The King's Queen | ✔

Chapter 1

This first chapter is dedicated to all of you, my lovely readers! Enjoy!

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Elizabeth Seymour
Age: 21

Prince Ashton DeLorentes
Age: 21

The Imperial Royal Family of the Crysauralian Empire

Emperor Caden DeLorentes
Age: 51

Empress Arabella DeLorentes
Age: 45

Prince CaVaughn DeLorentes
Age: 25

Prince Ashton DeLorentes
Age: 21

Princess Brooke DeLorentes
Age: 9

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Elizabeth's POV

The month opened with another flurry of snow. January the first was always such a beautiful date. It was the day that marked the beginning of a new year, and with a new year, came new beginnings, surprises and journeys, and the chances for new accomplishments.

A smile rose to my face, remembering the happy day I'd spent yesterday. I was now twenty-one. The royal family and I had returned from the cabins two days ago. They were over the moon about my engagement to Ashton. Brooke had been- and still was- a whirlwind of ecstatic happiness after her curious eyes spotted the ring, newly sitting on my finger, and found out about Ashton's proposal. Her eye had lit up like fireworks. The movie she'd been watching with her brother was quickly forgotten as she bounded over to me with a happy cheer. The empress was elated as well, and pulled me in for a warm hug, saying she'd already considered me family from the moment we'd met.

I remembered our first meeting quite well. I had been so confused after Ashton took me to his mansion of a house and announced that I would be meeting his parents. A million thoughts had crossed my mind- mainly thoughts of him pulling a prank or that perhaps he had finally lost his mind. Why was I to meet his parents? We weren't even friends. In fact we had been very far off from reaching that milestone. But Empress Arabella had accepted me immediately, her cerulean eyes lighting up like the sun on a summer solstice. She'd embraced me, just as she'd done that night and told me of just how happy she was that Ashton and I had found each other.

To her, the soulmate bond was a precious luxury. One she'd had and lost. Ultimately, she wanted all of her children to find true love and to have the happiness that she couldn't know. Seeing our relationship grow stronger each day was a source of happiness for her.

CaVaughn had smiled. It was the first time I'd seen him show any expression of joy while the emperor was in the room. His smile of approval shifted from me to his brother and he nodded as his congratulations flooded through the mind-link.

The emperor was just as happy as the rest of the family but he had his reasons why. My marriage to Ashton would only grant him more power than he already had. That wasn't a very comforting thought, but Ashton would be the next emperor soon and I was confident that the empire would be in the best hands.

I turned the next page of my text book, and tried once again to read the words printed there, but my gaze kept wandering back to the shimmering ring on my finger. It felt so surreal having it there, but it felt at home there. I'd attached Ashton's promise ring to it and it complemented it perfectly.

Ashton... Just the thought of him and a giddy smile had already made its way to my lips. I loved him with a love that transcended the soulmate bond. Ashton and I. We had a future to look forward to together. Getting married, having kids who'd become the next heirs to the empire and growing old. It almost made me sad, thinking that however long we had together still wouldn't be half enough for me. I would make every moment count.