Rowans Choice

Chapter Thirty - A kingdom awoken

For the month that Rowan had been gone,  and without King Aster at the helm... Her eldest brother Elm had taken over as Regent, and the decisions regarding Olamoore and those within the Veil were his responsibility. Elm took charge instantly with a risky decision to not inform the kingdoms of Rowans plight, only announcing her early and unexpected Accession after Asters sudden death. Elm wanted to put off the discovery that Olamoore was vulnerable and without a competent ruler as long as possible, so no mention was made of how that came to be, and Asters ceremony of life remained a private affair for family only.

It had worked in the short term, he had the army dispersed to every corner of our kingdom to create the barrier... and he had cancelled the wedding and moved it back to Rowans twenty first birthday. It looked better to be fussy or precious over a date in the diary than it did to reveal the truth. Asters Death was reason enough for the Princess to move back her wedding.

The plan though, it began to collapse once Queen Sorcha began to become suspicious. No word had come from Olamoore to any other kingdom in weeks, unusual to say the least. Olamoore had been found to be closed to all, even trade, and suspicions were finally roused.

Sorcha sent word to every kingdom that if Olamoore didn't open its gates or produce a visual on Rowan... that they should consider it an act of war... and all kingdoms should join her on having their army's March on Olamoore.

Elm took a risk, and pretending to be Rowan... he invited all heads of state and Royalty from the kingdoms to join the celebration of Rowans official Coronation and wedding ... on the weekend that followed her twenty first birthday. This slowed the calls for war and sent a message that Olamoore had nothing to hide.

The panic would set in the week of her birthday, when despite all wedding and Coronation planning going ahead and the veil being filled with luxurious grand decor, good food and lots of Fae due to arrive imminently...Rowan still hadn't regained consciousness.

Elm though, he held his nerve... a true Prince and now First in line in succession to the throne. His daughter Holly would be the next Queen once she came of age, if Rowan did not wake nor produce an heir.

With one day to spare, and with everyone readying for war... Rowan awakened.

The kingdom awakened right along with her, and warming up, defrosting from its frozen state... birds began to sing, the sun shone and peace resumed...

Queen Rowan of Olamoore may have only just returned, but she had to now put on the greatest show of her life for the six kingdoms...all whilst physically weak and dealing with the unexpected demise of her father.

***

"I had a lot of gold coin on you surviving dear" Eris whispered as she kissed my cheek.

"We never doubted it" Robin and Cricket said as they took turns hugging me rather tightly.

"Where are my father and Sycamore. Where are my brothers" I ask as I look past my welcoming committee of girlfriends and seek the family's faces.

Andy comes back into the room and brings me a tray of tea and something to eat, she places it down on my lap and goes to work plumping my pillows up behind me.

"Andy... Rowan was just asking after her father and the family" Eris says strangely "Why don't we leave you two to chat" she adds as she encourages both Robin and Cricket to leave with her.

I look from them leaving hurriedly into the hallway and back to Andy who sits at my side and stirs some tea in a cup. She won't even look at me. I see the avoidance, and then the tear that drops from her cheek and makes the tea spoon clink loudly like a little bell.