A wave of strange emotions swept over me. Feelings of confusion accompanied by worry attacked me viscously, encircling my mind. How could I be a princess? All my life I had been far from the ruling type. I did not look like royalty - at least not in my own opinion. There was also the question of why I had been abandoned. Why would a princess be left on a doorstep? It didn’t make sense. Also, I knew enough about government to realize that ruling a country was not an easy job. Sure I would get to have all the money I could want and I would have servants whose sole purpose was to keep me happy. But I did not feel mentally equipped to rule a country. And what would happen if I did a horrible job and everyone hated me? I would be kicked out of power and probably beheaded. That was not something I particularly wanted.
“Ariadne, are you alright?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure I want this.”
“Why not? Anyone I’ve known would die for the chance you have.”
“But I’m not anyone.”
“Well then what are your thoughts on this?” he asked leaning towards me.
I looked down at my tightly clenched hands. “I’m not the type of person who can run a country. Though I love justice, I could never be the deliverer of punishment. What if I’m not a good leader? I probably won’t be.”
“Oh you don’t know that, there’s still plenty of time left in your life to learn. How do you choose to live your life? Working on a farm somewhere and wondering what happened to your family? Or being the leader you know you can be and living happily ever after with your family safely in your care? You can choose.”
“How do you know about my family?”
“I’m a trained Wizard. I know lots of things the common man does not.”
“What happened to my parents? The king and queen?”
Zaphod spoke quietly, “They were killed.”
“That’s exactly why I don’t want to be a ruler.”
“Everyone dies, Ariadne. Listen, I will give you time to think about it. Why don’t you stay here for a while? You can stay in one of the guest chambers and your horse is welcome to be kept in the barns.”
“You’re going to let me live here?”
“Under one condition; in a week you make up your mind about what to do. If you choose to follow destiny, you can stay here and I will train you. If not, you are free to go and do whatever it is you were planning on doing with your life.”
Zaphod was quite pushy but he was right, what choice did I have? I sighed. “Alright I’ll stay. But only until I can decide what to do, and I’m just going to tell you right now, I don’t want to be a ruler.”
“That’s fine. Just give it some time,” Zaphod said standing up. “Let me summon a maid, she’ll take your things up to one of the guest rooms.”
He led me out of the room and back into the hall. “Máe!” he called out and instantly an oddly familiar short woman appeared in a bright white dress.
“Yes sir?” she asked through a thick northern accent.
“Please show my guest, Ariadne, to the second floor guest room.”
“Right away sir,” she grabbed my bags and began up the staircase.
I took one more look at Zaphod, but he dismissed me up the stairs.
I followed Máe into a great room at the top of the stairs. The ruby colored walls glistened in the fading light coming from the tall windows. Máe set my bags by a brick fireplace in the corner before returning to me.
YOU ARE READING
Chronicles of the Soveriegn
FantasyWhen Ariadne's family is taken to prison for a crime they didn't commit, she is the only one to escape and is determined to save them. Unfortunately after meeting a strange boy named Cedric on the road, she discovers a secret about her past and her...
