The Princess of Cithrí - Chaol Westfall Fanfiction

Part 10

When my father had told me to ditch my dagger, tunics and poisons, I had laughed at him, but now... as I left my chambers in a dress without my dagger... I had taken it as his last request of me. I vowed to his ghost that I would live the rest of my life as the daughter he wanted.

I went to Dorian's chambers, who undoubtly would have a word or two to say about my disappearance last night. Vanir was there, already awake and dressed, playing a card game with Dorian at the small round table. I looked over to the bed and smiled, looked like Helsha had come out of hiding as she snored in the duvet, probably drooling on the pillows. "Can I join you guys?" I asked sitting down at the table.
Dorian beamed up at me, cocking a grin as he noticed I had chosen to wearing a turtle necked dress today. "Someone tired from last night's activites?" He chuckled to himself dealing out another hand of cards, his golden hands, tanned from Adarlan like Chaol's, not having to look as he expertly dealt the cards out.
"I don't want to talk about it." I mumbled, he clearly had no idea I had spent the whole night crying my eyes out about how shitty my life was.
We played many rounds of rummy, Helsha waking up and refusing to taint her pretty hands with such boring games. At least she was back to normal.

There was a very courteous knock on the door, I turned my head away as Dorian opened it to Chaol who was dressed in his uniform again, like I had never seen his flawless abs. His eyes landed sadly on me, but pulled away before they became noticeable to the others that is. "The king has asked for the presence of the two princeses."
He looked shattered and scruffy as if he had spent the whole night in a whore's bed. I stood up. "And what would the king want of us?" There was an unsettling air in the room, like someone had been murdered.
"The king keeps his business to himself." Chaol said, his back straighter than when he was normally with me. His hand twitched at his side, his eyes focused on the wall straight ahead, even Vanir could tell something was up. "Lets go then." I sighed, ruffling Vanir's blonde hair as a see you later.

We were walking down the corridor, I was sandwiched between the two enemies unfortunatly. Chaol didn't try to talk to us, he wouldn't even look at me. Leaving me to wonder how good his shag had been last night... was it better than what I could have done? Maybe he had realised ever loving me was a mistake, that the women in the town were a whole lot better. We arrived at the large throne room doors, stories of our old ancestors etched into them. I gulped, playing with the hem of my sleeve. The last time I had been here.. I turned around thinking I might vomit for a moment. Chaol watched me, stepping besides me. "You'll be fine as long as you say what he wants to hear."
That was all the advice he gave me before the large door swung open, the king's figure looming in the throne that was once my father's. He looked as if he hardly fit, his huge build cramped into the small chair. Queen Georgina besides him, her face plastered with a fake smile. I glimpsed my father's wife off at the side, her swollen stomach was gone, but there was no baby, no look of mothering in her. The child had died. By nature, poison or the hands of the king, I had no clue.
The king towered above us, making us look like insignificant children. I wish Chaol could have told me what the king wanted to hear, what this was all about, what was the punishment of not suiting his needs.
"Princesses," the kings voice boomed. I held my chin up higher, hearing my formal name spoken to the council who had once been my father's. "As I am sure you know the past weeks have been... glum at the castle, Varren dead, I guess you are both wondering what is to happen now." The king's eyes surveyed us, taking in every fabric of our dresses, calculating our worth on our looks.
"You may rested assure that we have found and trialed the murderer guilty."
I clenched my jaw. Trialed?? If there had ever been a trail I would have know about it! Dorian would have had to attend. I would have had to attend as the first hand witness of the murder.
"Your brother Rowan is sentanced to death the moment we find a new ruler for your.... sweet city."
Sweet? He meant insignificant, tiny, worthless, crushable city.
I took a deep wavering breath. They had the wrong man and they knew that, I would have to stop them from ever getting an axe near him. I would kill the king if I must.
"Now as Varren both informed you, you have suitors waiting for your hand in marriage."
The crowd applauded, like we had won a competition of some kind. I saw Chaol take a deep breath, he didn't applaude, I would have bursted into tears if he had applauded.
The king raised a hand gesturing for silence. He got it. Immediately. "Your little brother Vanir is too young to succeed quite yet." I could hear the resentment in his voice, I would have to keep an eye on Vanir, watch out he didn't accidentally fall out a window by the king's command.
"So the option lies to both you girls, if you would like to give up the suitors your father personally chose for you as his last act of love for you... Or if you would like to take the crown and rule."
He turned to Helsha first, her being the eldest the crown fell to her. This is why we were here, to publically advocate our position for the throne, in order to go marry some strangers.
Helsha curtsied, her knees trembling beneath her big pompous skirt. "Your highness, I would like to turn down my position as queen, and marry my suitor as father wanted me to."
He smiled happily. That was the answer he wanted. I felt Chaol pinch my elbow, as the king's eyes fell heavily upon me. Only I stood between his selected ruler and my family's bloodline throne. I could not allow it to just be passed over to someone else. That seat had always been ours, for years and years, despite how many kings had been poisoned over the centuries.
I too bowed, knowing it would be the gallows if I did not. "I would be honoured, your highness, to assume my position as the first female ruler of Cithrí." The whole council went into uproar, and the king's kindness faded. I had challenged his rule, challenged his plans and he did not like that. He knew I would be harder to get off the throne than my father.
The king abruptly stood up. "Very well y/n, it is a very dangerous position for a woman of your age to assume..." Did I sense a threat?
"... but we will have your coronation ordered and then you will have to deal with your brother, Rowan's, execution." The king nodded to Chaol and then had his private guards follow him as he stormed out.