Ring You a Crown from Ruins

Chapter 1

A commotion was heard from the throne room, muffled voices of people arguing buzzed through the hall of Calluna Kingdom castle. The Ruler, King Edmund of Calluna Archipelago, looked down to his council, impending headache threatened to strike sooner, any minute now. Her daughter, Crown Princess Irene the Grace-who was sitting at the first row on the right of the long assembly table in that very throne room-stood up from her seat, chin high as she stared straight at nothing in particular so she didn't offend her King Father. The said King sighed inwardly, restraining the need to rub his own face. He had to keep it calm, the council needed him to keep calm.

"My apologies, Your Grace, are we hearing it right? That you just oppose your father's, the King's, order?" one of the old council member also stood up, bowing slightly towards the fuming princess.

"That is correct, Council Wu, I oppose the idea. I believe we could find something else to agree on, anything but that."

"But Your Grace-"

"We can't send Princess Julia away! I just can't accept that!" Irene's tone was firm, a tad too close from shouting. Then she turned to the King, "She is nineteen, Father, she barely stepped into adulthood and you want to send her away to die?" she inquired, pitching at the edge. King Edmund closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, willing his voice not to rise on his own Heir.

"Crown Princess, I understand your concern. But we have nothing left to secure our position in the alliance with The Empire. You, certainly, are aware of the fact that the only thing holding them back from attacking us right now is because they don't have strong enough warships yet, are you not? We don't know when they would be ready, we don't even know if they already built them stronger or not. But once they have them enough to guard their waters at the same time they send the rest to overrun us, they will." King Edmund stated. This seemed to infuriate the Princess even more.

"You could send me." she hissed. Her words made the entire council gasped and another buzzing commotion arose, protesting their princess' suggestion. The king raised his palm up for the council to be quiet.

"Crown Princess, you should not be joking at time like this." the King said, tone dangerous.

"I'm not joking, Father. You can't send Julia to The Empire, they will crush her! And I'm not going to allow that. If I'm the one going, I can stand their pressure, I would understand their game, and they would never cross me in any way because I'm the Queen's daughter."

"Did you even hear yourself, Irene? You are the Queen's daughter, you are needed here. If this information has flown out your memory, I would like to remind you that you are the Crown Princess, my Heir. You're belong here, in Calluna, because you are the one who will take to the throne after me! Not to be sent away!" the King finally lost his composure, now just outright scolding his daughter, in front of the whole council.

"But, Father," Irene's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "There has to be another way. We could find someone that is mature enough for marriage. We could send a Noble Princess, or our best female Scholar. That would also benefit them, would it not? Julia is... she is too frail for such a foul empire. They would kill her slowly, Father. They would set her life miserable." the Princess tried again.

"Noble Princess or top Scholar wouldn't be enough. It would not secure the alliance because their status is not high enough for that, it must be a Royal Princess, or Prince. I would send an older, more proper princess if I have another. But we don't have that choice, the next in line is only Princess Julia, the rest of the princesses are still kids."

"Julia is not a Royal Princess, Father. In case you forgot, she is First Concubine's daughter and you have shunned both of them away to the farthest, unused castle in the southern region years ago." Irene said, barely holding a growl.