Stalemate | A Rise To Power

𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘺

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She rocked on her bed in an unsteady rhythm. Just like her thoughts, flying in and out so quickly she couldn't catch any before they slipped through her mental, grasping fingers.

She couldn't leave her room, so she slept, read, and talked to Edith, her only company after they had killed Katherine for attempting to escape. Edith was cordial, but always seemed on edge and uncertain. All she did was go around Audrey's room, tidying every little thing out of place. It was rather amusing at first, but overtime became rather annoying. Eventually Audrey gave up watching her, sitting on the windowsill to watch the guards spar below instead.

Thomas would have been able to defeat them all. Then he would have come to my room and groaned about how lazy the men were becoming, she thought.

According to Edith, Kael had allowed Lucian's men-at-arms to live if they surrendered, but there was still a clear divide between Kael's men and Lucian's. Audrey noted that they never sparred with each other, and she didn't miss the dirty looks that they threw at the opposing side. They also seemed to separate themselves through colour—Lucian's men wore blue ribbons on their left arm while Kael's wore purple. It was as if a civil war was occurring inside the castle walls, but all she could do was watch. After Audrey had bent the knee, Kael had sent her to her chambers as if he could remove her existence by doing so, and the guards turned away any potential visitors at the door.

She had asked Edith to find Clovis for her, but she had only come back saying there was no sign of him.

He would have made this fun, she thought sullenly.

"Do you want anything, my lady?" Edith asked, entering and heading straight for a wonky edge of the quilt. It was the third day that Audrey had been stuck in her room with only the maid for company. She had tried to get a message to her Southern cousin, Ulysses, through Edith, but one of Kael's men had confiscated the message before it even got to the falconry.

Audrey glanced up. "I am no lady. I am a princess."

I should be queen.

"I am sorry, Your Highness," Edith replied and curtseyed.

"Do... do you miss Katherine?" Audrey asked her suddenly, hoping for some sort of emotional response from the impassive woman.

Edith lowered her head. "They didn't have to kill her."

"I know." Audrey sighed. "Can you do me a favour? I know you hate gossip, but I want to know what's going on in the castle. Speak to some people and find out what they're saying."

Edith nodded and headed out, shutting the door behind her.

Audrey turned, biting her lip. She couldn't cry now. If she cried, it would be as if she had given up. She wanted to run, to leave, to get as far away as she could... but two guards loyal to Kael were stationed outside her door. She wanted company, but she wasn't that desperate.

She picked up a book and tried to read but couldn't focus and yelled in frustration, throwing the book against the wall and burying her face in her hands.

She didn't know how long she stayed like that until the door creaked open and a soft voice spoke above her. "Get up."

Audrey already knew who it was as Jax came to a stop in front of her.

"What do you want?" Audrey asked, staring at his black boots. He wore polished armour and a blue cape embroidered with a gold crown, showing that Kael had given him a role as captain of the King's Guard.