The Bride

Chapter 11//: I'm like a puppet

♕✿~♕✿~Chapter 11//: I'm like a puppet♕✿~♕✿~

Ahren's POV

"Let me propose a deal, Your Majesty," Gregory starts, leaning back in his chair with his arms folded.

I lean back into my own chair. "What's the deal?" I ask, curious yet apprehensive.

"I say you continue on with the Choosing to calm down the people. Also, it would be a good time to look for a replacement for Lady Madison. But if you truly can't find a replacement, I will let you dedicate two months to looking for Lady Madison after your coronation," Gregory tells me.

I stay silent, doubt covering me like a blanket. The yelling from outside drifted towards me, and the sounds seemed to be forming voices. Agree to it. Don't disappoint us. There's no harm in agreeing. You already failed Madison, so you'd better not fail the people.

I bit my lip, a bad habit I had. I knew I couldn't risk having the people angry. Angry people would mean a shaky rule, and that would mean an opportunity for power-hungry people. In a time where dangerous rebels were running around, I knew I shouldn't be hesitating to accept the deal.

Looking out the window again, I see the people gathered outside the palace gates. I knew what Gregory had said about them wanting a false sense of safety was true. And wasn't it my duty as their ruler to provide that just to calm them?

Guilt stabbed me. Continuing with the Choosing seemed like a betrayal to Madison. Like I was accepting the fact that she was dead. That there was no hope to save her. I tried to reason with myself. Nick was sending search parties out daily to search for her. Would it be betrayal if I tried to calm down the people even though I was still putting effort to find her?

Give the people what they want. It won't be betrayal. You're technically not even king, yet you still fail to provide for the people first. You need to provide for your people instead of helping your own selfish needs. These voices echoed in my head, trying to coax me to accept the deal. I could still see Gregory patiently waiting for an answer.

I sigh, giving in. "Okay. But I'm telling you in advance, I won't find a replacement for Madison. I already know I won't," I tell Gregory.

He looks at me, his gaze unflinching. "I already know that, Your Majesty. This is purely just to calm down the people."

♡

After agreeing to Gregory's deal, he pushed me to go eat lunch with the girls while he went to call in the photographers and cameramen to record everything. If I was going to continue this Choosing, it needed to broadcasted to everyone to show them that I'm doing what they want me to do.

My heart is pounding in my chest. Adrenaline pumps in my veins. I don't know why I'm feeling so nervous about being with these girls again. Maybe because I knew they would be more cunning now that the competition was small and the chance to be queen was higher.

Opening the dining hall doors, I do my best to walk in with my head high. I notice the girls' conversations immediately dying once they notice me. I ignore their prodding looks and walk to the head of the table. I swallow as I see there is now only two chairs surrounding the head of the table instead of four.

When I pull out my chair, the wood scrapes against the marble. The resulting sound echoes in the room. I sit down, and a butler immediately places a plate of food in front of me. I notice the cameras focused on me, waiting for something to happen so they can show it on T.V.