and we promised

Chapter 41

OLIVIA

Everybody gasps as I enter the room in a blood-soaked gown.

I can see how the cameras immediately go on me and how some people start whispering, probably talking about my state. I can see my Mom running down the aisle leading to the door, not stopping until she has her arms around me.

"My baby", she whispers, kissing the top of my head. "My beautiful beautiful baby. Are you alright?"

I nod, knowing damn well I'm not alright but I came here with a mission. Get that crown. Save the land from Stefan.

"I got this", I whisper to her, lifting myself on my tiptoes and kissing her cheek once. She looks me in the eyes to be sure I really mean it. I nod once.

It's then she steps away, freeing the path between me and the Prime-Minister, waiting with the crown at the end of the aisle.

As I arrive there, I turn around at the audience, wanting to speak to them before they decide if they want me as their ruler or not.

"Dear people of Cordelia, dear guests, my name is Olivia Estair Dunn and I am the future queen of Cordelia."

The crowd's in the room go quiet after that sentence. It gives me the strength to continue.

"If you would've asked me a few days ago how I envision my coronation dress to look like, I would have answered black and preferably Chanel. I would have never imagined to be standing in front of you in a dress filled with blood, making an attempt to convince you I am still the one you want to call your queen. As I would have never imagined spending the day in a hospital, begging the universe to let the love of my life live."

I can see Nini gasp at that, her and Caden being in the room. Her husband is quickly at her side, looking as worried as her though, and my Mom comes at her other side, trying to make her breathe even.

"Being a monarch is a blessing. I am well aware of that. Having the ability and duty to lead a land and its people into tomorrow, to help shape the future, it's a gift I am daily thankful for it. However, there is another side of being heiress to the throne that only a few know."

Exactly as on cue, Stefan enters the room, his head bandaged where Aria hit him with the frying pan. As he sees me, his eyes narrow and he is one step away from pulling out another knife and throwing it at me. I am somehow grateful my bestie remained at the hospital to watch over Nathan, for I could not guarantee her safety.

"Stop this coronation", Stefan shouts, his voice moving everybody's attention from me to him. The crowd gasps again at the view of his head-bandage. Knowing he has the show now, Stefan continues: "This woman tried to kill me."

One sentence. It takes one sentence to make an entire country be against you. People start booing, telling me to get out, as they look at me. I realize the odds aren't exactly in my favor. He has a bandaged head. I have a blood-soaked gown. Who's the victim here? Who's the villain?

I can hear Dad yelling at the crowd once, trying to make them shut up. Mom also tried to help them. Yet no one stops.

Liar. Bitch. Traitor.

I stop.

And remind myself I'm the fucking queen.

"Silence", I tone. The crowd goes silent in an instant.

Someone once told me there is no weapon more dangerous than the truth. And although it kills me speaking the truth out loud, it's the only hope I have at saving my kingdom.

"My cousin first tried to kill me almost a year ago", I begin. The crowd starts to whisper, yet their whole attention is on me. "We were eating dinner together. I fell asleep that night. Little did I know I wasn't supposed to wake up again. Luckily my bodyguard found me and brought me to the hospital."

Stefan keeps getting closer, yet I won't stop talking. I can't stop talking. I feel like he kept me silent for years and now I finally have the ability to talk again. "A few months ago, Stefan hired someone to pretend to be my boyfriend. And as the naïve girl I was, I fell for it. Called it love. That love left me with a fear of being alone at night, thinking someone will come inside my room and take me away, and a scar on my cheek to forever remember that day."

Another round of whispers, and Stefan getting even closer. "That will be enough", he tells me, his voice nothing but pure hate.

"Watch me", I whisper at him. It's then I turn again to the crowd. "And as if all that won't be enough, today he hurt me more than ever. He took away my boyfriend."

Gossips start at the moment the word "boyfriend" leaves my mouth.

"He took him away and tried to end him. The cut he gave me on my waist is no pain compared to the one I felt when I had to find Nathan unconscious in a warehouse."

Nini stands up crying and runs out the front door, probably to go find Nathan. Caden follows her. I can see Mom looking sorry at me, then silently asking me with her eyes if she could go outside a bit to help her bestie. I nod and mouth at her "National Hospital", so that Nini and Caden will know where to go.

She thanks me and follows the two outside. Dad remains here, to make sure no one harms me anymore.

"I know I am not the perfect queen. I know I am not the perfect girl. I am not the type who will easily forgive anything, I am not the one who will try to expand our country and get more territories. But what I am is a person who loves Cordelia more than anything and would do anything to protect the people. I will not allow suffering in my lands. I will not let you go through what I had to go through. I can't promise I won't make mistakes. I can't promise I will be perfect every single day. But what I can promise is that I'll give my best, every day I'll give my best, to make sure that my people are safe and happy."

Tears are rolling down my face as I stare at the crowd, hoping for an answer. Anything. At this point, I'll also accept booing, if only to know that they have a reaction.

Dad stands up, together with all my uncles, and they bow in front of me, saying: "Long live the queen." My aunts follow, doing the same gesture. Then a few of the press people. Some guests in the crowd. They all stand up, bow, and say: "Long live the queen."

I'm crying as the whole room stands up once more, bows as one, and repeats those four words.

Long live the queen.

I take a deep breath and let the Prime Minister put the crown on my head, hand me the scepter, and tell me to repeat the oath after him. I look at it, the oath going straight to my heart, becoming a promise I make to my people.

"Ladies and gentlemen, dear people of Cordelia, I present to you Her Majesty Olivia Estair Dunn, Queen of Cordelia.

Long live the queen."