The Royal Heir - Dancing with my eyes closed

It's complicated

"And so, the Great Houses have spoken," Dad jeers, his voice grating on me like broken glass. "Unfortunately for you, Your Majesty, the Conventus Nobilis has formally elected me as Cordonia's Crown Regent. And as Crown Regent, from this moment on, I assume full parental responsibility for Princess Annabelle."

The world stops. I'm frozen. I can't process this. This has to be a nightmare. Any second, I'll wake up in Tommy's arms, Bella safe across the corridor... right?

"You are a despicable monster!" Rick's shout snaps me back to reality, and suddenly he's charging towards Dad, fury in his eyes. "And you're also insane if you think I'll let this happen!"

"It's already happened, Rick, I'm afraid," Dad says with cold amusement. "The time to contend my challenge has passed. You lose."

Bella wakes up in the commotion. "Bad man, daddy?"

I stand up, and pull her into me tightly. "Yeah. Don't worry, you're not going anywhere with him."

Lucretia sneers at me. "But the law is the law, Maxwell. Even dukes are bound by it. And kings."

She turns her venomous glare to Rick. There's a grim expression on Rick's face. He's saying nothing now.

"Now, Maxwell. If you would, hand Princess Annabelle over to her new legal guardian." Dad signals, and two uniformed security guards enter the room and barge towards the two of us.

Bella wails, scared, and buries her face in my shoulder. I instinctively bolt backwards. "You dare lay a hand on my daughter, and so help me..."

The doors swing open a second time, and Drake plummets into the room, ready to take out Dad's security. Mara's here too. Looks like they're strong enough to match these two guys. And they will.

"What is this nonsense?" Dad shouts. "Just take the princess!"

"No." There's a loud shout from the door, and Hana Lee stands defiant in the doorway. "Duke Barthelemy, you can't begin your regency like this. Vote or no vote, you can't rip an eighteen-month-old child out of her father's arms. Traumatising the Crown Princess for life will stain your legacy before it begins."

"You're damn right, Hana," Drake says.

Dad doesn't seem to know how to respond. The guards remain frozen in place. I still haven't woken up. This isn't looking good.

My eyes dart around the room. Rick's fists are clenched at his sides, his whole body trembling. Hana's calm on the outside, but I can see the telltale signs of the storm behind her eyes.

I glance behind her. Tommy's not there.

"If I may," Hana speaks up. "I have been looking into this eventuality. It is true that per the vote, custody of the princess must go to the Crown Regent. But Duke Barthelemy hasn't officially been coronated as Regent yet."

"Your point, Lady Hana?" Dad finally speaks, furious.

"Only at the point of coronation will the power pass from Rick to yourself, so logically, custodianship of the heir should pass at the same time," Hana explains. "The laws state that as regent-elect you have limited control, and solely in matters of the heir's safety. So, unless there is a breach of safety protocol, it's unclear whether you have legal grounds to seize Princess Annabelle until that time comes. Wouldn't it be kinder for everyone if the princess stays with her father for now?"

Oh, Hana. You absolute genius. You're buying us some time.

"It would certainly make this transition of power easier," Rick says through gritted teeth. "You may have won the vote, Barthelemy, but Cordonia won't take kindly to a regent supplanting its king, or taking its princess away from her father. If you want the people to accept you as regent, Annabelle must stay with Maxwell until you're officially coronated."