, and I can tell he's worried about something, though I can't determine what.

"I'm assuming the Duke and his family will be awaiting my arrival as well," I note darkly.

Duke Haleson was an all-around dickface, and I didn't need to meet him to know that. As the temporary monarch, he had more power than any person should ever have without proper checks and balances, and it showed.

"I'm sure he will be there to greet you along with the Duchess. But not to worry, " he says, noticing the look of disdain on my face. “You currently have more power than him as the Princess."

It takes a whole minute for that to sink in before I realize that, yet again, this is real. I pinch myself once just to make sure, and when the pain registers, it too registers. This is not a dream. Then, so suddenly, as if it were lightning, Im determined and a little pissed off. If there's one thing I know about this whole situation, it's that I've been given the power to make things right. Being resentful came with knowing I'd have to clean up the Duke's mess.

"Your Highness, if I may ask, how much do you know about the Duke and his family?" the Prime Minister asks softly.

"Well, for starters, I know the Duke is the temporary monarch, which he took over when the King and Queen died… well, I suppose I mean when my parents died.." It felt weird to say that and to be honest, it just made me depressed. "He's the late King's cousin, and I believe he has two sons and a daughter. His eldest son is Emon, and his second son is Oren… I believe they're both 19."

Recalling information about the Duke's family was easier than I thought despite knowing the most about the Duke himself. "His daughter is Elora, and she's 14. I've seen several photos of them in the paper and magazines."

The Prime minister nods and confirms the information.

"What I don't know are their affinities," I say, subtly asking the Prime Minister. Each member of the royal family by blood had affinities, which I suppose meant I had them too. Power takes form when a royal member reaches 10 and is in tune with their affinities. A type of energy per se. Different kinds of energies lead to various types of affinities and so forth.

He taps his chin as if deciding whether or not to tell me before simply saying, "The Duke has an ice affinity, The Duchess a plant affinity, Emon has a plant affinity as well, I believe Oren has force affinity, and Elora has a surprising teleportation affinity."

It was indeed surprising to have a teleportation affinity. From what I knew, they were extremely rare.

"A teleportation affinity..?? Jeez.. I bet the Duke loves her.."

He says nothing and just avoids my eyes. Deep down, I know what that means, so I turn my attention back to the TV.

We pull up to the palace, and cameras are flashing before I even step out. Guards line the pathway; I can see the Duke and his sniveled-up face from here. Someone opens the door, and cameras flash so much that I'm practically blinded. The same person who opened the door held a hand out to me, and I took it. As I stand, the flashes just get worse. Covering my face with my hand and walking, tons of questions are thrown my way. People are screaming my name somewhere, and it takes me a moment to realize there are tons of people with signs and posters outside the gates. I realized they were all there for me, so I decided to wave to them as a show of courtesy. That just makes them scream louder, and I try not to grimace. Focusing my attention on walking, I head toward the Duke. He bows to me, and his family soon follows. I was surprised to find out they'd all be here at once.

"Are you sure this is the Princess? She looks like a teenager… and she's wearing a school uniform." The Duke comments with a grin on his face. Man, this guy is more pathetic than I thought.

"I'm 20, and this is usually what people wear when going to school, Duke Haleson."

He looks down at me once more as if acknowledging me was some horrible fate he had been subjected to. I keep eye contact with him and try not to glare… or bite his head off.

"My, you have quite the tongue for a young lady…"

"That's Her Highness to you, Duke Haleson. I respect your title; you should respect mine, don't you think?"

His jaw clenches, and I can see the irritation in his eyes. Good, it's about time he understands I won't be pushed around.

The Duke glares at me, poised to speak, but the Duchess interjects with a warm welcome, guiding me into the palace. As she shares captivating stories about the grounds, I struggle to keep my jaw from dropping. The sheer magnificence leaves me in awe when we step into the foyer.

With its soaring ceilings, the space feels vast and inviting. Gold accents glimmer on the walls, while the marble floors shine under the gentle light streaming through grand windows. Splashes of light purple and lush greenery breathe life into the room as vibrant purple flowers and cascading vines adorn both the walls and ceilings.

As we venture further, the beauty of this palace is almost intoxicating, yet there's an underlying weight in the air, a sense of history that seems to seep from every corner. Each detail is meticulously crafted, and I can't shake the idea that beneath this elegance lie untold stories—much like the voice that haunted me earlier.

My thoughts flutter between what the Duchess is saying and how on earth this room is real. We enter the drawing room, and more splashes of purple and gold fill my vision as I'm led to a plush white chair. As she is well known, Duchess Victoria sits across from me while her husband stands and stares.

"I'm sure you have many questions. Are there any we can answer, Your Highness?" the Prime Minister asks. I suddenly realized that I hadn't even bothered to ask for his name yet.

"What's your name?"

He looks shocked momentarily before he smiles and introduces himself, "My name is Bennet Winton, Your Highness."

I open my mouth to respond when I hear a chuckle from the Duke. This man was already pissing me off.

"You must really want my attention, Duke Haleson if you can't even keep yourself from being the only one laughing."

He shuts up.

I turn back to Prime Minister Winton and smile at him. "I appreciate your help thus far. My other question is when the coronation will be held and whether I'll be crowned Princess or Queen."

"It will be held in one week. And you shall be crowned Queen." Duke Halesons' cold voice fills the room. The Duchess speaks next, her voice quieter than the Dukes': "Don't worry, dear. We will prepare you for the coronation. I have a lovely seamstress I could recommend if you'd like."

"Thank you.. I would like that. What about education, though? I have no idea how to run a country."

This time, the Prime Minister says, "Not to worry, Your Highness. We have the best professors and instructors across the globe."

"Well, that's good; thankfully, I know quite a lot about nobles and such from studying at Sareth Academy."

"Sareth Academy, you say. I thought I recognized that uniform from somewhere, " the Prime Minister says warmly.

I was quite proud of myself for getting into such an elite school. "Yes, I learned quite a lot."

Learning about people who were far more fortunate tended to anger people, and I was no different. However, attending the school helped me learn about affinities and nobles' power. I wouldn't have my seething hatred for the Duke without my education. Mostly because I'd be ignorant like most people who believe in the royals and nobles. The Duke had been placing people in positions of power who had no idea what they were doing or had too much of an idea and were using it to hurt ordinary people.

"Oh really…?"

I take a deep breath. The Duke had yet again tried to undermine me. He must take me for some idiot who just wants to be royalty.

"Duke Haleson, if you're going to be immature, I can get help elsewhere." My voice is unwavering and determined. In a matter of seconds, I see his expression flicker between outrage and calm. He clears his throat as if he were trying to stuff down another rude comment.

"Excuse me?" His voice cracks a little.

"You're not excused."

Everyone in the room looks like I've just slapped them across the face. Then suddenly,… laughter. Oren laughs and soon follows his brother and then his sister. The Duchess follows naturally. The Prime Minister even cracks a significant smile. I feel a bit ashamed for a moment before I realize… they're laughing at him. Duke Haleson's face is red. I can't tell if it's because of my ridiculous petty comment or because everyone is laughing at him. Maybe a combination of both.

"Now then.. I'd like to see my room, please." The exhaustion of the whole situation has finally worn me out, and I have decided to give the Duke some undeserved respite. I stand, and the Prime Minister waves a maid over. She looks to be eighteen, though I can't be sure. She curtsies to me and beams me with a smile. I smile back before I turn to the Prime Minister.

"Thank you for your help, Prime Minister.."

"Please, call me Bennet Your Highness. Rest well, and I shall see you in a few days."

He bows once more, and I decide to follow the maid for some well-deserved rest. With one last glance at the people in the room, I realize I may have more allies than I once thought.

Exhaustion was a bitch, and we weren't friends. There were so many stairs in this palace I thought my legs were going to fall off. I learned the maid's name was Jane. She was seventeen and had been working at the palace for almost a year now. She seemed very shy and surprised by the many questions I was asking her. We reach this massive hallway with an enormous window at the end of it. Flowers and vines crawl up the sides of it in a delicate pattern. Jane snaps me out of my trance by walking up to a set of lovely double doors. They arch at the top with intricate designs along the sides. Everything in this palace was just so damn pretty. She opens the doors, and I feel a breeze. I smell the room before I see it. Vanilla and Rose fill my senses as I try not to trip over my feet when I see the space. It's an open floor plan; everything is marble, gold, and light purple. So simple yet so elegant. A bed the size of my old bathroom lays off to the left with a canopy and vines covering it. The sheer drapes are held up with delicate ribbons made of lace. Picking my jaw off the floor, I take it in the rest of the room. A covered balcony with flowers galore and a view of the gardens. A sitting area that could fit a football team. A massive walk-in closet with so many accessories I can't even count them. A bathroom that shines brighter than my future and a large desk that overlooks the garden. The space feels surreal, like something you'd only see in your dreams. Everything is soft and expensive, and I just want to jump onto the bed… or into the bath… I wasn't about to be picky.

It takes me a few hours to find everything in the space. And a few more to remember the names and faces of my maids. Anais had red hair and blue eyes; Rose had brown hair, a fair nose, and pretty blue eyes; Ivone had deep black hair curling at the ends and brown eyes. While Jane had light brown eyes, freckles, and green eyes. It was odd how close I had gotten used to them. Which also felt weird because these girls would most likely see me naked. At Sareth Academy, they taught us that working with nobles came with having to see them in all states. It was a requirement to know how to serve them even if you weren't going to be in that line of work. I thought it was ridiculous, but you do whatever it takes to learn how to beat the system.

A lovely woman named Cherry came by as well. She was the palace seamstress that Duchess Victoria had sent over. As the palace seamstress, she took my measurements while I stood on a small fitting room platform. Cherry works quickly and efficiently, but as I'm wearing close to nothing in front of a room of strangers, it was difficult not to shiver.

"Just a few more measurements, dearie." She chirps as she walks around me. Writing on her notepad, she looks up at me.

"You did wonderful, Your Highness, I'm all finished."

I immediately relax and step down from the platform. A maid whose name I've learned to be Ivone steps forward and holds out a fluffy robe. Slipping it on immediately, I shiver into it. I was thankful to no longer be in my knickers in front of everyone. Cherry waves over another maid whose name I believe to be Anais. She hands her a stack of what looks to be pajamas, and I'm thankful that I have something to wear to bed tonight.

"Rose, could you please get my stationery?" I asked my fourth maid. Somehow, during my panic attack over the crown, I lost my satchel and phone. So, for now, I was stuck writing letters, though it did kind of make me feel more like royalty.

"Of course, Princess," Rose says a little too happily. She runs over to my desk as Cherry packs up. Anais walks over to the double doors on the other side of the room and opens them to my walk-in closet. I watch her go before walking over to my desk and writing a letter to my friends back at the academy. Writing everything I felt on paper left it rushed, but I doubt they would care much. I seal the letter when something crosses my mind.

Where was the Royal Seal?

I had heard about it in history lessons. It was used when royals sent letters to other countries or when the letter held important information. But if I didn't already have it, that meant only one thing: The Duke hadn't given it up. The Royal Seal was a sign of power, a sign that the current monarch was truly in charge.

I hand the letter off to Rose, who happily takes it away as I ponder. I needed to get that seal if I was going to be Queen, whether or not I had to take it from his hands.

"Princess, what would you like for dinner?"

Jane's soft voice reaches my ears, pulling me from my thoughts. I mutter a reply even though I feel too tired and stressed to eat. Usually, I would eat more than I needed, but for some reason, tonight, I just wasn't feeling it. Cherry says her goodbyes and well-wishes and I find myself relaxing a smidge more. I just wanted to be alone.

An hour later, Jane returned with the dinner I had requested. Surprisingly, I managed to get a decent amount down, and soon it was time for bed. Changing into the silk pajamas Cherry gave me, I find myself drawn to the massive bed. My maids leave, and suddenly, I feel everything all at once. Grief for my old life, happiness for my new one, fear and determination for the future. So much has happened in one day, and I feel the exhaustion clawing at my body. The bed surrounds me, and I fall into a deep sleep.

My whole body feels soft. Silk envelops me, and I wonder if I've died and gone to heaven. I open my eyes and see soft sunlight cascading onto the double doors of my room. The warmth is inviting, stirring a sense of calm I didn't know I needed. I yawn and sit up, stretching the sleepy energy right out of me. Glancing at the cord, my maids told me to pull when I awakened. I tug down on it, and a minute later, Rose, Anais, Ivone, and Jane come walking in. Rose pushes what seems to be a gold cart of food and brings it to the little area where I eat. Obviously, I get out of bed and walk over to eat.

After I eat, Cherry returns with dresses she altered to fit me until she can make some new ones for me. I wasn't exactly keen on wearing dresses every day, so I asked her to make me some pantsuits and everyday clothes, too. She seemed a bit shocked that I asked her that but nonetheless made a note of it. Ivone helps me get into one of the dresses, which is super awkward. Ivone doesn't seem to mind, thankfully, and we slip it on. It's a simple day dress made of silk. Rose suggested kitten heels, which I'm thankful for because I did not want to walk around in my uniform shoes any longer. I slip them on, and Anais fills me in on my schedule for the day.

"First, you will meet your new professors at 10 am, a small break for lunch; then you have dancing lessons at 3 pm."

"That is all, yes?" I practically plead. Wanting to be a good ruler and being lazy were both strangling me, and I couldn't decide which to fight off first.

"Yes, Princess, that is all." Rose giggles. I giggled along with her, and soon, I was headed to meet the professors.

The professors were certainly interesting. Despite growing up as a commoner, they seemed shocked by my seemingly decent education. However, one wasn't sure of my abilities and decided to question me further; needless to say, I put her in her place.

I had also learned the steps to the Rumba, which couldn't have been more awkward. At least my teacher was a woman and not some old creepy guy. The song playing in the background isn't one I've heard before, and later, in my room, I find myself humming it.

"What's that song you're humming Your Highness?" One of my girls asks. Based on the voice, I think it's Ivone.

"I'm not entirely sure…"

Each day is the same maddening cycle.

Dresses get delivered.

Professors drone on for hours about history and math.

Lunch.

Dancing class while I try not to look at my feet and not step on hers simultaneously.

It was exhausting.

Thankfully, today would be different because today was my coronation day. The fun part was the ball right after. For hours, I was cleaned, prepped, and clothed. Maybe I wasn't cut out for this whole royalty thing….

I shake my head and steel my resolve. No. I wasn't going to quit now. I had worked too hard, and I could finally make a change. The girls step away from me as it seems they're finally done with their invasive techniques to make me look prettier. I stand and turn to look in the mirror. Doing a double take to make sure it's me, my mouth falls open in a way that isn't very proper. My girls had outdone themselves. My hair was elegantly wrapped into a low bun, and a lovely tiara was placed on my head. A deep purple Coronation Mantle was draped onto my shoulders, and a stunning light purple gown was underneath it. Jewels drip from me like water, and I feel myself twirl before it registers; my coronation was really happening. Grinning, I hug each one of my maids, thankful for their existence.

"I… This is gorgeous, girls… thank you.."

They all blush and mutter different responses before Ivone speaks up, "You better hurry Princess; I hear you're riding in an actual carriage to the Coronation Hall!"

An actual carriage, well, at least I'd get to see horses.

I walk down to the foyer and almost stumble over my dress. Walking in a ballgown and heels was more challenging than it looked. I manage to make my way outside and spot the Prime Minister, or Bennet, as he insists I call him. He bows to me and assists me into the open carriage.

"Nervous Your Highness?" His calm voice asks.

"I would be a fool not to be," I mutter as I fiddle with my fingers. Those long fake nails were on, and picking them was so much more challenging.

"Try not to stress too much, Your Highness. It will be over before you even realize it, and after that, your hardest triumph will be the number of marriage proposals you'll have to turn down."

His joke doesn't help.

"Oh gosh, I didn't even think about proposals…"

"Yes, well, you will be the most powerful woman in the country… unmarried… suppose there's someone on your mind already?" he asks with a chuckle.

It almost warms my heart that he didn't immediately assume I'd be in love with a man.

"No… but I know it'll be hard to meet her in this position.." I say, a little annoyed that my love life is essentially going down the drain.

"Don't fret, Princess. I have a feeling you'll find her." His warm smile almost calms my nerves.

"Thank you, Bennet."

If I had a dime for every time I had been in a massive building and emerged with a new title of royalty, I'd have two dimes. Which isn't many in the grand scheme of things, but it's odd that it's happened twice.

The Coronation Hall of Midiri was ablaze with light as thousands of candles flickered above, casting a soft glow on the ornate decorations that adorned the stone walls. Tapestries depicting the kingdom's rich history hung from every corner, while fresh purple blooms filled the air with their intoxicating fragrance. The anticipation in the air was palpable, with nobles from all corners of the realm gathered to witness this momentous occasion—the coronation of Princess Y/N L/N, the new Queen of Midiri.

Usually, the previous ruler would crown the monarch; however, since my parents were dead, the Prime Minister got the honor. His usually calming voice boomed across the hall, demanding everyone's attention.

The ceremony was long and grueling, and what pissed me off even more was the fact that the Duke had the audacity to sit in the section reserved for royals. I wished then and there that I knew what my affinity was just so I could use it on his pompous ass.

The massive crown they put on me practically broke my neck, and I felt so relieved when they took it off.

I stand before the nobles, and they all rise and bow to me. It feels almost surreal. One week ago, I was a humble student in a country I loved but wanted to change.

Now, I was its Queen.

I walk out of the Grand Hall, scepter in hand and crown on my head. As I ride back to the palace in the carriage, people scream my name. Guards are stationed on each side of my carriage as I ride through the streets of Midiri. Flowers are thrown in my direction as chants fill the air.

"Long live the Queen!"

"The Queen has arrived!"

"Long may she reign!"

Tears well in my eyes as I smile and wave to the people. Once at the palace, I'm rushed to my room by staff for a bath and a quick change for my appearance at the coronation ball. I would have to meet with delegates so I had to arrive on time. My maids scrub my skin so hard I'm surprised I don't lose any. I dressed, and a new set of jewels graced my body. Thanking my girls, I leave and walk to the ballroom. It was one thing to stand before so many people, and it was another to talk to them all. Maybe even dance with a few if I managed to avoid stepping on their toes.

The guards notice my arrival and bow to me before telling the announcer that I am here. He bangs his staff on the floor to gain everyone's attention. The talking lowers to whispers, and as the announcer says in a loud voice,

"Presenting Her Majesty, Y/N M/N L/N Queen of Midiri!"

As I walk out, the room erupts in louder whispers and conversations. I feel everyone's eyes on me, and I try not to panic. Bows and curtsies can be seen from every direction as I clear my throat and begin my little speech.

"Hello all, and welcome to my coronation ball. I appreciate you coming all this way to celebrate with me tonight. As I look out and see so many friendly faces, I can't help but be grateful for each and every one of you. Let us celebrate tonight so we may work hard tomorrow!"

Cheers fill the room as toasts are being made in my honor. I walk to the staircase on my right, and as soon as I come down, men swarm all around me, asking me for dances and to talk. I reject them all and make my way to my throne that sits against the main wall. Sitting down, people begin lining up to meet me. The first people I see are a couple. A very tall blonde woman is on the arm of a shorter man with black curly hair. They bow and curtsy to me, respectively, and I nod my head in acknowledgment. Based on their attire I would assume they're from the country Amaris. It's a gorgeous country known for its beautiful people and goods. They must've crossed the sea to be here, as Amaris is to the south of Midiri across the ocean.

"Good evening, Your Majesty. My name is Prince Alwyn of Amaris. This is my lovely fiancee, Lady Isabella." Crown Prince Alwyn was known to be a womanizer, so it was a little surprising to see an actual fiancee on his arm.

"Congratulations on your engagement, you two. I wish you all the best. I appreciate you coming all this way for my coronation."

Lady Isabella blushes before saying, "You're too kind, Your Majesty... Oh! That's right! We've brought you a gift."

She waves over a staff member, and they hand me a delicately carved wooden box. Its rich color and fresh scent catch me off guard, but I school my expression and smile. I open the box to find spices galore inside. Amaris was known to be a merchants' paradise, so many goods were imported to and from there.

"What a lovely gift, thank you!" It's challenging to procure spices here in Midiri, so I offer my appreciation. Trying to be the perfect Queen simply by talking was hard, but they seemed to hear the sincerity in my tone.

"Please take this as a token of our goodwill and hope for a promising future between our two kingdoms," Prince Alwyn says before he and Lady Isabella depart. I hand the thoughtful gift to a staff member and instruct him to send it to the kitchen for my food.

Next, Duke and Duchess Haleson step up. Both bow and curtsey to me before I speak.

"Ah, Duke Haleson, I was wondering when I'd see you. It seems you have something of mine. I'd like it back, please." I say ever so politely.

The Duke grins, happy to play my game, "I'm not sure what you mean, Your Majesty... Perhaps you could jog my memory?"

"Hmm, yes, perhaps I will… Duchess Victoria, do you have it?"

The Duchess grins, and I see the smug smirk the Duke is sporting slip off his face. She reaches into her pocket and holds out the Duke's most prized possession, the Royal Seal. I smile and take it in my hands gently.

"But- How did you- Victoria!!" The Duke turns his rage on his wife in an instant. But I knew this would happen. I pocket the seal and stand.

"Duke Haleson, are you seriously so immature that you'd yell in my ballroom?" My voice carries across the room and eyes and necks snap in our direction. Whispers flood the hall, and I can practically see the Duke start to sweat.

"No…of course not Your Majesty…." His voice is quiet to avoid attention.

"Well then. I hope you keep to yourself this evening... Oh, and Duchess Victoria?"

Her eyes meet mine, and she winks before curtsying.

"Just Victoria is fine, Your Majesty."

"Victoria, then… do let me know if he acts up when you two are alone. I won't stand for domestic abuse. Not even from a Duke."

Hopefully, other ladies in the room realize this also extends to them, and they can contact me. But for now, I focus on the Duke.

"If that is all, you two are dismissed."

The Duke begrudgingly bows, and he and his wife leave. I sit back down and let out a massive breath. If I hadn't had the Duchess's help, I have no idea what I would've done. I rub my temples and prepare for the next person when an almost raspy, calming voice speaks.

"Well, he seemed like a dick."

My heart skips a beat as I look up. She was…. Ineffable. Short auburn hair that looked like an organized mess. I spot a glimpse of a tattoo, but only a sliver. It looked like.. A fern..? She wore a deep grey suit with space pins on the suit jacket and a simple deep green cape. Pale green eyes one could get lost in. And a smirk that stole my breath away.

My heart skips a beat, and I realize I've been staring.

"I- sorry, what did you say..?"

She doesn't seem to judge and just repeats herself.

"I said he seemed like a dick." Chuckling and shaking her head, she smiles down at me.

"Yeah, he's a real piece of work… I, um, I'm sure you know who I am already, but allow me to introduce myself; I'm Y/N Queen of Midiri."

She smiles and bows to me, a slight blush flushing her cheeks.

"Yea, I know, this is your ball, isn't it?" The way she said it wasn't cocky. Almost understanding as she puts her hands in her pockets.

I clear my throat and internally scold myself for being so stupid. Gay panic was a real thing….

"Right. Of course, you know that… my apologies."

"Oh gosh shit.. Sorry didn't mean to make you feel bad. Look, I'm not too good at this whole conversing with royals thing. Let's just start over, yea? My name is Ellie Williams, I'm the prince of Jackson."

Jackson… yes, I was familiar with it. However, I knew nothing of the royal family, let alone their affinities. They were a very closed-off family, and few knew anything about them, let alone their customs.

"Prince, you say…?"

She scratches the side of her neck as if it were a nervous habit.

"Yea.. I don't really like all the frilly princess stuff. Prince just suits me better, I guess. Wait fuck- I didn't mean that frilly things were bad." She quickly says, looking at my dress. She groans into her hands, and I burst out laughing. Her ears turn bright red, and I can't help but feel a little bad.

"That is the first time someone has sworn in front of me properly in the past 168 hours." My giggles spread throughout the room. She looked dumbfounded, and I can't help but beam a smile at her.

"Wha- that makes me feel even worse!" Her face contorting to one of shame.

"Trust me, it isn't a bad thing. I'm so sick of being treated like a child. It's been driving me crazy. I hope you didn't think I was laughing at you…"

That seemed to help her relax, so I decided to ask her something now that she was calmer.

"Would you care to dance with me?" My voice is as calm and soothing as I can force it to be. However, on the inside, I was shitting bricks, hoping she wouldn't say no. Usually, a dance between a man and a woman meant the prospect of marriage. But no two women had ever danced before. It was completely unheard of, and while most of society had evolved, the nobles stayed in one spot.

"I'm not a very good dancer; I'm afraid I'd step on your toes."

"So, is that a no…?" I say, feigning disappointment.

"No! No—I would love to dance with you. It was more of a warning…" she clarifies quickly.

"I'm just teasing you, Prince Ellie." I grin as she huffs.

"Could've fooled me." She mutters as she holds a hand out to me.

I take it, and she gently leads me to the dance floor.

"I think I did fool you," I say with a smug grin. She rolls her eyes and huffs a simple "Shut up…"

We stood in the middle of the dance floor, and I felt people begin to realize what I was doing. Prince Ellie wraps a hand around my waist, and I can feel her calloused fingers on my back. I stiffen just a little at the touch of her cold hands, and she mutters a quick sorry.

"It's fine; your hands are just cold, is all.."

She chuckles and holds my other hand. Merry Go Round of Life begins playing, and I move through the steps I was taught. I discover very quickly that Prince Ellie is a horrid liar. Her dance steps feel precise as she leads me. We twirl around the dance floor, and my grip on her shoulder tightens as she lifts me. When I come back down, I almost tumble into her, but she catches me and swiftly moves me to the next step. I can feel my face heating up from the embarrassment.

Getting into the rhythm of the Waltz, we reach the peak of the song, and I lock eyes with her. My heart pounds from the exertion, and I feel myself being pulled in by her. When she lifts me again, I feel like I'm floating. Everything from the glittering chandelier to the people in the room just… disappears.

Locking eyes with her again, I realized then and there how some people fall in love simply by dancing with one another.

"You're a liar…"

I whisper softly. Ellie looks at me, confused with a ghost of a smile.

"How so?" She whispers back as we twirl again.

I meet her eyes again and say, "You're a wonderful dancer."

"I'm only as good as my partner, Your Majesty…" Her ears turned a slight pink.

I want to glare at her and tell her she knows damn well that's not true. But I bite my tongue. We may be dancing together, but we weren't friends.

My gown swirls with me as we move, and I can't help but think of how nice it must be to dance in a suit. Suddenly, I looked back at the others and noticed that no one else was dancing. Everyone is staring at us in awe. I hold onto her tightly, and we move through the last bit of the song. We move in harmony as whispers and murmurs fill the space. Prince Ellie dips me, and when I look into her eyes, all I see is awe. The last notes of the song die out, and she lifts me back up.

Applause erupts, and Prince Ellie still hasn't let go of my hand. We both curtsey and bow, respectively, as the cheers build. I can hear our deep breaths synching up as we wave and smile.

Pulling her by our connected hands, I rush to the balcony. People part as I open the doors and close them behind us. Walking over to the railing, I lean onto it and let out a massive breath.

"Holy shit…"

"Holy shit is right, I didn't think everyone else would stop dancing." Her voice rings in my ears as I try to calm my breathing. She seemed a little better off than me but must've been in better shape.

"That was… I didn't know…" Forming sentences is hard.

"Yeah…" She mutters breathlessly; she understands.

"Sorry for dragging you out here… I just figured you might need some air, too, after that."

She says nothing and fiddles with her fingers again. I look back at her and stare into her eyes.

"Call me Y/n…"

She looks stunned, her eyebrows raising. "But you're the Queen.."

"Oh gee, really? I had no idea." I say, sarcasm dripping from my tone. She rolls her eyes yet again, and I smile.

"Alright, smart ass, no need to get all sarcastic on me... I'll call you Y/n.. but only if you call me Ellie." Her smile is infectious, and I can feel myself grinning wide.

"Alright.. Ellie… tell me, how long are you staying in Midir?"

She walks closer and leans onto the balcony as well.

"Well, Joel said I should stay for a few weeks to 'properly show our acceptance of the new Queen, " she says, using finger quotes. My attempt not to laugh fails, and I chuckle a little.

"Then if you'll be here a while... I'd like to ask you to form an alliance with me." I say, pretending to be all posh. She stands straighter and puts on a fake fancy face.

"My lady, I would be absolutely honored." Her dramatic tone sells it. We burst out in laughter, and she held a hand out for me.

"Freinds?" Eyebrows lowered and small look of hope in her eyes.

"Friends," I say, taking her hand and shaking it.

"Now that we're friends, I should warn you, I'm new to being this whole... Royal thing. I only found out a week ago."

"Yeah, I heard. Don't stress. I'm terrible at it, too."

"Liar, you're an amazing dancer."

"Well, that's just dancing... I'm far more interested in Savage Starlight than I am running a country.."

"What's Savage Starlight."

If I didn't know any better, I'd say I just slapped her across the face. She looks at me like I have.

"You don't know what Savage Starlight is??" She looks at me incredulously.

"Um…. no..? Should I?"

"Uhhhh.. yea! It's only the most popular comic book series in all of Jackson! I have the ultra-rare editions too. You can read my copies if you want. Just not the ultra-rare ones…Those gotta stay in their packaging."

She looks at me, hopefully.

"Sure, I'll give them a shot."

"Fuck yea!"

We talked for a bit longer, and I discovered that her favorite color is green and that she plays guitar. Apparently, she has a guard named Dina, with whom she's practically best friends, and a butler named Jesse. They're here with her, and she has offered for me to come to her room to meet them sometime.

"I'd love to. I'll try and stop by sometime this week."

"Great..I um.. I'm not too good at hosting, but it should still be fun."

"Oh great, another lie," I say, rolling my eyes, my tone heavy with sarcasm.

"It's not a lie!" She says, pretending to be frustrated.

"Uh huh…"

"Uh huh!"

I soon have to withdraw from the conversation. "I'm sorry, Ellie, but I have a lot of people I have to meet with... But I promise to visit you soon."

She frowns but nods in understanding, "It's alright. I get it… Come by soon, yea..?"

"Yea.. I will."

I leave the balcony and close the doors behind me. It takes all I have to not go back and talk to her but I force myself back to my throne. Throughout the rest of the night, I meet nobles as they praise me for absolutely nothing. They're all so… fake. Ellie is the first real friend I have in this world, and I don't want to fuck it up. She is like a breath of fresh air. If fresh air smelt like bergamot and pine. Snapping out of my thoughts, I meet with the final nobles of the evening before I drag myself back to my room. It amazed me how so many people could be sleeping under one roof.

Immediately taking a bath has to be one of the best decisions I've made today. My feet were so sore from those shoes I debated getting rid of all the heels in my closet. Rose rubs lotion all over me while Ivone deals with my hair. Anais is off getting my dinner, which I'm thankful for. I feel like I'm starving to death.

A slight knock on the door means Anais has returned.

"Come in!" My voice echoed a bit in the space.

"Here you go, Your Majesty! I got your favorite!"

The smell of the food reaches my nose, and I can feel my stomach rumble. My maids giggle, and I huff.

"Not my fault. I'm so hungry."

"Of course not, Your Majesty," Rose says with a smug smile. I stand and walk over to the food before digging into it. It takes me minutes to eat everything and after I relax in my seat.

"Girls.. What do you think my affinity will be..?"

They all stop what they're doing and look at me.

"Why do you ask, Your Majesty?" Jane's soothing voice asks.

"Well.. it just seems so interesting. Besides, it's such a staple sign of power... Perhaps I ought to go to the palace Affinity Master.." My thoughts pour out.

"If I were to guess, I'd say you'd have a charisma affinity." Ivone notes.

"Really? Why charisma?" My brows furrow in confusion.

"It just makes sense, doesn't it? You managed to charm the ton in less than a week. I'd say that's certainly something.

"Plus, you managed to convince Duchess Victoria to join your side. That was quite brilliant." Rose speaks up. I had told them about what had happened when I took the Royal Seal from my gown pocket.

"Well, I suppose.."

I decided not to tell them about Ellie just yet. There were a few reasons, but the main one was that I wanted to keep her a secret for a bit longer.

"I think I'm going to head to bed, ladies. Thank you for your help."

Standing and making my way to the bed, I yawn. Rose turns off the lights as the others finish their tasks, and one by one, they leave the room.

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery glow across my room. It was one of those rare, quiet moments when everything just felt peaceful. Soon, I drifted off, thinking of all the good I wanted to do now that I was Queen.

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serraphinm · 2 months ago

Text

➹Chapter 5 - The War➹

WC: 9k

Warning: Blood, gore, and some NSFW stuff. Proceed with caution.

Taglist: @bready101

A whole moon has passed since Raul declared war... and things weren’t looking good. His armies had moved south towards us at an alarming speed. I also wasn’t well versed in war, and General Roe could only help so much. The Prime Minister decided to help take over some of my work so I could focus on the war efforts, but he wasn’t doing an excellent job. Who could blame him, though? He wasn’t exactly supposed to run the country.

Ellie had healed a substantial amount and was already walking around helping wherever she could. I insisted she rest, but she would brush me off every time and say, “you should too,” and that until I rest, she won’t either.

Why’d I have to fall in love with the most stubborn woman I could find?

Alas, I couldn’t get on her case too much since I didn’t have the time. She knew of my disapproval either way and just decided to do her own thing. Which I could respect.

Joel had decided to aid me in the war, which was surprising, but I guess Ellie had something to do with it. Currently, Jackson and Midiri were both at war with the Mortican Empire. Joel declared war two days after Raul did, which shocked even him.

General Roe is droning on and on about where I should send troops and what strategies I should use, but I can’t help but worry about all the innocent lives that will be lost while I hide in my palace of ice.

“I’m going to the battlefield.” I declare to the whole board meeting. Their heads snap to me in utter shock.

“-absolutely not!”

“Your Majesty, you can’t-”

“Midiri needs you!”

Shouts overlap each other, but I’ve heard enough.

“There are many people who can take over for me while I am on the battlefield. I refuse to sit around and let Raul take over my kingdom. I want to fight for my people, so I shall.” Standing on my declaration, the room erupts in complaints again—in one ear and out the other.

Pushing my chair back as I stand to my full height, the room gets quiet, and I pay attention with bated breath.

“This is not up for discussion.” My cold voice snaps throughout the room. Members of my council flinch as I make my way to the door.

“Your Majesty, please, think this through.” The Prime Minister’s voice reaches my ears.

I hesitate.

“There’s nothing I hate more in this world than having the power to change things and doing nothing about it. “A bit softer this time, “I will not think about it when I have already made my decision.”

Staring at the door handle, I reach out, take it, walk out of the room, and slam it behind me.

My little temper tantrum with the council caused an uproar of gossip. According to the nobles, I had become a Mad Queen undeserving of the throne. So, I may have upped their taxes in retaliation. Not my most mature moment, but I needed more money for the war anyway, and all they were doing was buying gems and clothes anyway. Rumors got worse, and I was leaving for the battlefield before I had time to fix them. The past month, Ellie had been teaching me all she had learned from Joel on fighting, so I was a little better. But I still mostly sucked. I was mostly heading to the battlefield to help commanders with troops and help in any way I could.

I was much better at controlling the darkness affinity but had no time to work on the weird exploding one. Using it came easy but controlling it did not. So, for now, darkness was yet again my best friend. Ellie helped me work on my sneaking skills, so now I could make a large area dark and stealth kill a bunch of people all at once. Well, at least that was the hope, as I’d never really tried it before.

I had yet to tell Ellie about my plans but figured the night before I left would have to be good enough. She didn’t take it well…

“You’re going where?? Without me??” Grabbing my face, she shakes it a little.

“Is that brain of yours working right?” Her voice is concerned, and I can sense she’s hoping I’m joking.

“Ellie.. I’m not joking. You need to stay here.” My voice is barely above a whisper.

“Y/n, you will die out there if you go… tell me this is a joke..”

My eyes don’t reach hers as I stare at her cheek.

“I can’t just sit back and do nothing… we lose if I stay… but if I try to fight by their side, maybe I can save some of them.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it; what makes their life so much more important than yours, huh? And what? You seriously expect me to stay here while you’re out there fighting?? To do the exact thing you don’t want to do??” Her tone is harsh as I finally meet her face.

“I don’t expect you to understand-”

“I do understand! You need to listen to me... Some people are better help sitting at a desk than they are putting their life in danger!” She argues.

“That may be, but I refuse to be the person sitting at a desk! I can fight Ellie!! I’m not some weak, helpless Queen!”

“No one said you were!!”

“Raul believes that! I would rather die on the battlefield protecting my home than at a desk watching the numbers of my troops dwindle!”

I watch as her anger subsides a little, understanding creeping in.

“I’m sorry, Ellie… but I refuse to be known as a Queen who watched her people die. I may die on the battlefield, yes… but I will for sure die behind a desk as Raul celebrates his victory.”

Her breaths are uneven, and I watch her contemplate something for a few moments before she says, “Fine.”

I beam a smile up at her. “But, I want to come with... And we go to Jacksons front lines. I’m sure Joel will happily fight alongside us.” She sends me a small smile, and I can’t help but agree to her terms.

“Great.. We leave tomorrow morning.” My voice was quieter now that we were no longer arguing.

“Good.. I’ll uh see you at bedtime then...?” She fiddles with her fingers and looks me up and down, hopefully.

“Yea.. you will…”

Ellie grins.

That went relatively well.

The battlefield was nothing like I was expecting. Most of it was trying to figure out how to give everyone rations and take care of the injured. As of now, there was little fighting. Joel had taken charge of the troops like a pro and was giving out orders.

Currently, I was spooning some porridge to a wounded knight whose arms had been broken and who needed help eating.

“You’re a saint, miss.” His voice is scratchy as if he were parched, so I reach for the water.

“Thank you.. Just Y/n is fine. Thank you for your service,” I say, helping him drink from the glass.

He finishes drinking and signals with a nod. “That’s real kind of you; your husband is one lucky man.”

“Oh no, I’m not married. My girlfriend and I haven’t been dating long enough for either of us to propose anyway,” I say, my face flushed.

The knight raises a brow. “Well, you two better hurry then, don’t know how much more time you have left to be waiting.”

In a perfect world, his words would never ring so true or hit so close to home.

“Yea.. I know..”

Suddenly, sirens sound, and I stand up quickly. Setting his porridge down next to him, I call over a nurse to finish helping him.

“I must go help the others… but thank you for the lovely conversation.. “

He smiles at me, nods, and bids me farewell before I run out of the tent flaps. Once outside, I search for Joel and Ellie to see what is happening. They stand next to each other, looking over a map of the whole continent. The map is massive, with intricate details and figurines. There’s even a tiny me next to a tiny Joel and Ellie.

A soft drizzle soaks everything, including the map, but no one seems to care.

“This is where they’re coming from,” Joel says gruffly, his voice reaching the ears of all his commanders.

Approaching the table set up in the middle of the open field we are on, I give the map a once over. Raul seemed to be coming in from the north while spreading his troops to the southern parts of the Mortican Empire. Closer to Midiri. It seemed Raul was attacking both of us at once instead of focusing on one.

He was an idiot.

This caused us only two problems: one, it would be harder to spread rations out, and two, it would be more difficult to go offensive.

Other than that, we were doing well.

“Why don’t we force them to go through the mountains?” I ask, looking the map over once more. If we could hold them back like a wall and force them to take a risk through the mountains, we could gain an advantage. The people and troops of Jackson can maneuver through the mountains just fine, but only ’cause they know what they’re doing.

“If we can push them back enough, they’ll be forced to go through the mountains, giving us an advantage.”

Joel looks down at the map in thought. I can tell he’s thinking about something but is unsure how to execute it.

“How many men have they sent our way?” Ellie asks one of the scouts we sent out. The scout stands taller at the sudden acknowledgment.

“Around 2,000 men, Prince Ellie.” His voice is meek.

“Alright, Let’s take our troops up and block them. We’ll use Y/n’s idea and drive them into the mountains,” Joel says, leaning onto the table, his dark, wet hair dripping onto the map.

“I’ll go with them,” I say, gaining their attention.

“Fine, but then so are Dina and Jesse,” He doesn’t fight me.

Ellie speaks next, “If Y/n’s going, then so am I.”

Joel sighs but says, “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Yea, yea, you got it, old man.”

I smile at their banter before getting ready to go. Jesse and Dina meet the two of us by the main tent, fully geared up. Opening the green flaps of the tent, Tess comes out in full uniform with an AN-94 strapped to her back.

“I’m coming with you,” The way she said meant it wasn’t up for discussion.

“Dina, Jesse, you guys never told me your affinities,” I say with a grin.

Dina grins back before flexing her muscles playfully and saying, “I have a strength affinity while Jesse has a glitter affinity.”

“It’s not a glitter affinity! It’s electricity manipulation!” he argues, crossing his arms. “At least mine does something other than enhance physical abilities.”

His voice is full of contempt as we all chuckle.

“Alright guys, enough messing around, we gotta get going, “Tess breaks up the conversation, effectively reminding us of the current situation.

“You think the Wolves will be there?” Dina asks as we begin walking to the stables.

“I’m not sure.. They could be heading to Midiri instead..” Ellie says lowly. The Wolves were an elite team of knights Abby was leading. Their members consisted of a few well-known names, including Owen, Mel, Nora, Jordan, Leah, and a few other bastards. None of them were too noteworthy, though, so I wasn’t too worried.

“I hope they’re with this group... I’d love to wipe their smug faces off with my knife,” Ellie mutters darkly. All of us turned to look at her, and she shrugged nonchalantly.

“Well, alright then…” Dina says in response to that before grabbing Japan’s reigns. Ellie hops up on Shimmer and makes room for me. I get up on the block and hop on, swinging my leg over.

“Jesse, just ride with Dina,” Tess says impatiently as Jesse begins looking for his horse.

“But-”

“Jesse.”

Tess was not having it.

Jesse gets on Japan.

We ride north for a few hours before we reach the front lines. People are screaming so loud I wonder how my ears aren’t bleeding. The battlefield sprawled across a commanding expanse of vibrant green, its lush grass covering the valley floor like a rich carpet. Towering hills flanked the field, their slopes punctuated by wildflowers that swayed defiantly in the breeze. Riding straight into battle, Tess starts firing her gun like mad. Knights drop like leaves in the fall. Ellie moves the earth from underneath hundreds of men and slams it back on top of them. Blood gushes from under the rock like a waterfall as I gape in horror. Dina hops off Japan and pulls her sword out of its sheath before running into battle. Jesse takes over Japan with ease and shifts so he’s no longer running into battle. That’s when I hear Ellie start to swear. I hold on tight to her waist and ask, “What is it?”

“The Wolves, they’re here,” Her voice is cold, and she hops off Shimmer.

“Stay here,” She orders. Not in the mood to fight, I decided to be of some use. Hopping off Shimmer and hiding her away, I move into the battle and follow Ellie. Watching her fight is mesmerizing. She knows she could use her affinity, yet she chooses to be brutal. Tossing a rock in someone’s face, she charges at them with her switchblade before hitting them with the machete she got from Joel. I wince and decide to stop watching. Running up behind her, I cast darkness over a small section and used my daggers on a few knights who were getting too close to her.

“I thought I told you to stay with Shimmer?!” Ellie yells at me through the sounds of screams.

“We both knew I wasn’t going to listen!” I yell back, kicking a knight.

She rolls her eyes as she makes the ground shake and cave underneath a bunch of knights.

Gunfire sounds, and I look to see Tess shooting men down.

“Does Tess not have an affinity?!” I yell.

“No! She was born a commoner!” Ellie digs the machete into a man’s chest before pulling it out and kicking his dead body to the floor.

“So she’s just a badass then!?” I ask as a sword grazes my arm. Seething in pain, Ellie glances at me and gets cut on the thigh.

“Yea! Pretty much!!” She says through the pain.

“Focus on your own fight! I’m fine!!”

I hear Ellie huff, but she thankfully listens.

“Oh yea! Ellie, one last thing!” I yell as I fight off a knight with a hammer.

I meet her eyes as she asks, “Yea!?”

“If we make it out of this, I wanna marry you!” Dropping that out of nowhere, I stab my dagger into the knight’s temple. His eyes roll back, and he falls to the floor. I bend down and pull the dagger out of his head before flicking some of the blood off it in a downward motion.

Elle just stares at me for a moment before she finishes off the person she’s fighting and walks over to me. I look up at her in confusion before she grins and licks her dry lips.

“Deal… but I get to propose...” She doesn’t yell this time, but I can somehow still hear the nervousness in her voice.

I look behind her and shove her out of the way as a man swings. Rage consumes me, and I let both affinities come forth. I don’t know how it happens, but I snap his neck with a thought as darkness creates a protective dome around Ellie and me. Everything gets quiet, and I step closer to Ellie since I know she can’t see me.

“How did you-”

“I don’t know!!”

“I thought you exploded things?!” She asks with a panicked voice.

“So did I!!” I respond equally as panicked.

She pokes the darkness dome. “What now??” I ask, still letting the energy flow freely.

“Release it, try and use the other affinity again, but try and make someone fly.” She says as if she’s figured it out.

“You think it’s telekinesis?” I ask, letting the darkness return to my body.

The loud environment returns, and I feel slightly overstimulated.

“I guess we’ll find out, babe!” She says, jumping back into action. Taking a deep breath, I let the other affinity reach my fingertips before I use it to lift a knight coming my way. I twist and turn him in all sorts of directions before I send him flying across the battlefield, his screams disappearing along with his body.

“Guess that solves that mystery!!” I yelled to Ellie.

She grins and uses vines to hold the surrounding men down.

“No more messing around, I’ll go after Abby. Think you can handle these guys?”

“Yea, I got them!” I say before she nods and rushes off to find Abby. With no time to watch after her, I focus on the knights she so kindly left for me and use my darkness to show them mercy. Suffocating them with it, I move on to a different tactic. Covering the entire battlefield in darkness takes me a little while, but I manage it. I grin as I watch my allies pull on their night vision goggles.

Dina turns and sends me a thumbs-up before she starts attacking relentlessly. I wasn’t sure how long I could hold this, but if it gave my allies an advantage, I’d hold it for eternity.

Thankfully, the land is flat and covered in grass as the rain pelts down, which allows me to see everyone in the radius of the darkness. I watch as Ellie begins full-on attacking Abby. However, upon looking at her, I realized Ellie wasn’t wearing the night vision goggles. She’s attempting to fight Abby one-on-one. Swearing, I glance at my surroundings before I spot a sharp rock. Checking back in on them, I notice Abby saying something to Ellie, causing her to get riled up... and sloppy. Abby may not be able to see right now, but neither could Ellie. I needed to act fast before she got hurt. Using all the energy I have left, I lift the sharp rock off the ground and send it flying straight towards Abby.

If I hadn’t been paying attention, it would’ve hit Ellie from how sporadic her fighting is. The rock ebbs itself in Abby’s side. She screams and pulls it out before throwing it on the ground.

“I thought you said no more messing around?! Put the damn goggles on!!” I scream from across the battlefield. It’s almost as if she hears be because she pulls them down and flicks them on before grinning. Just as she does so, the darkness comes back to me despite my best efforts to keep it up. I had to hold out a little longer, so I closed my eyes and dug up the dregs of energy I had left.

The world is quiet in the darkness. Someone taps my shoulder, and in a panic, I turn around, holding up my hands. Jesse stands there, looking concerned, holding his hands up.

“Woah!! It’s just me!”

I let out a breath and glared at him, “Don’t sneak up on people like that! I could’ve killed you!”

His eyes roll, and I detect some sass in his tone. “Dina has already tried it. Now come on, the Wolves are the only guys left.”

He starts running off towards Abby and Ellie, so I follow. Letting the darkness return to me as I run, I feel some energy come back. Dina and Tess meet up with us, and we head over to Ellie, who is still fighting an injured Abby.

“Just give up, Abby! You can’t win this!” Ellie’s voice is drained, and I can tell she’s reaching her limit.

“Not until that motherfucker dies!!” Abby swings at Ellie, seemingly having lost her weapons.

Ellie dodges and kicks Abby in the stomach. She falls onto her back with a choked noise.

“Raul will kill all you fools- you may have won this battle, but I swear on my father’s life-”

“Can’t really do that now that he’s dead, can you?” Ellie quips.

Abby screams in outrage and tries tackling Ellie, but I hold her in mid-air.

“Sorry Els. Know you wanna fight fair, but I’m afraid I won’t allow her to hurt you.”

Ellie glances at me, gives me an understanding look and smiles. Dina walks over to Abby in mid-air and pokes her.

“So how does this work exactly?” She asks as Abby practically growls at her.

“Put me down!”

“No.. I don’t think so,” I say, moving her to be upright.

“What do we want to do with her?” Jesse asks, walking over to Ellie as well. Tess stands next to me and crosses her arms.

“I think we should kill her.”

All heads turn to Tess without an ounce of shock.

“We could keep her and torture her for information?” I suggest. Heads snap to me, this time covered in confusion.

“I’ll never tell you anything!” Abby says, spitting in my direction. Doing my best not to chuckle, I address her, “It wasn’t a suggestion for you, Anderson, more of an idea.” She gives me a pointed look, and I grin.

“Where are the rest of the Wolves?” Jesse asks, surveying the battlefield. Despite having their leader held up like a pinata, no one had attacked us yet. I supposed that was why.

“They ran into the mountains along with the remaining troops,” Tess informs.

We all look at each other, silently communicating that we should bring Abby to Joel. Nodding to Ellie, she summons vines to contain Abby so I can finally set her down.

“I’ll bring the horses around,” Jesse says with a sigh before walking off, “Unless someone wants to help me..?” I follow his gaze to see him staring at Dina with puppy dog eyes. Dina rolls her eyes and walks after him. “Watch my ass as I walk away, guys. It's a great view, I promise,” She winks and saunters off with Jesse. Tess rolls her eyes as Ellie and I laugh.

Finally, walking up to Ellie, I match her post-giggle grin. “You ok?” Looking her up and down a few times. Tess walks over and shoves Abby away from the two of us.

“Yes, light, I’m fine; however, you-” She points to a cut on my arm that is bleeding down to my hand, “Are not.”

Currently, there is no pain, so I don’t mind it. “Tis but a scratch, a mere flesh wound, Milady. I swear I am perfectly well.” My tease causes her to roll her eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t fall out.

Grabbing my arm, she pulls me closer, and I hiss in pain.

“Now look who’s the liar,” she says lowly. I watch as she moves the tattered fabric to take a closer look at the cut. “It’s not that bad, Ellie. I wasn’t lying.”

In my defense, it wasn’t that deep of a gash. Letting go of my arm, she holds her hands out and grows a small thing of Aloe Vera. She grabs one and flicks her switchblade open, slicing it along the side.

“El, I don’t need-”

“Don’t worry, I’ll use some on myself too..”

She gives me an expectant look, so I huff and hold the fabric out of the way so she can rub the aloe vera on the gash. It hurts for a moment, and I wrinkle my nose at the feeling before a cooling effect settles in.

Ellie pulls out a med kit and wraps the gash securely before treating her leg. After helping her out a bit, I do the wrapping part for her.

“Are you ok to walk?” Glancing at the wrapped bandage as blood soaks it a little, I meet her eyes once more. “I was just fighting on it; I’ll be alright.”

“Yea, but that was with adrenaline. You should sit—” I looked around, and there was nowhere for her to sit except on the grass. “Uhhh, on the grass.” It sounded like a question, and I couldn’t tell if it was or who I was asking.

“Never mind, I’ll just carry you. We need to get back to Tess anyway,” I say, bringing her arm over my shoulder. She rolls her eyes with a smile but doesn’t complain.

Joel didn’t seem surprised at all to know Abby wanted to kill him. In fact, he seemed more surprised by the fact we all made it out of that battle alive. Ellie and I had gotten our injuries healed as soon as we returned to camp. The pain now was non-existent. Joel had determined that- as soon as we could- we’d head back down to Midiri to finish off the rest of Raul’s army.

Things were looking good as I went to bed in a cot set up next to Ellie’s. The blankets were thin, and I half-debated, joining Ellie in hers. Tossing and turning for a while, I ended up not being able to sleep. My thoughts were so loud—too loud.

Throwing the blanket over Ellie, I walked out of the tent and went for a little walk. The stars were shining brightly tonight. A fresh breeze guided the scent of wildflowers to my nose, so I inhaled. Everything out here was so much simpler...

Footsteps sound from behind me, and I see Ellie half awake, wrapped in our blankets.

“El- what are you doing out here awake?” I asked, walking over to her. I saw that her eyes were a little darker than usual.

“Why are you up, hm?” Her voice is groggy and low.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she says, taking a step closer. “That’s all,” I give her a small smile. That one stubborn hair of hers falls into her face, and she blows it out of her eyes.

“Hm.. wanna watch the stars with me instead then?” Her voice is low and soft.

“Sure, but only if you tell me what I’m looking at.”

She grins and lays the blankets down on the grass. “Deal,” she says, seeming excited. I lay down on the blanket, getting comfortable with her next to me. She starts talking about the stars and whether they are part of a constellation. I try to follow where she’s pointing but end up confused every time.

“- and that is Hydrus..” She points to a random spot in the sky yet again. Scanning my eyes, I try to remember where it is from the books I’ve read in the past, but it’s all lost to me.

“Got it,�� Lie. I have no idea where she’s pointing, but if it makes her smile, then I’d do anything. “You know we’ve been to the moon 12 times?” she asks, looking at me now. Huh... interesting.” It really was.

“I’m boring you to death, huh?” A chuckle. An inhale.

“No, and that isn’t a lie. I like listening to you talk,” a glance at her mouth,” a lot..” She smiles before reaching over and messing with my hair.

Laughing, I swat her hand away. “Knock it off, you goof,” I tease. Ellie blushes like mad as I lean in closer. “So about our wedding… I was thinking we should hold it in the Midiri palace gardens…” My voice is softer than the breeze. She looks into my eyes before glancing at my lips and leans closer.

“Thinking about our wedding already light?” She whispers as her nose touches mine. “It’s only fair. I need something to look forward to.” A hum and another glance.” I haven’t even proposed yet.” Her face is red. With a small smile, I turn so my whole body is facing her. “Are you going to? Or will you get too nervous?” My tease affronts her. She glares at me before dragging her thumb across my lips.

“I can be bold when I want..” She whispers before kissing me softly. I kiss back as she wraps a hand around my waist to pull me closer. Leaning to be on top of her, I make a noise as she bites on my lower lip. Her fingers trail up my back before she pulls me wholly on top of her. It’s clumsy and messy, but we don’t stop; instead, her other hand finds its way under my shirt. She almost gets it off before screams reach our ears. We both stop and turn to see a fire spreading through camp. I get off her stand with such speed my mind spins.

“Ellie?!”

“Yea, I see it babe! Get behind me!” She yells over the screams. I help her get up before we start looking for our friends and family.

“How did they get past the guards!?” I ask, looking around for any troops. Dead bodies litter the floor, and I get my answer. Ellie says nothing as she leads me through the camp. We reach the central area of the fire when Raul himself comes along with a smug grin. Swearing, Ellie grabs me, and we hide behind a supply crate.

“Find the bitch. I know she’s here somewhere..” His voice is excited, and it sickens me to the core.

‘Yes sirs’ ring out as a response before Ellie makes a run for it. I do a double-take before rushing to follow her.

“I’m guessing I’m the bitch..” I whisper to her. She huffs. “You’re not a bitch so don’t listen to him,” Her voice is dripping with rage. I huff. “I wasn’t going to Moth,” My voice is barely above a whisper. All she says is good before she sneaks into the main tent at camp.

“Keep an eye out for knights; I’m gonna look for Joel,” Ellie walks further into the tent while I guard the door. A few minutes later, she comes back over and shakes her head. We keep moving. The fire continues to spread as screams come from every direction. Ellie grabs my hand and crouches through some tall grass with me in tow. We manage to hear a short conversation between two knights on Raul’s side.

“They’re still looking for the Queen; I think I saw some group near the north end of the camp, though.”

“Think she’s with them?”

“Don’t know. Just keep looking.”

They both nod and start walking around the area. Glancing at Ellie, I noticed she was gone and sneaked up behind one of them before killing them quietly. I follow her lead, sneaking up behind the other knight and taking him out. We meet back in the middle of the area, and she whispers, “We gotta head north... seems like that’s where the others are.” Her breath tickles my face.

“Alright.. lead on.”

We managed to find the others despite all the chaos. Joel and a bunch of knights had fled towards the north but were sticking around to find me. Raul’s army had attacked with numbers we’d never seen before. Things were not looking good, and we couldn’t even determine how many of his men had been sent to Midiri. Joel had managed to secure a small section of camp. However, Raul’s men were making their way here while we had barely any defense. We all stood around a small table lit by torches at the edge of our secured space.

“How far away are Raul and his troops?” My eyes meet many familiar faces, and each one is more concerned than the last. This was it. Our final stand…

“Twenty minutes out..” Maria says lowly. 20 minutes till we fight to the death.

Was there seriously nothing we could do?

We debated what to do, like rapid fire, but nothing sticks. Either we all die and lose, or we let Raul take over our homes with the hope he lets us live. Neither option sounded pleasant. Ellie stands closer to me, her face hollow. Looking back to the group, I notice everyone but Joel sporting grim faces. He just seemed mad. Tommy sets his gun on the table, and we all look at him.

“This is bullshit. I say we fight till our last breath,” His voice is strong as if he’s decided that’s how he wants to go. Dina yells out her agreement before Maria follows.

“I’d rather die than submit to that bastard,” Ellie says, grabbing my hand and intertwining our fingers.

I look at each and every one of them and make my own choice as well. Dying by their side is much more worth it than living a lie.

“Then let’s take a stand here… as one, regardless of how cheesy that sounds,” My voice is as light as I can make it, and I feel Ellie squeeze my hand.

Tonight, we’d fight to the death.

The battle rages on for hours to the point I can no longer feel my arms. Somehow, we’ve managed to last this long despite the large amount of men attacking. None of them seemed to have affinities, so we were killing them off like flies. I hoped Oren and Nakir were ok. I had left them in charge of Midiri. As I’m fighting, a knight manages to get the upper hand and grabs me by the hair. I scream as he drags me off, but no one else can help me. They’re all fighting their own battles. The knight throws me into a field as I try and wield my affinity. Nothing. I’m weaponless against this bastard, and he knows it. He saunters forward and pulls me up by my hair again.

“Where’s your little affinity?” He gives me a fake pout, “All out of energy?” He slaps me across the face, and I grunt. Tilting my chin up, I smiled at him.

“What are you smiling about bitch? Huh?” He pulls on my hair harder and grins, so I spit in his face. Disgust covers his face, and he wipes it off before rearing back and punching me in the stomach. I cough up a bit of blood, tasting it on my tongue. Swishing the rest of it in my mouth, I spit it out as he lets go of my hair.

“You bitch.. I’m gonna make you regret that..” He grabs a dagger, and just as he goes to stab me, I roll out of the way. The dagger grazes my side, and I scream in pain. My hand flies to the cut, and warm blood seeps onto it. Wincing, I look up to the knight, who is grinning down at me. I wanted to cry. To scream. To do anything. But the pain was blinding, and I was losing blood fast.

“I’ll bring your head to Raul all pretty, don’t you worry,” He spits out as he leans down to me. But before he can make another move, an arrow flies straight into his temple. The knight flops to the side as blood sprays out. I scream and back away from him. Looking around, I spot a woman with blonde hair and a warm smile.

Lady Isabella.

She walks over to me and helps me up.

“I was afraid I hadn’t made it in time. Seems like I barely have,” Her voice is soft as she helps me stand straight... My hand is covering the wound with as much pressure as I can muster.

“Isabella.. You came!” My hopes lift. She smiles and looks out to the battlefield a little ways away. A massive army begins attacking Raul’s troops along with Midiri’s and Jackson’s. Lady Isabella and I had been exchanging letters ever since we met at my coronation ball. She’s become a wonderful friend of mine.

“It’s actually Queen Isabella now," She says shyly. The ring on her finger is more prominent now, and I smile at her.

“That’s wonderful..but why did you come? You owe me nothing?”

“Because I want peace. Ruling during a war is no fun for me or my people. It affects all of us. And besides… you’re a dear friend.”

My heart warms. I wasn’t the perfect Queen, that’s for sure, but I had made changes that impacted my life. “Thank you, Queen Isabella… now let’s win this thing…” My body is growing weaker, and by the look on Isabella’s face, I’m fading fast. She catches me before I fall to the ground.

“Queen Y/n? Oh my…”

I flutter in and out of consciousness before my lovely darkness overtakes me, and I close my eyes.

My head hurt. A lot.

I crack my eyes open a bit and feel silk beneath my fingertips. Looking around, I notice I’m back in Midiri palace… and in my room. Taking a deep breath, I hiss in pain from the gash in my side and attempt to sit up. The sun is streaming into the room in a breathtaking manner. My room looks the exact same as I left it. My maids are here right now as well, cleaning away.

“I wonder when Her Majesty will wake up,” Anais says, dusting my desk. I blink. Once. Twice. Assumed they were too busy to notice I was awake.

“Prince Ellie should be coming by soon, right? She always does around this time of day..” Mariah is working in my closet.

A knock at the door has me fighting to pretend I’m still asleep. I clear my throat and say, “Come in!” All four of my maids snap their attention to me with various shouts of surprise. The person outside the door slams it open, and Ellie stands there with a few flowers in hand.

“You’re awake!?” She rushes to my side before setting the flowers down on my nightstand.

All my maids rush over and begin asking me millions of questions. How was I? Did I want water? Pain meds? Food? “How long have I been out?” My voice is groggy, and I stretch a little.

Ellie glances at the maids before saying, in a grim tone, “Four years.” Her voice is so serious that I almost believe it.

“Knock it off Moth. How long, really?” She huffs before pouting, “I thought that was pretty convincing…” I watch as she adjusts to sitting on my bed, her button-down wrinkling under the change, “Don’t worry, just a few days. Doctors said you’ll be fine in a month, so take it easy.

“You weren’t, but nice try. What’s been going on while I was out,” I say, removing the covers and trying to get out of bed. Ellie grips me so harshly that I feel a bruise forming already. She pulls me back down into bed, and my maids chuckle.

“Honestly, miss, give yourself a second,” Ivone scolds. Man, I missed these girls.

“If you think I’m just going to let you walk around while you’re still bleeding, you’re dead wrong light,” Ellie says sternly. I huff and lay back on my pillow, flicking her arm. “Fine, but I still want to know what’s happening..”

I watch her eyes soften. “Alright… but no getting up, or I swear I will carry you back to bed myself.” Her tone is playful, but I know she’s not joking. “Ok, ok, I get it!” Putting my hands up in defense, Ellie finally seems satisfied.

She takes a deep breath as she begins to recall the events of the past few days. According to her, Queen Isabella and King Alwyn have decided to ally themselves with us. Fortunately for us, they also have a large army due to the funds they get from trading. Our combined forces drove Raul to flee for now. Jackson is safe, and the knights who ran into the mountains have been dealt with as well. All was well—for now, at least.

“Well… I guess it’s a good thing we’re back home. We can do more from here for now since there’s no active fighting.” I still felt the need to be useful despite actively bleeding, but hey, I did that once a month—nothing I couldn’t handle.

“By the way, where’s Jane?” I ask the other maids. She was usually the happiest to see me.

“Jane felt sick this morning, so she opted to stay in and rest,” Ivone’s soothing voice said.

Which was odd because even when she wasn’t feeling the greatest, Jane would be by my side. I guess she really wasn’t feeling well. “Well, alright then.”

Ellie studies me momentarily, and I shrink a little under her gaze. “When we need things, we use our words, Ellie,” I tease. But her expression doesn’t change. My smile falters.

“Girls, why don’t you give us a moment?” My eyes don’t leave hers as I dismiss my maids. They curtsy and close the door behind them.

“Are you ok, El?” I say lowly. She looks away from me, suddenly wiping her eyes. That’s when I realized Ellie was crying. I’d never seen her cry before. She’s always been private about showing people her emotional side. Shifting so I’m in her lap, I wipe her tears and kiss where the streaks remain.

“Oh, Ellie… talk to me.. What’s going on?” My voice is as soothing as I can make it. She meets my eyes, and my heart breaks. Puffy eyes, red nose, and a tear-streaked face.

“I thought… you were going to die..” she whispers before looking back down, “When Queen Isabella brought you back to us in such a condition.. There was so much blood… I just didn’t know if I’d ever see you again and-” Ellie starts to ramble before I can even comfort her,

“-Ellie, you need to breathe-”

“-and for days, I wondered if you would ever wake up-” My lips slam onto hers, and I cup her face. I feel her relax as she wraps an arm around my back, the other running her fingers through my hair. Pushing my tongue into her mouth, I hear her moan lightly. She moves a hand to my chest and the other slowly down my right side when she grazes my cut, and I wince in pain. She pulls away immediately and apologizes profusely. Shutting her up again, I kiss her before moving both hands to her hair and pulling on it gently. She moans. Alright, so Ellie has a hair-pulling kink. Grinning into the kiss, I continue kissing her while gently tugging her hair. I pull back to assess my work to see her breathless and puffy-lipped.

“Better now babe?” I whisper against her lips. She nods and bites her own before pressing her mouth to mine again. Moving me gently with her hands, she lays me on my back, careful not to aggravate my injury. Stupid right side. I moan into her mouth as she cups one of my breasts through my shirt and flicks the nipple.

“Mmmm, Ellie-” I start but she shushes me. “Not while you’re injured my light..” Her voice is low, and I want to argue, but I know better. Damn, how well has this bitch trained me. “Fine..” I’m breathless and puffy-lipped, too, and can feel my growing arousal. Oh, how she tortures me so..

“Promise I’ll fuck you so well someday..” She whispers against her lips. The sincerity in her voice takes me by surprise, and my legs clamp shut. I wiggle underneath her as she trails her finger along my jaw.

“Kiss me again, Ellie... Kiss me till I can’t breathe...” I beg so quietly that I wonder if she hears. It seems she does as she smashes her lips back to mine.

We spend the rest of the day in each other’s company.

A few weeks later, I’m doing much better. Ellie finally stopped following me around the palace, so I can actually get some work done. Walking into the Prime Minister’s office, I see he’s at his desk reading over some paperwork. He smiles when he sees me before standing to bow.

“Your Majesty, what a pleasant surprise!” His voice is cheerful and warm. I can’t help but smile. “Give me one moment, Your Majesty. I am just sending off some important information.” He writes a quick letter before walking over to a Peregrine falcon. Gently folding the letter, he hands it to the beautiful bird and opens the window. The Prime minister watches him go before turning to me with a smile.

“What can I help you with today, Your Majesty?” He asks, closing the window and walking over to me.

“I just came to let you know I can resume my duties now. If you want to have the work sent to my office, I’d be more than happy to take it off your hands,” Truthfully, I didn’t want him doing the work anymore anyway.

“Ah, I see… I shall have it sent over immediately…” His tone has changed. I watch his face for a different expression... but he’s still smiling. My brows furrow a little, and I feel my gut screaming at me.

“Right... well, I’ll be going now…” Deciding not to ignore it, I head towards the door when he’s suddenly in front of it. With a beaming smile, he closes the door and locks it with a key. Tucking the key into his pant pocket, he pats the spot as if mocking me.

“Perhaps it’s best you stay…”

Ok, now I was really freaked out. Maybe the Prime Minister had been replaced by a shapeshifter? But nothing seemed different about him physically.

“What is the meaning of this Prime Minister... Let me out this instant.” My tone is demanding but wavers a little. He hears it, too.

“I don’t think so. You still don’t get it, do you..?” His smile was pissing me off now.

“Don’t get what? You are mental if you think this is ok-”

He sighs and rubs his temples. “I was hoping you’d figure it out before I revealed myself. But alas, here we are.”

“Figure what out? I don’t understand?” I’m beginning to panic. There was a high chance he was going to kill me if I didn’t get out of this room. I glance at the window, but it’s too high a drop.

“I suppose I better start from the beginning. With Barrow..” My eyebrows furrow again. What did this have to do with the previous Duke?

“Barrow was working for Raul,”

“But that doesn’t make any sense-”

“Doesn’t it? Just as soon as he was no longer useful, you got the very thing you needed to get rid of him…” The Prime Minister’s words run chills down my spine, and I begin to question everything. Pieces of the puzzle were still missing.

“The late Duke Haleson was trying to hand Midiri over to Emperor Raul.. in exchange for the blackmail he had on him... His birth certificate.”

The very thing that destroyed him was what he coveted all along. My kingdom was the price. How fucking dare he… I clench my hands into fists and feel darkness swirl around them. The Prime Minister continues while I continue looking for a way out.

“Barrow knew that under Emperor Raul’s reign, he’d still get to live the life of a Duke.. he had nothing to lose and everything to gain!!”

“I thought you said you two were friends!” My voice cuts him off. The Prime Minister seethes, “That was until that bastard forced me onto his side!! I was loyal to your parents. They were the best king and Queen there had ever been.. but Barrow couldn’t hand the kingdom over to Emperor Raul without them dead.. so Raul had them assassinated and you kidnapped.” All this new information was hitting me like a brick.

“Why are you telling me all this?” My voice wavers once more, and I curse myself internally.

“Because now I’m going to kill you,” He says so simply as if it were about the weather.

I did a double-take to make sure I heard him correctly. Then it all made sense. Raul had something on him—something Barrow gave to him.

“Listen to me. Whatever it is Barrow gave him, we can get back…”

The Prime Minister looks so defeated, “There’s nothing you can do except die Your Majesty..”

Scanning the room once more, I realized I needed more time. So I started asking questions, “Why not have me killed like my parents?”

“If you were dead, so was the royal bloodline, and Emperor Raul couldn’t have that.”

“Why not? What is so important about me he’d rather have me live.”

“He wanted to marry you when the time was right. Your bloodline is the most powerful in the world, but you just wouldn’t marry him! You had to go and fall in love with that prince!”

The Prime Minister starts getting more and more upset as my heart begins to race.

“So he knew where I was the whole time? You knew, too?”

“Yes.. we knew everything about you..” Shivers run down my spine once again before I feel rage. Suddenly, another question pops into my head, so I ask it before I forget.

“What about Rose then? Was she working for you too?”

He huffs before giving me a pitiful look, “Rose never betrayed you; it was Jane. The assassins Raul sent were supposed to bring you back to him, but Jane tried to have you killed... It was foolish of her, really. I ordered her to have you kidnapped and brought to Raul of your own violation..” Where was Jane now then? Was she even really sick? So many questions swirled my head, but I knew I had to be smart about this if I wanted to get the most out of him.

“Why did she want me killed..?” My heart breaks. Rose was wrongly accused and sent to death, all because I was too foolish to see what was really going on.

“If you were gone, Emperor Raul would have been mad, yes, but he would’ve moved on.” His voice is oddly calm now. It almost sounds like…

“The man in the hallway... with Barrow... That was you! You were the one defending me in the halls!” The conversation I overheard ages ago suddenly makes more sense now. They were talking about Raul and me.

“Huh.. so it was you who overheard that… I did wonder who it was for the longest time.. But no matter, I still have to kill you now. Emperor Raul doesn’t want you any longer.. I’m sorry.”

His voice is low and a little menacing as he approaches me slowly. I back away from him, not wanting to kill him.

“Bennet, please..I don’t want to kill you. What do they have on you..?”

He doesn’t answer and pulls out a long, thin dagger. Deciding I can’t be kind anymore, I pull the dagger from his grip with my telekinesis. Before it reaches my hand, though, he swipes it from the air with a speed I’ve only seen from speed affinities. Suddenly, he came at me at a speed I couldn’t handle. Wrapping darkness around myself, I manage to avoid getting cut by the dagger. But the blunt force of his blows still hurt. Grimacing, I focus on his heart and slow it down with my telekinesis. He begins to slow down and coughs up blood. While he’s down, I kick him over and take the dagger from him.

“Bennet… I’m sorry they took whatever is dear to you.. Just talk to me..” He rolls onto his side and props himself up.

“I can’t.. He’ll know if I do..” More blood drips down his chin before he wipes it with his pure white-gloved hand. I lean down to him as he slowly dies.

“You’re going to die, Bennet… you might as well tell me anyway…” Moreover, my curiosity was getting the better of me.

“My daughter…” He whispers as tears fall down his cheeks. Dread fills my entire being as I realize what Bennet is implying. If he doesn’t cooperate.. His daughter dies.

Well, shit.

No wonder he hates Barrow… I couldn’t imagine the rage I’d feel. My eyes soften, and I ease up on his heart.

Bennet lays his head on the hardwood floor and blinks blearily up at the ceiling. My emotions overwhelm me a little, and I tear up alongside him.

“Save her..please..” His voice is fading, and I can tell he’s barely holding on. “Do what I couldn’t do.. And save my daughter.. please… “I start to cry and sit down on the floor next to him.

Oh, to be loved so much, you’re their dying thought.

“I’ll try..” I whisper. He nods slowly, understanding I might fail.

“If you don’t. I hope to be worthy of meeting her again in the afterlife. My precious daughter..Annabelle..”

His last breath flows from his lips, and I close my eyes. So much made sense now. The photo of them on his desk was a constant reminder, not of what he had, but of what he was fighting for. The grief he must’ve had looking at that photo brings more tears to my eyes. Reaching over and closing his eyes for him, I stand and grab the portrait. Setting it on his dead body and grabbing the key, I unlock the door before closing it behind me. Somehow, I was not covered in blood, but my heart was bleeding.

I was going to save his daughter… Not for him, but for the innocent life he left behind. Because, for some reason, I had to prove that I was the better person.

Besides... I had a plan.

And it was going to end this war.