Snow White Queen [NaNoWriMo 2018]

Chapter Sixteen

The morning of Neva's eighteenth birthday, she woke up earlier than usual.

She spent a long time just laying in bed, reflecting. She was eighteen now, and she would be crowned queen in a few hours. She thought that she should feel more mature, more like an adult, but she didn't. She felt exactly the same as she did the day before.

She glanced wistfully at the dusty mirror on the other side of her bedroom, wishing that she could see her reflection. Maybe she looked different, though deep down, she doubted it.

Neva laid in bed, just thinking, until the maids came to wake her and get her ready for the coronation.

~~~

It was Neva's turn to be dressed in the traditional coronation gown. Lilia didn't say it out loud, but she could tell that Neva was wearing it better than Lilia had. She stood straighter, held her head higher, looked more comfortable with being the center of attention.

No shaking in the hands. No look of panic in her eyes. Just determination.

Lilia would never say it, but she was glad to be giving up the crown. Despite her age, the roots of her hair were starting to turn grey, and she found herself feeling exhausted all the time.

It was about time for the job to be passed to someone who had been preparing all her life for it.

Neva was ready for this. If there was anything Lilia was certain of anything, it was that.

Just like Lilia's, Neva's coronation ceremony passed in a blur. Before long, Neva was pledging her allegiance, and the crown was on her head.

"Arise, Queen Neva Erythrodis, and face your people."

Neva stood up and turned gracefully, a small smile on her face. It was a warm and inviting smile, but Lilia couldn't help but see the sinister undertone. Or maybe she had imagined that.

Before Lilia could figure out whether or not she had imagined it, the sinister look was gone, and the only thing left on Neva's face was kindness and a loving adoration for the people she would now rule over.

Neva would make an amazing queen. Lilia was certain of it.

~~~

"So, you're queen now."

"Yes."

"How's it feel?"

A few days had passed since Neva's coronation. She and Tamela were working on her skills. Neva had a bad feeling about where this conversation was going, but she couldn't quite pinpoint why.

"Not too different from before, actually. I was already kind of running the country in one way or another, now it's just official."

Tamela nodded thoughtfully, then they moved on to another skill.

"You know," Tamela said a few minutes later, "You really don't need Lilia around anymore."

"I'm sorry?" Neva was trying not to sound too indignant.

"Think about it. The only reason she was useful was as a mother figure to you and as a stand-in queen until you turned eighteen. Now that you're queen, we don't need her around anymore."

"That's absurd. She's still staying on as an advisor, and I'd trust her with my life."

"You really shouldn't. Because of what you are, she will inevitably betray you."

"Absolutely not. Lilia would never."

"Wouldn't she, though? No matter what she says, she is human, and you're vampiric. You're other, and humans don't like what's other. It doesn't matter what she says, there's always going to be a part of her that's afraid of you, and fear makes people do irrational things. How do you know she's not already planning to kill you?"