The Hathway Kingdom (Book 2)

Five.

~Five. ~

"You did...What?"

Larissa sighed as she slumped in her chair at her desk, which was difficult given how high the back of it was. She had wrapped her hand in a cloth on her way back to the palace once she was sure that she was behind the barrier again and out of sight of Isidore. She was not giving him the satisfaction of seeing her with her hand covered. The second that she had returned to the palace, she had summoned Professor Strickland to her study and explained everything to him. From what Isidore had told her, to the promise they had made. He was less than pleased with her.

"You are the Queen, Larissa. You should know better than to make a blood promise with someone. Especially someone such as Prince Wade. And especially the promise that you made with him!" he exclaimed as he stood before her as she looked down at her hand and began undoing the cloth.

"His request was nothing compared to mine, Professor. Have you forgotten that?" she said as she examined the wound left behind from her dagger on her hand. It had stopped bleeding by now, but it was still raw, red, and throbbing.

"That is beside the point! Larissa...You have made a blood promise with a man who wants nothing more than to be king! He may love his father, King Methodios, but Isidore Wade wants nothing more than to rule. And now, you've gone and given him the perfect way to achieve that goal without his father dying, be it by his hand or natural causes!" he said to her and she scowled at him now.

"I am not going to lose, Professor..." she said to him before she got to her feet suddenly.

"Do you believe that you will win? You have never seen His Highness fight before. That scar over his face isn't just for show," Professor Strickland said as he watched her walk over to the window and look out it.

"He has won more fights and battles than anyone except for the Emperor, Larissa. You have to be cautious," he said as he walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She glanced back at him as she rubbed her palm before she looked back out the window again.

"I will be, Professor," she said in a quiet voice as she continued to look out the window. She heard him sigh behind her before she saw him look directly at her in the reflection of the window.

"I am sorry if I sound harsh with you Larissa. You are the last Hathway Left. The last of an extremely powerful bloodline and one that is tied to this country...This entire world, as much as the Falconers. If anything were to happen to you..." he said, trailing off at the end and leaving his thought unfinished.

"Nothing will happen to me, Ethan," she said as she turned to face him now. "I can promise you that," she said as she reached up and touched his cheek gently.

They looked at one another for a while before Larissa eventually turned away from him and looked back out of the window. Professor Strickland sighed before he turned towards the door as there was a cautious knock.

"Yes, Elissa. Come in," Professor Strickland said to her and Larissa glanced over her shoulder briefly at her maid as she came into the study carefully.

"Your Majesty. Professor," she said as she came into the room and bowed to them both. Larissa turned away from the window and faced her now.

"What is it, Elissa?" she asked her as she moved back over to her desk and stood behind it once more, leaning against its top.

"The Priest would like to know when you would like to hold His Majesty's burial and your coronation, Your Majesty," she replied as she looked up at Larissa, who fought a scowl from her face as she sank down into her chair again.