The Bride

Chapter 10//: Get a queen and solidify your rule

♕✿~♕✿~Chapter 10//: Get a queen and solidify your rule♕✿~♕✿~

Ahren's POV

I frowned down at the report on my desk, trying to focus my eyes on the words. This was already the 5th report I've had to read today, and it doesn't help that each report ends up being 4-5 pages. But it was either this or coronation preparations, and I don't think I can stand another question about what colored chairs I want.

My eyes finally take in the words on the page. My mind latches on to key words, such as rebel attack and riots. I let out a breath as I continue to read on.

Gregory silently sits in a nearby chair, watching me try to concentrate on the reports. He hasn't tried to talk to me about the Choosing ever since he showed me that article and to be honest, I was actually feeling grateful for it.

Juliet has been trying to make the media keep quiet about the Choosing, having noticed me stressing about what I should do with the remaining girls in the competition. Yesterday, she had finally walked out of her room, her eyes badly swollen and her nose red. I was passing by her room when I saw her come out. She had looked at me with eyes still teary with grief.

I hadn't hesitated to open my arms and let her rant into my shoulder about everything.

A knock sounds at the door of my room, and I look up from the report, grateful for the distraction. Crossing my room in long strides, I open the door to see Olivia, one of the Elites.

She looks nervous, but I can't come up with a reason as to why. I try to give her a pleasant smile but it probably came out as a grimace based on how Olivia was paling with each passing second.

"Lady Olivia," I greet her, keeping my voice polite. "What's the matter?"

Olivia takes a deep, calming breath. She pulls at the collar of her shirt, makes eye contact with me, then quickly looks away.

"Well, Your Majesty, the other girls and I...we were just wondering when this Choosing is going to start up again," Olivia tells me. "Of course, we're all hoping Madison will come back. We're all waiting for her arrival," Olivia adds in a hurry as she notices the unimpressed scowl forming on my face.

I stay silent for a moment, staring at her. She tries to bravely hold my gaze, but I can see her hands shaking slightly from nerves as she waits for my answer.

I close the door in her face.

I sigh as I turn back to Gregory, who looks at me with slightly widened eyes. I rub my face with my hands, feeling suddenly so very tired.

"I can't believe she just asked me that," I murmur. Were all of the Elites just wanting to be crowned queen that badly?

I see Gregory shrugging a bit. "They all just want to get their hands on the crown sooner rather than later," he confirms my thoughts.

Great. On top of having to deal with the death of my parents and the disappearance of Madi, I have to deal with power hungry girls.

"I want Olivia out of the competition," I tell Gregory, who nods in agreement. I sit back down at my desk, grabbing the report and trying to focus on it again. But I get distracted once more.

This time, it isn't by another Elite wanting to know when I'll just choose one of them. The distraction comes from outside of the window above my desk.

I can hear faraway shouts and yells. Gregory hears the noise when I hear it, and we share a confused look. Getting up from my desk, I put my face up to the window to look outside. My eyes widen as I take in what is happening outside.

It's a riot. A huge crowd of the citizens of Norta are gathered outside the gate that separates the palace from the rest of the country. I can see them holding signs with various things written on them. I see one man holding a sign which reads Get a queen and solidify your rule!

I back away from the window, falling back into my desk chair. Gregory, seeing my reaction, takes a look outside for himself. When he pulls away from the window, he looks at me with pity.

I stare up at the ceiling. "Does everyone really believe me marrying someone will keep the rebels away? Will keep them safe?" I ask in slight incredulity. I didn't realize just how many people thought this.

"Unfortunately, they do, Your Majesty. They think they'll be safe if power and strength is kept within the palace. They think the rebels won't bother to go up against a strong enemy, then," Gregory tells me, glancing out the window again.

A sense of panic floods through me. So many people were expecting things from me. There was a weight pressing down on my shoulders, slowly killing me, and I didn't know what to do. I only knew one thing, and that was that I wanted this weight gone. I didn't want all of this pressure on me. It was childish, but I couldn't help the feeling.

"What should I do, Gregory?" I turn to my father's old advisor, now my advisor. I needed help, and he was one of the few people who I felt like I could turn to.

Gregory is silent as he ponders over this. I know the thoughts going through his head are similar to mine: Do I do what I think it best, even if it makes everyone unhappy, or do I do what the people want me to do, even if it makes me unhappy? It was a choice between following my mind or getting the people's approval. And in a time like this, it was important for me to have support. After all, a king with no supporters is no king at all.

Gregory finally turns his head to look at me. His eyes are full of seriousness, his lips pursed. He sighs, as if knowing his answer won't be the answer I want.

And it isn't.

"I think it's time to listen to the people."

♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~

Poor Ahren has to deal with all of this stress. Yikes.

Did you guys notice the King's Cage quote I slid into this chapter? ;)

So, I started binge-editing (I know, it's weird) and I was focusing on fixing up the beginning chapters of The Choosing. Just looking at some of the stuff I wrote when I was younger...😂😂

I ended up having to delete some chapters and completely rewriting some of the scenes in the earlier chapters of The Choosing. But now I feel slightly better about the beginning chapters of The Choosing ☺️

Anyways, I hope you all have a great rest of your week!

Glass_Sword