The Tale of Opposite Souls

32) 𝒜𝒻𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓂𝒶𝓉𝒽 𝑜𝒻 𝒲𝑜𝓇𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈

•✮──────✧✮☾✮✧──────✮•

𝓑𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂𝓼 𝓟𝓞𝓥

My sister and I were outside as I asked her "how are the twins?"

She smiled and replied "happily with their father and aunt. He allowed me to come. So mother wouldn't be alone."

I sighed and nodded as I asked her "why can you not just become Queen? You are far better suited and you were made to become Queen if Charles could not! Why did it have to be me?"

She frowned and looked at me and paused us as she grabbed ahold of both my hands "father never intended me to ever take over for Charles."

I was confused and she explained "you and Jughead were always made to marry one another."

I scoffed at her and said "no, no father and mother especially mother would've told me that!"

She looked away and looked back at me stating "when you turned 13 mother and father already began discussing it with Charles and I. They wanted me to marry off quick. Marry a man that I had loved, thankfully that man was a Prince. And I became his Queen. But they...they didn't think I was capable of being Queen, at least to the level our home needs. That is why Betty you were the special one, the one who was given everything to succeed because father wanted that and no pushback. The only pushback there was...you hated Jughead."

I gulped and she continued "if Charles were to ever die and you had not gotten married you would become Queen a powerful one but because the deal was made for you to be married off at 17 there was no reason and now father has found a way to unite our lands and make it whole. You have the power do you seriously believe father would just allow you to marry the Prince if he didn't think of a strategy, a way for you to become an even greater ruler than anyone that has ever lived."

I looked at her and she sighed and said "yes? It's awful we lied and I do regret it. But look at you? You're in love, you are soon to be with a child. You have much more power now with Charles gone than you could imagine Elizabeth. You are meant to be Queen of Riverdale. Not the Southside, nor the Northside. Riverdale."

I gulped and asked her "and what if I'm not good enough,"

She smirked and told me "my dear little sister you are stronger than all of us. Charles never chose to marry, and I decided to fall in love too early with a man I felt comfortable with. But you, you wanted love and yet married a man for the sake of your home, everyone knows of the sacrifice you would have made to protect your people. Every decision you have made, has been far remarkable than anything either Charles or I have done."

I smiled and she smiled back and I held my stomach and said "I must unite our homes?"

She nodded and said "believe me Betty the fact that you even chose to stay loyal to Jughead even though you didn't have too was remarkable. You are a Queen, always meant to be the best. And I'm proud of you for that."

I smiled and she smiled back and I nodded. "Okay...okay...I will do it."

She smiled and hugged me whispering "just remember, power always comes with its prices. However...I know you will make all the right decisions even if difficult. And with this new power you have even more than Jughead, you are Elizabeth Marie. And no one shall bring you down."

I smiled and she smiled back and I hugged her again.

She hugged me once again and I held her tightly and suddenly we heard "your majesties!"

We turned seeing a servant and we rushed over to our brother's room. "His pulse is failing."

The physician told us. Our mom sobbed holding his hand and my sister held her as I gulped and leaned over and saw my brother. He panted softly and breathed slower.

"Charles?"

He looked at me and I smiled and bent down telling him "you do not need to be scared. I will become Queen. I promise to do what I was always meant for. I promise you."

He looked at me and gave me a small smile as I began to cry and held his hand "I will miss you brother..." he coughed again.

•✮──────✧✮☾✮✧──────✮•

As suddenly he had no more air and stopped breathing. I cried and held his arm as my mother screamed. Our sister took her away and I felt my fathers hand at my shoulder. I stood up and looked at him.

"I will become Queen..."

He smiled at me and I said "I will do what is meant to happen. I promise."

He smiled and kissed the side of my head. As I cried and hugged my father he held me tightly as suddenly the knights stormed in and we looked at them.

My father spat out "you approach this room as your King has died!"

They all looked at one another and kneeled for Charles as the head knight had stated "your majesties? The King of Southside, he's gone."