A Muse Her

Chapter 44

"We need to do this quickly," Anna said, wringing her hands as Lars and Willem cleared a space in the room, setting a thick leather bound book on a small tattered table. "Jorien is going to address the people soon and Arnaud's mercenaries are going to attack the protestors once he finishes."

Harald smirked, moving around his wife to take his place in front of the table. "Would you care if our daughter wasn't out there?"

Maia fought the urge to cringe at Harald's snide remark and the heavy suffocating tension permeating the air. She looked up at Mateo who held an equally annoyed expression for his step mother. She could only imagine what kind of turmoil was tearing at his heart knowing the woman who treated him like her own son was the cause of his mother's death.

"We don't have time for you two to bicker," Mateo grumbled, letting go of Maia's hand to kneel before the table. "We can deal with your treason once this is over."

"Agreed," Harald said, opening the book and clearing his throat. "I, King Harald Hendrik de Koning, son of King Andries de Koning, hereby abdicate the throne and relinquish my rights and powers as King of Oost den Burg to Prince Hendrik Mateo de Koning."

"I, Prince Hendrik Mateo de Koning, accept the rights and powers bestowed upon me from my father, Harald Hendrik de Koning, and affirm my place as...as..." Mateo closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Maia's heart clenched at Mateo's hands shaking as if he feared to speak his next words. She slid her hand to his shoulder and leaned down to his ear. "Don't be afraid," she whispered, kissing his cheek. "We'll figure it out together."

Mateo slid his hand over hers and nodded as he let out another breath. "I affirm my place as King Hendrik Mateo de Koning of Oost den Burg."

"I, Queen Anna Hocevar de Koning, hereby –"

"Don't you fucking dare, mother," Adrie said, standing in the entrance to the tunnel with Gerrit, Demetri and Levi holding boxes of clothes and supplies. "You have no right to be the witness of my brother's kingship."

"Adrie, wh-what are you doing here?" Anna said with her face paling in shock. "How did you know?"

"Never mind that," she said, sweeping across the floor with a commanding air that Maia had never seen from Mateo's meek sister. "As a true member of this family, I will witness this."

A smile tugged across Harald and Mateo's faces as Adrie nudged her mother to the side. "I, Princess Adrie Viola de Koning, hereby witness and affirm the abdication of my father Harald Hendrik de Koning," she said, holding out her hand to Mateo. "Rise, King Hendrik Mateo de Koning and place your name among the kings before you."

Mateo stood and threaded his fingers through Maia's as he stepped forward and wrote his name on the cream pages of the book beneath his father's.

"Long live King Hendrik. Long may you reign, my son," Harald said, pressing a fist to his chest as he gave him a deep bow followed by Adrie, Anna, their guards and their friends.

Maia let go of his hand to follow suit, but Mateo slipped his fingers under her chin and shook his head. "Never bow to me, liefje. You're my equal. You command the same respect as I do."

A blush burned over Maia's cheeks and she had a hard time taking her eyes off Mateo as turned to Lars. "Tell the guards they are no longer taking orders from Prince Jorien and the King will be addressing the people," he said before telling Willem to send a group of soldiers to find Bas' family and to take him to a holding cell and lock his step-mother in her chambers.

She wasn't sure if it was his new title or the way he fell into his new role with such ease, but damn, it was irrationally and highly inappropriately turning her on.