The Throne is Mine

Camilia

Camilia's POV

"A messenger just arrived and claims to have news from Pineville." Marie and Gilbert whisper amongst themselves in the library corridor. From the corner window, I take a pen and pencil from my satchel and start drawing. That's what I do when Marie brings up my competitors. It's become an excessive habit for the past two weeks.

"Really now, shall we bring him in then?" Gilbert gestures towards the door and the guard posted tugs it free. The door opened to reveal a rather short old man with a crooked mustache.

"Sir, excuse me. I have news in relation to what happened last night in Pineville." He says with exasperation. His next words are held out in an unfashionable way. "Emery appears to have had an unfortunate encounter with the neighboring city, Mirabel."

Gilbert clears his throat before choosing his next words carefully...

"And what of Emery? Is the little naturae well?"

Marie glances between the two. The glee is transparent on her lips.

"Surely not. Mirabel has had their eye on her the moment she was transferred to Pineville."

Patiently waiting, the messenger wipes his hands on his pants. I didn't notice before but in his hand lies a potion of some sort. The cap seems to be missing.

"I've come as soon as physically possible. I've had to trade out a couple horses due to exhaustion. Last I heard, she was taken alive. This happened two hours after the festival."

I can't help but feel empathy towards poor Emery, a girl I'm destined to defeat. My attention drifts back into my studies.  From my tiny window in the corner, I can see the lightening as it crackles outside and the rain as it drizzles down the glass pane. The frame for the window is made of wood and the rain begins to seep through. I press my hand against the wood. The cold is nonexistent against my soft hands. Elementum do not feel changes in temperature. I set my coloring page aside and flip through the pages, skimming through the royal history of Rothemer.

I am most fascinated by my own mother. She reigned for twenty three years before the Goddess sent me to her. After a queen gives birth, she retires to the place she was born. At times, the council will select a child of the queen's to symbolize a victorious reign.

It seems my memories have yet to return after I nearly drowned two weeks ago. I was transferred here by my mother. However, I was the only child that wasn't accompanied by someone. That's what Marie has told me anyways.

Ever since then, I loathe water with a passion. It might also be because of the fact that I am a fire elementum in heart and spirit. 

Dark rain clouds have obscured the sun. However, I can feel my power blazing just at the tip of my fingers. My legs itch to run to the library's fireplace and bathe in the flame's tongue.

Many people think the elementum are the most powerful gift to be given from the Goddess. It is said that the very first queen is now the Goddess herself, and that she was an elementum. Flipping through the history of Rothemer, I notice very few pages have the signatures of the queens. Taking no more notice, I move on until I find my favorite story. The story of three competitors who stood up against the queendom and refused to fight for the throne. The naturae in the end, betrayed her friends. She did not care what others thought of her. Ironically, her being my inspiration and all, I care a lot about what others think. The story was a tragedy, but the tradition has never ceased to exist.

"Camilia, darling, would you come with me to my chamber? I have something very important to tell you." Ever since I've set foot in the castle, Marie has constantly been by my side. Whether it be from fitting dresses on me to political matters and lessons, she's always there. Her voice bounces off the walls and makes the hair on my neck stand up. She only uses 'darling' when she is about to teach me a valuable lesson.