Chapter 5

Chapter 5

My footsteps echo along the halls as the two Guards follow silently behind me. Along the way many of the residents of the Palace recognize me I made my way through the halls, bowing and whispering about how the rightful Queen has finally been found. My strides grow in confidence with their whispered support even when my memories fail me when trying to find my destination, but thankfully the Guards stay silent, allowing me to walk the halls at my own pace.

It takes a few twist and turns but soon I find myself standing in front of large oak doors with my family’s crest etched into them. The doors are slightly ajar and as the Guards that have accompanied me move to open them, I hold out my hand and shake my head no.

"She is a child!" A man’s voice angrily shouts, causing me to roll my eyes at this out burst.

"Allisara is not a child. She is twenty which is old enough to rule." Comes a reply. I recognize the voice belonging to Demitrias and chuckle. Who ever he is arguing with is not happy that I am back.

"I have sat on this throne longer then most rulers. This is my throne, a throne I have worked hard for." Rage takes over as I recognize now who is arguing with Demitrias. How dare this man claim what belongs to me.

"No, its MY throne and MY kingdom, and you are done screwing around with it." Throwing open the doors, I state  these words as I walk into the throne room and march to the center of it. Shock fills everyone’s eyes as they take in my appearance, but mine stay glued to Duke Trilavantas as I glare at him, allowing him to see the hatred and rage I have towards this man to shine through.

He looks at me with a mixture of shock and horror before a mask made with a smug smile takes its place. Now I know where Demitrias gets the skill from.

"Princess Allisara, we both know I own all the Guards here.” Duke Trilavantas begins, his voice dripping with condescending and greed. I grit my teeth and stand straighter, ready to fight if need be and kill the man that sits so comfortably on my throne.

“So you will sit quietly like a good little doll and marry Demitrias as agreed upon by your parents and I  while I run the Kingdom. How does that sound." He continues, his smirk growing as he leans back into the throne. My hands clench at my sides as I take in his words. They are filled with greed and I know now that there is no way in Hell that I could ever trust him or the Trilavantas family ever again.

“Mister Trilavantas.” I begin, relishing when I watch his smirk falls as I address him as such. Point for me in getting under his skin.

“You must understand that you have royally fucked my life up for the last fourteen years. Do mind the pun.” Continuing, I hear a few of the Guards snicker as I take a step closer to the throne, no one dares to stop me and I can see that this visibly upsets the man that has yet to budge off of what is mine.

“Now, I will give you five seconds to get off my throne and leave my Palace for good.” I finish, reaching my hand out quickly and taking the pistole from the holster of the Guard closest to me. I grin as I flick the safety off and cock the pistol, readying it to be fired before pointing it directly at Duke Trilavantas’ head.

“One.” I call out loud and clear.

"You don't want to do this Alli." Demitri pleads

“That is Princess Allisara to you.” The Guard whose gun I took corrects, pulling his sword out and pointing it at Demitrias’ throat.

"Two.” I continue counting, taking a step forward.

"N-now Princess, you don't have to do this." Duke Trilavantas calls out, his voice shaking as his smug face falls

"Three.” My finger moves to the trigger and I stand smugly staring down the man that fucked my Kingdom over.

"Princess Allisara, this is my father." Demitrias calls out as if I didn’t know. I just ignore him, already knowing that after today our betrothal will be voided.

"Four." I prepare myself to have to see blood and brain matter being splattered on the thrown and walls behind it. It seems this room will need to be renovated soon.

"I-I was joking okay." Duke Trilavantas whimpers out sitting up straighter. Too bad I am not.

"Five." I am about to pull the trigger when he jumps off of my throne, throwing himself on his knees before me with tears falling from his face. It seems that the man my father called his best friend is nothing but a coward. Smirking, I strut towards the throne, climbing the small set of stairs before taking my rightful place on the golden chair with cream cushions. I will need to have it cleaned after having filth sit on it for fourteen years but right now I will take this victory in regaining my Kingdom back from the Trilavantas.

“Guards, arrest Juden Trilavantas for treason and threats against the crown.” I order, watching as four men step forward.

“He and his family are to be stripped of their titles and Juden Trilavantas is to be deemed a traitor to the Kingdom. For now, his family may remain on the estate until a new Duke can be conferred the tittle. I will send Guards to seize any and all assets that belong to the Royal family.” I continue as the former Duke is seized and cuffed, the Guards not being gentle at all in their handling of the traitor. Demitrias lets out a gasp of horror, causing me to look at him with a questioning gaze.

"Our engagement is off. It would be bad if I married a traitor's son." I state, deciding to send another blow to the father son duo. Demitrias’ face is one of pain and despair but I can see the seething rage in his eyes behind the mask, He isn’t fooling anyone.

"You can’t do this Alli, I love you.” He shouts, causing me to laugh.

"If you love me like you claim I would have been raised as a princess, not a slum child." I retort with through my laughter, having to wipe away tears from my eyes. Demitrias and love is such a comical concept.

"The Allisara you knew as a child is gone, you have your father and your self to blame. Now leave, you are no longer Captain of my Guards." I continue after regaining composure. Demitrias goes to protest but the Guard who’s sword is still pointed at him gives him a warning glare. Another two come to escort Demitrias out after his father had been taken away kicking and screaming. The throne room soon settles into a calming silence and I sigh, turning to look at the Guard that remained as he sheaths his sword.

"Mind if I keep it?" I asked, motioning to the gun that is set on the arm of the throne and getting an amused chuckle.

"Not at all, you seem to know what you are doing." I laugh as well, smiling as I stand and hold my hand out towards the man. He takes it, his large calloused hand warm against my dainty one as we shake.

"Skylard BlackHawk, Your Highness." Skylard introduces himself, the name seeming so familiar to me.

"Call me Alli." I smile, deciding that right then and there I can trust this man as he had backed me up when I was dealing with the Traitor, stopping Demitrias before he could come between his father and me.

"Then call me Sky.” Sky answers, making me smile.

“Just to let you know, Alli, I hated Juden Trilavantas. He is a power hungry tool." I giggle at his confession and take this time to examine Sky. He has deep emerald eyes that when the light reflects off of them feels like a warm pool you can dive into. A chiselled jaw that leads to an easy going smile, one that has me wanting to smile when ever I see it. His dark blonde hair falls to his shoulders while half of it was tied back and out of his eyes. He is tall and lean, his shoulders broad and judging by the way his uniform clings to him, he is made of muscles.

"Done staring at me?" He asked chuckling, causing me to blush and release his hand in embarrassment.

"Sorry, I was just deciding on if you would make a good Captain of the Guards. I need some one I can trust." I retort back with, looking towards the throne. My words seem to be the thing to quiet him as a moment of silence passes between us. Looking out from the corner of my eyes, I smirk as I take in his bewildered expression.

"I-I-um.” He stutters, trying to find the right words.

“What do I say?" This time I laugh, bending over and clutching my stomach while Sky stares at me.

"How about thank you." I manage to spit out, wiping tears from my eyes from laughing so hard. No sooner were the words out of my mouth that I feel myself being lifted into the air as strong arms hug me to an equally strong body.

"Thank you." Sky whispers, causing me to laugh even harder. I hug him back, relishing in the warmth that Sky brings as the two of us smile and laugh. This is what I need, a friend, someone I can trust, and someone I know I can rely on. Our laughter slowly die down as we regain our composure and my feet are returned to solid ground. A slight blush creeps along Sky’s face, but I choose to ignore it. No need to tease my new friend when I will be relying on him from this day forward. There will be plenty of opportunities to mess with him as we fix the mess Juden Trilavantas left for me.

"As my new Captain, we need to approve of my Palace Guards.” I decide to bring up the first thing I want changed. With the Palace Guards being in charge of my safety, I will need to know I can trust the people sworn to protect me.

“Lets start with those loyal to the Crown, to me and you. We can slowly weed out those loyal Trilavantas and remove them from the Palace." Continuing my thought, I look out the window and sigh. There will be a lot that needs to be done with my Kingdom, but even more that I need to do inside the Palace.

"Thats something I can help with. There are a lot of good men who hated Trilavantas as much as I do.” Sky muses, turning to face the window as well.

“They will bend the knee and follow you; I can guarantee it." I smile at Sky's words. If I can make sure that people are loyal to me, then I can help the Kingdom.

"Good, we start tomorrow. Tonight I need to do some...thing." My voice cracks as I reach for my necklace, my thumb rubbing against the crest.

"They are in the Royal Cemetery.”  Sky states, surprising me.

“The one thing he did right as Regent was give them a proper funeral. Although I am pretty sure he did it just for show." He continues, rolling his eyes at the mention of Trilavantas.

"How do you know this?" I whisper out, surprised by how he knows so much.

"My father was the gardener here. I helped him plant the roses that grow behind their graves just after your parents were buried." Sky answers, giving me a sad smile. I vaguely remember the gardener with dirty blonde hair always working rain or shine in the garden. He was a kind and gentle man from what I saw in my dreams, always teaching me about flowers and helping me when I wanted some as decorations for tea parties.

"Thank you." I whisper before making my way out of the throne room. Footsteps behind me has me turning to look back and see that Sky is following, the gun I had left on the throne in his hand as he catches up to me.

“Do you know the way?” He asks, causing my steps to faulter until I stop. I want to say that I do, that I know my home like the back of my hand, but that would be a lie. Many of my memories are still missing and I know that if I am left alone, I will get lost. Turning to Sky, I give him a helpless smile and sigh, not knowing how to ask him for help.

“The quickest way is through the gardens. Let me lead you.” He suggests, handing the gun to me. I thank him as I awkwardly let the hand that holds the pistol hang at my side, unsure of what to do.

“Do you think you can hold onto this until I can get my own holster?” I sheepishly ask, getting a chuckle from my new friend.

“How about tomorrow you come with me to the armoury to pick out a few weapons for yourself. Now come one, its this way.” He takes back the pistol and places it into the holster before motioning me to follow him. After a few twist and turns we find ourselves in a sun room, the doors wide open letting in the crisp winter air. From here Sky lets me take the lead and I take my first steps into the garden. I can tell that it hasn’t been maintained for a while as all the plants that usually stay green in winter are beginning to wilt, causing me to frown.

"What happened to your father?" I ask, turning to Sky.

"He was fired three months ago; you can guess by who." He answers, hatred seeping into his voice. I nod, turning to look at the scene before me before continuing down the stone path that could  use a few rounds of maintenance.

"Call him, tell him I want him working here once again. He will be the head gardener and can choose his team." I order, leaving no room for discussion or protest. The sounds of footsteps no longer follow me and I turn to see Sky staring at me with a dumbfounded look. As amused as I am with constantly making this grown man speechless, I also know that the gardens need to be returned to their former glory if I am to show that I am the one true leader here.

"Not to sound rude but now would be a good time to call him." I state, watching as Sky nods in response. His hands fumble in his pocket until he triumphantly pulls out a cell phone. It isn’t long until he is deep into a conversation, a large smile on his face as he excitedly talks to whom I assume is his father. The call ends quickly and with out warning, Sky pulls me into his arms for a hug.

"He will be here tomorrow with his team. He told me to thank you and that he is happy you are back where you belong." With his voice full of enthusiasm, Sky thanks me on behalf of his father bringing a smile to my face. With the issues of the garden settled, Sky leads me the rest of the way to the Royal Cemetery. The walk through the garden brings small memories to my mind and I find myself needing to stop for a moment to focus and sort through all the new information entering my mind. Thankfully Sky is patient, allowing me time to sit and rest when the splitting migraine from earlier today comes back. Its only when we reach the black wrought iron gates to the Royal Cemetery that the memories subside and the migraine settles.

“Would you like to go in first?” Sky asks, pushing the gate open. The metal has seen better days as the creaking sound echoes along the empty garden, causing me to shiver with slight hesitation. It seems this place has been neglected as well with the Trilavantas’ sitting on my throne.

“How will I know which graves are there’s?” I ask, unsure whether or not I truly want to go in alone.

“Just keep walking on the path. The will be the ones under a willow tree. The roses will have wilted by now, but the scent should still linger.” He answers, giving me a gentle smile. Taking a deep breath, I step past the gate and follow the path that Sky told me to stay on. Rows upon rows of graves pass me by as I continue walking, many of which have started to become over grown with weeds and vines. This place should have been a beautiful scenery as a final resting place for my family that have passed on, but now it has become a desolate and unwelcoming area.

Coming to the end of the path, my steps falter as I come to a stop noticing the willow tree a few meters away its bare branches swaying in the breeze. Two black grave stones stand solemnly in front of it, the remnants of rose bushes planted just behind them. It looks so lonely and forlorn, as if no one has visited these graves in years. Fourteen years. I spent fourteen years wondering why I was left in the slums all alone. Fourteen years of wanting to know if my parents were alive and why they gave me up. And here they are buried in the cold hard ground. Tears fall from my eyes and I find myself unable to continue forward. All strength I had earlier leaves me and I fall to my knees. Wrapping my arms around myself, I cry for them, for their untimely death and for the love I should have grown up with. I cry for the little me that was left with no memory of them and who spent fourteen years wishing for her parents warmth. I cry and cry until my tears run dry and my body is left shaking and quivering.

"I’m sorry Alli." Sky whispers, scooping me into his arms and cradling me to his chest. He turns away from their graves, carrying me down the main pathway and out of the cemetery. He takes me past the garden and to the sunroom where he settles me onto the comfortable love seat before kneeling in front of me.

"Feel better?" He asks, brushing away a stray tear from my face.

"No." He laughs at my answer, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear and handing me a handkerchief from his pocket. I thank him and carefully wipe away any remaining traces of my tears. In the end, I find myself clenching the small fabric in my hand as I look out the windows of the sunroom.

"It gets easier Alli, so don't worry." I nod at his words and take a moment to breath in the floral scented air that still hung in the winter, taking in the earthy scent of Sky's cologne with it as well. I smile, knowing that with Sky helping me the Kingdom will flourish again. And to think just a few months ago I was readying myself to leave and live in the countryside.

"I just need this day for myself. Tomorrow I will be the Queen this Kingdom needs." I whisper, closing my eyes and taking another deep breath.

“That’s understandable. It been a long day for you.” Sky muses, sitting beside me on the love seat. Nothing is said between the two of us as we sit in silence left to our own thoughts. There is nothing to be said as we both have had a long and emotional day. I think about the work that will need to be done when I see his father tomorrow. One thing is for sure, it will take a while for the gardens and Royal Cemetery to be fixed.

Deciding that a relaxing bath is needed, I ask Sky if he can lead me back to my room. It will take a few days of learning to navigate my home once again but Sky promised me he will help me to learn the twisting and winding halls. As soon as I reach my room, I thank him for his help today, already noticing two Guards standing at attention ready to protect me at a moments notice.

“I will send a Maid with food for you Alli. For now, get some rest.” Sky says as we say are farewell. I nod, accepting his help before I bid him good night and head inside. The first thing I notice is that my bed has been made with fresh bedding, a note from the Maids welcoming me home. This makes me happy and I set the note on the bedside table, deciding to keep it safe. I head into the bathroom, the clawfoot tub I saw earlier welcoming and inviting and – thankfully – easier to operate than the shower was. It isn’t long until I am soaking inside a hot bubble back, the water soaking away my pain. Today is my last day as Allison of the Slums. Tomorrow I am Allisara Nimair, future Queen of Nimairene.