ROYALTY

Chapter 45

I pushed open the big heavy door and walked in, it was bright outside, but darkness filled the whole room. Moving swiftly, I opened the windows to let in fresh air. I ran my hands alongside the window plane. It was elegant with little angelic designs decorating it. I looked to my left where portraits were hanged. Each royal family had one unique story to tell, although most of them were married off to an outsider, they had all manged even in their short time of exitance, to bring peace to Nolan, in one way or the other.

I took my time studying every single portrait. The ladies were all exceptionally beautiful. With long curly or wavy hair that reached their waists, to gorgeous features of their faces. They were tall and pale, high cheek bones and with long pointed noses, (but not as long as the males) and they wore the most extravagant and marvellous ball gowns ever imaginable.

My fingers stopped on a particular portrait, the current royal family. Who was the prince to choose as his queen? Sure, he had told me severally, he loved me but was I worthy of his hand? It was a question that hunted my thoughts every single night.

The queen and princess had taken a fancy to Amelia and had openly claimed that she would make such a good queen, they spoke of non-other than her, at every gathering they were opportune to. They spoke about her ever so often that most times I would miss breakfast or diner with the royals claiming I was ill. Which was in truth correct.

I had developed some strange sickness that made me wake up as early as dawn just to empty my bowels. Even though I did not want to worry Lauren and Maeve I could see it on their faces, perplexed expressions. They had even gone so far to dress my bed in white. They claimed they were looking for something.

I looked at the portrait again, something did not seem right, in the picture there were five people, the king stood by his queen holding her hand, while in the other held a young babe, there were two other children standing on either side of the king and queen. One I recognised as Madelyn, but she was a little grown and the second child was a face unfamiliar to me. The third child, the little babe was Trenton, even as a young boy he still had his charming features. But the next portrait was different, in it sat Madelyn on the kings throne, holding a staff and by her right the Nolainan flag by her left. On her head a crown was placed, by her right stood her father and by her left her mother, Trenton on the other hand stood besides his mother looking straight ahead.

Even though they had expressionless expressions, they looked somewhat sad, the second child from the first picture was not present, and so was Donovan. I looked closely at the princess, she had striking features such as the king. Their eyes, a shade of blue. They held themselves in the same position, they had such confidence that would make you...

I took a step back. Did that mean that Madelyn was the king's first child and that she was heir to the throne? I walked back to the first picture. The first child, had striking features similar to both the king and queen, but there was no mistaking the exact resemblances the king, Madelyn and the boy had, they looked like his children. Then I looked at the queen, and Trenton. They were an exact cabon copy. None of this made sense.

Then was why Trenton going to be crowned king? The main portrait in the grand hall showed the prince Trenton sitting on the throne holding the staff, flag by his left, parents besides him, but this, this was not Trenton, this was Madelyn. I took a step back and leaned against the wall.

During the competition Madelyn held the flag, she had been announced first, and not Trenton, no one seemed bothered about it . How come? She had smiled when the king died. Acted unbothered when the queen cried. Was she behind the death of the king?

True I had accused her more than once but it was out of anger, after she called me a whore. She said it herself, not to trust her, was she the rebelling party? The one that wanted the crown? Was she after Trenton to? Trenton my heart cried, he had almost died a few nights ago from poisoning. If she was behind all this and wanted the king and queen gone then why did she offer me antidotes to every poison in the kingdom? I had to get to the bottom of this.

I heard footsteps outside the door and held my breath, probably it was Trenton, we met here ever so often, but the steps passed the door and walked on further.

I heard the sound of a door unlocking.

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