The Toy Prince

6. Ursula

"Conrad had chosen the perfect time to strike," Axel said, shaking his head sadly. "I am an old man now and soon I will die. This I know and accept with the calm of a man who has lived a full life. I will of course have to live a little longer until I can get Maria's family back safely."

It was reassuring to know that something was going to happen to save her Oma but Ursula was still worried. She imagined she would be until Oma Silber was back and the two of them had left Konigreich altogether.

Axel raised unsteadily to his feet. "I would very much like to talk to Ursula a privately in my library. We will be back soon I promise you. Will you join me Ursula?"

Well there was no way she could deny that request was there?

Axel was very proud of his library. It was clear in his voice as he described how he'd spent over half of his lifetime collecting the books that now covered every inch of the available wall space.

"My Maria loved books. She was a voracious reader and even penned a few books herself. Do you enjoy reading Ursula?" Axel asked as he sat down heavily in one of the numerous chairs positioned around the library. There were a lot of chairs in that room so that wherever Axel was he didn't have far to get to a seat. He seemed even frailer now that they'd moved and Ursula couldn't help but wonder why he'd wanted to speak to her alone. Whatever it was had to be important.

"I hope you don't mind me being forthright your Majesty but what did you want to speak to me about without anyone else present?" Ursula asked after the silence had been going on for a while.

"I appreciate your straight forwardness. It is a refreshing to hear it told like it is rather than everyone pandering to you," Axel replied, steepling his fingers in front of his face in a thoughtful manner. "I asked you in here because I need to talk to you about the future of Konigreich."

"Well that sounds ominous," Ursula muttered.

Her comment made Axel laugh. "I suppose it does doesn't it? I apologise. It truly isn't as bad as it sounds."

"OK." Ursula was reassured a little but not a lot.

"As I said outside I don't expect to live much longer. I have to make arrangements to ensure that once I am gone Konigreich is looked after. My wife Maria and I never had any children and apart from my brother, my family in Germany are long dead. That leaves me with only three possible heirs to my throne. My brother Conrad, Annelie Silber or you."

"Me?" Ursula squeaked.

Axel nodded. "That's correct. As a descendant of Maria the crown could pass to either your Oma or yourself. As the youngest candidate you are the best. I had intended on preparing you for all of this when you were much younger but when it was mentioned to your Mother she, to put it politely, freaked out and whisked you off to England. She chose to keep you in the dark about all of this and for that I am deeply sorry but I have no other choice than to ask you to become Queen once I'm gone."

Ursula snorted but in laughter or shock she wasn't sure. She truly hadn't thought that this whole situation could have gotten more bizarre but she'd been wrong. There was no way that she was becoming a Queen.

"I can't."

Axel sighed. "Is it too much of an imposition to ask you to think about it a while before deciding?"

Yes it is.

Ursula didn't voice that thought. Instead she nodded dumbly, not sure why she was saying yes when really she had no intention of saying yes. If she was honest she didn't want to make Axel angry. She needed his help to get her Oma back so surely delaying making a decision would be the best course of action? So why did she feel so guilty?