𝒜 𝒟𝒶𝒾𝓈𝓎 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝐻𝒾𝓈 𝒬𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃

Lukas: 4

All of the people in the cathedral raise and turn to her, and I feel my cheeks heat up at her stunning face. I meet a pair of stunning dark eyes from across the aisle, and realize I'm to welcome her to her seat, as I'm her host. I hop down from the stairs up to the front, and I make my way to her.

I take her hand when I reach her, bowing down and kissing her gloved and delicate hand. I've never seen anyone quite as... stunning. Beautiful, but in a show stopping, striking... she reminds me of a word I love. Kalon. A beauty that is more than skin deep, possessing an elysian lure that makes my head dizzy. In the most perfect way possible. She brings out the logolepsy in myself. I find it's the Greek words that intrigue me.

It takes me a moment to steady myself as my eyes roam over her bare shoulders, with blotches of discolored skin across her neck, shoulders, and collarbone. The patches of pale skin are down to her arms, and they make her look enchanted, bewitched, alluring when they contrast against her peachy tan skin.

When I finally catch myself ogling, I feel my cheeks turn ruddy as I offer out an arm for her to take. I escort her to the front of the chapel benches, and help her take a seat, and turn away from her illecebrous (A Latin term; something enticing and alluring) aura, and walk up to face the responsibility. That William left behind when he decided to absquatulate (Leaving abruptly with dramaticism).

And so the story continues.

⚜️⚜️⚜️

I'm not going to bother talking about the coronation, but let's just say it feels quite odd to be a king. Like I suddenly have the weight of my kingdom on my shoulders, just sitting there and getting comfortable. Because it's not going anywhere.

As the last of the attendees leave, I sigh with a great heaviness. The crown upon my head isn't rightfully there; it feels like I'm a placeholder, someone to hold the fort down until the real hero arrives.

"Your Majesty?" A tranquil voice says, and I turn from my spot in the aisle to see that the queen of Braillenstair waited for me.

"Oh- Your Majesty, I apologize for the uneasiness. I'm quite tired from this whole ceremony." I stutter, not sure if my excuses are coming out right.

"It's fine." She cracks the smallest smile anyone could imagine, but it looks agitated. "This whole thing must have you at the end of your wits." She purses her plump lips.

"Yes, well, all of my brothers appear to have fallen, so I suppose its up to me, now." I say so casually you might think my brothers haven't died or ran away.

"It still must be hard." She shakes her head. "I don't have any siblings, so I wouldn't know what it feels like to have them, but it really is a special thing, I hear."

"Yes," I smile reminiscently. "My younger sisters, Louisia and Elodie, are currently being educated at a private school just a few kingdoms away, so it is lonely without anyone around."

"I heard you have a twin brother, is that right?" She steps closer, intrigued, and I rub the back of my neck nervously.

"Yes, Adler. He is in the palace right now, we're just not quite as close as I am with my sisters. Adler is... well, Adler. Very mysterious, reserved, always hiding away from the spotlight, and reading books in the library." I shrug. "I still love him, it's just not the same."

"Hmm... well, I would offer my condolences for your father and brother, but I'm sure you're sick of hearing that by now." She says.

It's something in the way she speaks so casually, it's enticing. I haven't heard a royal speak so normally in a long while.

"I appreciate it never the less." I nod. "Now, shall we discuss the allyship?"

"Right." She nods. "Lead the way."

She takes my arm, and I lead her down the to the conference room, where the monarchy awaits our arrival. I lead her to her seat, and take my own.

"Alright." She starts, taking charge. "Now, the monarchy of Braillenstair would like to form an alliance with the kingdom of Fjiotila. But you must know by now of the complications."

I watch her lips move with such purpose that I almost don't hear the last part.

"Complications?" I ask.

"Well..." She winces. "How shall I phrase this... our kingdom's peoples hate each other."

"Why?" I exclaim, and the duke looks over at me with surprise as I cough and regain myself. "Er- sorry. Why is that?"

"Because of our families histories, they refuse to interact with each other. This is something we need to overcome before heading straight into allyship." She says.

"... History? Please fill me in, Your Majesty, I'm not well educated on the backgrounds of our kingdom." I cringe as I say.

"Well, as all of you must know, the Fjiotilian assassin was sent to murder the king and queen in the midst of their reign about a generations ago, so that would be my parents. Now, in retaliation, it seems as though the coach who was steering the carriage your father was an angry Braillenstair citizen in disguise, and.. er... sort of killed them on... well, purpose." She says, biting her lower lip. "And now it appears that the two refuse to join forces. Which we desperately need to do, if there really is a war heading our way, because our kingdom needs your remedies, and you need our firepower."

My stomach drops.

"Wait... no. No, no, no. That's... wh-.. they were murdered?" A horrifying feeling rolls over in my stomach. "They were murdered?" I say again, demanding a response this time.

"Your Majesty-.. we didn't want to tell you with the coronation so soon-" The duke starts, but the Queen cuts him off.

"You hadn't told him?!" The Queen goes off like a firecracker. "Are you joking? Really? You just expected me to come in and do your filthy work for you? This is a sham." She raises, about to go, when I reach out and grab her hand.

"Your people murdered my brother. I cannot help but hate you for that, I apologize. But we need to think about the better for our kingdoms, together, hard it may be. We can tell the people that we're allies; we don't have to actually be." I say with ice in my voice.

Her enchanting aura won't trick me this time. This is the face of a woman who drove her people to murdering my brother and father. It was foolish of me to believe a woman so beautiful could be so pure. Because she's not. She can't be anymore.

And yet, she stares at me with her crow black eyes, and I feel myself bending again. Her wrist trembles under my touch, and she scowls down at our hands, rage simmering about.

"You aren't the only one..." She grits her teeth. "You aren't the only one who lost a parent! Both of them! Gone because yours wanted to get rid of the competition between the two kingdoms. You know what you started? You started a war, Lukas. I'm not talking to you as a queen anymore, I'm talking to you as a person. I don't care if you think your parents were these brilliant, do good royalty, they murdered my parents! It's your family's fault I was forced to step up to the crown at the age of thirteen. Thirteen, Lukas. That's how long I've been doing this. You can't be mad at me for 'driving my people to murder' your brother; yours did the same to me! You think you've got it tough, stepping up to being a king? Try bring thirteen, told your parents were murdered by the king's assassin and not hating his son. Then having to grow up thirty years in your heart to lead a kingdom even though you want to be a child a little longer, just a little!" She screams at me, sharp eyes shooting daggers while threatening to spill over with tears.

No one says anything to this un-queen like behavior, so she continues.

"Sure. I can pretend we're friends in the daylight, hide the hatred, but just so you know, Lukas? I have loathed your family since the duchess came to me with the news of my parents' death. I don't want this allyship whatsoever. But when I was crowned, I took an oath to protect my people, and that's what I'm going to do. So lets be allies. For the people. But don't think you're the only one hurting right now." She yanks her hand out of my grasp and sits down without a word. She just scowls, and waits for someone to speak.

"Bravo, Your Majesty." A voice sounds from behind us. "Great way to start the alliance."