Stalemate | A Rise To Power

𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘢

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It was early morning when her maid entered her chambers, poking her head around the door. Junia sat up from where she had been trying to read a book, her attention instantly on the woman. She hadn't been able to pay attention to the story and was grateful for the excuse to do something.

"King Filip has been sighted on the outskirts of the Main Road, Your Highness," she said, curtseying to Junia.

"Then we'll need to get everyone ready," Junia declared, her heart thumping. What if he betrayed her like Kael did to Lucian? What if he took the South? What would Ulysses say?

If he's still alive.

She forced herself to calm down as she sat up and pulled on boots.

"Send a message for Katana's horse to be saddled," Junia decided. "She must come with me."

Katana had become something like a sister to her. She would never be like Annalee—Katana relied on her head rather than her heart, unlike Junia's impulsive twin—but she encouraged braveness in Junia like Annalee never had. Annalee had always made Junia feel smaller and more irrelevant, leading her to grow up tractable with only books for company. But Katana empowered Junia, making her feel more like a royal.

And yet Junia still felt like an awkward young girl, afraid of the world. Her voice was clear as she spoke, but she could feel her hands shaking. She just wanted to cry, to hide under a pillow and never come back up. But she had to. Oh, the look on Ulysses' face when he found out his cowardly sister had persuaded a king to their cause!

She pulled on a simple headpiece—her curls had not grown back from where Clovis cut it, and, despite being trimmed to her chin, still looked messy—before hurrying downstairs. When she reached the courtyard, a stable hand was already waiting for her with her favourite horse, a small, shy pony called Gloria. She took the offered reins and stepped onto a mounting block to reach the stirrups before swinging her short legs over. Around her, five knights were mounting in full armour, the only knights from the royal household that Ulysses had left behind.

It wasn't long before Katana appeared and climbed onto another horse. Junia saw the flash of metal as Katana pulled her cloak to conceal the dirk she had sheathed, as usual. Katana caught Junia watching and winked.

They set out, heading to the gates of the castle. Cloud joined in to run alongside the horse, and Junia smiled at the dog's company. Cloud tended to appear when Junia most needed her.

It wasn't long before the King of the West arrived, a large retinue of soldiers and servants following. They stopped behind a large black and gold carriage, and a trumpet blared to announce the king's arrival. Junia peered at the carriage behind, trying to glimpse its occupants, but her attention was diverted by a flash of movement from the one in front.

A man stepped out, a coachman holding the door open for him, and smiled at her. He was in his thirties, maybe forties, with a childish grin and a dimpled chin. He had a sword sheathed on his right hip and a golden crown nestled comfortably in his shoulder-long brown hair. Stubble coated his lower jaw, and his skin was the brown shade many Westerners shared. Most of the Westerners looked down at her from their horses, not bothering to hide their curiosity.

"Princess Junia," Filip said warmly. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

Junia smiled calmly, but she could feel herself sweating as she clutched her horse's reins a little too tightly.

"The pleasure is mine, Your Majesty," Junia responded formally.

"You might say that now, but we're a lot of work." He laughed, perfectly at ease. "And this is my beautiful wife, Queen Lynne." He gestured at the lady who had stepped out of the carriage after him.