January 8th
Arabella's POV
I am sitting in my throne room when another scout runs in.
"Your Majesty, I bring word from Rothsburn," He rushes.
"Come closer," I tell him. He walks up to my throne and delivers the rest of the report.
"Lord Horatio of Rothsburn and Lord Aerin of Kivou's armies were defeated by Princess Isla of Vidal," He informs me. "Princess Isla has requested your presence at a meeting in Zione on January 22nd. Another thing, Yazmin, Lady of Rothsburn and Duke Louis of Brulon have not been accounted for." I swallow.
"Prepare an entourage for the meeting. And don't send out a search party, I trust the Duke and Lady know what they're doing," I instruct.
In my room, I pack enough clothes for 14 days in a trunk, which servants take out to a carriage. If we rode quickly and didn't take the main roads, we could get to Zione in as little as 7 days, but the carriage and main route takes twice as long. We will make it just in time for the meeting, assuming nothing goes wrong.
My carriage is painted red, with velvet curtains and seats. The sides are encrusted in gold-plated iron, and my family's crest sits on the door. A crimson shield with a golden horizontal stripe, and an eagle wearing a crown. The family motto sits above it. Honariuas em virtiuse which is Old-Luanian for Honor and Virtue. For a dynasty that was built on honesty and honor, we sure lie a lot.
I am the only surviving female in the House of Novus. I can trace my lineage back to nobility in Kivou, almost 160 years ago. My ancestor, Lord Tamin, ruled over Kivou. He was married to Lady Emille, who was the cousin of King Augustus of House Savil. They were known across the land to be fair, loyal, wise, and just. People from all 5 kingdoms would travel to the Lord and Lady to hear their advice.
King Augustus was a fierce fighter, but he went mad in his later years. Famine and disease swept the land, and Lord Tamin led Kivou to become the safest and most powerful province. Through his natural leadership capabilities, people began to follow him. He realized that the only way for Luania to survive was for him to lead. He and Lady Emille arranged a successful coup, and killed King Augustus.
Augustus's wife fled, and it took a year to track her down. When she too was killed, Lady Emille was crowned Queen, with Lord Tamin as her King.
How is it that I am descended from the wisest leaders Luania has ever seen, yet I keep making the wrong choices. At least 10,000 of my people are dead because I never bothered to learn battle strategy. And now I'm losing a war against my brother's widow.
"Your majesty?" a servant asks from the hall. "It's time to go." I follow her downstairs to the carriage, where I sit alone. The horses drag me east, and my castle shrinks in the west.
January 14th
Yazmin's POV
After a week of riding and camping, Louis and I finally reach a familiar forest.
"The castle should be less than 5 miles away," I say. Louis nods. We take our horses by the reigns and walk them through the woods. Neither of us have bathed since before the battle, and you can definitely tell, especially since we are re-wearing our clothes from the march. "Do we have any food?" I ask.
"No, we ran out of pretty much everything yesterday," Louis answers, his voice solemn.
"Do you think we should have stayed with my uncle?"
"No, we would either be killed or watch everyone else be killed."
"Do you think they're alive?" Louis doesn't answer.
YOU ARE READING
The Queen of Luania
Fantasy"A weak Queen is a dead Queen" When Arabella became Queen of Luania, she thought it was all ballgowns and dancing. 4 years later, she has learned that it is quite the opposite. As she and her allies play a complicated game of love, hate, peace, chao...
