Chapter 6: Wait, What?

A loud thud on the door wakes me up. I groan rubbing my eyes, pulling the silk sheets to cover my body. I twist my body in a more comfortable position, clutching onto the cool of the cushions. The room fills with frantic shuffles of footsteps, and my senses waver bringing me to partial consciousness.

“Get up”, Max shouts near my ears shattering my eardrums, almost making me deaf.

“Get lost”, I shout twisting on my back, as stray strands of hair tickle my face.

“Adria, get up; the king.”, my eyes shot open at the mention of the king. I straighten up on the bed, a cry leaving my lips as I clutch at my hips.

The bed is clear of all evidence of the activity overnight, even the men. Max makes sure to, get the men out of the palace before the sun rises, their pockets tucked with gold coins. I rub my back looking at the disheveled Max walking across the room. His face darkened with worry, as he ruffles his hair.

“What happened? What about dad. Did he get up.”, I ask stretching myself physically as well as emotionally to relieve the pain.

“The healer rushed to his room at dawn. When I went to dump those men. He”, Max sighs, “He, I mean the healer hasn’t come out since then. You need to get there. The Queen is not even speaking a word.”, my heart races at the news I received in the early hours. However cold and cruel I act to the world, my parents have always been the ones that I respect the most.

I rip the sheets off, traces of the night evident on my body. Max looks at me, anger welling up in his eyes. He pulls the sheet out wrapping it around me, “Let’s clean you first.”

He pulls me towards his chambers, filling a small tub with water, as he draws small towels tucked in the cupboard. His hands work over my body, up and down removing all the traces. My gaze turns soft as I look into his eyes, they hover diligently over the towels, not once brushing on any other part. I am always shocked to see how his eyes never show lust, even when I am in my most vulnerable position.

The warm cloth slides over my skin burning it along the bites and nips. My sore pussy throbs when Max draws the towel down there. Almost purring in reluctance, as warm water touches it.

“Ahhh…”, a moan escapes my lips as the cloth touches my sore lips, my fingers digging into Max’s shoulder. I see him gulp - but his eyes are serene as ever. He gets up sliding me in a spare gown, lying in his closet. I raise an eyebrow at the existence of the gown in his closet, and all he does is roll his eyes at my implication.

“We need to hurry”, he says pulling me out of the northeast wing, towards my chambers in the main palace. His words pull me from the heat of the moment and my mind wanders to dad as my feet rush to my chambers.

A shaky breath leaves my parched lips and I see, Sherlin is knocking on the door furious, waiting for a command from inside.

“Sherlin”, I say looking at the hysteria the woman is currently in. She turns towards me launching herself near my feet.

“The king”, she chokes on her voice. I hold her straight, hands on her shoulder, “The king, what Sherlin.”, she gulps as tears prickle her eyes.

“The kings no more. He is dead”, my hands slip from her shoulder the entire room spinning. I lose my balance, my knees giving up on their strength. I tip a step back, and Max holds me, “Adria.”.

A tear slips down my face, not wanting to believe a single word that left her mouth.

“You are lying. That…”, I stop mid-sentence making a run to the center of the palace. My feet hit the marble floor with impact, I can feel the heat rising through the soles, as I take rights and lefts towards the main house. Servants pause turning their heads to me bowing as I pass them, looking at me with a confused expression, but nothing stops me, as I climb several sets of steps in a single breath to reach the huge mahogany door.

I take a deep breath, pushing the door open.

All pairs of eyes turn towards me, as I step in; except my mom who stares blank ahead - dad. I run towards his side, caressing his cheeks, tears streaming down my face.

“Dad”, I scream as my hands hold him tight.

Maize pulls me away, “Princess Adria, calm down.”, I push her, and she tumbles to the floor with a thud.

“Princess Adria, behave”, my mom scolds as her head dips in my direction for a heartbeat to gaze back at the bed. She inhales and exhales again holding a blank stare.

I look at the healer in the room, “What happened? How?”, my voice comes out all shaky not understanding what to do.

“His heart stopped this morning.”, I stumble back holding the chair. I settle in as tears flow down my cheeks. The statement from the healer was enough to understand nothing will bring him back. No concoctions or even witchcraft. I hold my head between my hands, my heart heavy, I feel weak, and all I could do was cry, spilling my tears. There are no soothing words that flow in the room, I bet half don't even feel the pain that he left. After all, he was no use to them in his condition for the past six months.

The door creeks open as the privy council, Sir. Andrew walks up into the room. He clears his throat getting the attention of everyone in the room, “The kingdom needs to know this news. Their beloved king is no more.”, he says looking at dad lying lifeless.

“I understand the grief unbearable, and none can recover from it. Yet, the kingdom needs a new person on the throne. Without a king on the throne, the kingdom will be open for vultures to prey on, and we need to protect the kingdom at all cost.”. He finishes his monologue looking at every eye in the room.

I want to smash his head on the wall. How could he look for a replacement in like hours of his death? His monolgue are poetic, but absurb. He said the kingdom doesn't know, then how in the hell are other kingdoms going to know about this. I want to throw him out of the room before a soft calm voice addresses him,

“We understand the concerns you brought to us. We will talk about it in the palace court, in the evening.”, mom says as her eyes trail for a second on Sir. Andrew, looking back at the same spot.

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Pigeons, horses, and every other means of messenger were sent, all across the four directions, to invite the friends of the kingdom - more like benefactors when it comes to war. The kingdom grieves, with majestic preparations for the cremation ceremony. It was no less than a wedding, the entire palace decorated in bright colors - the last shard of happy memory the dead will carry to heaven.

All the kings from four directions have set their trips to the east - to the largest kingdom of East Millsdearne, not to show their condolences but to pry on the throne that now sat empty, without a hire. Four days of grandiose, four days of every possible venture, as the fifth day marks the arrival of every king around the world in the palace courts. I sat on the side aisle draped with a sheer golden clot covering my existence. I look at all the kings whispering in their throats, eyes filled with the only motivation to conquer the widowed throne.

I gnaw at the insides of my mouth, at the fake sympathies they display as I fill my lungs with air to tolerate the fake. Sir. Andrew makes his way into the court, sharp at five, as he climbs the flight of stairs standing beside the throne, bowing to everyone present there.

The trumpets go off, and mom - the queen takes her seat on the queen’s throne - strategically smaller than the king. The irony of powers, etched on the pedestal - telling every passerby even the commoners, queens don’t surpass the king. They lie a level lower, an entire inch lower than the king - the man of the kingdom.

The queen’s eyes are blank, the same as I saw on the morning of my father’s death. She hasn’t recovered from the shock, some say she felt the pain so bad that she has internally shut herself down. I feel bad for her, all she is doing now is showing her strength in front of men that will now ask her to fuck them,  to get the throne. Her back straightens on the throne, as her eyes wander around the people in the court.

Sir. Andrew bows down to the queen, as a nod from her, indicates him to go ahead.

“Welcome, to all the honorable kings to the kingdom of East Millsdearne”, Sir. Andrew starts unveiling a scroll from under his long flowy sleeves. “A heartfelt gratitude, to all as you took your gracious time off to pay your condolences to the king. We all know, it is a great pain to say departure to our former king - King Adrian. He was kind, fair, and everything that this kingdom could ever ask for. Even though he is no more with us, I have a will that was written by him when his health began to get worse. God forbid, he knew his demise was near. The scroll embarks on the future of the kingdom. The person that will sit on the thrown to hereafter rule, East Millsdearne.” Heavy whispers surround the courtroom, as every person sitting turns to either side, discussing the scribblings that would unfold. I shake my head, only if they stop whispering they would know what it holds.

I sigh turning my attention to the frills of my gown. I adjust them over my knees when I hear a clap reverberate inside the room.

Sir. Andrew clears his throat unfolding the scroll.

“I King Adrian being of sound and disposing mind and memory, and not acting under duress, or any undue influence, of any person whosoever declare this to be my last will and statement. The kingdom of East Millsdearne will hereby crown, my only heir Princess Adria Canmore as the rightful Queen of the kingdom; until her marriage. The throne will be descended by her with all the rights and powers of the king.”. My breath catches in my throat, as my eyes shoot wide, my body freezes in place, and my ears perk- in case, they declare this as a fluke of words.

Wait, how did this even happen?