Ascardia

((12)) Rise of the Shadow Rose

The castle was alive with gossip as the coronation of the Shadow and the Rose approached. Onyx couldn't go a corridor away from her chambers without overhearing something about either Nox or herself. It would have been endearing had it been good gossip.

She had overheard a maid whispering to a chamberlain that Onyx was heartless and would lead Nightingale to ruin because she married and fell in love with a murderer for hire.

As much as she tried to ignore the cruel words, she lost it one day when someone accused Nox of murdering her father for the crown.

"That is it!" Onyx screamed on the eve of her coronation.

Nyx was in the library and had overheard a visiting noble spreading the gossip.

"Clio, have everyone gather in the courtyard. I am not having people gossiping about me and my husband any longer!"

"Of course madame." Clio scurried away quickly. Emmerson was quiet, a shocked expression plastered on her pretty face,

Onyx rounded on the noble, it was Nobleman Dodd, a noble with no actual title.

"You! How dare you spread castle gossip? Do you honestly believe I would allow a murderer to be king? Nox did what he had to to survive, and he only murdered the evil and wicked. Get out of my castle and never come back!"

Emmerson, who had accompanied Onyx to the library watched as her new sister stalked from the room.

"Did she just banish me?" Dodd asked in shock,

"I believe so. I would go if I were you, she is quite capable of killing you and making it look like an accident."

Emma watched with immense satisfaction as the man bolted from the room.

Standing to her full height, Emma went in search of her sister in law before she banished every person in the castle.

She found her on the balcony that overlooked the courtyard, Onyx was shaking and Emma didn't know whether it was from tears or from anger.

"My father warned me that some would fight my taking over the crown. It was why he trained me to be a warrior. He told me it was better to be feared than taken advantage of.

"They don't fear you or want to take advantage. They simply don't understand what is happening right now. All they know is what the castle staff tell them. You must tell them everything."

"Em, what if they blame me for everything? Edmond is attacking because he wants me."

"Ed is attacking because he craves power. It has nothing to do with you."

A crowd was gathering below and Onyx wiped away her tears and Emma helped her wipe away the smeared remains of her makeup.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be. Where is Nox?"

"He's been called away. Hannah has fallen ill."

Onyx's heart broke for her husband. Hannah was the closest thing he had to a mother aside from Onyx's.

"She's refusing treatment, isn't she?"

Emma didn't need to answer, it was written all over her beautiful face, and her peculiar orange eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Oh, I am so sorry Emma I know you love her too."

"Don't worry about me or Nox, focus on the task at hand. Public speaking shouldn't be too difficult, you took down a whole pack of mature Pagani males!"

"You're right of course. I am one half of the Shadow Rose I can do this!"

Onyx turned away from her sister in law and cast a silent spell on her voice, to make it louder before she addressed the gathered crowd.