The King's Bride

You Are Hereby Summoned

Everleigh sits in her father's old office, looking over some papers and trying to understand them, when she decides to take a break, her eyes begging her to do so. She stands and walks across the room to the large window, opening it and letting the cold breeze wash over her for a moment, as she thinks back on the last six months.

Two months after her father passed, news reached the Estate that the King had passed away in his sleep, forcing his eldest son, Prince Jensen, to assume the throne. The transition had been seamless and everyone was already praising the new King for the kind of Ruler he was proving himself to be.

While the Kingdom praised the new King and moved on with their lives, Everleigh has spent the last six months taking over her father's affairs and making sure she could keep the Estate running the same way her father did.

Everleigh will admit that, that first month after her father passed, she allowed grief to take hold of her, but eventually she pulled herself together and began moving her life forward, knowing her father wouldn't want her to let grief keep her from living.

After that first month, she began looking into her father's businesses and what she needed to do to keep the Estate and all of their businesses running. But not everyone was happy to see an unwed woman in charge of such a large Estate as the one she now possesses.

Everleigh received a few marriage proposals, the offers coming in not even a week after her father had died, but ended up refusing them all, deep down knowing that they only wished to marry her for her father's Estate, some even telling her so.

Because of this, many of her father's old friends have refused to have anything to do with her and the Estate, claiming that they can't hold business with an unwed woman and that it will only hurt their businesses if people were to find out they did. Even finding new business partners was hard, since they would immediately ask her about her husband, turning her down when she would say that she is unmarried.

As much as Everleigh hates to admit it, she might just have to marry some Lord just so she can keep the Estate running as it used to be. The thought of marrying someone she doesn't know makes her skin crawl, but if it will mean that she can preserve her father's legacy, then that's a sacrifice she is willing to make.

A knock on the door brings her back to the present, Everleigh calling for them to enter. A messenger walks in and delivers a letter, leaving it at her desk per her request. Everleigh thanks the young man and watches him leave, as she lets out a breath, thinking that it's probably either another marriage proposal or one of her father's business partners ending their partnership.

Everleigh makes her way to the desk and picks up the letter, confusion etched on her face when she sees the Royal Seal. She quickly opens it and reads through it, realizing it is a summon. Everleigh is to report to Court for a meeting with the King himself.

She sits down, still confused at why would the King want to see her, and considers the option of just not going. Everleigh knows that if she is to go to Court, there is a high chance that the Estate might suffer, if she is away for too long. However, she also knows that if she doesn't go, things could get even more complicated for her, and the last thing she needs is to fall on the King's bad side.

Everleigh lets out a sigh, knowing that, as much as she wants to believe she has a choice, she really doesn't. She calls for a messenger, writing a quick note to the only of her father's friends that has stayed by her side and has kept doing business with her, asking him to take over the affairs of the Estate while she is away at Court, sealing it just as the messenger arrives.

After handing him the small note, she knows she doesn't have a lot of time. She calls for a maid to help her pack her things, informing her Everleigh will be away for a little while and that Lord Carter will be handling all of the Estate's affairs, as they make their way to her room.

She receives Lord Carter's answer while packing two small bags with just enough things for a very short stay at Court, the man reassuring her that no important decisions will be made without her knowledge and permission. Everleigh is grateful for Lord Carter and thinks that, if it wasn't for the fact the man is already married, she could see herself marrying him.

An hour or so later, she climbs on her horse and rides out, making her way to Court, wondering why she is being summoned and wishing this won't take too long, wanting to return home as soon as possible.