Fluff and Fantasy

All Hail the Queen

A young girl, Kiva, is taken from her home after her village is invaded. She is taken to the palace to work as a servant for the Royal Family of Fayhaven. She is forced to do anything the Royals want, including satisfying carnal desires. One night in the palace, Kiva is cornered and harrassed by angry guards. This is not a rare occurrence. The youngest Prince, Ari, takes pity on her. He appoints Kiva to be his personal servant. As time goes on, Kiva begins to fall in love with Ari and they plan to marry. This angers the king. He brands Kiva as a harlot. A week later at coronation, the king is assassinated. Ari takes the throne, with Kiva as his bride.

Ari

The large, oak doors are thrown open. Kiva steps into the room. Emerald silk gathers at her waist and pools at her feet. One shoulder is bare, revealing a gnarled scar at her shoulder blade. I offer her my arm and we step towards the dias.

Kiva

I take my place next to Ari. "Hail to the King!" shouts Oren. The crowd repeats the words with enthusiasm. "Hail to the Queen!" The ballroom is quiet. I shift slightly. "Death to the Queen!" someone screams. The crowd begins to part as a wretched, old hag shuffles toward the dias. "You are nothing. You are but a chambermaid. We shall never bow to you. We shall never bow to a servant. If you are to be queen, you shall be a queen of harlots." A calm anger bubbles up inside me. I step down off the dais to stand in front of her. I gather my skirts and dip down to speak in her ear.

"Then bow."

The hag gasps and scowls. I return to my position next to Ari. He begins to speak, his voice ringing out across the crowd. "How many of you shall deny your queen? How many of you shall discard the opportunity to have the people's voice in the High Council? How many of you shall turn away from your friend, your sister, your queen?"

Silence.

"You are hesitant to accept because you feel she is not fit to rule but how many of you has she comforted? How many of you has she fed? How many of you has she guided when no one else would? I don't know who you see standing next to me but the woman I see is beyond qualified to be your queen. So again, shall you deny her?"

"Nay!" The room erupts into overlapping shouts.

"Hail to the Queen," yells Oren.

"Hail to the Queen" is the response.

"Longevity to the Throne," everyone yells.

Wine corks pop and mountains of food are wheeled into the Grand Hall. I stare out into the glittering crowd. Fanged smiles shine and clawed hands clap. A chain of dancers weaves through the pulsing mass of bodies. A new song starts and Ari pulls me off the dias and into the chaos. In the back, a hag slips out the door. 

(I wrote this whole scene just for Kiva's absolutely savage line)