The Regal Rogue

3. No Queen To Me

I didn't get any rest. Still I took on the day with dedication. It was endless calling out demands for the set up.
It was still early hours, even though the celebration wasn't til evening.
I had last minute arrangements like the tall black lantern posts along the isle and scarlet silk hanging along the ceiling and windows.
I was lost in straightening platters on the table when Eilene ran to me.
"Highness. Everything is set. It's to begin soon. You must get ready yourself." She informed, placing a hand on my forearm to pause me from my petty work.
I looked down at my long turquoise spring dress. Eilene looked and glanced up at my face with a respectful yet critical look. Apparently what I wore as not fitting. But how would I know? I was a young free spirit who was mature, but much too childish to think of how I appeared. I always thought it was how the bride looked that mattered. Still, I galloped to my room, lifting my skirts. I found an old peach dress with tied shoulder straps and a gold plated belt that held a curtain skirt that hung to the ground in the back.
I let my dark, curvy waves fall and placed my gold crown on my head. I was very proud of it. It rested down to my forehead with a downward curve and bore the symbol of many intertwining circles.
Fear that I would be late crept in my mind and I dashed back to the throne room just in time to see Eleanor already on the platform with Desmond.
I stood quietly by a pillar and watch as the priest took the crown, that had the emerald heart held by hands carved into it, from Eleanor's head as she was kneeling. He then replaced it with mother's old one, it was taller and was amber colored and looked as if it were made of tangled twigs lined with red leaves.
She rose and turned to look at the small gathering of people. Her eyes swept over them with a slight look of disdain. It must have been noted for people began to stir uncomfortably and it wasn't because of the chilling dawn air.
Desmond held her arm with pride and seemed to be the one eager to get to the thrones as he gave her an almost unnoticeable pull.
The room was dead silent and you could hear nature's song of the night outside.
They both sat, but while Desmond got comfortable, Eleanor sat tall and on the edge of her seat with hands tightly gripping the arm rests.
The silence continued and my mind wandered. I thought back to the night before. It was true I hadn't been able to rest so I went out and while roaming the hallow halls I could hear the people. I heard their cries, their shouts, their sounds of grief and praise. They had a fire and everything was well. My sister had not lived up to her promise for our mother's memorial, but mother would've appreciated this one more anyway. If there was one thing I had learned about my sister it was "she would lie to be trusted and could be trusted to lie."
I was startled back to the present when Eleanor broke the silence with her powerful steps from her seat to the center of the platform.
"I have a glorious confession to make!" She said, copying the echoing, stern tone the king was known for.
"I have been gifted and skilled in a great art. One that when our enemies see it they will not dare even consider to cross us." She paused to see the steady reaction of the people before she went on. "I am your queen and I will protect you, but it doesn't have to end with just me. No. I can teach you, all of you, and you can pass it to generations. Our kingdom shall fear no threat ever again. Subjects, I ask you to join me. Let us be a new breed of generation. The Generation of Magic!" She shouted the last part, but the words themselves had an impact.
The room became a tsunami of rioters. There were shouts of cursing and calls of "witchcraft", "black magic", and "sorcery". I crawled up the platform to escape the swarm below. Eleanor outstretched her arm to me, "At least you, sister, join me?" She asked, her voice perfectly clear over the crowd and everyone stopped to listen.
I turned my head to look straight at her, betrayal shadowing my eyes.
"And spit in the face of Father's code? No, sister, I think not." I scoffed with a nod.

A cheer broke out from the people and Eleanor seemed strangely unphased by it. A boy, not much older than I stood out from the crowd. "You!" He called out.
Eleanor dropped back down in her throne. "Is that anyway to speak to your queen?" Eleanor asked, leaning in the corner of her chair, tilting her head down to better look at him.
" You are no queen to me. You are a witch." He said as though it took the breath out of him. He was applauded from the people behind him and he couldn't help the dark grin that creeped onto his face.