youngblood [h.s]

TWO- golden

Molly's POV:

We replay the royal transmitting so Athena can watch it, and all the girls around the table move in their seats, recomposing, as soon as the frozen king and queen start to move again. The sound generated by the friction between cloth and wood fills the room, along with a slight static noise.

There's a version in large scale of Elementa's coat behind the two figures. The damask of the coat is so shiny due to the exaggerated cleaning that the king's and queen's silhouettes are stained red-blood. Matches the whole concept of this fucking twisted country.

All the girls frown and twist their noses at the image of our despicable rulers, or dictators I'd say. The repulse is more visible on some girls' faces than on others: while Nada, Tahlia, Iman and Bea grunt in pure disgust and even turn their heads aside and spit, Faith, Kiah and Athena only stare impassively at the screen, their jaws gritted.

"Greetings, citizens of Elementa." Ugh. Even the voice of queen is enough to make me want to smash my head on the table and explode my brains. If that was what it took for me to never hear the voice of this corrupt peacock-looking bitch, I'd do it without thinking twice. The king stands by her side, still as a plant.

"As some of you may know, my son's 23rd birthday is close..." as if anyone cared. "...and along with it, the beginning of a new era!"

Delilah's high pitch suggests that she's chatting with her close friends about a birthday cake recipe, and I resist the urge of sticking my fingers into my ears. The shine in her devilish green eyes is as false as her supernaturally white smile.

"My dear Harry will take over as soon as he turns twenty-three, but as every king, he needs a queen. He depends on one, frankly." She says, faking a giggle, and then takes the king's hand. That is probably the only thing that will ever come out of her mouth with which I'll agree with. Ever since World War Three, queens have been designated a much bigger representativeness and importance than kings'. I wonder why, I think ironically as I stare at our useless king, still quiet and tense as a rock.

All the girls, unfortunately including me, comically sigh in perfect sync when a picture of the princes appears on the screen. I must even hate them, but Harry and Edward are... wow. My chest seems to shrink and I feel as if a fist was crushing me heart every second I keep staring at the two boys.

The brunette and aspiring king one, Harry, poses diplomatically at the camera, the glow in his green eyes noticeable even through a flickering screen and a bad quality image. Beside him, stands his twin brother, and it's when I lay my eyes on him that I feel a whole horse race happening in my veins. He looks just like his brother, with his soft and at the same time devastating kind of beauty; the only physical differences between him and Harry are the eyes, as his were blue, and the hair, Harry's impeccable brown curls contrasting with Edward 's long cascade-like blond hair. Oh, and unlike his brother, that throws a serene glaze at the camera and stands politely, in a perfect posture which is to be expected from a king-to-be, Edward displays insolence in his eyes and a teasing grin on his face.

I interrupt my daydreams, mentally cursing, when the picture of the brothers disappears and the monitor shows their parents again.

"Me and my beautiful wife are happy to announce the thousandth edition of the Royal Games!" king Galen exclaims. That's when the girls choke, even if some of them have already watched the Pronouncement. Maybe they are starting to figure the mission.

The Royal Games happen every time a new king or queen is about to take over. They are a series of physical and political trials performed by the applicants, and some of them are extremely dangerous- another proof that power is above everything, even the human limitations. The throne heir, then, marries the winner.