Royalty

8

As they separated Normani rested her forehead against Dinah's. Each took in a deep breath. Normani looked into the Queen's eyes and saw utter confusion and despair in her eyes. "I meant what I said Dinah," she reassured. "I know it's just all so much," she sighed out as she walked to her bed with Normani hot on her trail.

"Dinah listen to me, will you trust me if I tell you all I know?"

The Queen nodded her head hesitantly. "I knew of your feelings for me because your dad told me. He, and the rest of your family, have been watching over you since their death. Dinah they cannot move on until you're safe. Gordon also told me that your family drowned, In fact he showed me exactly how," she said trying to edge into deeper waters.

"What do you mean?"

"You know of the traitors already but I think the identity of them will shock you. These people did horrible things, they made your father watch as they drowned your mom and siblings. They made him sit through something so excruciatingly painful. He fought his hardest but they were too big-" she started explaining.

"WHO WAS IT?!?!?!" Dinah screamed as the information was beginning to be too much for her. Normani sighed, "The Otukolo's..."

And just like that it was as if a dagger had tore through her heart. The Otukolo's? They were the royal family's most trusted advisors. The father advised her father. The mother tended to her mother. The daughters grew up along side Dinah and their son was her advisor and soon to be husband! The information just could not be true.

"Y-y-you're lying," she said as she stood up from her bed, "They would never..." She said trying to convince herself more than Normani. "Dinah, Dinah look at me," I wouldn't lie about something as important as this," Normani explained.

"And how am I supposed to just believe you? What if this is just a tale of jealousy," Dinah questioned. Normani was taken aback, "You think I'd do something so shallow?"

"I don't know who or what to believe anymore," Dinah mumbled into her hands. Normani struggled to think of how she could convince her, Gordon did warn her that Dinah wouldn't be entirely receptive at first. And after observing her for a month, Normani found that Queen Dinah may have had a heart too big for her own good.

"Normani we can't do this," Dinah croaked out pulling the older girl out of her thoughts. "What do you mean," she asked as she cocked her head. "We can't- Whatever we- This can't happen," she said motioning between the two. "W-w-why?" She stuttered taken by surprise.

"I have a duty to my people. They need someone that the rest of the world will listen to. They need a king, a king who they've been expecting since I was a kid. There are people who have been planning our wedding since forever. Our headdresses have been customized every year since our engagement. They love the idea of us. Who am I to take away another king from them? I can't do that to my people," she divulged.

"Dinah... I don't understand, he's responsible for your family's death! Why would you want to stay with him?"

"I don't know that! I only have the word of you and some crazy island magic! That's not enough to make me throw away my relationship with a family I have literally lived my entire life with. I'm sorry Normani, but what my people is someone who can take charge and get what is best for our island, they need a man. A king, and it's going to have to Nela, whether I like it or not," she answered.

"You don't need a man to do those things. A woman can be just as powerful as any many. Do you lack that much faith that you believe your own gender can't provide for themselves. You can lead this country alone or with another woman, you don't need Nela. He doesn't love you! I love you. He's only using you for the title of king, why can't you see that?"

"And how do I not know you're doing the same thing? Why would someone like you love someone like me? You're flawless in every way. And I'm... I'm just me, the girl who has been emotionally unstable for a year because the rest of her family died. Do you think you're the first person to ever accuse me of killing my family? While I may have believed their death was an accident others believed differently. Rumors of my dastardly plan spread all across Polynesia! Why would you want to be with someone like me?" She asked as she slumped onto her bed.

"Because you are more than what people say you are. You're beautiful and kind and compassionate and so much more. Why do you think I fell in love with you when most of our time together was spent apart? Because you are such an amazing person," she said as she sat next to Dinah, "If you can look me in the eyes and tell me, right now, that you feel nothing for me then I'll-"

Dinah looked her straight in the eyes without hesitation, "I feel nothing for you. I don't love you. I just want you to leave me alone," she lied, not even letting Normani finish her sentence.

With that Normani ran away from the Queen in near tears. and back to her family.