#serraphimn

Almost tripping up the stairs, I head into the Midiri National Museum, where our professors have chosen to have us walk around for the next 5 hours. My feet were hurting already. I huff, tighten the straps of my satchel, and pull my hair out from under it. Opening the heavy ass doors, I spot my friends and grin. Before I run over to them, I look at the museum entryway again. The massive walls and high ceilings always manage to steal my breath away. Taking in the details, I walk to my friends. Once I reached them, we exchanged whispered hellos and giggled. Our professor, Professor Hallam, instructs us to go wherever we like as long as we remain in the building. We head to the Royalty section to get a look at the Princess's crown and try it on. According to the legend, if you were the heir to the throne, the crown would glow, but everyone was sure they were just rumors. The King and Queen were assassinated twenty years ago, a month after the Princess was born. And on the same night, the Princess was taken. Many hoped the Princess would try on the crown and return, but I believe that's total bullshit.

"You gotta try on the crown.. come on!!!" A voice says to me.

"Absolutely not, Miriam. I'm pretty sure the thing is cursed."  Miriam was a sweet girl with butterscotch hair and green eyes. We had met at Sareth Academy about 13 moons ago, and she was well aware of how I felt regarding the Royals and the current temporary monarch. This was partially why I chose to apply to the academy in the first place. 

"Not even for a millisecond?" Evelyn practically pleads. She was tall and fair with blue eyes and blonde hair.

 She loved the royals and was thoroughly convinced she was the lost Princess despite having completely different features. When we came here a year ago, she tried on the crown and wore it for the full minute. Magic was funny, though; the crown teleported back into the case with some of her hair. We laughed about it for weeks, commenting on her bald spot as if our lives depended on it. I still don't think she's fully forgiven us for that. My footsteps echo throughout the massive room, and I begin to regret wearing these shoes.

"You guys are well aware how much that crown freaks me out. It's still a big fat no."

Miriam and Evelyn both roll their eyes. They didn't understand why I hated the crown so much. And I sure as hell wasn't about to tell them. We reach the Queen and King painting and bow to it before walking over to the crown.

"You know, Y/n.. every year we come here, you look more and more like Her Majesty..it's almost creepy, honestly.." Evelyn says, her eyes still focused on the painting.

"I'm sure it's just a coincidence." Miriam's voice rings out. Looking at the painting again, I study the Queen's face. I hated to admit it, but we were strikingly similar. We had the same nose and skin tone, and our hair and eye color were the same.

"It is kinda creepy, but a lot of people look like the late Queen. I'm sure Miriam is right." I say before I walk over to the crown with the girls. Evelyn puts it on as soon as she can reach it. Miriam and I chuckle, but she just grins at us. Evelyn sets the crown back on its stand, not wanting to lose her hair again, and steps back.

 That's when I hear it. A small… whisper..

Y/n

My head snaps in different directions, trying to figure out where that is coming from, but it ultimately lands on the crown. My friends look concerned.

"Y/n, you ok?" Miriam says softly as if she were scared of scaring me.

I ponder telling them that I'm hearing voices. This is why I hated the crown. It gave me a terrible headache and it whispered my name. It creeped me the fuck out.

 "It's nothing.. Just thought I heard something." 

Y/n

There it is again.

 What the hell is going on?

 I stare at the crown, almost glaring at it. A group of students comes in, their footsteps like thunder. One of my Professors is among them. My friends' heads snap in that direction, and mine would, too. However, I still stare at the crown as if it were mesmerizing. 

Y/n 

Y/n

Y/n

The voice gets louder, so much so it hurts. I groan and grab my head. Evelyn and Miriam call for the teacher. I hear something about the Prime Minister for some odd reason. Closing my eyes, I try and stop the pain. Dull aches find the smallest corners of my mind as the voice screams.

"Make it stop!" I cry out, my throat going dry. 

Opening my eyes, I see a man dressed in a light red suit. He has blue eyes and very short, combed-over, white hair. He smiles calmly at me and reaches for the crown. I panicked and tried to back away from it. A wall of mass sits a few steps back, though, and I look back to see two guards standing tall. I want to yell at them to move. To do something about the screaming. But it hurts so much I can barely think. The Prime Minister gently holds a hand out to me. To steady me. I take the hand with my own shaking. He gently places the crown on my head. And all is quiet. Before I can even take a deep breath of relief, a blinding white light fills the room. Groans and screams fill my senses, and I close my eyes once more. When I open them, I see everyone staring at me in shock. It clicks then….

I was Midiri's Princess.

How the fuck-

Whom the fuck- 

WHAT THE FUCK

The prime minister's voice pulls me out of my internalized panic and places a hand on my shoulder.

"We've been looking for you for a long time, Your Highness." What he says makes my ears ring and my brain hurt. 

I open my mouth to protest, but he turns to the room before I can. With a booming voice, he announces, "I present to you, her Highness… Princess Y/N L/N!"

He bows to me, and I'm acutely aware of how uncomfortable I am with this situation. Soon, the room follows in varying forms of curtsies and bows. I feel like Percy Jackson when it was revealed he was the son of Poseidon. 

The prime minister raises his head and gives me a look, which I can only assume is meant to be calming. 

Guards escort me to the front doors, and my feet seem to move on their own. Once outside, a large black limo comes around the street corner and stops in front of the museum steps. I want to scream. Say this is all wrong and go back to my friends. But something inside me is telling me this is right and that I can change what I hate about the monarchy. I steel my resolve and, with shaky legs, enter the limo. It felt bigger on the inside than it looked. On the plus side, I didn't feel claustrophobic. On the negative side, I was so overwhelmed and overstimulated that I felt like I was going to puke. The prime minister sat a few seats away from me, and I decided that while I was stuck here, I might as well ask a few questions.

I look up at him and, with a dry mouth, ask, "How did you know to put the crown on me?" 

He looks surprised for a moment, but to be fair, this is the first time I've spoken to him, let alone asked him a question.

"I saw your face.. and saw Her Majesty… I thought it couldn't hurt to try… I'm sorry if I scared you, your Highness." He says gently. I let out a breath I wasn't aware I had been holding and whispered, "What's going to happen now…?"

He gives me a sympathetic look and says, "Now, we begin planning for your coronation. Some instructors will teach you all you need to know, and a seamstress will be by to take measurements for a coronation gown and clothing." He begins listing other things that will need to be done, but I zone out. Switching on the TV, I see news report after news report about me—my face, where I went to school, all of it. 

"How did they find me so fast…?" I ask the prime minister, my head snapping in his direction.

"I'm not sure...However, there will no doubt be paparazzi waiting for you when we arrive at the palace." His voice is stressed, and I can tell he's worried about something, though I can't determine what.

"I'm assuming the Duke and his family will be awaiting my arrival as well," I note darkly. 

Duke Haleson was an all-around dickface, and I didn't need to meet him to know that. As the temporary monarch, he had more power than any person should ever have without proper checks and balances, and it showed. 

"I'm sure he will be there to greet you along with the Duchess. But not to worry, " he says, noticing the look of disdain on my face. “You currently have more power than him as the Princess."

It takes a whole minute for that to sink in before I realize that, yet again, this is real. I pinch myself once just to make sure, and when the pain registers, it too registers. This is not a dream. Then, so suddenly, as if it were lightning, Im determined and a little pissed off. If there's one thing I know about this whole situation, it's that I've been given the power to make things right. Being resentful came with knowing I'd have to clean up the Duke's mess. 

"Your Highness, if I may ask, how much do you know about the Duke and his family?" the Prime Minister asks softly. 

"Well, for starters, I know the Duke is the temporary monarch, which he took over when the King and Queen died… well, I suppose I mean when my parents died.." It felt weird to say that and to be honest, it just made me depressed. "He's the late King's cousin, and I believe he has two sons and a daughter. His eldest son is Emon, and his second son is Oren… I believe they're both 19."

Recalling information about the Duke's family was easier than I thought despite knowing the most about the Duke himself. "His daughter is Elora, and she's 14. I've seen several photos of them in the paper and magazines." 

The Prime minister nods and confirms the information.

"What I don't know are their affinities," I say, subtly asking the Prime Minister. Each member of the royal family by blood had affinities, which I suppose meant I had them too. Power takes form when a royal member reaches 10 and is in tune with their affinities. A type of energy per se. Different kinds of energies lead to various types of affinities and so forth.

He taps his chin as if deciding whether or not to tell me before simply saying, "The Duke has an ice affinity, The Duchess a plant affinity, Emon has a plant affinity as well, I believe Oren has force affinity, and Elora has a surprising teleportation affinity."

It was indeed surprising to have a teleportation affinity. From what I knew, they were extremely rare. 

"A teleportation affinity..?? Jeez.. I bet the Duke loves her.." 

He says nothing and just avoids my eyes. Deep down, I know what that means, so I turn my attention back to the TV.

We pull up to the palace, and cameras are flashing before I even step out. Guards line the pathway; I can see the Duke and his sniveled-up face from here. Someone opens the door, and cameras flash so much that I'm practically blinded. The same person who opened the door held a hand out to me, and I took it. As I stand, the flashes just get worse. Covering my face with my hand and walking, tons of questions are thrown my way. People are screaming my name somewhere, and it takes me a moment to realize there are tons of people with signs and posters outside the gates. I realized they were all there for me, so I decided to wave to them as a show of courtesy. That just makes them scream louder, and I try not to grimace. Focusing my attention on walking, I head toward the Duke. He bows to me, and his family soon follows. I was surprised to find out they'd all be here at once. 

"Are you sure this is the Princess? She looks like a teenager… and she's wearing a school uniform." The Duke comments with a grin on his face. Man, this guy is more pathetic than I thought.

"I'm 20, and this is usually what people wear when going to school, Duke Haleson."

He looks down at me once more as if acknowledging me was some horrible fate he had been subjected to. I keep eye contact with him and try not to glare… or bite his head off.

"My, you have quite the tongue for a young lady…"

"That's Her Highness to you, Duke Haleson. I respect your title; you should respect mine, don't you think?"

His jaw clenches, and I can see the irritation in his eyes. Good, it's about time he understands I won't be pushed around.

The Duke glares at me, poised to speak, but the Duchess interjects with a warm welcome, guiding me into the palace. As she shares captivating stories about the grounds, I struggle to keep my jaw from dropping. The sheer magnificence leaves me in awe when we step into the foyer.

With its soaring ceilings, the space feels vast and inviting. Gold accents glimmer on the walls, while the marble floors shine under the gentle light streaming through grand windows. Splashes of light purple and lush greenery breathe life into the room as vibrant purple flowers and cascading vines adorn both the walls and ceilings.

As we venture further, the beauty of this palace is almost intoxicating, yet there's an underlying weight in the air, a sense of history that seems to seep from every corner. Each detail is meticulously crafted, and I can't shake the idea that beneath this elegance lie untold stories—much like the voice that haunted me earlier.

My thoughts flutter between what the Duchess is saying and how on earth this room is real. We enter the drawing room, and more splashes of purple and gold fill my vision as I'm led to a plush white chair. As she is well known, Duchess Victoria sits across from me while her husband stands and stares. 

"I'm sure you have many questions. Are there any we can answer, Your Highness?" the Prime Minister asks. I suddenly realized that I hadn't even bothered to ask for his name yet. 

"What's your name?"

He looks shocked momentarily before he smiles and introduces himself, "My name is Bennet Winton, Your Highness."

I open my mouth to respond when I hear a chuckle from the Duke. This man was already pissing me off.

"You must really want my attention, Duke Haleson if you can't even keep yourself from being the only one laughing."

He shuts up.

I turn back to Prime Minister Winton and smile at him. "I appreciate your help thus far. My other question is when the coronation will be held and whether I'll be crowned Princess or Queen."

"It will be held in one week. And you shall be crowned Queen." Duke Halesons' cold voice fills the room. The Duchess speaks next, her voice quieter than the Dukes': "Don't worry, dear. We will prepare you for the coronation. I have a lovely seamstress I could recommend if you'd like."

"Thank you.. I would like that. What about education, though? I have no idea how to run a country."

This time, the Prime Minister says, "Not to worry, Your Highness. We have the best professors and instructors across the globe."

"Well, that's good; thankfully, I know quite a lot about nobles and such from studying at Sareth Academy." 

"Sareth Academy, you say. I thought I recognized that uniform from somewhere, " the Prime Minister says warmly. 

I was quite proud of myself for getting into such an elite school. "Yes, I learned quite a lot." 

Learning about people who were far more fortunate tended to anger people, and I was no different. However, attending the school helped me learn about affinities and nobles' power. I wouldn't have my seething hatred for the Duke without my education. Mostly because I'd be ignorant like most people who believe in the royals and nobles. The Duke had been placing people in positions of power who had no idea what they were doing or had too much of an idea and were using it to hurt ordinary people. 

"Oh really…?" 

I take a deep breath. The Duke had yet again tried to undermine me. He must take me for some idiot who just wants to be royalty.

"Duke Haleson, if you're going to be immature, I can get help elsewhere." My voice is unwavering and determined. In a matter of seconds, I see his expression flicker between outrage and calm. He clears his throat as if he were trying to stuff down another rude comment.

"Excuse me?" His voice cracks a little.

"You're not excused." 

Everyone in the room looks like I've just slapped them across the face. Then suddenly,… laughter. Oren laughs and soon follows his brother and then his sister. The Duchess follows naturally. The Prime Minister even cracks a significant smile. I feel a bit ashamed for a moment before I realize… they're laughing at him. Duke Haleson's face is red. I can't tell if it's because of my ridiculous petty comment or because everyone is laughing at him. Maybe a combination of both. 

"Now then.. I'd like to see my room, please." The exhaustion of the whole situation has finally worn me out, and I have decided to give the Duke some undeserved respite. I stand, and the Prime Minister waves a maid over. She looks to be eighteen, though I can't be sure. She curtsies to me and beams me with a smile. I smile back before I turn to the Prime Minister.

"Thank you for your help, Prime Minister.."

"Please, call me Bennet Your Highness. Rest well, and I shall see you in a few days."

He bows once more, and I decide to follow the maid for some well-deserved rest. With one last glance at the people in the room, I realize I may have more allies than I once thought. 

Exhaustion was a bitch, and we weren't friends. There were so many stairs in this palace I thought my legs were going to fall off. I learned the maid's name was Jane. She was seventeen and had been working at the palace for almost a year now. She seemed very shy and surprised by the many questions I was asking her. We reach this massive hallway with an enormous window at the end of it. Flowers and vines crawl up the sides of it in a delicate pattern. Jane snaps me out of my trance by walking up to a set of lovely double doors. They arch at the top with intricate designs along the sides. Everything in this palace was just so damn pretty. She opens the doors, and I feel a breeze. I smell the room before I see it. Vanilla and Rose fill my senses as I try not to trip over my feet when I see the space. It's an open floor plan; everything is marble, gold, and light purple. So simple yet so elegant. A bed the size of my old bathroom lays off to the left with a canopy and vines covering it. The sheer drapes are held up with delicate ribbons made of lace. Picking my jaw off the floor, I take it in the rest of the room. A covered balcony with flowers galore and a view of the gardens. A sitting area that could fit a football team. A massive walk-in closet with so many accessories I can't even count them. A bathroom that shines brighter than my future and a large desk that overlooks the garden. The space feels surreal, like something you'd only see in your dreams. Everything is soft and expensive, and I just want to jump onto the bed… or into the bath… I wasn't about to be picky.

It takes me a few hours to find everything in the space. And a few more to remember the names and faces of my maids. Anais had red hair and blue eyes; Rose had brown hair, a fair nose, and pretty blue eyes; Ivone had deep black hair curling at the ends and brown eyes. While Jane had light brown eyes, freckles, and green eyes. It was odd how close I had gotten used to them. Which also felt weird because these girls would most likely see me naked. At Sareth Academy, they taught us that working with nobles came with having to see them in all states. It was a requirement to know how to serve them even if you weren't going to be in that line of work. I thought it was ridiculous, but you do whatever it takes to learn how to beat the system. 

A lovely woman named Cherry came by as well. She was the palace seamstress that Duchess Victoria had sent over. As the palace seamstress, she took my measurements while I stood on a small fitting room platform. Cherry works quickly and efficiently, but as I'm wearing close to nothing in front of a room of strangers, it was difficult not to shiver. 

"Just a few more measurements, dearie." She chirps as she walks around me. Writing on her notepad, she looks up at me.

"You did wonderful, Your Highness, I'm all finished."

I immediately relax and step down from the platform. A maid whose name I've learned to be Ivone steps forward and holds out a fluffy robe. Slipping it on immediately, I shiver into it. I was thankful to no longer be in my knickers in front of everyone. Cherry waves over another maid whose name I believe to be Anais. She hands her a stack of what looks to be pajamas, and I'm thankful that I have something to wear to bed tonight.

"Rose, could you please get my stationery?" I asked my fourth maid. Somehow, during my panic attack over the crown, I lost my satchel and phone. So, for now, I was stuck writing letters, though it did kind of make me feel more like royalty.

"Of course, Princess," Rose says a little too happily. She runs over to my desk as Cherry packs up. Anais walks over to the double doors on the other side of the room and opens them to my walk-in closet. I watch her go before walking over to my desk and writing a letter to my friends back at the academy. Writing everything I felt on paper left it rushed, but I doubt they would care much. I seal the letter when something crosses my mind. 

Where was the Royal Seal?

I had heard about it in history lessons. It was used when royals sent letters to other countries or when the letter held important information. But if I didn't already have it, that meant only one thing: The Duke hadn't given it up. The Royal Seal was a sign of power, a sign that the current monarch was truly in charge. 

I hand the letter off to Rose, who happily takes it away as I ponder. I needed to get that seal if I was going to be Queen, whether or not I had to take it from his hands. 

"Princess, what would you like for dinner?"

Jane's soft voice reaches my ears, pulling me from my thoughts. I mutter a reply even though I feel too tired and stressed to eat. Usually, I would eat more than I needed, but for some reason, tonight, I just wasn't feeling it. Cherry says her goodbyes and well-wishes and I find myself relaxing a smidge more. I just wanted to be alone.

An hour later, Jane returned with the dinner I had requested. Surprisingly, I managed to get a decent amount down, and soon it was time for bed. Changing into the silk pajamas Cherry gave me, I find myself drawn to the massive bed. My maids leave, and suddenly, I feel everything all at once. Grief for my old life, happiness for my new one, fear and determination for the future. So much has happened in one day, and I feel the exhaustion clawing at my body. The bed surrounds me, and I fall into a deep sleep.

My whole body feels soft. Silk envelops me, and I wonder if I've died and gone to heaven. I open my eyes and see soft sunlight cascading onto the double doors of my room. The warmth is inviting, stirring a sense of calm I didn't know I needed. I yawn and sit up, stretching the sleepy energy right out of me. Glancing at the cord, my maids told me to pull when I awakened. I tug down on it, and a minute later, Rose, Anais, Ivone, and Jane come walking in. Rose pushes what seems to be a gold cart of food and brings it to the little area where I eat. Obviously, I get out of bed and walk over to eat.

After I eat, Cherry returns with dresses she altered to fit me until she can make some new ones for me. I wasn't exactly keen on wearing dresses every day, so I asked her to make me some pantsuits and everyday clothes, too. She seemed a bit shocked that I asked her that but nonetheless made a note of it. Ivone helps me get into one of the dresses, which is super awkward. Ivone doesn't seem to mind, thankfully, and we slip it on. It's a simple day dress made of silk. Rose suggested kitten heels, which I'm thankful for because I did not want to walk around in my uniform shoes any longer. I slip them on, and Anais fills me in on my schedule for the day.

"First, you will meet your new professors at 10 am, a small break for lunch; then you have dancing lessons at 3 pm."

"That is all, yes?" I practically plead. Wanting to be a good ruler and being lazy were both strangling me, and I couldn't decide which to fight off first.

"Yes, Princess, that is all." Rose giggles. I giggled along with her, and soon, I was headed to meet the professors.

The professors were certainly interesting. Despite growing up as a commoner, they seemed shocked by my seemingly decent education. However, one wasn't sure of my abilities and decided to question me further; needless to say, I put her in her place.  

I had also learned the steps to the Rumba, which couldn't have been more awkward. At least my teacher was a woman and not some old creepy guy. The song playing in the background isn't one I've heard before, and later, in my room, I find myself humming it.

"What's that song you're humming Your Highness?" One of my girls asks. Based on the voice, I think it's Ivone. 

"I'm not entirely sure…"

Each day is the same maddening cycle. 

Dresses get delivered.

Professors drone on for hours about history and math.

Lunch.

Dancing class while I try not to look at my feet and not step on hers simultaneously.

It was exhausting.

Thankfully, today would be different because today was my coronation day. The fun part was the ball right after. For hours, I was cleaned, prepped, and clothed. Maybe I wasn't cut out for this whole royalty thing….

I shake my head and steel my resolve. No. I wasn't going to quit now. I had worked too hard, and I could finally make a change. The girls step away from me as it seems they're finally done with their invasive techniques to make me look prettier. I stand and turn to look in the mirror. Doing a double take to make sure it's me, my mouth falls open in a way that isn't very proper. My girls had outdone themselves. My hair was elegantly wrapped into a low bun, and a lovely tiara was placed on my head. A deep purple Coronation Mantle was draped onto my shoulders, and a stunning light purple gown was underneath it. Jewels drip from me like water, and I feel myself twirl before it registers; my coronation was really happening. Grinning, I hug each one of my maids, thankful for their existence. 

"I… This is gorgeous, girls… thank you.." 

They all blush and mutter different responses before Ivone speaks up, "You better hurry Princess; I hear you're riding in an actual carriage to the Coronation Hall!"

An actual carriage, well, at least I'd get to see horses.

I walk down to the foyer and almost stumble over my dress. Walking in a ballgown and heels was more challenging than it looked. I manage to make my way outside and spot the Prime Minister, or Bennet, as he insists I call him. He bows to me and assists me into the open carriage.

"Nervous Your Highness?" His calm voice asks.

"I would be a fool not to be," I mutter as I fiddle with my fingers. Those long fake nails were on, and picking them was so much more challenging.

"Try not to stress too much, Your Highness. It will be over before you even realize it, and after that, your hardest triumph will be the number of marriage proposals you'll have to turn down." 

His joke doesn't help.

"Oh gosh, I didn't even think about proposals…"

"Yes, well, you will be the most powerful woman in the country… unmarried… suppose there's someone on your mind already?" he asks with a chuckle.

It almost warms my heart that he didn't immediately assume I'd be in love with a man.

"No… but I know it'll be hard to meet her in this position.." I say, a little annoyed that my love life is essentially going down the drain.

"Don't fret, Princess. I have a feeling you'll find her." His warm smile almost calms my nerves. 

"Thank you, Bennet."

If I had a dime for every time I had been in a massive building and emerged with a new title of royalty, I'd have two dimes. Which isn't many in the grand scheme of things, but it's odd that it's happened twice. 

The Coronation Hall of Midiri was ablaze with light as thousands of candles flickered above, casting a soft glow on the ornate decorations that adorned the stone walls. Tapestries depicting the kingdom's rich history hung from every corner, while fresh purple blooms filled the air with their intoxicating fragrance. The anticipation in the air was palpable, with nobles from all corners of the realm gathered to witness this momentous occasion—the coronation of Princess Y/N L/N, the new Queen of Midiri. 

Usually, the previous ruler would crown the monarch; however, since my parents were dead, the Prime Minister got the honor. His usually calming voice boomed across the hall, demanding everyone's attention. 

The ceremony was long and grueling, and what pissed me off even more was the fact that the Duke had the audacity to sit in the section reserved for royals. I wished then and there that I knew what my affinity was just so I could use it on his pompous ass. 

The massive crown they put on me practically broke my neck, and I felt so relieved when they took it off. 

I stand before the nobles, and they all rise and bow to me. It feels almost surreal. One week ago, I was a humble student in a country I loved but wanted to change.

 Now, I was its Queen.

I walk out of the Grand Hall, scepter in hand and crown on my head. As I ride back to the palace in the carriage, people scream my name. Guards are stationed on each side of my carriage as I ride through the streets of Midiri. Flowers are thrown in my direction as chants fill the air.

"Long live the Queen!"

"The Queen has arrived!"

"Long may she reign!"

Tears well in my eyes as I smile and wave to the people. Once at the palace, I'm rushed to my room by staff for a bath and a quick change for my appearance at the coronation ball. I would have to meet with delegates so I had to arrive on time. My maids scrub my skin so hard I'm surprised I don't lose any. I dressed, and a new set of jewels graced my body. Thanking my girls, I leave and walk to the ballroom. It was one thing to stand before so many people, and it was another to talk to them all. Maybe even dance with a few if I managed to avoid stepping on their toes. 

The guards notice my arrival and bow to me before telling the announcer that I am here. He bangs his staff on the floor to gain everyone's attention. The talking lowers to whispers, and as the announcer says in a loud voice,

"Presenting Her Majesty, Y/N M/N L/N Queen of Midiri!" 

As I walk out, the room erupts in louder whispers and conversations. I feel everyone's eyes on me, and I try not to panic. Bows and curtsies can be seen from every direction as I clear my throat and begin my little speech.

"Hello all, and welcome to my coronation ball. I appreciate you coming all this way to celebrate with me tonight. As I look out and see so many friendly faces, I can't help but be grateful for each and every one of you. Let us celebrate tonight so we may work hard tomorrow!"

Cheers fill the room as toasts are being made in my honor. I walk to the staircase on my right, and as soon as I come down, men swarm all around me, asking me for dances and to talk. I reject them all and make my way to my throne that sits against the main wall. Sitting down, people begin lining up to meet me. The first people I see are a couple. A very tall blonde woman is on the arm of a shorter man with black curly hair. They bow and curtsy to me, respectively, and I nod my head in acknowledgment. Based on their attire I would assume they're from the country Amaris. It's a gorgeous country known for its beautiful people and goods. They must've crossed the sea to be here, as Amaris is to the south of Midiri across the ocean. 

"Good evening, Your Majesty. My name is Prince Alwyn of Amaris. This is my lovely fiancee, Lady Isabella." Crown Prince Alwyn was known to be a womanizer, so it was a little surprising to see an actual fiancee on his arm.

"Congratulations on your engagement, you two. I wish you all the best. I appreciate you coming all this way for my coronation." 

Lady Isabella blushes before saying, "You're too kind, Your Majesty... Oh! That's right! We've brought you a gift."

She waves over a staff member, and they hand me a delicately carved wooden box. Its rich color and fresh scent catch me off guard, but I school my expression and smile. I open the box to find spices galore inside. Amaris was known to be a merchants' paradise, so many goods were imported to and from there.

"What a lovely gift, thank you!" It's challenging to procure spices here in Midiri, so I offer my appreciation. Trying to be the perfect Queen simply by talking was hard, but they seemed to hear the sincerity in my tone. 

"Please take this as a token of our goodwill and hope for a promising future between our two kingdoms," Prince Alwyn says before he and Lady Isabella depart. I hand the thoughtful gift to a staff member and instruct him to send it to the kitchen for my food. 

Next, Duke and Duchess Haleson step up. Both bow and curtsey to me before I speak.

"Ah, Duke Haleson, I was wondering when I'd see you. It seems you have something of mine. I'd like it back, please." I say ever so politely.

The Duke grins, happy to play my game, "I'm not sure what you mean, Your Majesty... Perhaps you could jog my memory?"

"Hmm, yes, perhaps I will… Duchess Victoria, do you have it?" 

The Duchess grins, and I see the smug smirk the Duke is sporting slip off his face. She reaches into her pocket and holds out the Duke's most prized possession, the Royal Seal. I smile and take it in my hands gently. 

"But- How did you- Victoria!!" The Duke turns his rage on his wife in an instant. But I knew this would happen. I pocket the seal and stand. 

"Duke Haleson, are you seriously so immature that you'd yell in my ballroom?" My voice carries across the room and eyes and necks snap in our direction. Whispers flood the hall, and I can practically see the Duke start to sweat.

"No…of course not Your Majesty…." His voice is quiet to avoid attention.

"Well then. I hope you keep to yourself this evening... Oh, and Duchess Victoria?"

Her eyes meet mine, and she winks before curtsying.

"Just Victoria is fine, Your Majesty."

"Victoria, then… do let me know if he acts up when you two are alone. I won't stand for domestic abuse. Not even from a Duke." 

Hopefully, other ladies in the room realize this also extends to them, and they can contact me. But for now, I focus on the Duke.

"If that is all, you two are dismissed."

The Duke begrudgingly bows, and he and his wife leave. I sit back down and let out a massive breath. If I hadn't had the Duchess's help, I have no idea what I would've done. I rub my temples and prepare for the next person when an almost raspy, calming voice speaks.

"Well, he seemed like a dick."

My heart skips a beat as I look up. She was…. Ineffable. Short auburn hair that looked like an organized mess. I spot a glimpse of a tattoo, but only a sliver. It looked like.. A fern..? She wore a deep grey suit with space pins on the suit jacket and a simple deep green cape. Pale green eyes one could get lost in. And a smirk that stole my breath away.

My heart skips a beat, and I realize I've been staring.

"I- sorry, what did you say..?"

She doesn't seem to judge and just repeats herself.

"I said he seemed like a dick." Chuckling and shaking her head, she smiles down at me.

"Yeah, he's a real piece of work… I, um, I'm sure you know who I am already, but allow me to introduce myself; I'm Y/N Queen of Midiri."

She smiles and bows to me, a slight blush flushing her cheeks.

"Yea, I know, this is your ball, isn't it?" The way she said it wasn't cocky. Almost understanding as she puts her hands in her pockets.

I clear my throat and internally scold myself for being so stupid. Gay panic was a real thing….

"Right. Of course, you know that… my apologies." 

"Oh gosh shit.. Sorry didn't mean to make you feel bad. Look, I'm not too good at this whole conversing with royals thing. Let's just start over, yea? My name is Ellie Williams, I'm the prince of Jackson." 

Jackson… yes, I was familiar with it. However, I knew nothing of the royal family, let alone their affinities. They were a very closed-off family, and few knew anything about them, let alone their customs. 

"Prince, you say…?"

She scratches the side of her neck as if it were a nervous habit.

"Yea.. I don't really like all the frilly princess stuff. Prince just suits me better, I guess. Wait fuck- I didn't mean that frilly things were bad." She quickly says, looking at my dress. She groans into her hands, and I burst out laughing. Her ears turn bright red, and I can't help but feel a little bad.

"That is the first time someone has sworn in front of me properly in the past 168 hours." My giggles spread throughout the room. She looked dumbfounded, and I can't help but beam a smile at her. 

"Wha- that makes me feel even worse!" Her face contorting to one of shame.

"Trust me, it isn't a bad thing. I'm so sick of being treated like a child. It's been driving me crazy. I hope you didn't think I was laughing at you…"

That seemed to help her relax, so I decided to ask her something now that she was calmer.

"Would you care to dance with me?" My voice is as calm and soothing as I can force it to be. However, on the inside, I was shitting bricks, hoping she wouldn't say no. Usually, a dance between a man and a woman meant the prospect of marriage. But no two women had ever danced before. It was completely unheard of, and while most of society had evolved, the nobles stayed in one spot. 

"I'm not a very good dancer; I'm afraid I'd step on your toes."

"So, is that a no…?" I say, feigning disappointment.

"No! No—I would love to dance with you. It was more of a warning…" she clarifies quickly.

"I'm just teasing you, Prince Ellie." I grin as she huffs.

"Could've fooled me." She mutters as she holds a hand out to me.

I take it, and she gently leads me to the dance floor.

"I think I did fool you," I say with a smug grin. She rolls her eyes and huffs a simple "Shut up…"

We stood in the middle of the dance floor, and I felt people begin to realize what I was doing. Prince Ellie wraps a hand around my waist, and I can feel her calloused fingers on my back. I stiffen just a little at the touch of her cold hands, and she mutters a quick sorry.

"It's fine; your hands are just cold, is all.." 

She chuckles and holds my other hand. Merry Go Round of Life begins playing, and I move through the steps I was taught. I discover very quickly that Prince Ellie is a horrid liar. Her dance steps feel precise as she leads me. We twirl around the dance floor, and my grip on her shoulder tightens as she lifts me. When I come back down, I almost tumble into her, but she catches me and swiftly moves me to the next step. I can feel my face heating up from the embarrassment. 

Getting into the rhythm of the Waltz, we reach the peak of the song, and I lock eyes with her. My heart pounds from the exertion, and I feel myself being pulled in by her. When she lifts me again, I feel like I'm floating. Everything from the glittering chandelier to the people in the room just… disappears. 

Locking eyes with her again, I realized then and there how some people fall in love simply by dancing with one another. 

"You're a liar…"

I whisper softly. Ellie looks at me, confused with a ghost of a smile.

"How so?" She whispers back as we twirl again.

 I meet her eyes again and say, "You're a wonderful dancer." 

"I'm only as good as my partner, Your Majesty…" Her ears turned a slight pink.

I want to glare at her and tell her she knows damn well that's not true. But I bite my tongue. We may be dancing together, but we weren't friends.

My gown swirls with me as we move, and I can't help but think of how nice it must be to dance in a suit. Suddenly, I looked back at the others and noticed that no one else was dancing. Everyone is staring at us in awe. I hold onto her tightly, and we move through the last bit of the song. We move in harmony as whispers and murmurs fill the space. Prince Ellie dips me, and when I look into her eyes, all I see is awe. The last notes of the song die out, and she lifts me back up. 

Applause erupts, and Prince Ellie still hasn't let go of my hand. We both curtsey and bow, respectively, as the cheers build. I can hear our deep breaths synching up as we wave and smile.

Pulling her by our connected hands, I rush to the balcony. People part as I open the doors and close them behind us. Walking over to the railing, I lean onto it and let out a massive breath.

"Holy shit…"

"Holy shit is right, I didn't think everyone else would stop dancing." Her voice rings in my ears as I try to calm my breathing. She seemed a little better off than me but must've been in better shape.

"That was… I didn't know…" Forming sentences is hard.

"Yeah…" She mutters breathlessly; she understands. 

"Sorry for dragging you out here… I just figured you might need some air, too, after that."

She says nothing and fiddles with her fingers again. I look back at her and stare into her eyes.

"Call me Y/n…"

She looks stunned, her eyebrows raising. "But you're the Queen.."

"Oh gee, really? I had no idea." I say, sarcasm dripping from my tone. She rolls her eyes yet again, and I smile. 

"Alright, smart ass, no need to get all sarcastic on me... I'll call you Y/n.. but only if you call me Ellie." Her smile is infectious, and I can feel myself grinning wide.

"Alright.. Ellie… tell me, how long are you staying in Midir?"

She walks closer and leans onto the balcony as well.

"Well, Joel said I should stay for a few weeks to 'properly show our acceptance of the new Queen, " she says, using finger quotes. My attempt not to laugh fails, and I chuckle a little.

"Then if you'll be here a while... I'd like to ask you to form an alliance with me." I say, pretending to be all posh. She stands straighter and puts on a fake fancy face.

"My lady, I would be absolutely honored." Her dramatic tone sells it. We burst out in laughter, and she held a hand out for me.

"Freinds?" Eyebrows lowered and small look of hope in her eyes.

"Friends," I say, taking her hand and shaking it. 

"Now that we're friends, I should warn you, I'm new to being this whole... Royal thing. I only found out a week ago."

"Yeah, I heard. Don't stress. I'm terrible at it, too."

"Liar, you're an amazing dancer."

"Well, that's just dancing... I'm far more interested in Savage Starlight than I am running a country.."

"What's Savage Starlight."

If I didn't know any better, I'd say I just slapped her across the face. She looks at me like I have.

"You don't know what Savage Starlight is??" She looks at me incredulously.

"Um…. no..? Should I?"

"Uhhhh.. yea! It's only the most popular comic book series in all of Jackson! I have the ultra-rare editions too. You can read my copies if you want. Just not the ultra-rare ones…Those gotta stay in their packaging."

She looks at me, hopefully.

"Sure, I'll give them a shot."

"Fuck yea!" 

We talked for a bit longer, and I discovered that her favorite color is green and that she plays guitar. Apparently, she has a guard named Dina, with whom she's practically best friends, and a butler named Jesse. They're here with her, and she has offered for me to come to her room to meet them sometime. 

"I'd love to. I'll try and stop by sometime this week."

"Great..I um.. I'm not too good at hosting, but it should still be fun."

"Oh great, another lie," I say, rolling my eyes, my tone heavy with sarcasm.

"It's not a lie!" She says, pretending to be frustrated.

"Uh huh…"

"Uh huh!"

I soon have to withdraw from the conversation. "I'm sorry, Ellie, but I have a lot of people I have to meet with... But I promise to visit you soon."

She frowns but nods in understanding, "It's alright. I get it… Come by soon, yea..?"

"Yea.. I will."

I leave the balcony and close the doors behind me. It takes all I have to not go back and talk to her but I force myself back to my throne. Throughout the rest of the night, I meet nobles as they praise me for absolutely nothing. They're all so… fake. Ellie is the first real friend I have in this world, and I don't want to fuck it up. She is like a breath of fresh air. If fresh air smelt like bergamot and pine. Snapping out of my thoughts, I meet with the final nobles of the evening before I drag myself back to my room. It amazed me how so many people could be sleeping under one roof. 

Immediately taking a bath has to be one of the best decisions I've made today. My feet were so sore from those shoes I debated getting rid of all the heels in my closet. Rose rubs lotion all over me while Ivone deals with my hair. Anais is off getting my dinner, which I'm thankful for. I feel like I'm starving to death. 

A slight knock on the door means Anais has returned.

"Come in!" My voice echoed a bit in the space.

"Here you go, Your Majesty! I got your favorite!"

The smell of the food reaches my nose, and I can feel my stomach rumble. My maids giggle, and I huff.

"Not my fault. I'm so hungry."

"Of course not, Your Majesty," Rose says with a smug smile. I stand and walk over to the food before digging into it. It takes me minutes to eat everything and after I relax in my seat. 

"Girls.. What do you think my affinity will be..?"

They all stop what they're doing and look at me.

"Why do you ask, Your Majesty?" Jane's soothing voice asks.

"Well.. it just seems so interesting. Besides, it's such a staple sign of power... Perhaps I ought to go to the palace Affinity Master.." My thoughts pour out.

"If I were to guess, I'd say you'd have a charisma affinity." Ivone notes.

"Really? Why charisma?" My brows furrow in confusion.

"It just makes sense, doesn't it? You managed to charm the ton in less than a week. I'd say that's certainly something.

"Plus, you managed to convince Duchess Victoria to join your side. That was quite brilliant." Rose speaks up. I had told them about what had happened when I took the Royal Seal from my gown pocket.

"Well, I suppose.."

I decided not to tell them about Ellie just yet. There were a few reasons, but the main one was that I wanted to keep her a secret for a bit longer. 

"I think I'm going to head to bed, ladies. Thank you for your help."

Standing and making my way to the bed, I yawn. Rose turns off the lights as the others finish their tasks, and one by one, they leave the room. 

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery glow across my room. It was one of those rare, quiet moments when everything just felt peaceful. Soon, I drifted off, thinking of all the good I wanted to do now that I was Queen.

╰┈➤Masterlist ⨾ଓ Next ↠

Eventually, she pulls away and rests her forehead on mine. Our breaths mingle as we catch them, and I can feel her heart racing. I chuckle and shake my head a little.

"Why didn't we just do this months ago?"

"Probably 'cause you're a dumbass." She says in a taunting tone.

"Hey! I'm not a dumbass! You were the one who said we were best friends in front of the whole courtroom!" I argue.

She groans and buries her face into my neck.

"Don't remind me…" She groans again, " Not my proudest moment, alright. I had no choice, to be fair..it was either that, or you could've lost your throne… I know how important being able to make a change is to you.." As she talks, her breath tickles my neck, and I bite down on my lip. I couldn't laugh while she was being so sincere.

"Well, I'm glad we finally cleared that up. I was devastated for moons, and we never talked about it… Soooo…" I say quietly. She chuckles, and I can't help but giggle and squirm a little.

"Oh? Is that ticklish?" She asks with a grin before attacking my neck with kisses. I squeal and try to back away, but her grip on my waist and face holds me tight.

"Ellie!!" I whine, "Stop!! That tickles!" She nibbles on a bit of my neck, and I yelp.

"You're the worst! I hate you!" I groan.

"I think we just reiterated how much you, in fact, love me. So, not really gonna buy that one, babe." She says, finally relenting.

"Babe? So am I your girlfriend, then."

"If you let me be yours." She says with a hint of shyness.

I grin and kiss her softly once more.

"I'd love for you to be mine," I whisper against her lips.

"Anything for you, my light.." She whispers back.

"My light?" I ask with a giggle.

"Yea.. my light." It seemed she wasn't going to explain quite yet, so I left it and kissed her nose.

"Then you'll be.. my moth.."

"Really..? Cause of my tattoo; not super creative there, babe." She jokes, resting her hands on my hips.

"No… " I start with a blush. It was a party because of her tattoo: "Because you follow me into the darkness, and thrive along with it." It was cheesy but true. Every time I needed the comforting quiet, she's given it to me and stayed by my side.

"Cheese ball." She mutters, but I can tell she likes it.

"Yes, but I'm your cheese ball," I say matter-of-factly. She grins and attacks me with kisses again.

"I suppose we should head back inside before anyone starts to worry…" I say sadly once she pulls away.

"Aww, what?? Come on.. I just got you all to myself." She says with that irresistible face of hers. Curse whoever gave Ellie Williams that face. It is impossible to say no to it.

"I know.. I know.. Five more minutes." I relent.

"Fuck yes!" She says as she picks me up and spins me around. I burst out laughing and held onto her shoulders. "Ellie!! Put me down!" Giggles fill my mouth and spill over.

"Doesn't sound like you want down to me." She says playfully, spinning me again.

Eventually, though, she relents, and I'm back on my feet, "You're a menace." I huff and fix my skirt.

"I'm your menace." She says, relaying my earlier joke back to me.

"Yea, I get the message; it's not as smart as I thought," I say, rolling my eyes.

She grins at me, and my anger dissipates.

"Back to the ballroom?"

"Fine.. back to the ballroom." She replies, intertwining our hands.

Ellie complains the whole way back.

The Jackson ballroom was something to behold, with fairy lights dangling from the ceiling. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, too, their sparkling light casting a playful glow across the beautifully polished marble floor. The walls were decorated with rich tapestries and lovely golden details in shades of deep green that made the room feel inviting and earthy. Tall windows framed the scene, allowing soft moonlight to stream in and mingle with the warm glow from the chandeliers. On clear nights, the twinkling stars outside seemed to join in the celebration, adding to the magical atmosphere. The floor's classic black and white checkerboard pattern invited couples to glide and twirl, creating a joyful space meant for dance and laughter. At the far end of the ballroom sat a lovely stage where musicians played enchanting tunes, filling the air with melodies that made everyone want to sway along. Along the walls, tables were set up just right, showcasing beautiful china, shining glassware, and cheerful floral arrangements that added a lovely fragrance to the room.

"El! Why don't we dance?? To celebrate our relationship, hm?" She looks at me like I'm odd before rolling her eyes and smiling.

"Wasn't that dance earlier enough for you?" She asked slowly, leading me to the dance floor. It seems she already knew my answer. We get into our dancing position, and I look into her eyes.

"No," I say sweetly with a smug grin.

"Figured." She mutters before Voices of Spring Waltz begins to play. It's so fast my head is spinning, but I'm grinning from ear to ear with joy. Ellie guides me through each part as we laugh over every little mistake we make. She lifts me as if I were weightless, and I giggle each time. Spinning her around catches her off guard, but she grins anyway. The song goes on and on as I lose myself in the dance and Ellie.

As we giggle and dance, people watch on. I can't help but feel shy, and my face flushes. Ellie opens her mouth to say something when a sudden commotion reaches our ears, and the music stops.

"I told you she was a fucking dyke!" Seth's voice carried throughout the room. Gasps echo my own, and I glance at Ellie. She was not fucking happy. He walks over to us despite Maria trying to hold him back. Once he reaches us, Ellie grabs me by the arm and pulls me behind her.

"The fuck did you just say? She yells, walking closer to him. Rage seeps in like the cold, and I move in front of Ellie. Seth turns his anger on me before Ellie can pull me back again.

"You! I thought you were a proper lady, but I guess you're just a little bitc-"

I slap him across the face. Hard.

His head flies to the side, and he stumbles a little. I glare down at him with disgust, my wrath neverending.

"The next time you speak to Ellie like that, you lose your tongue. Are we clear?" I say to him in a low, deadly tone. Ellie tries to pull me away from him, but I snatch my wrist back.

That's when Joel comes into the situation, me seething, looking down at an old man cupping his face. A slight panic fills me as I realize the extent of what I've done. This could get bad if Joel sides with-

"I told you to keep your damn mouth shut, Seth, but you just couldn't listen, could ya?" Joel says, walking right up to Seth. I watch a bit of panic reach Seth's eyes as he stands.

"She hit me, and you're siding with them?!" He cries in outrage.

Maria finally walks over and begins to explain the situation to Joel, but he stops her.

"I don't need an explanation, Maria. I've been here the whole time. Seth, I think you and I are gonna have a little chat," he says with an eerily happy smile.

"What about them-?"

Seth asks, pointing at us like a child.

Joel puts a hand on his shoulder and whispers something in his ear. I watch as Seth's face falls, and terror overtakes his face. On all that is good, I hear a whimper.

Joel begins to walk, and Maria pushes Seth along to follow, seemingly knowing what is happening. I glance at Ellie once more and see her fists clenched. I grab one and hold it in my hand. She relaxes it and intertwines our fingers.

"I'm sorry, Ellie. I shouldn't have gotten so upset and hit him. I just-"

"Don't." She says, still a bit upset.

"You don't need to defend me; neither of you do, " she says, looking back at Joel, who's practically dragged Seth out of the ballroom by his shirt.

"Do you seriously think that all we're doing is standing up to him for you?" I ask softly.

"No… but I can take care of myself." She says, turning to me fully.

"You don't have to hit people for my sake." Her green eyes gaze into mine, and I can see the fear in them. Fear that I could get hurt for the sake of protecting her. It seems her anger was stemming from fear right now. That I could work with.

"Alright, I won't protect you anymore, but you can't protect me then," I reply in a matter-of-fact time.

"What?? No, that's out of the question; you're my girlfriend."

"Hmmmmmm.. So only you get to protect me? That doesn't seem right.." Crossing my arms, I give her a knowing look. She sighs, realizing I got her.

"Look, Ellie…" I take her hands in mine and softly rub the backs of her hands.

"It's not about protecting you because we think you can't; it's about protecting you because we love you and we can." I reach up and move that stray lock of auburn hair behind her ear.

"If we thought you couldn't handle your own battles, we would never leave you alone." My reasoning seems to reach her, and I watch her anger dissipate.

"I guess I understand.. But I'm still protecting you. That's non-negotiable." She seemed serious, so I didn't laugh or giggle at the adorable expression she was making.

"Fine, but then it's non-negotiable for me to protect you in return," I say gently.

"Fine.." She mutters. This time, I giggle and kiss her cheek. Once I pull back, she grabs my face and kisses me on the lips. It caught me off guard, but I assumed she just needed some affection. I don't pay much attention to the gasps in the room; instead, I wrap my arms around her neck and kiss her back. She grins into the kiss, and I think then and there,

Everything will be ok as long as I have Ellie by my side.

Unfortunately, It was time to head back to my kingdom. It had been one moon cycle, and I needed to return to my duties no matter how much I wanted to stay. Joel surprisingly allowed Ellie to return with me, which made going back a million times easier. We flew in as the seasons changed from fall to winter. My jacket wasn't doing enough, but Ellie seemed fine. She was wearing one of Joel's jackets over a hoodie. Seemed she liked stealing from his closet.

Throughout the whole flight, Ellie made puns about planes and such. I nearly threw the book in the trash. But alas, I loved her and let her ramble on about space and dinosaurs. Some of it was actually really interesting, and if she didn't have to rule over Jackson someday, I'd say she should become a scientist.

Once we landed, it was a short drive to the palace before Ellie and I had to separate. She hugged me and kissed my cheek, muttering on about something she wanted to do with me later. I agreed, and she let me go. I made a quick stop to my room and gave it a once-over. It was like nothing ever happened. There was no blood, and the stench of death was gone entirely. It was definitely my room, but it felt… different.

Reluctantly, I headed to my office to see the Prime Minister and Nakir talking. Something was going on, but neither moved to explain.

"Welcome home, Your Majesty. I was just talking with Nakir here about what work needs to be done now that you've returned. Glancing at Nakir, I notice an odd expression on his face, but I can't place what it is. He meets my eyes and nods once ever so slightly but doesn't utter a single word. Something was going on.

"Has something happened?" I ask with narrowing eyes, "I believe I instructed you to inform me about anything that happened through email and letter."

The Prime Minister bows his head and hands me a document. He, too, doesn't meet my eyes, so when I open the document, I expect the worst.

As I read over it, more questions formed in my head. According to this report, Barrow had something to do with my parent's assassination. I hadn't thought much about this, considering there was no new information. But this was shocking and, well, expected at the same time. I flop onto my desk chair as I continue reading.

"How was this discovered?" I suddenly ask.

"Barrow admitted to it as he was carried off to prison. No one initially believed him, but Nakir had some people look into it, and they discovered some shocking evidence in Barrow's old office." The prime minister shakes his head in a sorrowful manner. My head is reeling as I set the document back on my desk. Nakir still hasn't said a word.

"Thank you, Prime Minister, you're dismissed," I say shortly.

He bows and walks out, closing the door behind him.

"Nakir, is everything alright?"

"Yes… Your Majesty.."

Lie. But I can't call him out on it. Not yet.

"Did something happen between you and the Prime Minister?" I ask with trepidation as I flip through the document once more. Meeting his eyes for the answer, they looked to the ground.

"No."

Lie again. So, something did happen.

If I keep pressing, I risk getting nothing out of him, so I'll drop it for now. I'd just have to trust that it was a tiff between them and leave it at that.

"Well, alright then, let's get to work.."

The next few days primarily consist of catching up on everything I missed, visiting Ellie when I can, and taking care of my basic human needs. Currently, I am taking a bath and reading a book when a knock sounds at the door.

"Come in!" I called, thinking it was a maid. What I didn't expect to see was Ellie Williams dressed in a black button-down and jeans. A shocked expression was plastered on both of our faces, and I hid further into the bubbles of my bath.

"Ellie?! Why are you here?" I ask as I become a blushing mess.

She slaps a hand over her eyes, and I watch her face get redder than a robin.

"I—They told me you should be done by now, and I wanted to see you! I didn't know you'd still be in the bath!" she explains frantically.

I burst out in laughter, and I watch her peek at me through her fingers.

She smiles and removes her hand when she sees I'm covered in bubbles.

I look her over once before something catches my eye.

"Are you wearing Converse…? In my palace..?"

She stops laughing, looks down at her shoes, and puts on an expression of mock offense.

"What… they're comfy!" Her excuse caused me to giggle.

"Where did I find you again?"

"Your dreams." She says, wiggling her eyebrows.

I flick some water in her direction, and she moves out of the way.

"Nice try, babe, but you gotta be faster than that." Her smug grin made me glare.

"Oh shut it… what did you need anyway?" I ask, setting my book down on the board that rested across my bathtub.

"Just wanted to see you…" she says, scratching her neck.

"Naked?" I ask with a grin as I tilt my head playfully. This time, it's her turn to glare.

"This was not on purpose. If I wanted to see you naked, I'd go about it very differently.." Her voice lowers a bit, and I feel butterflies swarming in my stomach.

I don't say anything for a moment, and I can feel her eyes watching me.

"Ellie, don't look at me like that," I whisper. She stared, and the bubbles were starting to pop…

"Like what?" She whispers as she leans closer.

"You know.. like ..like.." The words don't find their way to me, and I huff. Ellie chuckles and crouches next to my bath, meeting my eye level.

"I get it…" she whispers. Her face is inches from mine when the door slams open once more. Mariah walks in and screams when she sees Ellie. With a hand over her heart, she began relentlessly apologizing as Ellie and I burst into laughter. Mariah's face flushes, and she steps out. Ellie stands and shakes her head before saying, "Guess that's my cue to go. See you later?" I smile up at her from in my bath.

"Yea, I'll see you later, Els." Her smile mirrors my own. She walks back over and kisses my forehead before leaving and closing the door behind her. I let out a massive breath and lay my head back on the tub lip.

"What the fuck was that?" I say to no one in particular.

I took a deep breath in and plunged. The warm water and bubbles covered my face as I blew air out through my nose. The peace and quiet gave me a moment to think. I was beginning to ask more questions, too.

Why did the crown call my name?

How did it even get in my head?

Who's really behind my parents' deaths'?

More thoughts like these plague my mind as I come up for air. Deciding I was done with my bath, I got out and wrapped a heated towel around myself. My wet footprints are left behind as I make my way to my bedroom.

Jane holds out a pair of pajamas for me, and I slip them on. Walking over to my closet, I grab a pair of slippers and toss them onto the ground before struggling to put them on for about two whole minutes.

Once they're on, I walk over to my room doors and bid my maids a good night. I walk to Ellie's room and knock on the door once, then twice, then once again. She opens it and grabs me by the arm before pulling me into the darkness of her room.

I giggle as she pulls me in for a hug and closes the door behind me, leaving us in complete darkness. Slowly, my eyes adjust, and I can just barely make out her face. Ellie takes one of my hands in hers and guides me over to our bed. I flop onto it and spread out like a starfish. Her chuckling sounds like a symphony to me, and I roll over onto my back. I feel her sit down next to me and then slowly lay down along the edge. Rolling my eyes despite the fact she can't see it, I pull her by the arm over to me. It's a silent dance we do every night, and she loves it.

She relents and moves closer before slipping an arm under my waist and dragging me closer. Everything in here smells like her, and it's intoxicating. I move the sheet to cover the two of us and inch closer to her. She places her other hand on my waist and slips it under my shirt. I snuggle into her chest and slowly but surely drift off to sleep.

I was in deep shit. Emperor Raul was coming to my kingdom in a few weeks, which left me very little time to prepare. His reasoning for a visit? He wanted to meet me. Why such an important man wants to meet me I'm not too sure about. But this meant I had to plan not only for his arrival but also for a welcoming ball slash ceremony. It was nuts. This meant the only time I got to see Ellie was in the darkness of her room when I was too exhausted to talk to her. I felt terrible, so I had been sending her gifts all week, but it just wasn't the same. Going over the ball plans yet again, Nakir seemed more irritated than I'd ever seen. It wasn't any of my business, but his mood seemed to be getting in the way of his work.

"Do you need a break, Nakir?" I ask him suddenly as he drones on about the flowers I've chosen for the ballroom. "No, Your Majesty, I'm fine; now, as I was saying, peonies are a great option, but they sometimes are used at funerals in the Mortican Empire, so I was thinking-" He says shortly.

"You need a break," I say, interrupting him again; this time, I wasn't asking.

"But Your Majesty-"

" I wasn't asking Nakir," I say softly.

He balks at me before sighing and nodding, "Thank you…"

Tension seems to ease from his scorned eyes, and he bows before packing up and heading out. I lean back in my chair and close my eyes. Sometimes, it was hard to be a good ruler. You had to know when you were too trusting, too careful when someone needed a break, and when someone needed a push. I doubted anyone truly mastered it without some mistakes, but it still didn't make me feel any better about mine. Rubbing my temples as I leaned on my desk, I decided to look over the files once more before turning in for the night.

It takes me three hours to get through the files; by the time I'm done, it's 2 a.m. I walk into Ellie's room and toss my outfit to the floor before grabbing one of her shirts and sliding into bed next to her. She groans, wakes up a little, and practically drags me across the bed just so she can hold me in her arms. I snuggle into her when she suddenly asks, "How was work?"

"Els, you don't wanna hear about work. Just go to sleep," I whisper back.

"I asked, didn't I? Just talk to me, you dork.. I'll fall back asleep eventually."

My face warms, and I take a deep breath.

"Apparently, peonies are used at funerals in the Mortican Empire.."

She chuckles and kisses my forehead.

"Yea?"

"Yea.. I gotta pick new flowers."

She hums in response, so I keep talking in a soothing voice.

"I think I'm gonna go with lavender," I mumble as I begin to fall asleep.

Another hum and another kiss.

Then, blissful sleep.

I decided to dedicate some of my very little free time to working on my affinity with Ellie. If I was going to get rid of this emotional blockage, I figured I might as well try what the Affinity master said and watch Ellie use hers. The garden was a bit frosty this morning, so Ellie insisted I wear a coat.

"It's not even that cold out, El!"

"I don't give a fuck wear the damn coat!"

I wore the damn coat.

Thankfully, the sun was out and warming things up. It was mesmerizing watching the sun come up and land on every little frozen water droplet. The garden looked like a pile of glitter because of its sparkle. Ellie and I walked through the garden to a secluded area, our shoes leaving footprints behind in the grass.

Her voice breaks the silence first, "Alright, to use an affinity, you have to feel the energy that stems from your blood." She explains, holding her hands out. I place my hands in hers and can feel the energy flowing through them. It was warm compared to the cool morning air. "Now try to mimic the energy pattern I'm giving out. Breathe in." Her voice is soothing, and I take a deep breath.

"And out.." I release the air in my lungs and focus on spreading my energy to my hands. A tingly feeling starts to form in my chest, and I think of it flowing into my hands.

"That's it.. Now close your eyes…"

I stop concentrating on the feeling and look up at her like she's weird.

"What are you going on about?"

"Just do it." She says, rolling her eyes. I could tell she was already sick of my bullshit, so I just rolled my eyes back and did as she said.

"Now focus back on that feeling in your chest. Guide it to your hands." She instructs.

I listen and try my best, but it takes me a minute. The tingly feeling goes from my chest up to my shoulders, then down my arms to the tips of my fingers.

"Good. Now breathe out and release the energy." Her voice is calm as if my power were just going to be rainbows or something.

"I- I can't just let it out! What if I hurt you-" My eyes begin to open, and she takes one of her hands and covers them.

"Keep those shut; I'll be fine. Just do your best. Focus on the one energy you started with and try again."

I sigh, and she slowly removes her hand before placing it back in mine. Keeping my eyes closed, I begin the process of moving the energy back down to my fingertips. I struggle with focusing on one energy and not both, but I manage to get one to work. The tingle reaches my fingers, and Ellie moves my hands so they face outwards. I feel her walk around behind me and come around me to lift my arms up.

"Now let the energy out. I know it'll be hard with the blockage… But it's there. It's real." She reassures.

I take a deep breath in and push more energy to my fingertips. As I try to let it go, it feels like it's pushing up against something, but I feel a small crack and push through. Exhaling, I let it out of that small hole, and it flows out of my fingertips. I hear Ellie gasp and, in my confusion, open my eyes to take a peak. My fingers are pitch black as little wisps of black smoke trailing off them. I turn my hands around to see it's all the way around my fingers.

"What the—What is it?" A look of awe spreads across my features, and I turn to face Ellie, her hands grazing me as I do so.

She blooms a flower from the ground and holds it out for me to hold—a lovely white rose I feel bad for possibly destroying. I sigh and take the flower in my hands. The light contrasts with the darkness in such a lovely way. Nothing happens to the flower; instead, the darkness licks at it like a kitten.

"Alright, well, we know it's not deadly," Ellie says, pulling out her journal. She writes something down before closing it and slipping it back into her coat pocket.

"I'm glad it's not deadly. Now that would be scary," I mutter as I tuck the flower Ellie gave me behind my ear. Every time she gave me a flower, it went in this little vase in my room. When we were in Jackson, she gave me three more that I had to add when we returned.

"Now, how do I stop it?" I ask, still feeling the energy flowing out.

"Just reel it back in. That or wait until you're out of energy, " she says with a casual shrug.

"Let's try reeling it back in," I say, closing my eyes and focusing on bringing it back to my chest. …

It wasn't working.

I try again.

….

Still nothing.

Popping an eye open, I look at Ellie.

"Erm.. Els? It's not working."

She looks between me and my hands before stuffing down a laugh. I glare at her and huff.

"Will you at least try and be helpful!"

She looks at me and sighs, "There's nothing I can do to help, babe. You're just going to have to wait until you run out of energy."

"What?! You mean my fingers are stuck like this until I get tired?" That would take all day… or at least until noon.

"No… until your core runs out of energy. It may also be because of the energy blockage. Since there's a bunch of energy pouring out of one tiny crack, you can't force it all back in." She explains, and I give her an 'Are you serious? ' look. I glare at her when she shrugs again.

"How long does it take to run out of energy then??"

"It depends on the caster. For me, it takes about two days, " she says, grabbing her journal again. I watch as she begins to sketch my hands.

"Really Ellie? I'm having a crisis and you think it's a good idea to draw my hands?" I ask, trying not to laugh. "What they're pretty!" she counters as she continues to sketch. I facepalm, and she scolds me for moving them. So I stand there holding my hands out while she sketches away, doing that little thing she does with her tongue.

"So.. weather's been getting colder lately…" I say after about five minutes of uninterrupted silence.

"Really? The weather? You wanna talk to me about the weather?" She asks with narrowed eyes.

"I hate the silence, ok!" I retort. She rolls her eyes with a grin and keeps drawing away.

"Fair enough.. Talk to me about…work?" She says before cringing.

"Uh.. no. You tell me about space." I counter.

I watch her face light up, and she begins a big spiel about how cool she thinks the sun is and what constellations are the best. Somehow, she's able to multitask, drawing and talking at the speed of light. Most of the information she tells me makes sense, and I enjoy listening to her talk.

"-so that's how they discovered that Orion's Belt has three stars; I think they're named Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, but I could be wrong." She says in a skeptical tone. I watch as she finishes up on the sketch and turns it around to show me. Finally, being able to drop my hands was a relief. I thought I'd only feel it at the gym, but here we are. Walking over to It, I swear I get hand-drawing envy. It was gorgeous.

"I want to eat it," I say, suddenly looking up at her with a grin.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Her face is scrunched up in disgust, and I can't help but to burst out in laughter.

"Come on, Ellie!" I whine, "Just a little bite!" Taking another step closer to her, I see her close her journal and take a step back. "No, you weirdo. Get away." She says, giggling a little and taking more steps back. I begin my chase, and she grins before running.

"Get back here!" I say, chasing her through the gardens. Her hair looked stunning in the morning light, and I gazed at her in awe as I ran.

She laughs as fake screams while I pretend to be some odd creature that makes clicking noises and chases after her.

I follow as she goes behind a bush, but she's not there when I turn the corner. That's when I listen for any footsteps of hers. Hearing a branch snap, I sneak over there to find her covering her mouth and peeking over her shoulder. Deciding to get back into that role, I make a loud clicking noise and watch her eyes snap to mine. I wink and close my eyes.

I can practically feel her grin as I make my way over to where she is. Reaching that spot, I feel around for her, but all I feel is the tingle in my fingers from the grass and my affinity.

"Ellie…" I say in a haunting tone.

"Where are you…..?" My grin widens as I listen closely to my surroundings. Moving to the right, I hear footsteps in the grass, and I make my way towards them. My hands are out to prevent me from bumping into anything. As I walked in the direction, she was clearly leading me, I suddenly realized why. The sounds of the fountain reach my ears and drive everything else out.

Sneaky little-

A laugh.. but where from?

I walk forward slowly and feel flowers at my fingertips.

"Nope.." A voice whispers in my ear. I scream as Ellie tackles me to the ground in front of the fountain. The grass cushions my fall, but I still groan.

"Ellie!! What the fuck!" I complain my head hurts from the impact. She gives me a smug grin, and I glare at her. Putting her whole weight on me to keep me pinned, she rests on my hips. "I win." She announces before kissing me on the cheek.

"Of course, you won; you weren't the blind monster running through the garden like an idiot." I counter as I look up at her.

"Hm, true, but I still won." Her gloating was getting on my nerves, so I glared up at her.

"Alright, I get it. You won; now, could you get off me." I squirm underneath her, and she relents. Once she's standing, she holds a hand out to me, which I take, lifting me up in one go.

"Show off," I mutter.

"What was that?" she asks, knowing what I said. Rolling my eyes, I fix my coat.

"I said, Show off!" My voice is louder as I roll my shoulders.

"You didn't have to tackle me, you know. A nice hug would've done the trick."

"Ha. Ha. And that wouldn't have been as fun." She counters.

"It would've been more fun for me, jackass!" I wave my arms in frustration and see her grin further.

Suddenly, my feet are off the ground, and I'm staring at her back.

"Ellie!! Put me down!!"

"Nope! Not a chance." She says as she starts walking out of the garden and back to the palace.

I fight her the whole way, but she holds on. I don't know whether to be annoyed or impressed… maybe a little turned on.

Once we're back inside after an embarrassing conversation with my guards, she sets me down. My feet hit the floor, and I relax a little.

"That was completely unnecessary. You could've just let me walk, you know." I say, wiping off my coat. Grass falls to the floor, and I huff.

"I'm aware. I'll see you tonight, right?" She always did this. No matter how many times I slept in bed with her, she double-checked to make sure it was happening—without fail.

"Yes, Ellie, I will be in bed tonight," I reassure her with a gentle voice. There was no point in getting upset when all I had to do was give reassurance.

"Good. I'll see you tonight, then." She kisses my forehead and waits for me to leave.

"You shall; I gotta get gloves for this," I say, lifting my hands and wiggling my fingers in her face.

Grabbing one of my hands, she brings the fingertips to her lips. My face heats up, and I snatch my hand away.

"Ok! Later! Bye!" I say super quickly before bolting to my room. Her laugh echoes in the hallway as I slam my door.

Ellie Williams was going to be the death of me.

It's been two weeks, and the wispy darkness still covers my fingers. I even went to the Affinity Master here in Midiri, and she was utterly confused. Ellie, too, had no idea why my energy was so abundant, but I had a theory.

"I think it's because it's been stored for 10 years… I mean, think about it, when most nobles get their affinities at 10, they use them right away and get rid of all that energy… But me?? I haven't used it since it even formed. My affinity has never been used, so of course, there's excess energy; I just don't know how much.." I explained this to Ellie, who had been listening intently to my theory. "It's definitely possible…but it seems more than even that…I'll look into it, ok? You just focus on that Ralph guy or whatever his name is arriving."

"It's Raul and alright.. Don't stress too much, ok?"

"I won't.. Now we better go get ready for his arrival," she says, pushing me towards her door.

"Ok! ok! I get the message, I'll go." I giggle and kiss her cheek before I walk out of her room and close the door.

Once out of her room, I make my way to my own. I dress in my most regal outfit and slip on silk gloves. Thankfully, the gloves manage to seal the seeping darkness, and I make my way to the Throne Room, where Raul will greet me. Ellie walks in shortly after and stands next to my throne. I honestly just needed to get her one of her own at this point.

Suddenly, the trumpets sound, notifying us of his arrival, and the doors swing open. My hands clench around the throne armrests, and I can feel a bit of panic in my brain. Raul was a mighty man whose Empire stretched far and wide.

He saunters in, wearing a deep red mantle that matches his combed-back hair. Underneath, he wears a white suit paired with deep red Oxfords. He bows to me, and his entourage follows along.

"Welcome to Midiri Emperor Raul. I hope you had a pleasant trip here." I say from high up on my chair. Staying on Emperor Raul's good side was necessary. The Mortican Empire was the most powerful Empire on the continent.

"Thank you for such a courtesy, Your Majesty…" His voice is loud, and it echoes throughout the reception hall.

"You're very welcome; I have prepared rooms for each member of your party. You can ask my staff or me if you need anything." I wonder if I sound regal enough.

"Wonderful, we'll settle in right away." My gaze reaches his, and I feel a sudden sense that something is.. off…

I stare a little too long before I snap out of it and clear my throat. "Right.. Well then, I'll let you get to it. See you tonight." My voice remains neutral, but inside, I'm panicking.

Emperor Raul bows and walks out of the room, his entourage following. Ellie seems to pick up on my unease as she touches my shoulder. I glance up at her and she gives me a concerned look. Shaking my head, I signal that I can't talk about it. If word spread that the Queen of Midiri felt off about the Emperor of the Mortican Empire, rumors would circulate. I would just have to trust that nothing would go wrong tonight. She gave me the look again to ask if I was sure. I stand and sigh. Deciding to keep quiet, I simply nod once more and leave the room.

The ballroom is filled to the brim with people here to welcome the Emperor. It makes me smile to know everything was going so well. Ellie is off grabbing us a drink when the Emperor himself approaches me,

"Your Majesty, I've been meaning to talk to you. I did come all this way to meet you after all." His gaze gives off a type of giddy excitement only children have.

"Yes, well, I'm honored to have garnered such attention. What would you like to know?" I ask in a soothing manner, hoping he will calm down. He clasps his hands together with a slap before beaming a smile down at me.

"So many things! Where to begin? I'll go with.. How did they find you?"

"Oh! You mean, how did they find out I was the princess?" I ask to clarify.

"Yes… yes, let's go with that." His answer creeps me out a little, but I tell him the story I told reporters almost a year ago.

"And then I met the Duke at the time; he was a real piece of work."

He listens intently to my story before laughing and clapping me on the back. I stumble forward a little bit and glance at Elody, who seems on edge. Shaking my head at her, I stand up straight once more and brush my gown off as if it were dirty.

I fake chuckle along with him and look around the room for Ellie.

"You know Y/n.. I could use a wife like you." I choke on my own spit.

His expression remains giddy.

"Excuse me?" I say as I stare at him in shock.

"Imagine our kingdoms combined! What power we would have… I could even make you my Empress." He says, leaning down and whispering in my ear. I lean away and avoid putting a look of disgust on my face.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm in a healthy, loving relationship right now." My response is as it always will have to be: Kind enough not to break his heart but stern enough that he hopefully gets the message.

He doesn't.

"Come now; there is no need to play hard to get. I'm sure you've been with many men, but none will ever compare to me." He says lowly. I take a step back and look around the room for Ellie again. She's at the drink table talking to some woman.

"Oh! It seems she's calling me now… I better go, this conversation was enlightening thank you, Emperor Raul.." I practically run to Ellie.

When I get there, she seems pissed off, so I approach with caution.

"What the hell would you know about Jackson 20 years ago?" She spits.

"More than you, it seems, I guess Miller still won't tell you anything." The blonde woman taunts.

"Look, I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but you better shut the hell up."

"Why? Gonna fight me, Williams?"

I break the two apart.

"Enough, I won't have a commotion at this ball. Listen, lady, I don't know who you are since you seem to be from Emperor Raul's group, but you shouldn't go around starting fights with people."

The blonde woman glares at me but bows nonetheless.

"I'll see you around. Ellie.." She says lowly before walking off. Letting a breath of relief out, I turn to Ellie.

"You ok?" I ask first while looking her over.

"Yea just pissed off. Said her name was Abby, then started talking shit about Joel. Don't know what her problem is," Ellie says, unclenching her fists. She grabs a drink and swallows it all in one go. I wince, knowing it must burn. She wipes her mouth, slams the cup back down on the table, grabs my hand, and drags me to the dance floor. I sigh and let her know she needs this.

"I need a dance, my light. Do you mind?" she asks with a pitiful expression. Smiling, I get into the proper dancing position and wait for her to join me. I watch her frown turn to a grin as she grabs hold of me and begins to lead.

The quartet on stage begins to play Camille 2000, and the dancing begins. I keep an eye on Emperor Raul and Abby as we dance for Ellie's sake. She spins me, and when I come back around, my eyes snap to hers. My moth and sweet darkness. I lose myself in the most lovely shade of green as we dance and sway. Her hands find my hips as she lifts and spins me. My gown goes in all directions, and I try not to laugh too loudly. Ellie sets me back down before dipping me. While dipped, the sound of glass breaking and bloody screams snap me out of my daze.

Ellie lifts me immediately. I lose my footing from how fast she does so and almost crash into her. Looking around to survey what on Midiri is happening, I spot four men clad in all-black gear, but there could be more. They look like the men who tried to kill me that night in my room. Chills wrack my entire body as Ellie pulls me behind her. At first, I thought they were here for me, but all of a sudden, they turned to Raul and began to attack him. Gasps and screams echo throughout the room as Raul yells out orders to help him.

I honestly didn't care if he died; it just couldn't be in my kingdom. If I were blamed for his death, it would cause a war that I most definitely didn't need.

People run in all different directions, trying to get away from the assassins. Grabbing onto Ellie to get her attention works, and her eyes snap to mine.

"We need to kill those assassins! If he's killed in Midiri, war will follow!" I hoped the panic in my voice was enough, and I walked out from behind her. Screaming orders at my guards, I ask one of them to hand me their daggers. They do so, and I start running to one of the men; he doesn't see me coming as I drive one dagger into his back and drag it downwards. His bloodcurdling scream reaches my ears, and I wince. Pulling the dagger from his back, I go to stand him in the front when another one of the men tackles me to the ground and moves to punch me. Vines wrap around him and pull him off me as Ellie helps me up.

"You ok?" She asks, a bit out of breath.

"Yea, just got the shit tackled out of me, is all," I say loud enough for her to hear. She nods and puts her forehead to mine for a moment before rushing off to continue with the fight. I pick up the daggers I drop and watch Ellie and Raul fight off the men for a second. It seemed Raul had a fire affinity as he set the one he was currently fighting on fire. My guards come running, and a few of them use their affinities as well. As I joined the fight, I saw the one she wrapped in vines creep up to her. Panic clouds my brain as I try and run over to her in time. I trip over my dress and fall to the floor as tears wrack my body. More masked men drop into the ballroom through windows and balconies.

What happened to my guards?

I screamed out her name, but she was too busy fighting another one of the masked men. Just as she's about to get stabbed, I scream as loudly as I can and feel the energy rush from my core and out of my hands. The mental barrier shatters as the energy bolts toward the man. Once it reaches him, he explodes. Bits of him go flying everywhere as everything around that area gets a fresh coat of blood. I scream again. Ellie's back is covered in it, and I stumble to my feet towards her.

I glance at Raul to make sure he's not dead to see him staring at me in horror. Staring like I'm a monster.

Deep breaths in and deep breaths out. The both of us stare. Another breath, then another masked man tries attacking him. I turn away and rush to Ellie. The bastard could handle himself; I had someone to protect.

Fighting continues as people continue to try to leave the room.

I watch as people scream and pound on them to no avail.

Why were the doors locked?

I had no more time to wonder as another masked man approached me with a DaDao. He slices at the air as I dodge and try to devise a solution. With no real fighting experience, my chances weren't looking good. Using my affinity wasn't easy either, and I couldn't rely on it. My best chance was to just keep dodging and wait for the perfect time to strike.

Watching his movements, I notice he swings right and then down. So, while his sword is down, I tackle him to the ground. Taken by surprise, his weapon goes flying, giving me the chance to stab him. He grabs hold of my wrists, so I slam my forehead against his nose. I must've broken it 'cause he cries out in pain, and I hear a snap. Using this chance, I plunge my right dagger through his eye, killing him instantly. Panting, I get off him and check my surroundings. Ellie was fine and had gotten hold of a gun. She was shooting at more men when they jumped through the windows. Seeing she's ok I spare a glance at Raul. He's been stabbed in the side but seems to be managing fine. Guards are scattered around the room, keeping nobles safe while others fight off more men with Ellie. With a groan, I move to help Raul despite my dislike of him. However, before I go over to him, I tear my dress for better freedom of movement. I needed every advantage I could get. Swearing out loud and internally, I sneak up behind one of the masked men and jump on him. Mustering up all the adrenaline I have, I stab as quickly and efficiently as I can. He drops, and I get off him.

"How many more of these bastards are there?!" I shout to no one in particular.

"Seems they're slowing down! Just hold on!" Ellie yells from across the room. Sensing a bit of fear in her, I decided to watch her back. Running over to her, I place my back against her.

"How many bullets do you have left, El!?" I shout over the sound of bullets firing and affinities being used.

"Not fucking enough." She yells back. Ellie didn't like to use her affinity too much in case someone saw it but used it earlier to save me anyway.

I swear a few times before focusing on my affinity. Throwing my gloves to the ground, I let it flow freely from my fingertips. I had no idea what that exploding someone affinity was, but if I could use the darkness, Ellie and I would have an advantage. Letting the energy flow from my chest was so much easier without the emotional blockage. Darkness seeps from my hands and begins pooling all over the floor, but it's not enough. Focusing as hard as I can, the room suddenly goes black, and sounds begin to muffle.

"Ellie! Use your affinity now!" I scream, hoping she can hear me. Instead of getting a response, I feel vines wrap around my legs securing me in place.

Suddenly, the whole room shakes, and through the darkness, I can see thorned vines wrapping around the men and squeezing them to death. Screams are muffled, but they're still ridiculously loud. I wanted to cover my ears, but I had to focus on fueling the darkness. Suddenly, calloused hands cover my ears, and the screaming stops. Glancing up, I see Ellie's concentrated face and tear up. She stood behind me, so it wasn't easy, but I could tell she was having trouble focusing on the men.

"I can't tell where they all are!" She shouts loud enough for me to hear her while still managing to block out the screams.

Looking around, I notice I can sense where everyone is. I begin shouting to her where they are and watch as vines strangle them to death. My eyes watch every little death as I yell to Ellie their locations. Guilt seeps in, but I remind myself that these men were not my friends.

"How do you know where they are?!" She yells.

"I.. I don't know! I guess I can see more than you can?" I yell back.

"I could barely see you enough, let alone find your ears!!" Her voice is still muffled, so I'm guessing that's what she said.

"I'm gonna try and use the darkness offensively!! Hold on!!" I scream as I focus on my energy. Somehow, I was still going despite using so much energy simultaneously. Moving my hands outwards once more, I command the darkness to suffocate the masked men… It listens. Bodies gasp for air before they drop to the ground. I watch as darkness concentrates on every masked man and shoves itself down their throats before leaving like nothing happened. Once I no longer see a living masked man, I command the darkness back to me. It does just that and swirls around my hands and arms like armor. Ellie removes her hands from my ears and walks around to stand before me.

"Are you ok? " she asks, crouching down to my level. I watch her breathe in and out a few times before mirroring it and nodding.

"Yea? You?" I ask, looking her over. She had a small cut on her cheek and some blood all over her, but other than that, she looked fine.

"Never better. Come on, " she says, standing and holding a hand out to me. I take it, and she lifts me off the ground before pulling me into a soul-crushing hug. All the wind is pushed out of me as I smile.

"Ellie, love, I can't breathe.." I whisper.

"Then the hug is good enough." She replies, letting me go a few seconds later. We stare at each other for a few moments when, all of a sudden, Raul begins yelling for his guards. Nobles who had been stuck in the room walked back over to us and gasped at the dead bodies. Whispers are covered by the screaming of Raul's anger. At least he wasn't dead.

He sets his eyes on me and starts storming towards me. Ellie begins to pull me back, but I stand on my ground. I glance at her and nod, letting her know I've got this. She relents with a sigh, and I turn back to Raul as he stomps through the ballroom.

"You cunt! You did this! Next time you don't want to accept a marriage proposal, just say so! No need to try and kill me!!" His screaming echoes across the room, and I glare at him.

"You think I did this? I just saved your rude ass! Not only did you enter my kingdom for no reason other than to meet me, but with very little time to prepare! You also ignored my rejection of you and continued to pester me about marriage despite me telling you I was already with someone!! And even though you pulled all that shit, I still put myself out there to protect you. Oh, and by the way, THAT WAS A NO!!" My voice is strong but exudes frustration. This pathetic excuse for a man was not going to talk down to me.

"This was clearly an assassination attempt set up by you!! The only reason you helped was to make it look like it wasn't. You are not fit to be Queen if you try and murder people of higher power than you!!" He scolds.

"You don't get to determine that. Get out of my kingdom." My voice is like ice as I demand his departure.

His eyes narrow before a grin spreads across his face. "Fine.. but you will regret this." He adjusts his outfit and snaps his fingers. That Abby woman comes running up to him and bows. I glance between the two in confusion before Raul's words devastate me.

"Kill them," he says coldly before walking away and out the door. Abby grins and pulls out two swords, and I back up to Ellie. I couldn't risk Ellie or my people, but I didn't know what to do.

"Get behind me," Ellie whispers as Raul's guards enter the room through the doors. They begin attacking people, and I hear screams come from the hallways. A sickening realization hits me as blood soaks the floors of the ballroom.

Raul had been planning this all along.

"No..no no no no no!" I scan the room for Elody and see her fighting men off.

"Y/n, look at me. We need to get you somewhere safe-" Ellie starts trying to drag me to the balcony as I panic.

"NO! No, I can't just leave! You run! Go tell Joel about what's happening here. I still have some energy." I ramble, wiping the cut on her cheek.

"I'm not leaving you, " she replies sternly. If she were to stay, I'd risk losing her. I couldn't lose her, even if it meant losing myself.

"I'm sorry, Ellie.." I whisper before I surround her in darkness and push her onto the balcony. She yells at me to stop and to let her help, but I don't listen. Closing the door to the balcony and locking it, I take a deep breath, knowing she's safe. She'd be mad, but there was no way in hell I was going to let her die.

Now to deal with these fuckers. I had to act quickly if I wanted to save everyone that mattered to me. Moving towards Elody, I see Abby brutally murder a small group of nobles and decide to deal with her first. Grabbing a dagger off the floor, I coat it in darkness before throwing it at Abby. Using the darkness coating it, I guide it straight towards Abby. Somehow, she senses it coming and gets out of the way. But not without it grazing her side. I watch as a large gash gushes blood. She clutches her side before storming in my direction, sword raised. Preparing to take her on time seems too slow…

Abby swings at me, but vines pull her back, and the sword slices Ellie's chest.

Blood is everywhere. I let out a bloodcurdling scream and caught her. Tears begin to flow faster than I can control. I scream again, and glass shatters everywhere. Abby clutches her ears as blood drips from them. She takes a step back, unable to remove her hands as I scream. I was going to kill her. And she could tell.

Lowering Ellie to the ground, I sob over her. Abby runs as fast as she can, holding her side. Lighting flashes through the room, and I look up to see Elody blocking Abby from leaving. I want to scream at her. Tell her it's not worth it, and I'll kill her someday. But my voice doesn't carry very far.

I watch as Abby stabs Elody in the stomach. I watch as she coughs up blood, and her eyes roll to the back of her head. I watch Elody fall to the floor and die.

Sobbing and clutching onto Ellie for dear life, I try and keep the blood from overflowing with the darkness.

But darkness doesn't heal.

Blood pools onto my dress and the floor, and I beg for Ellie to make it through this.

"Ellie, please…. Stay with me," my choked sobs and pleas reach deaf ears, but Ellie still looks up at me and smiles.

She was dying in my arms, and there was nothing I could do about it. Except smile back so that the very last thing she can see will be just that. A smile, a smile of someone who loves her wholeheartedly.

She closes her eyes, and I scream once more. Someone taps me on the shoulder, and I look up to see Nakir. His face is urgent, but I can't handle any more bad news.

"I- Ellie- she-" I try to explain through choked sobs, but nothing comes out.

"I can save her. But you need to let me see the wound." He sounds far too calm, but I have decided to trust him.

Pulling away from her wound, I allow Nakir to see it. Holding onto her for dear life, I watch as Nakir uses his affinity to heal Ellie. Warmth dances across the both of us, and the cuts I have to begin to disappear as well. A ball of light surrounds the two of us, and I glance at Nakir to see his face is full of concentration. Checking on Ellie, I watch as her wound stitches itself back up and forms a scar. My tears flow faster, tears of joy that she might live.

After a few moments, Nakir lets out a deep breath, and the light stops. Immediately, I give Ellie a once-over and put my head on her chest. Listening for a heartbeat with bated breath…

Ba-dum

Ba-dum

Faint but there. I exhale and bring her head to my chest.

"Thank you, Nakir.. I'll find some way to pay you back for this, I swear.." I sniffle and grab one of his hands, squeezing it.

"No need.. It's my job to protect Ellie.." His voice is calm but warm.

"How do you mean?" I ask, confused. There was something I wasn't getting here.

"Joel sent me here to watch over her. It's why I was assigned as your aide.. I'm sorry for not telling you.."

Nakir was Joel's spy… "Wha- how-"

"I don't have time to explain; we need to get you both to safety. Oren has already secured a safe house."

"Oren?" He huffs and motions for me to stand. I glance down at Ellie and debate if I can lift her. Rolling my shoulders, I lift her into my arms and stand.

How on earth did she carry me for so long?

I was not about to look like some weakling in front of Nakir, so I kicked off my heels for better balance and coat my feet in darkness to prevent them from getting cut up. Wrapping darkness around my arms for better support helped a little, and I followed Nakir. He has a sword and pistol strapped to his belt. So, I was assuming he would be doing most of the fighting. We pass Elody's body, and I blink back tears.

Screams still fill the halls. I wanted to help them all, but I had Ellie to take care of first, and I was done trusting people to take care of things for me. Following Nakir to the basement of the palace, we reach a painting. He looks around before knocking on the painting with a specific pattern before it opens, and Oren opens it. He glances around and ushers us in. Confusion is etched onto my face as I climb over the small lip and walk into a panic room. Shelves line the walls stocked full of supplies and people fill the space. The small room is a slate grey, and I see a small door that leads to a bathroom in the corner. It smells like sweat and blood in here, and I can't help but worry about injuries I can't even see. The Prime Minister is in here, along with my maids, General Roe, and a bunch of other familiar faces. I spot a cot and set Ellie on it gently. Moving hair out of her face, I kissed her forehead before taking a deep breath and facing everyone.

"I'm going back out there," I say to the room before heading over to the painting.

"Your Majesty, please," General Roe says, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"There's not much we can do right now."

"People are dying, general, and you're hiding in here like a coward. I will not sit in a room silent while they're out there fighting for their lives," I say sternly. There was no need for me to be rude, but I couldn't contain my emotions well after everything that had just happened.

"I understand you're upset, but-"

Knocks sound at the painting, and all our heads snap in that direction. Oren glances at us before cautiously opening it to reveal a knight with a chest wound.

"I have word! For her Majesty the Queen!" The knight's voice is filled with terror as Oren helps him in.

"Please sit," I say as soothingly as I can, motioning for him to sit on a cot.

Instead of sitting, he walks over to me, clutches my arms, and with a shaky voice says,

"Emperor Raul has declared war! His troops are already making their way here! Your Majesty, you must do something!"

My heart races, and I begin to panic as the cruel realization sets in.

We were at war with the Mortican Empire.

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"What's got you all down?" he asks, sipping his tea. Oren was surprisingly fun to be around, and I found myself happy we were friends. I'd come to trust him a little, so maybe it couldn't hurt to tell him about Ellie.

"Let's say I wasn't entirely straight …" I start off slowly, unsure how he'll react.

"Ok…" He looks at me like he's confused about how that matters. I huff and roll my eyes at him.

"Alright, and let's say… I like this girl.."

"Can't relate, but alright," I look at him weirdly before continuing.

"And she… doesn't love me back….."

"Wait, is this about Prince Ellie?" He asks, sitting up straight.

"What- how the fuck did you-"

"Ha! Knew it. My gaydar is never wrong."

That was the thing about Oren. He didn't seem all that straight to me either, but I didn't want to comment on it. Plus, I felt rude for just assuming.

"Your gaydar..? Seriously? What about me set off the alarm bells??"

"You look at that woman like she hung the moon. You kept her letters. Your style is impeccable, and you started listening to AC/DC just 'cause she told you it was good music, which was a big fat lie. Led Zeppelin is way better." He says, listing things off on his fingers. I throw a pillow at him, and he smiles.

"My point is… It was obvious to me, but it won't be obvious to others. The only thing is the letters. Where did you put those, by the way? I saw you carry them out of the courtroom?" he asks, taking another sip of his tea. I sigh, glance at the fireplace, and stick my tongue in my cheek.

"Might've.. Set them on fire.." I mutter. He looks at me like I'm crazy and sets his tea down.

"Bad breakup? You never get over your first…" He mutters that last part, but I still catch it.

"Shut up; we didn't break up; she just-"

"Said you were 'good friends' in front of a courtroom."

"Will you knock it off!" I say, throwing another pillow at him. This time, he catches it and grins.

He sets the pillow down and says, "Look… I know it may not seem like it… But I get it.."

I slowly look back up to him, confused. "What do you mean? Have you ever been in love?"

"Yup.. still am.." He says softly, looking at the ground.

"It's not right?" I ask, looking at him suspiciously. He looks up and glares at me for the first time in our whole friendship.

"I'm gay, Y/n."

"Hi Gay, nice to meet you," I say, grinning at him.

This time, when he throws a pillow at me, I squeal.

"What are you, my dad?" He asks, grabbing another pillow.

"No… you're dad would've called you a fag and beat the shit out of you."

"Ow… no need to get realistic on me here."

"Right, sorry.. At least you have parents."

"Come on…." He says, holding his arms out in frustration.

We burst out in laughter and he relaxes back into the couch.

"Seriously, though, I support you… Who are you crushing on, though?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows.

His face and ears turn a distinct pink. "Well…you know your aide? The one with the black curly hair..?"

"NAKIR?? You like-" His hands are covering my mouth in an attempt to shut me up. I pull his hands off and look up at him.

"That's so cute!! I can find out if he's into men for you." My offer echoed in the room, his face turning a deep red.

"Will you shush! I don't want anyone else to know."

I hold my hands up in mock surrender as he sits back down.

"Ehem, yes, it's Nakir." He sips his tea again and sighs. "I know he's into men, but I just can't get the courage to ask him out."

"Well, I'm not sure how to help you out there… As I'm terrible at it, too.."

We both just sit and sulk for a while when I break the silence.

"Look, how about we both just do our best from here on out. If something good happens or a chance appears… We take it."

Oren looks at me like I'm weird again before sighing. "Alright.. I suppose that'll work for now.."

"So, how has work been?"

"Seriously, you're bringing up work, of all things?"

"Well- I'm curious, alright… It's odd having a Duke that's actually on my side."

"I'm just glad I didn't inherit his cold, dead eyes," Oren says, fiddling with his teacup.

"You know Nakir has cold dead eyes… you sure you're not into that?"

"They're not cold and dead. They're just emotionless." He argues.

"Uh huh.. If you say so."

Bumping into Ellie after that mess of a court is the most awkward and painful thing I've ever done. She says nothing, yet her expressions scream, and all I want to do is get rid of the awkward silence. It happened again today as I walked through the halls of the palace. I decided to go to the library to see what it was all about so I could read about previous queens and how they ruled. Having a plan to change things and actually changing things were, well… two very different things. I turn the corner. Ellie almost runs me over with how fast she's walking. She seemed upset by something, but I didn't dare ask what.

She looks me in the eyes, and I see her own widening. As she takes a step back, I get a good look at her. Her hair was unkempt, more so than usual, and she had bags under her eyes. The sleepless night kind.

We both say nothing for a moment before we both start at once.

"I-

"You-"

Instead of being mature and talking to her like an adult, I decide I'm done with this conversation.

"I need to get to the library… Excuse me.." Obviously, I avoid her eyes and walk around her like some sort of coward before making a beeline for the library. I sigh as I enter the library, my heart heavy. Just moons ago, she was my everything… Now, I'm left picking up the scraps of what once was. I just wanted her back. The library suddenly felt a million miles away, and I wished for nothing more than to rewind to a better moment, to say the right things, to bridge the ever-growing distance between us.

But that was an ever-growing fever dream.

Another few weeks go by, and I've made more changes to my council and even parliament. I was one step closer to making my kingdom something I was proud of. So far, I hadn't been able to determine which one of my maids betrayed me, and I was getting no step closer. Whichever one of them it was had talent in the acting field. When I subtly asked any of them about it, they all gave me accurate answers that I couldn't diffute. Whoever it was would eventually feel my wrath.

Mulling over my thoughts in bed before sleep had become somewhat of a routine for me. So, like every night, I was thinking with my eyes closed. I was also maladaptively daydreaming a bit, too, if I may. However, tonight was… different.

There was a draft that I hadn't felt before, and my skin had goosebumps. I go to open my eyes when I hear movement and a click. Someone was on my balcony… and they had a gun. Reaching under my pillow ever so slowly, I wrap my hand around the dagger handle I kept under there. I open my eyes in the dark room and see three silhouettes. My eyes were already adjusted to the dark, but theirs weren't, so I had to be quick. I roll off the bed and throw my pillow off the bed in the other direction. I land as quietly as I can when a suppressed gunshot goes off. Looking under my bed, I glance to the other side and see feathers everywhere. Suppressing my fear, I crawl over to the nearest couch and hold my dagger high off the ground so it doesn't scrape. I wished I had my phone to call for help, but there was no use in wishing right now.

I had to think this through. There are three armed people in my room with weapons, and they are trying to kill me. If I take one out, the other two will surely kill me. But I couldn't go down without a fight. Maybe if I could make it to the balcony and jump down? The two guards down there were good, but I wasn't sure of the skills these three had yet. I may be safer hiding for now.

One of them creeps to the balcony door and closes it.

Fuck.. that only left two options, kill the three of them or leave through the front door somehow. My chances weren't looking good. If I wanted any information, I'd need to keep one of them alive. Deciding on what to do, I move to a crouch around the couch as they walk through my room. One of the bastards walks into my walk-in closet and steals a pair of my underwear, and I feel myself get red in the face. I was killing that motherfucker first. One stays near the balcony door, while the other stays in my closet, looking for me. Lucky for them, they were going to. My legs shake slightly as I maneuver around my room to the closet. I manage to get behind him and stand before I stab him in the neck. Blood pours from the wound, and I cover their mouth to keep them quiet. I pull the dagger out and hear the sloshing sound it makes before I gag.

Holy shit, I just killed someone.

My whole body shakes as I pat them down and take his suppressed pistol. Quietly, I let out a shaky breath and sneak back out of the closet. All they had on them were bullets and gum, oddly enough. The two other men seemed to have grown impatient and decided to come over. I just barely hide behind a couch when one of them flicks on their flashlight.

"Holy shit. I thought you said this was gonna be an easy job!" One whisper yells.

"They told me it would be! One of her little bitches was gonna leave the balcony unlocked, and we'd just shoot her and leave." The other replies. While they keep talking, I sneak my way to the door. I'm almost there when they come out of the closet and spot me. I screamed as loudly as I could, and they ran over to me.

"You! What the fuck did you do to Bram!" He says as he takes me by the arm and drags me to my feet. I drop my dagger, and he yanks the gun from my other hand. I pull as hard as possible, but his grip is too firm. "With a name like Bram, he had it coming," I say before spitting in his face. If I was dying tonight, I was going out my way. He grumbles, "You bitch.. You're coming with us," and turns me around so my back is pressed up against his chest. His grimy hand covers my mouth, and he nods to the other one. They begin to drag me to the balcony, and I kick and fight as hard as I can. Thinking this is it, I start to sob and scream one last time.

The man dragging me cuffs my wrists, gags me, and hauls me over his shoulder when the door slams open. I can't see who it is, but I decide it can't hurt to try to wiggle my way down. Slamming the metal of the cuffs against his back, the man groans but doesn't let me go. The person who just came in is now getting shot at by these two, and I worry for their safety. I don't hear them get hurt, though. The two remaining men cease their fire to reload.

"Fuck now there's someone else."

"We need to leave. Now. Get her out of here."

But before they can take me any further, the man holding me shot in both legs with a suppressed pistol. He cries out in pain and drops to the floor, me along with him. Once on the floor, I try and roll away.

"For fucks sake, I'm done with this bullshit." The remaining man says, and he aims the gun at me. I see my life flash before my eyes when suddenly a bullet goes through his forehead. He falls to the floor in front of me, and I scream into the gag. Someone puts a hand on me, but I jump and try to get away. I realize it's my savior and look up to see Ellie. She looks down at me, terrified, and looks me over once.

"Are you hurt anywhere??" Panic fills her voice, and she pats me down everywhere. I shake my head, and she grabs her switchblade from her jeans pocket. She slices the gag off me in the back and immediately pulls me into her. For a moment, I feel nothing… but a few seconds later, it all comes flowing out. I sob into her till my mouth is dry. She pulls me onto her lap and, with one hand, grabs the handcuff key from the dead assassin. A click sound follows, and she tosses the handcuffs somewhere before wrapping both arms around me. I was getting blood on her green button-down. My chest felt constricted, but I needed to thank her. I needed to say something.

"Ellie-"

"Breathe normally first. Then we will talk, " she says softly as she looks me over once more. Guards barge into the room and, along with them, light, light on the whole situation.

Three dead bodies.

Three lives taken.

My breathing becomes irregular, and I grasp Ellie's shirt tightly. The world spins, and I can't breathe. Deep, shaky breaths find their way to me before suddenly I'm gasping for air.

Three dead bodies

Three lives taken

One by my hand

I start to whisper it. "Three dead bodies… three lives taken… one by my hand."

I'm sobbing uncontrollably, and no one's voice reaches my ears. I feel a grasp, a pull, but it doesn't register.

"…reathe Breathe Y/n…"

I was trying, wasn't I?

I feel a hand on my back, and suddenly, my senses are filled with pine and bergamot, some weed, rain, and Mother Earth. Big gaping breaths become slower and more controlled as I inhale all that is Ellie.

I needed the darkness again. In the darkness, the light couldn't reach me.

Footsteps surround me, and orders are being yelled, but my head is still foggy. Fingers wipe my face. A forehead kiss so soft and gentle, given by Ellie to me. My mind clears enough for me to whisper, "I want the darkness again.."

Ellie stares into my eyes as more tears flow out of my own. She wraps her arms underneath my knees and my upper back and stands. Too weak to argue or protest, I just let her carry me and rest my head on her shoulder. She leaves my room and goes to hers, where it's dark and empty. I relax a little, yet I'm still shaking uncontrollably. The darkness is so intense here that I can't see anything, unlike my room. I feel Ellie shift, and she sets me fully on her bed. She goes to let me go, and I grab onto her and hold on for dear life.

"Don't worry..just grabbing you a clean shirt and closing the canopy.. promise.."

She whispers, and I slowly let go. I try to follow where she goes but can't see because it's so wonderfully dark in here. A drawer opens somewhere to the right of me, and I hear Ellie's footsteps. She sits back down on the bed and fiddles with the hem of my shirt.

"May I..? Don't worry, I can't see you. We just gotta get this blood-soaked night down off…"

I nodded before realizing she couldn't see me and inwardly facepalmed. I wasn't wearing anything underneath, but it didn't matter.

"Yea.." I say softly. My shirt is gone instantly with a type of skilled practice I don't want to know about. Soft fabric covers me once again, and I smell a bit of pine on this shirt, too. Maybe it was a cologne she used or something.

"Better…?" Her voice is soft; I can tell she's trying to soothe me.

"Mhm.. I.. thank you, Ellie…" I whisper.

I wished I could see her face, but for now, I was happy to hear her soft reply, "No problem… Get some sleep, Y/n.."

I yawned and lay down in Ellie's bed, in her shirt, next to her. It was a dream come true after such a nightmare. It took a while for me to fall asleep, but when I finally did, I certainly didn't remember a thing about it.

The next morning, I woke up with my head on Ellie's neck and my legs wrapped around hers. Realizing the position I'm in, I open my eyes and panic. I needed to leave before Ellie woke up anyway. Slipping out from our position, I sneak out and make my way to the door. Walking around the castle in just Ellie's shirt and some pajama shorts, I realize I have nowhere to go. Cursing, I decided to see the General and speak with him about what had happened the previous night. Knocking on his door, I fiddle with Ellie's shirt. The door suddenly opens, and a butler I've never seen before stares at me in shock before bowing and flustering together apologies. I mutter forgiveness before he moves out of the way and motions for me to enter. General Roe sits at his desk, flicking through papers with a concerned look when I walk in. When he sees me, he immediately stands up and bows to me.

"Your Majesty. I'd like to start by saying how sorry I am that this has happened. We're investigating it right now as we speak." "Thank you for the apology. Can you give me a.. Summary of what transpired last night..?"

He straightens up and motions for me to sit, "Of course. Where would you like me to start?"

"Start with how it happened," I say, sitting down. He follows and straightens the papers on his desk once more before clearing his throat. "They snuck in through the balcony, as I'm sure you already know. However, they killed the guards that were posted there instead of sneaking around them. This tells you they were after your life and possibly to bring you back somewhere with as little risk as possible. They couldn't afford to be caught, so they eliminated the risk instead."

So even if I had made it to the balcony, those men wouldn't have been able to save me. That makes me shiver, and I see a look of concern pass the General's face.

"I see… my condolences to your men.." Sorrow laces my voice as I express my sympathy.

"I'll tell their families, Your Majesty…As for what happened last night… If you can.. Could you explain what happened from your point of view?" His face is etched in concern, but I take a deep breath.

I explained what had happened from beginning to end in as much detail as possible. General Roe seems shocked that I killed a man, but he looks furious when I tell him how one of my maids left the balcony unlocked.

"Why, I ought to have each of them interrogated!" He says, banging his fist on his desk furiously.

"I've been trying to figure out who it is on my own, but I've had no such luck… Perhaps we could avoid hurting them while still figuring it out..?" I ask, a little scared for the innocent three.

General Roe sighs and rubs his temples in frustration. If I didn't know any better, I'd say his salt-and-pepper hair got even whiter.

"I will do my best, Your Highness… But until then, you'll need four new maids… I will have background checks done immediately." "Thank you.. I know I'm asking a lot."

"Yes, so I hope you don't mind me changing an aspect of your safety. I feel it would be beneficial for you to have a guard stationed with you at all times. It'll be the same person, so they'll get quite comfortable with you."

It wasn't the best outcome, but it wasn't the worst either. Hopefully, they were kind.

"Alright.. I suppose I'll allow it." I huff and stand. This meeting had been rather productive so I was happy with the outcome.

"Where will I be staying in the meantime?" I ask.

He looks up from the paperwork once more and smiles, "The king's quarters. Since there is no king right now, the room is empty. The head maid has already decorated it to your liking, so it should look quite similar."

"Right.." I'd have to thank the head maid, "And what about my maids for the time being?"

"I'll have them sent over right away. We have some safe options still of course. I'll take good care of your old ones, I promise." He says, bowing his head before looking back up at me.

"Thank you, General Roe.."

"Thank you for not firing me, Your Majesty." His grin is contagious, and I find myself smiling.

I nod once to him before I leave and head to the king's room or my temporary room. My new maids come around about five minutes after I get there myself and begin moving my things and bringing me food. Memorizing four new names and faces was going to be… annoying, to say the least. It felt weird to yet again have complete strangers be in charge of so much regarding my life.

A few hours later, I'm in new clothes and have had a deep exfoliation bath. My skin was still red, a little from how hard I scrubbed it. I was hesitant in fear that It had been poisoned, but they tested it for anything before I ate. Eating came easy when the first bite went down, and I didn't immediately kick the bucket. As soon as I take the last bite, a hard knock sounds at the door, and before one of the new maids can open it, Ellie barges in and rushes over to me.

"Did you just kick down my door? What the-"

"First of all! Why didn't you wake me up?! " she yells, waving her arms a little in a frustrated manner. I take a dainty sip of my tea and look up at her sweetly. "Whatever do you mean, Ellie?"

She glared down at me and glanced at the new staff before looking back at me and motioning for them to leave. I could tell she was a bit upset, which was fair, considering we still had much to discuss.

"Ladies, I need a moment."

One protests, "But-"

"Out," I say seriously. She immediately turns red in the face, curtsies, and rushes out of the room like a dog with its tail between its legs. I sigh and turn back to Ellie.

"Alright, go on.. They're gone."

"I'm sorry for yelling…but I was so worried when you woke up and weren't there I-"

"I'm sorry too Ellie.. I should've at least left a note. I sincerely apologize.." I say in a genuine tone of voice.

She visibly relaxes, and I watch her go from upset to concerned.

"How are you doing"

I feel spit go down my neck as the silence thickens. "Could be better.. I um.. I'm avoiding closets for a bit, I think.."

She nods in understanding and does that thing where she fiddles with her fingers.

"What you did for me last night, Ellie-"

"Don't."

She says suddenly, and I furrow my brows in confusion. She maneuvers the chair next to me so the back of it leans against her front, her arms resting on it as she stares at me.

"Don't what?"

"Don't thank me for doing exactly what you would've done for me." She says quietly.

"I should still thank you-"

"And you have.." Interrupting always pissed me off, but it seemed Ellie doing so was the exception.

"Fine… instead, is there anything I can do to repay you?" Her eyebrows raise, and she gives a pondering look before saying, "Come with me to Jackson."

This time, I was the confused one. "Ellie, are you sure those guys didn't somehow hit you in the head? I can't just.. Pack up and leave Midiri… I'm the Queen."

She rolls her eyes and huffs, "Yea, I know that you dork, come just for a little while… as like a diplomatic thing…"

"Why are you suddenly bringing this up-?"

"Joel found out about what happened… And he wants me home. I can't refuse his direct orders, " she says bitterly as she messes with her fingers again. My heart drops, and I realize I am now losing Ellie, too.

"No.. No… you're joking, right? Ellie, tell me you're joking."

"Come with me." She pleads, taking my hands in hers.

"We can keep you safe in Jackson until things are quieter here. It'll be the perfect getaway…Jackson is in the mountains, and I can show you so many things."

I stand and begin to pace. "Just..in Jackson.. With you… Dina..and.. Jesse?"

"And Joel..I joke about him being annoying all the time, but he's not all that bad. I'm sure he'd love you."

"Jeez, it's like you're taking me home to meet the family.." I mutter.

"What?"

"Oh.. nothing.. Anyway, when do you have to leave?"

"….tomorrow…." Her voice is slightly squeaky as she says it as quietly as possible.

"What!! Tomorrow!?"

She stares at me with that sheepish grin of hers, and I give her my best glare.

"Look, I didn't know until Jesse gave me his letter this morning. Apparently, he got word almost immediately. I wonder if he has a spy here… He probably does..whatever, the point is I gotta go, and you should come with me."

She rambles, and I almost miss the spy thing before blinking a few times to get it all to register.

I turned on my heel and stared at the floor for a second. This was pretty big. Going to another country as a royal for the first time when I was still freshly crowned was a massive safety concern. However, I trusted Ellie and wanted to go with her. Things could settle down here, and I would get a vacation out of it.

"I'll go on one condition," I say, turning to her once more.

"Anything." Well, damn, I didn't expect her to say that so fast.

"I want King Joel to know and be ok with it."

Ellie grins, and my eyebrows furrow. "He's already asked that you come with me." She boasts about it as if it were some major accomplishment.

"Fine.. then I'll come," I say with a small smile. She jumps up from her chair and tackles me into a hug.

"Fuck yea! Let's go pack right now; we gotta-"

"Woah Woah Ellie… I gotta let so many people know it may take a while."

"Man fuck those people, you're coming to Jackson!"

I roll my eyes but smile. "Yes, I'm coming to Jackson… Just give me two hours, alright?"

"Ugh, fine. But I'm timing you, " she says before she kisses my cheek and heads to the door.

"See you in two hours!"

I stare at the door in shock and shake my head. What was I going to do with her…

The trip to Jackson went very well, and I even got to fly in a private jet for the first time. Ellie nervously insisted I stay by her side to "keep me safe," as she said, but I wasn't buying it. I think she was just excited to show me her home. We hop in a limo, much like the first one I was ever in, and head to Jackson Castle. Ellie told me it was considered a castle instead of a palace because it was so much older than most things around here. That and it was mostly a military fortress instead of a home.

Once inside, we make our way to the throne room, where King Joel sits on a throne. He was exactly as Ellie had described—so much so that I had to stifle a laugh. Sitting on the throne, he looks utterly bored and is currently wearing flannel, jeans, and muddy horse riding boots. It didn't seem to be out of rudeness, as no one blinked an eye at it. Meaning he wore that in most situations. I smile and curtsey to him.

"Hello, King Joel. It's an honor to make your acquaintance." Lifting my head, I see he's not even looking at me and is walking over to Ellie.

"Just Joel is fine." He says gruffly before looking Ellie up and down as if looking for injuries.

"You alright kiddo?" Joel asks, ruffling her already unkempt hair. She swats at him, and he gives her a smug grin.

"I'm fine, Joel. Now knock it off." Rolling her eyes at him, she glances at me.

"Right.. Joel, this is Y/n.."

Joel finally properly looks my way and nods his head towards me.

"Heard what happened.. 'm real sorry; you should be safe here if I have anything to say about it, and trust me, I do." His tone indicates that he is serious, so I nod my head in thanks.

"Jesse, lead these two to their rooms, please." He adds that last part like he's not used to it and makes his way back to his throne. Jesse rolls his eyes and starts walking.

"Is he allowed to do that?" I whisper to Ellie.

"Not really, but Joel doesn't give a fuck so.." She shrugs, grabs me by the arm, and begins following Jesse.

We spend a little bit of time in our rooms before Joel calls all of us to dinner. Apparently, he likes to cook and usually makes dinner himself, so I was excited to try it.

Sitting around the table, I notice a few faces from newspapers I read in Midiri. Tess, Joel's right-hand woman and the one who basically runs Jackson sits to his left while Tommy, his brother, is on his right. They both gave me basic polite greetings, but refreshingly enough, no one was curtseying or bowing. Ellie sat next to Tess, with me on her other side at the other head of the table and Maria on my right. It was like a cute, tight-knit family. Other tables were spread throughout the room where other families had dinner. For instance, Jesse and Dina sat with his parents and Dina's older sister, Talia. I watch them for a few minutes before I tune into the conversation my table is having.

"So, how did you guys meet?" Maria asks Ellie and I.

"Ha! She told me that the current duke I had was a dick."

No one at the table looks surprised.

"Yea, that's Ellie," Joel comments, taking another bite of his food.

"Oh, come on! You could've at least added the part where I made you laugh so hard you cried, " she complains in protest.

"Yea, but that would make you look good." I counter with a playful expression. She glared at me, and I saw Tess grin from the corner of my eye.

"Jerk…" Ellie mutters, and the table chuckles.

"Oh, yeah, did you bring Savage Starlight back with you?" I ask Ellie before taking another bite of my food. Ellie nods and says, "Yea, I did. It's in my room. I'll let you read them later."

"Don't tell me Ellie dragged you into reading those comics too?" Tommy's voice rings out from across the table.

"Hmm, have I fallen into one of her elaborate schemes?" I ask, feigning disappointment.

"I'm 'fraid you have; she tries to get everyone to read them." He takes a sip of beer and shakes his head.

"Damn it, Ellie," I mutter as she rolls her eyes.

"I asked you to read it once, and you act like I held you at gunpoint and forced you to read it aloud, jackass," Ellie mutters that last bit, and I grin.

"What? Can't hear you from up here! Sorry, you're just too short!" Tommy jokes, and Ellie glares daggers at him.

Ellie mocks him by repeating what he just said only high-pitched.

"Oh, yea, that reminds me, did you get the pun book, Ellie? I saw one in there about a short ruler or something?" Joel says, effectively breaking up the fight. Ellie grins but rolls her eyes.

"That's not how it goes, Joel."

"Well, go on then.. Tell it."

She clears her throat and says, "Did you hear about the royal who is exactly 12 inches tall?"

Various responses are given, but Ellie just shakes her head. "They say she'll make a great ruler." The table chuckles, and I say, "Kind of like you, huh, Ellie?"

She turns her iconic glare on me, and I grin at her.

"Shut up…" Muttering under her breath and slicing her steak, Ellie tries to hide her pride. I guess she was proud of me for making the joke, no matter how much she wanted to pretend otherwise. Ellie was complex like that, an enigma—no doubt a beautiful one, though.

Dinner flies by, and afterwards, Joel stops me to talk. He lets Ellie stay so the conversation can't be too deep. I fiddle with my fingers, a nervous habit I've developed from Ellie.

"I was thinking 'bout how you can't access your affinity and figured you should pay a visit to the affinity master. Now I know it can be a lot, but I think you 'ought to give it a try." His gruff voice is oddly gentle as he gives me advice.

"I've thought about going to an affinity master but figured my affinity would show whenever," I explain. Joel nods his head and glances at Ellie, almost asking her to intervene.

"I understand that. But if something like that happens again, wouldn't you want to have access to that power?" he asks as he leans against the table and crosses his arms.

He did have a good point, and there were no risks going to an affinity master; I was just a little skeptical. Affinity masters were few and far between, and most countries only had one. Once per generation, a noble would be born with the sense to determine other nobles' powers and assess what was going on with them. Since affinities were so complex, it was helpful to have one around.

"You have an excellent point… I will go." My voice is respectful and determined. I can sense Joel sees that. He smiles a little and walks over to Ellie and me. She had been surprisingly quiet this whole time, and I was getting concerned.

Joel ruffles Ellie's hair again, and she rolls her eyes and fixes it once he's done.

"I'm glad you two are safe. Now get some sleep, I'll see you tomorrow."

Ellie and I walk in silence back to our rooms. I wanted to say something in hopes she'd tell me how she was feeling, but I didn't want to push her.

"Don't worry; the Affinity Master here is really nice, " she suddenly says. I look over at her and see an odd expression on her face. Our footsteps echo through the dark grey halls of the castle, and I can't help but wonder what's going through her mind.

"Ellie, is something wrong?"Finally, I asked her, stopped walking, and faced her. Jesse didn't stop with us and just kept walking.

"What..? No. Why?" She stops walking, too, and faces me.

"You just seem… upset about something…"

Ellie doesn't say anything for a moment. She's about to, but Jesse comes around the corner with a pissed-off expression.

"Will you two hurry up? I wanna get to bed before it's tomorrow, please." He says exasperated. Ellie and I glance at each other before she simply mutters later and heads off to her room. Quite frankly, I was this close to smacking the shit out of both of them.

Walking to my room with Jesse I shoot him a glare before I close the door and flop onto my bed. My new maids had come with me, and we were doing various things around the room. However, I didn't have the energy to be social with them. I wondered for a few moments about various things before sliding down onto the floor and lying there for a bit.

Who was to be my guard? And now that I was in Jackson, would they be coming all the way out here?

Eventually, I managed to get into pajamas and get some sleep.

The next few days were filled with Ellie and Dina dragging me to go sightseeing. They gave me a tour of the castle and showed me the garden where Ellie discovered her earth affinity. I thought that was pretty cool. Sometimes, Joel or Tommy would stop us along the way or join us, and I soon came to see their love for Ellie.

However, as much as I wanted to put it off, it was time to see the Affinity Master. Ellie walks by my side as we make our way to his office in the castle. According to Joel, he was expecting me, so I could just walk right in. This felt rude, so I knocked on the door instead.

"Come in!" A scratchy but calming voice calls.

I open the door gently and walk into the room as Ellie follows. She closes the door behind us as I introduce myself.

"Um, Hello there, my name is-"

"Yes! Yes! I know all about you; please come sit."

He seemed very energetic, so I tried not to get annoyed by his interruptions.

I sit down on a chair he had in the middle of the room. While he messes with something, I look around the space. The room is a striking round shape, its walls lined with tall bookshelves that reach almost to the domed ceiling. Each shelf is crammed with an eclectic mix of books—some old with cracked spines, others new and pristine—covering topics from ancient history to modern philosophy. Papers are scattered across the wooden floor, some neatly stacked and others haphazardly tossed aside, hinting at a whirlwind of thoughts and ideas that have filled the space. The centerpiece of the room is a large window spanning nearly the width of the wall. Sunlight spills in, illuminating dust particles that dance in the air. Outside, a view of lush greenery can be seen, providing a serene contrast to the clutter within. Above, the dome adds an air of grandeur, its curved top allowing echoes of sound to linger momentarily, creating a surreal atmosphere. The gentle arch creates a sense of intimacy, making the room feel both expansive and cozy. Amid the organized chaos, a sturdy wooden table sits under the window, its surface covered in an assortment of open books, scattered notes, and a half-finished cup of tea, suggesting the presence of a restless mind at work. A large, comfortable armchair, slightly worn but inviting, is positioned at an angle, offering a perfect nook for reading or pondering amidst the delightful disorder. Books upon books fill the shelves and even are stacked on the floor. Papers are strewn about with some crumpled and tossed into corners.

"Alright! Now, for me to begin, I'll need your hands." He says, finally facing me. His purple robe swishes, and his light grey disheveled hair falls into his eyes. I watch as he flicks it out of the way before holding his hands out to me. Glancing at Ellie for some confirmation, this guy is the actual affinity master. I watch as she just chuckles at my expression. Turning back to the Affinity Master, I hesitantly place my hands on his. At first, nothing happens, and my cold hands meet his oddly warm ones.

"Now just give me one moment and…." Suddenly, his hands get warm, so warm that it feels like they're burning. I resist the urge to pull away despite my brain yelling at me to do so.

"Just hold on a moment longer, Miss! I've almost got it!" His cheerful voice rang in my ears. I wince from the burning sensation when he suddenly pulls away, like it was him who got burned.

His cheerful expression turns to one of confusion and shock. He messily grabs a piece of paper and starts scribbling on it like mad. I watch as he glances at Ellie and then me before he goes back to scribbling.

"Is.. everything alright?" Ellie asks before I can.

"I'm not sure." He says, smoothing out the paper and continuing to write.

Ellie and I glance at each other before the affinity master suddenly stands up and runs over to one of the many bookshelves in the room. He immediately begins tossing books over his shoulder haphazardly, and I begin to grieve for the poor books.

"Ellie… what is going on?" I ask through clenched teeth.

"He's just like this… trust the process, I guess…"

Soon, the affinity master finds the book he's looking for and opens it to a specific page. His finger goes down the page until he finds what he needs. As he walks back over, he trips on a book and stumbles forward.

"Aha! I have found it! You have an energy blockage. From what I could sense, it's a type of emotional one." He says rather matter-of-factly as he hands the book to me. I gloss it over, but it doesn't click right away.

"I'm afraid I don't understand… What's wrong?" I ask.

"Why, I just told you what's wrong! You have an emotional energy blockage!" He says a little too cheerfully for my taste.

"Well, yeah, I get that part. I need more details, though. What is causing the emotional blockage?"

"In a sense, you are blocking your powers because you emotionally believe you do not have them." His smile pisses me off.

"So.. I physically have the affinity.. It's just blocked by my mental and emotional state?"

He slams his fist on his table in an excited manner, and I jump, "Right!"

"Then how do I get past it?" I ask standing from the uncomfortable chair.

"Hmm, well, in most cases, it resolves itself, but you are much more complex than that. Since you grew up believing you had no powers and were a, well, commoner, your mind altered its energies to adapt to that nature and turned your affinity dormant." He explains in a rambling nature and it takes me a second to process what he said.

"So to get rid of the blockage she just needs to trust that she has the ability? Like blind faith?" Ellie analyzes it quicker than me, apparently, and I start to feel stupid.

"So what? I just believe I have power, and ta-da! Magic!" I say sarcastically, waving my arms.

"It's a bit more complicated than that, but essentially, you are correct!" The Affinity Master clears his throat before explaining, "Back when our ancestors first discovered a way to tap into their energies, a lot of them struggled with believing it as well. So they watched the others use their affinities to gain a better understanding." He says, and I can tell he's pretty proud of his intellect.

"Alright, so I need to watch others use their affinities and try using my own?

"Can't hurt to try!" The Affinity master ecstatically says.

"Wait, try? You don't know if it'll work for sure?"

"Nope!"

I facepalm as Ellie chuckles.

"Well, we're you able to determine my affinity?" The thought had crossed my mind and I decided to ask.

"Ah! No…" His tone switches like whiplash.

"Is there something else wrong?

"In a way, no. However, like I said, you're complicated—the most complicated I've ever seen. You see, I couldn't determine your affinity because you are giving off two different energy signatures."

"Two? So it's deciding between those two or..?'

"No.. you have two affinities, and they're both trying to show themselves, but it gets lost in translation!" he says with a giddy expression.

"What!?" Ellie and I yell out simultaneously.

"I have two affinities? How is that possible??" My voice cracks a little, and I can feel my composure slipping.

"Yes! Two affinities! Good luck!" His little smile was rage-inducing. My jaw clenches, and I'm so close to going off on this man. Ellie picks up on that and practically drags me out of there.

"This has been great, thank you," Ellie says before taking my hand and pulling me towards the door.

"You're so welcome! Come by any time!!"

I slammed the door behind us and immediately stormed off to my room. It didn't make sense why I was so upset; all I knew was that I needed some space to think.

"I'll see you at dinner, Ellie!" I shout behind me so she doesn't think I'm upset with her.

Entering my room, I walk over to one of the deep green couches and place a faceplant on it. So much has just happened that it makes my head spin. One of my maids walks over and taps my shoulder. I groan and lift my head to see it's Mariah. She was the most social of them, and I talked to her the most.

"Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from the Prime Minister. It seems urgent." Her matter-of-fact tone reminds me of the Affinity Master, and I groan again.

"Alright, give it here." Once I'm sitting on the couch normally, she hands me the letter and the letter opener. I slice the wax seal off and delve into the letter.

Your Royal Highness Queen Y/n, General Roe has just finished giving me the full report on that awful night and has determined the spy among your maids. According to his findings, Rose was the spy. Her trial will be held as soon as you return. I'm sure you must be heartbroken. I shall send your other maids over as swiftly as I can. You may keep one of the maids you have now and send the other three back if you wish. Or keep all of them. Either way, stay safe, Your Majesty. Signed, Prime Minister Bennet Winton P.S. Your new guard should have arrived with this letter. General Roe chose her for you with your safety in mind.

I fold the letter back up and try not to cry. Rose had been my closest maid and a trusted ally. I had been hoping it wasn't her, but it made sense. Sniffling and tearing up a little, I hand the letter back to Mariah.

"You can bring the new guard in now. I'd like to meet her." I mutter simply as I stand. Mariah nods and puts the letter in her apron before walking to the door and opening it.

A tall woman with ebony skin and dark black hair walks in. She stands tall with a spear attached to her back and simple armor on. The signature silver and purple emblem of the Midiri empire is stamped onto her gambeson.

She bows deeply before introducing herself, "My name is Elody Hakim, Your Majesty. I come from the Hakim nobles who have been gifted with the lighting affinity. My sword is yours, my liege."

Her introduction is impeccable and straight to the point, telling me exactly what I need to know.

"Welcome to Jackson, Sir Elody. I appreciate you coming out all this way for me."

She doesn't smile, but I see a smidge of gratitude in her eyes.

"I will be here, my Queen, " she says, standing in front of the door. I decide to leave her alone and let the poor woman do her job.

Dinner tonight was… interesting, to say the least.

There was a lot of tension in the air, specifically between Joel and Maria. They both seemed upset about something and weren't talking while the rest of us chatted away. It appeared Maria finally snapped as she roughly slammed her silverware onto the table. "She deserves a ball in her honor, Joel! It would be the perfect way for people in this castle to have some fun!" Maria says, effectively egging Joel on.

"No, Maria! I said no! When people have fun, they let their guards down. I don't think Y/n even wants a ball in her honor." He argues back.

"You're acting like we're at war, Joel, nothing has happened since-"

"Watch it." He says suddenly. I realize Maria almost revealed some deep shit. I glance at Ellie and see she's getting a bit frustrated.

"Why won't you just tell me what the fuck happened, Joel?! I'm not a kid anymore." I could tell she was genuinely angry with him.

"You'd regret it, Ellie… just as I have. Just drop it, " he says sadly. Ellie's anger doesn't waver, and she persists.

"That's some bullshit, Joel, and you know it. Fuck you." She says as she stands and leaves the room. I debate running after her when Joel suddenly agrees with Maria, "Begin planning for the ball, Maria's right.." He says that last part a bit bitterly. "If people aren't happy, they'll start slacking… Maria, I trust you'll handle the planning then?" Joel wipes his mouth on his napkin before throwing it onto his plate.

She just nods and stares at her plate. He nods back and walks off with his plate.

The rest of the dinner is quiet.

Ellie wrote to me the next day saying she just needed some space and would see me at dinner tonight. I sigh but understand completely.

So here I was at the stables all alone. Dina was going to come with me at first, but her sister needed her, and Jesse and I weren't that close, so I didn't ask him.

Tending to Ellie's horse, Shimmer, I brushed and braided her mane. Picking the feet was always hard, but I didn't mind because I was helping out the stable people. I was brushing out her coat when Joel came around the corner. He had a bridle slung over his shoulder and mud on his boots.

Spotting me, he walks over with a small smile and tips his cowboy hat at me.

"Surprised to see you here, that Shimmer?" He asks, patting her neck.

"Sure is; figured I'd do Ellie and the stable hands a solid," I say, scratching her neck. She leans into it, and her head bobs up and down from happiness.

"I think I found her itchy spot."

"Whole thing is itchy most likely." He notes. It was probably true since horses were generally itchy animals.

"I'd be itchy too if I had all that fur on me."

"Heh yea, I guess you would be. Look about last night… I wanted to apologize."

"It's alright, and I don't expect you to explain; I just hope everything is alright," I say, continuing to brush Shimmer. Joel sighs.

"I still think you have a right to know. I'm sure you know, but Ellie isn't my biological daughter. I adopted her from Marlene after Ellie's mom died and Marlene couldn't take care of her… That disease.. It's a horrible way to go, and I don't want Ellie to get even more upset about her mother's passing. I just don't see a point." He explains, his grumbly voice a bit gentler now.

"I suppose I understand, but if someone you loved died, wouldn't you want to know how they went?" I counter. He sighs again and rubs the bridge of his nose. "I would..but it's not that simple."

"I'm sure she'd be able to handle it.." I say, watching his face and trying to read his emotions, "Only.. you don't want her to have to.. You'd rather keep it a secret.." I analyze.

Joel's eyes snapped to mine, and I suddenly couldn't read his expression.

"You have no idea what I want." His voice is rough once more, and I fear I may have overstepped. However, for Ellie's sake, I wasn't going to back down.

"Are you sure about that?" I reply, my voice unwavering and calm. I see Joel's glare ease and watch as something flickers in his eyes… acknowledgment.

"Hmm… I guess you're not dumb after all… see you around, kiddo." He walks out of the stall, and I'm left standing there, slightly confused.

Did I just gain Joel's approval..?

Approval for what..?

What the fuck just happened?

I spend the rest of my time grooming Shimmer while thoughts swirl in my head.

A week has passed, and Maria announced that the ball will be tomorrow. I am lying in bed trying to sleep so I'm not exhausted for it when I feel.. Fear.

It's been tough to sleep ever since that horrible night, but I have been managing. I just wanted one good night's sleep for fucks sake. No matter how dark it was, It wasn't dark enough. Getting out of bed, I sneak over to my door. A random guard is always posted there so Elody can sleep. I open the door to speak to them, only to find them asleep. The hallway is too bright, and I feel the fear creeping to higher levels.

Making a rash decision, I wander down the halls and reach my destination. Knocking on the door, I wait with bated breath. The door opens, and I see her face slightly illuminated by the moonlight.

"What are you doing here so late?" She whispers, her face full of confusion. Ellie stands before me in a wife beater and boxers with her hair down.

"I couldn't sleep," I whisper back. She nods and opens the door further, so I slip inside.

She closes the door behind me and makes her way over to the bed before sitting and patting it to signal me over. It was so wonderfully dark in here. I barely make it to the bed without falling on my own two feet and sliding under her covers.

"I'll keep watch k?" She says, tucking the covers over me a little more.

"Just try and sleep…" She whispers.

I whisper a thank you before I close my eyes and relax my breathing. After a few minutes, my heart slows, and I almost fall asleep when Ellie moves to lie next to me. I feel her fingers on my face and keep my expression schooled. It was not easy. She moves my hair out of my face and tucks it behind my ear. Her whispers break the silence, "So beautiful…"

It takes everything I have to not lose my mind. Ellie just called me beautiful.. While she thinks I'm asleep. Thankfully, it was too dark for her to see my blushing face, so I didn't have to worry about that. She inches closer and I can feel her minty breath on my face and smell her signature pine and bergamot scent. She leans in and kisses my forehead ever so softly. Then my cheeks, my nose next, and my temples. I feel her hesitation; I feel her thinking it through. She leans closer one more time, and her lips graze mine. Holding in a gasp was all I could do not to let her know I was awake. She pulls away and begins cursing to herself.

Ellie Williams almost just kissed me.

My mind spirals, and I can only reach two conclusions.

Ellie Williams is in love with me.

And I was damned if I ever let her go.

When I woke up the next morning, Ellie was not next to me. Instead, she was sitting on one of her couches reading Savage Starlight and sporting massive eyebags.

"Ellie?" I groan as I sit up and yawn.

"Uh yea?" She asks, not looking up from her comic.

"What time is it?" I sniffle a little from having a stuffy nose in the morning.

"There's a clock right there, Y/n." She says, still not looking at me. I glance at the clock and see it's 10:41 a.m. Ellie let me sleep in.

"Yea, yea, whatever, Els. You should get some more sleep. I didn't keep you up, did I?"

"I will once you leave." She says, simply flipping a page. I knew she was gonna be awkward, but I didn't think I'd be this bad.

"Ellie, are you gonna look at me? Have I turned into an ugly troll overnight or something?" I ask her directly.

She huffs and finally looks up at me. As soon as her eyes meet mine, I see a blush spread across her face. I tilt my head a little and get out of bed. She looks a bit panicked as I walk closer.

"Are you ok?? You're acting a little.. off?" I asked, knowing perfectly well what was wrong.

She rolls her eyes and goes back to her comic. "'m fine Y/n.. just tired. I was up all night watching over you."

I call bullshit, but only in my head.

"Well, thank you. I slept well for the first time in a while. I'll go now. Bye, Els."

She says nothing as I walk out of her room and close the door. I suddenly began to doubt if what happened last night was even real. If it was fake, how would I have been able to feel everything so vividly? Deciding to take my chances that it was real, I head to my room and get ready for the day.

Turns out I freaked out my maids and guard by not being in my bed this morning. Which checks out considering I forgot to leave a note. I apologize profusely to all of them as I decided to let them all have somewhat of a vacation here. I apologize to Elody next, who damn near lost her mind. Once everything was calm again, I went through my day working on paperwork and such, and before I realized it, it was time to get ready for the ball.

I slip on a pearlescent gown and some simple jewelry before a pearl-covered crown is placed on my head. My hair is done up in a loose bun, and I feel like the Queen of the Sea. Slipping on a kitten heel, I walk to my door and open it to Ellie standing there, fist raised and all. She blinks, looks me up and down a few times, blushes, and holds out a hand.

"Uh, hey.. Sorry 'bout that I was just coming to get you," she says, avoiding my eyes. I smile and slip my hand into hers.

"It's all good. Funny how I caught you right at that moment, though, huh?" I say with a chuckle. She closes my room door behind me and moves my hand to rest on her arm where her forearm and bicep meet. Ellie starts walking to the ballroom at a speed I can only describe as supersonic.

"Woah, Ellie, hold on, I can't keep up," I say, tripping a little. She catches me by wrapping her arm around my waist and dragging me upwards. I land against her side with an oomph.

"Be careful.." Her face looks like a tomato.

She slows down after that.

We make it to the ballroom in one piece, and they announce our arrival. I've had a few more dance lessons since our last attempt, so hopefully, I won't mess up this time. Once we make our way to the middle of the ballroom, she bows to me, turns, and walks off.

I stand there completely and utterly confused.

Did she just walk off on me? What the fuck, Ellie?

Just as I'm about to head to the balcony, someone taps me on the shoulder. I turn around to see Maria. She looks gorgeous in a baby blue pantsuit and some pearl earrings.

"Y/n, there you are. I wanted to introduce you to a few people." Her smile doesn't reach her eyes, and I can tell she's a bit upset about something. I won't comment on it, though, because it's none of my business.

"Sure, lead on." I smile, hoping to cheer her up a little. Besides, making a few connections can't hurt.

She starts walking over to a crowd and pulls one gentleman aside. He introduces himself as Lord Seth and bows to me. We talk for a little while before I'm suddenly pulled from behind. My immediate reaction is panic, but I relax once I smell bergamot and pine. It was just Ellie.

"What are you-" I start.

"Maria, I told you I didn't want her talking to that Bigot." She spits out, glancing between Maria and Seth. I watch as Seth pulls a face, and Maria sighs.

"Who do you think you're talking to, girl?" Seth bites out back.

"Alright, you two enough. You're right, Ellie. I'm sorry I just figured it'd be good for her to have connections." Maria explains.

"Then don't bring her to Seth; bring her to Viscount Gilbert, or Marchioness Elizabeth, anyone but this fool." Ellie counters, pulling me further and further behind her. I was tired of this conversation.

"Ellie, enough. We need to talk," I say sternly before turning to Lord Seth and Maria.

"I apologize for this interruption. I will be right back," I say sweetly before dragging Ellie to the gardens. Fury laced my vision, and I pushed open the heavy wooden doors. I take her hand in mine and walk over to a gazebo covered in vines and fairy lights.

"What the fuck is your problem, Ellie?!" I say to her, frustrated. Avoiding yelling out of anger was proving to be complicated.

"What the fuck are you doing Y/n? You shouldn't have been talking to him!" She yells. I snap.

"I can discern who is worth my time well enough, Ellie. I don't need you choosing that for me!" I argue back, a little wrath backing it up.

"That may be, but you do not understand this court the way I do! That man is not someone you should be talking to!"

"And why not!? You seem so set on who I shouldn't be talking to. You barely talk to me yourself! You think I haven't noticed you avoiding my eyes for ages now??" I counter.

"He is a homophobic piece of shit, and you are the light of the world! You shouldn't sully yourself speaking to someone who would hate you if he knew enough about you!"

"I'm not the light of the world, Ellie. You're being ridiculous! And I would've figured that out on my own and ignored him! I will take your advice, but I will not have it shoved down my throat!"

She swears and shakes her head. "You're the light of my life, ok?! He has treated me like shit my entire life! I didn't want him to tell you things I'm not proud of!"

I stare at her in shock.

I was the light of her life.

"What?" I whisper, my voice cracking.

Ellie seems to realize what she said, and her face drops.

"No.. no.. no.. I-"

"Say it again.." I whisper.

She stares at me as tears line her eyes. I watch as she takes a deep breath and bites her lips.

"You're the light of my life.." She admits reluctantly. Her eyes are filled with yearning, and I sense there's more she wants to say.

"When I saw you crying in that garden, I knew I couldn't walk away… It was already over for me. I figured it would be easier to hide my feelings instead of tell you…"

I stare at her in awe and admiration.

"I love you, Y/n.. so much so that when I see you, my world brightens and the stars align. Everything and nothing makes sense like some sort of dream. I want you near, but fear I'll become your ruin."

Her words make me tear up, and it dawns on me…

A poem.. She was whispering aloud a poem she had written for me.

Adoration fills my heart as I stare into her eyes, the twinkling of the lights filling them along with her tears.

"Say something…" She whispers.

I don't.

Instead, I take a step towards her. She doesn't move away and just lets me maneuver us. I bring her under the gazebo, minding my step, and place one of her hands on my waist and one on my own… and I dance. She seems confused but follows along and dances with me. The music from the ballroom carrying all the way out here. Steps feel familiar as we twist and spin, and I can see her confusion and desire. Wanting an answer, confused as to why I won't give it to her.

"And then I learned the truth, how everything good in life seems to lead back to you. And every single time I run into your arms. I feel like I exist for love. Like I exist for love." I whisper the lyrics of the song playing as my response to her poem.

I continue as she tears up, "Only for love…" A pause, "Cause when you walked into my life, I could feel my life begin. Like I was torn apart the minute I was only born, and you're the other half, the only thing that makes me whole."

I hum a few lines of the song along with the music in the background before I whisper the most important line, "I love you so…"

The dance comes to an end, and she dips me before slowly bringing me back up. I rest my hands on her shoulders and look into her eyes. Her hands are resting on my waist.

"Can I kiss you..?" She asks in a whisper so quiet I barely catch it. I glance at her lips and catch her doing the same before giving her one simple nod.

Ever so slowly, she cups my face, wrapping her other hand around my waist and bringing me ever closer. My breath hitches, and I see her give me a look to check again that this is alright. When I lean towards her, she takes it as a yes….

..and kisses me.

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The First Council. It wasn't actually the very first council; it's just what the egotistical pricks called themselves. And soon, I'd have to face them. Every so often, a meeting was held with all the diplomats and noble factions to discuss anything and everything. As Queen, I was required to be there regardless of the fact I didn't want to be. Thankfully, Ellie would be there too representing Jackson. I found this out through my aide, Nakir. We had met the day after the ball when I walked into my office for the first time. As my aide, he was a world-renowned scholar that even I had heard of. His help was impeccable as we worked through all the issues Duke Haleson had been so kind to leave for me. My small amount of education was carrying me through each day, but thankfully, the paperwork was simple enough. I notice something odd as I go through the Duke's old records of the past 20-something years. He was preparing for something... But what It was, I couldn't discern. I rub my temples in frustration. Thanks to all this stupid work I barely had time to go and visit Ellie yet this week, which was all I truly wanted to do. 

"If you need to be done for today, Your Majesty, I would understand."

Nakir's deep voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I look up to see him looking at me expressionlessly. He wasn't much for emotions and was purely work-focused, which definitely helped matters. Nakir was older than me, but not so much that it made me uncomfortable. He had dark curly hair and a fair complexion that was almost always sheet white. His eyes looked dead, but it wasn't creepy, just a little calming. 

I decided to take him up on his offer and go visit Ellie. It had almost been a week, so I felt awful for not having gone to see her yet. 

"Yes, that would be lovely, Nakir. Thank you," I say, packing up my things. Ivone takes my stuff for me and whisks them away. Walking out the door right behind her, I rush to Ellie's room, only to discover that...I have no idea where it is. Popping my head back into the room, I wave for Rose to come over. She rushes over with a curious look on her face, and I explain that there's a friend in the palace I'd like to visit. 

"So I was wondering.. Do you know where Prince Ellie's room is..?"

A look of slight surprise crosses her face, and she nods, "Yes, it's in the West Wing at the end of the hall. I can take you there if you'd like?" 

"Could you draw me a map?" I ask, not wanting anyone to follow me.

"Of course, I can! One moment." Rose walks back into the office and grabs a piece of paper and a pen. She scribbles something down before handing it to me.

"Here you are, Your Majesty," Her little smile warming my heart.

"You have lovely handwriting. Thank you, I'll be off." She seems surprised at my compliment but has no time to respond as I'm already walking down the hall.

Following Rose's instructions was relatively easy. She had most of it laid out for me, and soon, I was in front of Ellie's room. I knocked and hoped that she was in.

 A woman opens the door, looks me up and down, and then turns her head back into the room.

"Ellie, some lady is here for you." 

This woman had no clue who I was.

Oh, thank goodness.

I hear Ellie's confused voice but can't decipher what she's saying. It gets louder and clearer as she comes closer and opens the door fully. When she opens it, she looks up and sees me. Her eyes widen, and she glances between the woman and me.

"Dina! This is Y/n… the Queen.."

Ellie whisper yells to the woman I now know as Dina. She did say she had a guard named Dina, which I suppose meant Jesse, the butler, was also around here somewhere. Dina is lovely, with dark hair and freckles. Her brown eyes are almost the opposite of the whites of her eyes. Her eyes widen as she realizes what Ellie just said, and they snap to me. 

"Your Majesty- I am so sorry I had no idea-" She fumbles out while bowing to me.

"Please, please, it's quite alright. You've done nothing wrong. Can I come in?"

Ellie shoves the doors open and motions for me to come in.

"Uh yeah- yeah, of course, please come in."

I looked around Ellie's room and smiled. It was so very... her. Comics were spread across the table and desk. On the desk, I noticed a sketchbook open and filled with drawings. A collection of books and comics lay on a bookcase near the desk, with little figurines stacked along the top. Her bed is deep green, and the wood is dark oak, which makes the space feel comforting. 

"It's so cozy in here." Spinning back in Ellie's direction, I see her ears tint slightly pink.

"Thanks.. I would've tidied if I knew you were coming over... Sorry." She mutters out an apology but I just try not to giggle.

"Ellie, please, it's fine. Where should I sit?" I ask, looking around the space once more.

"Oh, um, anywhere is fine. By the way, this is Dina, and that is Jesse." She says casually as she sits on the couch in a relaxed position. I decide to sit near her and chill a little. 

"Nice to meet you both. Ellie told me you guys were good friends." 

"Ellie has told us a lot about you, Y/n; she seemed quite happy to make a friend," Dina says, almost in a teasing tone to egg on Ellie. I immediately catch onto their dynamic.

"Right, 'cause we're just chopped liver," Jesse comments as he sits down across from us.

"Wha- I never said you guys were chopped liver!" Ellie protests.

"No.. but that's how you make us feel," Jesse says dramatically. Ellie grabs a couch pillow and throws it in his face. The pillow smacks against his face before it flops to the ground. Dina and I burst out laughing.

"Take that assface," Ellie says, grinning.

Jesse picks up the pillow and throws it back. Ellie catches it and sticks her tongue out at him and soon they're having a full-on pillow fight. Dina and I cheer when she sits down beside me and looks up at me.

"I'm happy Ellie has you as a friend, and sorry again for not knowing who you are."

"Oh gosh, please, Dina, no need to apologize. I get it. I'm a brand-new Queen who popped out of nowhere. I promise I'm not offended."

She sighs a breath of relief.

"Oh, thank goodness, I wasn't sure what the hell I was gonna do if you were some stuck-up noble."

"Please, you think Ellie, of all people, would be friends with someone like that? I just can't see it," I say, looking at Ellie. She was currently shoving a pillow in Jesse's face while he swatted at her.

"You're so right, she'd rather die than be with some kiss-ass bitch."

"Hear, hear," I say, fake raising a toast. Dina chuckles and stands.

"Guess I better break them up."

"Need some help?"

"Hmmm, yea, sure, why not," Dina says, walking over to Jesse. I walk over to Ellie, grab her by the waist, and pull her off Jesse. She stumbles back a bit, and her shoulder bumps mine.

"Dina, let go. I'm gonna get his ass; I swear to-"

I follow her gaze to Dina, pulling Jesse off the ground. Slowly, she turns her gaze on me, and I can see it practically click in her head that I was the one who pulled her. She stands up straight and rubs the side of her neck.

"Shit, Y/n, sorry, didn't mean to yell-"

"What is with you guys and apologizing?"

I ask, taking my hands off Ellie's waist.

"It's fine, you can relax around me. I don't bite.. Unless asked."

I say the second part quietly so only Ellie can hear when I realize what I've said a little too late and step away from Ellie.

"Anyway!! Does anyone wanna play games or something?"

I avoid eye contact with Ellie and walk over to the couch. I felt so stupid. Why the hell would I say something like that? Dina plops down on the couch next to me and says, "We could play truth or dare."

"Really, Dina? We're adults." Jesse says, and I can practically feel his eye roll.

"Aww, come on, Jesse, I love truth or dare. We should totally play." I say, defending Dina.

"Yeah, see Jesse, she gets it. Sit your asses down were playing."

Jesse groans as he sits next to Dina. Ellie sits on the other couch, so I sit beside her to make it even.

"Alright, I'll go first, then!" Dina says, looking at us with a glint in her eye.

"Ellie! Truth or dare."

Ellie groans and says, "Dare, I'm not a pussy."

"Alright.. Tell us your best royalty pun."

Ellie grins and clears her throat. I wasn't aware she liked puns, but the more you know.

"That's basically a truth! Ugh, fine, I wouldn't say this is my best one, but it's still pretty good. Why did the King go to therapy?"

We all give various answers before Ellie grins and says, "He had many subjects to discuss."

"Oh god, that's so bad!" Dina says, groaning.

I groan and shove my head into a pillow, and Jesse throws a pillow at Ellie for the second time.

"Where do you find these?" Jesse mutters.

"This little booklet Joel got me for my fourteenth birthday. Has a bunch of them in there. Some about a queen, too."

I feel a little heat rush to my face and look at her finally.

"Like what?" I ask, a little curious.

"When it's your turn, you can ask, " she sasses back. I glare at her, and she takes her turn.

"Jesse, truth or dare." 

Jesse looks at her for a moment as if trying to analyze what she's going to ask before he goes with truth.

"What is your favorite thing about Dina?" Ellie wiggles her eyebrows, and I see Jesee get a little flustered.

"Fuck you, man. Her eyes. Y/n truth or dare?"

I kinda guessed Dina and Jesse were a thing, but for it to sorta be confirmed made me a bit giddy.

"Ummmm Dare?"

"Are you telling us or guessing?" Ellie jokes.

"I don't know! Dare! Just go with dare!"

Jesse grins, "I can't believe the Queen of Midiri is letting some random butler tell her what to do. This will be interesting."

"Don't make me regret it, please." I practically plead.

"Fine, I won't... ummm, give Ellie a hug. Everyone knows she needs it, " he says, sticking his tongue out at Ellie. She glares at him back but smiles. I shrug and stand in front of Ellie before wrapping my arms around her neck and hugging her. She pulls me down a little, and my knee goes in between her legs as I lose my balance.

"Sorry.. Lost my balance.." She mutters. I knew it was a big fat lie, but I decided to let her get away with it. I grin, wrap my arms tighter around her, and put my face on her shoulder. She still smelt like bergamot and pine, but now with a little bit of weed and grass. I pull away and notice her ears tinged pink. Smiling, I sit back down next to her and decide to ask Dina instead. The game goes on like this for a while. Jokes are made, and laughs are shared. Before I realize what time it is, Ellie and I are alone, conversing on the balcony with the setting sun.

"The First Council meeting is in a few days. I will do my best to ensure Jackson is secure." I say this seriously. As fun as this evening was, I needed to secure Ellie as an ally.

"I'm not too worried about Jackson... I'm more worried about that Duke of yours; he seems like a real problem."

"Thanks for the concern, Ellie, I have the Royal Seal now, though, so it shouldn't be too difficult to win the council over." 

"I know.. Just.. be careful.. I've met many like him; they won't go down without a fight."

"If everything goes to shit... You'll still be on my side... Right?"

Her eyes soften as I speak, and she grabs something out of my hair before turning to the sea view.

"I'll be on your side, yes, but I can't guarantee Jackson will. Joel has to see you're capable before he puts faith in you..." She explains slowly as if trying to lessen the blow.

I fully understood, but it didn't make it any less hard to hear. King Joel was known to place his faith in very few. His council was small, consisting of a woman named Tess, his brother Tommy, and Tommy's wife, Maria, though that seemed to be Tommy's idea. Nonetheless, it seemed their kingdom was running smoothly, so it wasn't exactly horrible to have such a small council.

"I get it, Ellie, thank you... I should probably get back to my room. It's late."

She nods and faces me fully. "If you need anything, send me a letter or something, ok?"

"I will.. I can't believe court still doesn't use fucking email. I'm sick of my hand cramping just to write letters to each one of them. Definitely bringing that up in a few days."

I grumble. She chuckles and shakes her head.

"Don't feel too bad; Joel still refuses to use the damn things too. Say's they're 'a bunch of rubbish.'" Her finger quotes making another appearance. 

I chuckle and say, "Alright, well, goodnight Ellie…"

"Night Y/n."

The next few days are brutal as I'm prepped and prodded for the First Council meeting. I was so stressed that I was half sure my pacing created a dent in the floor of my office. Nakir took over most of my work while I was being taught the ways of the council meeting, so I sent him a basket of flowers. 

Turns out he's allergic… 

He was out for the last few days, so I had to find another aide in such a short amount of time. So I called in my two best friends. They were still technically students, but all I needed them to do was organize everything for me so that when I returned, I could get things done quickly. They were more than happy to take on the work, as I promised to give them credit for it at school. I felt terrible asking them for help, but I didn't trust anyone else to take over at the moment, as most people were still on the Duke's side. 

On the First Council meeting day, I put on a pantsuit, and Rose tied my hair up into a bun. A simple tiara was placed on my head, and a sash was placed on my shoulder to my hip. It was some honorary thing. 

I enter the meeting with the Prime Minister as he does most of the work and take my seat at the head of the table. My eyes spot Ellie immediately, and I watch her doodle on the documents. I bite my lips, trying not to laugh and clearing my throat. Everyone looks at me, and I notice the Duke seems to be... smiling. I felt a sense of unease, so I stopped looking at him and began making my announcement.

"From now on, we will use laptops and emails instead of letters."

The old fucks all start complaining, but I won't hear it. I bang the gavel that I've been given to keep order. 

"I won't hear any complaints. This council is far too outdated, and we need to move forward. It has been twenty years since there has been any real change. Now, first on the agenda is the budget for homeless shelters."

People begin talking over each other almost instantaneously. I called for order, and the Prime Minister suggested something. Half the room agrees, and the other half disagrees. It goes on like this for hours. The only solace I get is glancing at Ellie and noticing she was already looking at me. We give each other a look of 'yea, this shit is stupid' before she goes back to her doodles. Eventually, I get the council to agree on something before we move on to the next topic. Just when I think we're almost done, the Duke stands and makes a proposition.

"Your Majesty, as we all know, you are... How should I say this.. Unwed. I have spoken with some of the council members, and we have determined that we would find it best for you to marry as soon as possible."

He gives me a smug look.

"I don't think I'm going to focus on marriage until I've fixed your mess, Duke Haleson," I say calmly. Some members of the council snicker, while some glare at me. 

"While that may be Your Majesty... If the court overrules it... You will have to marry.."

My smile disappears after that. It was true that royals could be overruled, but I wasn't too concerned about it since most council members were in the middle. However, if they shifted to his side...

"I don't see a need for a royal spouse when I'm doing just fine on my own."

"That may be Your Majesty... But we also need an heir."

Murmurs fill the room, and I hold back a glare.

"I'm newly 20 years of age, Duke Haleson; I have plenty of time before an Heir is needed; now then, if you're finished-"

"Some of the council members view it differently. Let's take it to a vote. Should the Queen marry now or later?" he asks the room. Slowly, hands lift, and the Prime minister takes count.

"More than half your Majesty, " he whispers to me, a little saddened. I feel my heart sink as I look at each of their faces. Yet again, people were making choices about someone else's life. 

"If you refuse, Your Majesty, we can always find a more suitable person to take your place."

He grins at me as if he's won. I have to play along for now, but I didn't have to play nice.

"I hope you don't mean yourself, Duke Haleson," I say, my voice sounding sweet as malice dripped from its edges.

"There will be no need to find someone else. I accept. I will marry." I said, gritting my teeth. I'd find a way out of it before the wedding. And if I couldn't… well, murder was common enough…

"Wonderful! I'll tell my son immediately." My heart drops yet again. The Duke had this all planned out. I was backed into a corner and regretted not heeding Ellie's warning. 

"Your son? Am I not allowed to choose who I marry now, too, Duke Haleson?"

"Hmm.. shall we put it to vote again... Your Majesty?" His voice was taunting, and everyone knew. I glance at Ellie and see she's glaring daggers at him.

"Fine… I will marry your son, Duke Haleson.."

Crying angrily in gardens at night didn't seem like the sanest or safest option, but it was just what I needed. I kicked a rock, and it went flying off somewhere. Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I sit on a marble bench.

What was the point of having power if I couldn't do anything with it..?

I sniffle and put my face in my hands when I hear footsteps. Immediately tensing, I look up and see Ellie. She is walking in my direction, so I stand and debate, running back to my room. I didn't exactly want her to see my puffy eyes. Before I can decide, she's standing in front of me. Her hair is half up, and she's got a white button-down on it with the top few buttons open. The sleeves are rolled up, and I can see her tattoo fully. A moth and ferns, it was so.. Ellie. 

"Figured I'd find you here…" Her voice was hesitant. Almost pitiful.

I wipe my face again, hoping to get it all before meeting her eyes.

"Hey.. What's uuuup.." I say, shooting finger guns at her, trying not to cry again. She doesn't laugh; instead, she pulls on one of my wrists and brings me into a hug. My face lands on Ellie's shoulder, and I feel myself break a little. I shove myself between her neck and shoulder and let myself cry a little more.

"I don't wanna marry some bastard's son!" I yell into her neck a little angrily as I wrap my arms around her. She wraps an arm around my lower waist while the other rests on my upper back.

"I know Y/n…" 

I hated the Duke even more than I hated myself. I was not going to let this old fucker ruin my life. 

"Ellie.. I need a favor."

I say, stepping back from her a little so I could look into her eyes. She didn't let me go and murmured, "Anything, my queen." I figured she was just trying to cheer me up with jokes.

"I need you to discreetly see if you can get anything on the Duke. Any kind of blackmail, anything."

"Sure, but he's good at covering his tracks... I'm not sure I'll be able to find much.."

"It just needs to be something.. I won't go down without a fight."

"Good cause I'd be disappointed in you if you did."

"Well, now we can't have that... Now, can we?" I ask with a grin. I still feel slightly upset, so I leave Ellie's arms and sit on the marble bench. Taking a deep breath, I feel Elie sitting next to me.

"Wanna know a secret?" She whispers with a grin on her face.

"What..? You like girls or something?"

"Yea, well, that's not a secret," She huffs

"Hold up, that was a joke-"

"Shhh, whatever! Do you wanna know the secret or not?" She covers my mouth.

I pull her hand off my face and say, "Yea, of course! Duh!"

"Alright! Joel doesn't let me tell anyone this because he always says I should never tell people all my cards, but I trust you... My affinity is earth." She whispers. It made total sense for Ellie's affinity for all things to be earth. I mean, she smelt like it half the time.

"No way.. That's a pretty good affinity, Ellie… what can you do?"

She takes one of my hands and holds it flat.

"Just watch." As she says this, grass grows around us, fireflies emerge from them and begin dancing in the nighttime sky. A flower grows from the ground and lands itself perfectly in my hand. I recognize it as a peony and watch as she grabs a switchblade from her pocket and cuts the stem. She fixes it up a bit before she tucks it behind my ear. Crickets singing and fireflies dancing. My heart skips a beat, and I wish then for just a moment that Ellie was the one I was marrying instead…

I'm snapped out of the moment when I hear more footsteps. Ellie and I turn to see Jane, who looks rather flustered.

"Jane… is everything alright?"

She curtsies and says, "Yes, Your Majesty… It's just... Dinner is ready, and you weren't in your room."

I sigh and stand, "Right... Thank you, Jane.. I'll head back now.."

She curtsies and heads back to the room. I mutter a string of curses and face Ellie with a sorrowful expression. "Thank you for.. this .. Ellie… I promise to write to you.." She stands and smiles at me. 

"I um.. Hope it cheered you up." She says sheepishly. She could be so shy and yet so confident.

"It did.. I promise to spoil you with my affinity one day... If I ever find out what it is.."

She smiles softly and fiddles with her fingers. "I'll.. I'll hold you to that… sleep well.."

"Sleep well, Ellie.."

The next few days, I'm swamped with work. Nakir informs me, however, that I will have to not only marry some prick but also organize an engagement ball. 

"Why..?" I ask, not convinced that this is a thing.

"It is a chance for the nobles to recognize your upcoming marriage with gifts and well wishes. It's commonly done as soon as an engagement is announced.

"Alright, I get the point… "

So, preparations for that will begin as well. Despite all the bad news, some good news comes to light. Ellie is staying for a few more months as the announcement of my engagement reached King Joel. He told Ellie to stay as a show of goodwill but we both weren't complaining. Currently, I am in a plush chair reading Ellie's most recent letter.

 Y/n

You need to get a fucking phone. I'm sick of writing all this out. Anyway, Dina is wondering when you'll come by again, and I'm running out of excuses. The last one I used was that your horse threw up on you, and I don't think she bought it. To be honest, I'm also wondering when you'll come by again. Jesse says he doesn't give a shit, but I think he secretly likes you too. I got my copies of savage starlight from Joel himself, so I'll give them to you when you come over next time. Just don't eat or drink while you read them... And try not to rip or tear any pages. Maybe it's just best if you read them in my room… Joel also sent my pun book so that's been fun to annoy those two with. Speaking of which, here's a pun for you:

What did the Queen do after burping..?

Issue a royal pardon!

Man, Dina hated that one, but I got a chuckle out of her. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that I wrote a poem. I'll share it, but you have to promise not to laugh. I'll leave it on the back. Please don't laugh.

Your favorite Prince E

I chuckle at her ridiculous excuse before surprise etches my face. A poem… I flip to the back, and there it is, written in her messy handwriting.

A candlelight flickers your name

I call it out in question

I fear the answer

I hold my breath

Count

1

2

3

4

A whisper

A promise

Truth or Dare

Truth or Lie

I chose Lie

Why?

Understanding the poem wasn't the hard part; the hard part was understanding why she wrote it. I fold the letter back up and slip into the box of letters I had been keeping. I had accumulated quite a large stack of letters from her and didn't want to lose them. The funny part was I actually got a phone; I just hadn't told her. There was something so fun about writing letters. I put the lid back on the box, slip it into my desk, and lock it up. Sitting down at my desk, I think of what I want to write to Ellie. Words flow easier than my ink, and I seal them in an envelope before sending it off with Rose. Ivone had just finished helping me organize the last details of the engagement ball when Ellie's letter arrived. 

"Sorry for ditching you like that, Ivone. Now, let's finish this disaster and get it sent out."

"No worries, Your Majesty." She says sweetly. We finish up quickly, and before I know it, I'm lying in bed staring at my canopy. How was I going to get out of this... There had to be something I could do. I couldn't just rely on Ellie. Every plan I begin to formulate has some sort of problem or variable I can't control. Sitting up, I decided to do a little investigation on my own. This was my fucking palace, and I was not about to be ordered around in it. Pulling my robe on, I grab my phone and turn on the flashlight. I decide to go barefoot to stay quiet and sneak towards the Duke's room. 

The hallways are dark but candles line the halls to provide some light. Walking through said halls, I can't help but admire the massive alcoves and details. The ceilings are covered in paintings, and I wonder how long it took to paint them. I spot a few guards but manage to sneak past them. Man, I need to upgrade my security. As I walk into the hall that is connected to the Duke's room, I notice a door slamming open. Swearing under my breath, I hide in an alcove and strain my ears to listen.

"Tell him he can kiss my ass."  I hear the Duke say bitterly. 

"We both know that isn't a good idea, Barrow."

I recognize that voice but can't put a name to it. Hesitantly, I attempt to peek over the corner but decide not to risk it.

"She is a fool; she can not help us. When will you see that!"

"Hush! We are in Her Majesty's halls; I would not throw words like that around so carelessly."Based on how he speaks, he seems to be older, at least older than the Duke.

"Look... she may be young, but she is no fool. She tricked you, didn't she? You may have her in a box now, but she will find a way out. A cornered animal is dangerous. Have you learned nothing? " the older gentleman says, clearly frustrated.

Great, so I was an animal now. How wonderful.

Opening my phone, I try to record them, but it slips from my grasp and clatters to the floor. Swearing, I grab it and make a run for it, my robe fluttering from my running.

"Hey!! Get back here!!" I hear the duke yell. His voice echoed throughout the palace walls. I turn down a hallway and spot a place to hide. An idea crosses my mind, and I stuff the robe and phone in the small space before grabbing a candelabra. I begin walking down the hall towards the direction of the Duke. He comes round the corner fuming and is taken aback when he sees me. Bowing to me, he meets my eyes.

"Your Majesty.. How.. delightful to see you… "

"For you, maybe.. What are you doing running and yelling in my halls this late at night?" 

The Duke shifts his posture and stands tall.

"My apologies, Your Majesty… A servant was just being rather difficult and-"

"A staff member." My voice cuts him off.

"Pardon…?"

"A. Staff. Member. They are not your servants. If you continue treating them as such, I will assign none to your room and make you do all your work by yourself. Is that what you want?"

"No... No, Your Majesty.." His jaw clenches, and I look at him with cold, unwavering eyes. 

"Good. Continue."

"Ehem.. right.. The staff member. They were listening in on a conversation that was not theirs to hear."

"Hmmm... is that so? Who else were you conversing with...? " I asked with a small smile on my face. I had him right where I wanted him.

"I'm afraid I can not tell you that Your Majesty…"

"That's a shame..hopefully, your lips will be looser next time we meet. That will be all."

"As you command, " he says before walking away. Once he rounds the corner, I let out a breath. I ran to where I hid my stuff and returned to my room. Closing the door behind me quietly, I put my things back and lay in bed. I had hoped to see who the Duke was talking to, but I guess they weren't idiots. Though I did get some information tonight, it isn't concrete proof. I drift off to sleep with a newfound anger.

A few weeks later, the engagement ball was upon us. Ellie came to my room once I was all dressed to wish me luck since it wasn't proper to talk with friends during these kinds of things. You were 'supposed to stay at your future husband's side,' which I was so close to raging about altogether. They dolled me up in an A-line dress with sleeves. It was ivory and fell to the floor like a puddle of silk. I would've loved the dress if it wasn't for such a horrible occasion. 

"Damn.. and you're sure you have to marry him?" Ellie asks, taking one of my hands and spinning me around. 

I roll my eyes but comply.

"Yes, unfortunately…"

She huffs before taking my crown off and handing it to Anais.

"Could you tell them to leave? I have something for you." She whispers in my ear.

I'm about to protest and demand she give me my crown back, but then I look into her eyes and sigh.

"Fine.. but this better be good, or I'll be late," I mutter before dismissing my girls.

"Alright, what's this gift?"

She grins and holds her hands out, signaling for me to put mine on top. I place them on top, and she rolls her eyes and flips them over so my palms face up.

"What are you-"

"Shhh!"

My jaw clamps shut, and she closes her eyes. The vines on my wall begin to grow, and flowers curl around my wrists and into my palms. Before my eyes, a pattern appears, and a gorgeous flower crown sits in my palms. She opens her eyes and takes the crown from my hands before placing it on my head.

"There.. That way, that other crown doesn't break your neck." I look at her in awe and admiration. My fingers graze the flowers on the top of my head. All my favorite flowers, in all my favorite colors. She just knew.

"Thank you, Ellie.. It's gorgeous. I don't know what to say.."

She shrugs and reaches up to fix it. 

"'S nothing.. Now quit messing with it; you're gonna bruise the petals."

My cheeks heat a little, and I pull her hands down.

"You know it doesn't match the rest of my dress, right?" I grin up at her.

"Ugh..."

She takes my hand and twirls me, and I watch flowers bloom across my dress. The same as my flower crown.

"There, happy? Swear I can't do nothing for you.." She grumbles like a big baby, and I can't help but poke her cheeks. She swats at my hands, and I laugh.

"Knock it off..Y/n.. you have an engagement ball to get to…"

If I hadn't known her pretty well by this point, I would've missed it. I hear a smidge of sorrow. I want to comment on it, but as I glance at the clock, I whisper a string of curses. We were very late.

"Right- thank you again, Ellie- I appreciate it." I gather the skirt of my dress and put on my shoes in record time before I feel like I'm missing something. Turning back to her, I notice a look of confusion on her face.

"Fuck it."

I kiss her cheek swiftly before I run out of the room and slam the door behind me.

It's been two hours, and Ellie still hasn't arrived. I arrived a little late, but almost no one took notice. My friends are here, but I can't even say hi to them. I discover that the Duke has chosen Oren to marry me out of the two sons. Glancing at the door again, as I have done for the past two hours, I see no change. Maybe I fucked up, and now Ellie hates me. Oh gosh, what have I done? Oren pulled me from my thoughts by addressing me.

"Isn't that right, dear? " he asks with a fake smile. So far, I didn't hate the guy. He was well-dressed and handsome, and I didn't want to punch him in the face, so there was also that. 

"Yes… that's right, my sweet." I grin and bear it. I glance at the entryway again and see Ellie come into the room. She looked.. odd.. But I still wasn't allowed over to check on her. I fiddle with one of the flowers on my dress, and almost as if she could sense it, her eyes snapped to mine. My hand snatches to my side as if I were caught doing something I wasn't supposed to be. She grins and waves at me. I'm utterly dumbfounded. My heart sinks, and I realize it's because we're just friends. I bite my lips and turn away from her. I didn't need this right now, even though I brought it on myself.

The ball progresses, and I dance with Oren. He's a decent dancer but nothing special... 

Get over it

My inner voice screams. I felt so pathetic. 

I step on one of Oren's shoes and apologize. He sighs and forgives me.

"Look, I don't know what's going on.. And I know you can't trust me because my father is a bastard... But.. if it would help, I'd be willing to listen."

He was right; I didn't trust him, not one bit. However, maybe he could be some help.

"You know your father is forcing me on this... I'm sorry to say, but I don't actually want to marry you.." 

He nods his head in understanding as he spins me. 

"Yes, unfortunately, I know... Would it help if I told you he was also forcing me…?"

It did help, but it also made me angrier.

"How could he do that to his own child..? What is he threatening you with..? Maybe I can help." I offer.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but… it's Elora... He threatened to send her off to a boarding school if I didn't do this. She hates the idea, and well.. I love my little sister and could do that to her."

As much as I wish I could, there was nothing I could do. It was in the Duke's own right to send his daughter away. 

"I see… well, I'm sorry for what it's worth."

"Me too…"

After five grueling hours of dancing and mingling, I retreat to my room for the evening. I place the gown Ellie helped to decorate in a special box while my mind screams at me. 

"Would you like some help with that, Your Majesty?" Anais asks me, crouching to the floor.

"Yes, that would be lovely. I don't want to ruin the flowers, so be careful. "

"Of course.. Are these.. An affinity, though?" 

I furrow my brows and look up at her. Revealing Ellie's secret would come naturally if I told her. It would be too easy to figure out, considering she was the last with me before my outfit changed. I was surprised they hadn't put it together already.

"No.. Ellie helped me glue them on before I left for the ball. That's why I was late…"

My quick thinking better save my ass again. However, she doesn't seem to buy it.

"Don't worry, I won't tell a soul… you should hang the gown, Your Majesty. Affinity plants don't wither or die." She explains. 

I grin and lift it out of the box. "Thank you, Anais." Gently, I carry the dress to my walk-in closet and hang it up. Walking over to my vanity, I grab the flower crown and drape it over a jewelry box. 

I'd have to hide it soon, or the others would start to suspect, but for now, I could look at it and wish.

Someone pulls the doors of my room open, and I lift my head to see who it is. Rose is standing there out of breath, her face panicked.

"Your Majesty!! Urgent Letter! It's from Emperor Raul!"

Emperor Raul. I had heard the name, of course. He ruled over the Mortican Empire to the north up in the mountains. He was known to be a good Emperor, so I wasn't too worried. Rose walks swiftly over and hands me the letter. Ivone hands me the letter opener, and I open it and begin to read it as I make my way to my desk.

Dear Queen Y/n, I hope this letter finds you at a prosperous and happy time. I have, of course, heard about your engagement and have written to congratulate you. Though, I can not say that is all. You see, I have recently come across some information about your Duke Barrow Haleson... I'm afraid he is Illigitament. Now, usually, I would have no trouble with peasants such as him, but I'm afraid as Duke of a country, one should be of noble blood. I have attached legal confirmation of his birth to aid you should you need it. I hope you will act swiftly in removing this threat from your council as I can not be in alliance with a country that does not prioritize wealth and power. I look forward to hearing the good news soon. His Imperial Majesty,  Emperor Raul Decomont Trilton The 3rd

This was exactly what I needed. Something was off, but I didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. I had to be smart about this. Grabbing my robe, I rush to my office in the hope that Nakir is still awake, leaving my maids to be confused.

Opening the doors of my office, I see Nakir writing away at his desk.

"Nakir!! Oh, thank goodness. I need confirmation of something."

He lifts his head from his work and adjusts his attire.

"Of course, Your Majesty… How may I help you?"

I rush over, and he looks taken aback.

"I need you to verify if this is indeed legally accurate."

He glances at the document in my hand before gently taking it from me and reading it over. I watch his eyes scan the paper as I wait in anticipation. 

"This is.." He manages to get out.

"Yes.. the Duke's birth certificate…"

"It is indeed real, Your Majesty. " His shocked expression on his usually stoic face has me stressed.

"Oh, for the love of…. There's no way this just fell in my lap free of cost.. right?"

He shrugs, and I huff.

"I.. I don't know what to do. I could ruin the Duke with this and ensure he never returns… and leave the arranged marriage.."

Nakir stands and pushes in his chair.

"Why don't you ask the Prime Minister what you should do? As much as I'd like to well.. aid in this situation.. I won't be much help."

"Hmm, good idea.. Thanks, Nakir."

I head to Bennet's room this late at night and knock on his door. A few moments later, he opens it, still fully dressed in his usual attire.

"Your Majesty..what a pleasant surprise. Is there something I can help you with?" His calming voice soothes my raging anxiety just a smidge, and I nod.

"Yes.. could I please come in?"

He nods and opens the door further to allow me in. I look around his office, and all I see are geodes of some sort. Rocks fill every nook and cranny of his office and desk, except for one photograph of what seems to be him and his daughter. I smile fondly at the photo before turning back to him.

"I need some advice on what to do... I was sent a letter by Emperor Raul."

I notice a flicker of something in Bennet's face before he gives me a curious look.

"Whatever do you mean, Your Majesty?"

I hold out the letter and birth certificate to him. He reads everything over with a calm expression before he sighs and hands it back to me.

" I knew that old fool would get caught someday.."

A sense of betrayal fills me, and I look at him with a hurt expression, "You knew..?"

He looks down in shame. "I'm sorry, you see, he was a dear friend of mine. I couldn't afford to lose him."

It hurt, but I understood. If Ellie changed and I could still be by her side, I doubt I'd leave either.

"Fine, I understand that... though I'm still disappointed in you, Prime Minister," I say coldly. 

"I figured you would be... I'm assuming you want advice... " he asks hesitantly. I was also hesitant to receive advice from him, but I pushed my feelings aside.

"Yes.. what do you think I should do..?"

He sighs and sits down at his desk.

"Turn him in."

"Wait, what? But I thought he was your friend..?" I ask softly.

"He still is my friend, but he's been out of line. It's time he learns his lesson. And who better to teach him than you, Your Majesty."

He has a point, but I can't help but feel a little guilty. 

"If I do this.. There's no coming back for him.."

"I know that…"

I mulled it over for weeks as the wedding approached. There was one last council meeting before the wedding, and it was tomorrow. So I either had to present it then or find some other way. But what other way was there? Was there nothing else I could do?

"When an animal is backed into a corner, it becomes dangerous."

The mysterious man's voice rings in my head as I make my decision. The Duke had taken from me again and again. And if I was going to show that I could be a strong Queen, I needed the council to see that I wasn't messing around. Besides, if the Duke was no longer the head of the family, then Elora wouldn't have been forced to go to a boarding school. Oren would be free as well. But would he forgive me for ruining his family? And did I care?

I couldn't care less. I had to do this for my freedom and rights. It was a bit selfish, but I had to do something. Divorce was difficult between monarchs, no matter how early. Oren could claim a ton of my power if the courts favored him. Plus, there was Ellie. I had been sending her letters, and she was responding, but things didn't feel right. 

Tossing and turning:

I fall asleep to the feeling of regret and a dream.

The morning passes quickly, and the Prime Minister leads me yet again into the room. My nerves are shot, and I try to meet people's eyes. I glance at Ellie to see that she's already looking at me. However, she quickly averts her gaze. Arriving at my seat, I sit down, and everyone follows. 

"Now that we're all here, let us begin." The Prime Minister begins. 

The meeting goes on for a while, and once it reaches the end, I stand up and decide to make my move. 

"May I have your attention?"

A hush falls upon the council as I speak. I feel their eyes on me and do my best to stay confident.

"It has come to my attention... That one of you is illegitimate." 

All hell breaks loose. Accusations fly, and people cry in outrage. I bang the gavel, hoping everyone will shut up. A sudden silence and a cough. 

"As I was saying… I have found one of you to be illegitimate. Duke Barrow Haleson… would you care to explain yourself."

Whispers erupt, and I look to the Duke. His fists are clenched as eyes trail to him. 

"What proof do you have, Your Majesty?" A nasal voice speaks up. Moving my eyes from the Duke to the man who spoke, I see that it is Baron Kilmer. He was one of the Duke's friends and hated me with a passion. The loathing was mutual. 

"Well, Baron Kilmer, I managed to get my hands on the Duke's legal birth certificate. Unfortunately, none of you are allowed to hold it yourself as it's important evidence, so the Prime Minister here can attest to its legality."

Baron Kilmer grips his came tightly in his hand, and I have half a mind to assume he will hit something when the Duke speaks up.

"How did you find it… tell me, you foolish woman! Who sent you that birth certificate?!"

Gasps fill the room, and my gaze settles on him once more. He was standing now, gripping the handles on his seat.

"I don't see how it's of any importance how I got my hands on it. Just that I did Duke Haleson.. Or should I call you Barrow? Since you have no real last name nor title." 

I can practically feel his rage dripping from his soul. It all made sense now why none of his children inherited his so-called ice affinity. Because he never had it in the first place. Duchess Victoria was of true noble blood, so her genes must've just taken over. It was why the Duke had never been seen using his affinity and was known for being secretive about it. The one thing that didn't click was how a girl got such a rare affinity if she didn't have two noble parents… unless… Duchess Victoria cheated. 

"You wench!! I'll ruin you for this! How dare you accuse me of being illegitimate!" 

"Yelling at me and calling me names won't make it any less true, Barrow. Guards take him away."

He yells and swears as he's taken away, cursing my name and such. Everyone is in shock and disbelief. Members of the council discuss what just happened as I stand and walk right out of that room. 

The next few weeks are a mess. Members of the Duke's faction, as they've begun to call themselves, have decided to cease working until he is reinstated. This seems like a bad thing, but it gives me the chance to kick them all off the council and replace them with newer, younger individuals who aren't so old they're turning to dust. The process it takes is grueling and exhausting. I've been sending so many letters and emails that my hands have been cramping for days. Nakir has been an enormous help, but the two of us aren't enough. I emailed my friends to check in on them instead of asking them for help because I didn't want to be that friend. However, in a way, I've come to regret it. Ellie and I have still been exchanging letters, but it's awkward. I wanted to see her, no I needed to see her. 

Finishing the last part of the work for today, I organized it on my desk and began walking back to my room. Once there, I take a bath and put on pajamas and a robe. I decide to have my dinner on my balcony when I see a shadow moving through the gardens. Swearing, I glance at my maids and look for a way down. It was reckless, but I didn't want to wake the whole palace over a hunch. Closing the balcony doors, I turn and pull my robe closer. I look below and see a balcony underneath mine. Deciding I will do this, I climb over the balcony and drop down from the fence. I land on the ledge of the lower balcony. Swearing a string of curses, I jump to the side and land on the grass. Sanity was not a word in my vocabulary. Realizing I should've brought some sort of weapon, I cursed and began trailing the figure.

The gardens were always quiet at this time of night except for the sounds of crickets and the water fountains. Occasionally, a breeze would flow through the flowers, and I would get a whiff of floral scents, though. The whole space was enchanting with flower bushes and paved walkways. Walking along one of the paths, I reached a part where the paths ended and heard footsteps. I crouch down and begin following the sound of the footsteps when the figure takes off running.

"Shit shit shit, what am I doing?!" I mutter as I chase after the cloaked figure. Sareth had a fighting class, so I knew some things, but I was nowhere near assassin level. I spot the figure bending over a bush and decide to sneak up on them. Slipping off my shoes and setting them on the grass, I take slow, deliberate steps and tackle them to the ground. I grab their wrists and pin them next to their head as they let out a breathless scream. I sit on their hips to keep them from moving and look down to see their face. Grinning from glee, I look down to see just who I expected. 

Ellie's hair fans out underneath her, and a terrified expression fills her face before it changes to one of determination. It was then I realized she couldn't see me well enough in the dark. Before I can tell her it's me, she lifts her hips and flips me onto my back. Her cold switchblade reaches my neck in an instant. Suddenly, fireflies surround us like when I was crying in the garden. She can see me now. I grin at her and I see surprise etch her features.

"Hey.." I manage to get out, wiggling my eyebrows. She stares down at me before glancing at her switchblade and immediately pulling it up and away from my neck.

"Y/n..? What the fuck! You scared the shit out of me! What if I cut you, you idiot!" She seems angry, but I can tell she is just worried.

"I had a feeling it was you," I said, smiling. She often passed my balcony late at night while taking her evening walk. Usually, she writes in her journal as she walks, and I have nailed her routine by now. However, she didn't usually have a cloak on, which is why I couldn't be sure it was her. But I was willing to take the risk.

"And what if it wasn't me, huh? What then."

"Then I'd die wishing it was you…" I mutter softly, looking up at her. Her breath hitches, and I feel her anger subside.

"You're such a dork."

Thanks to the fireflies, I can see her face clearly. A slight blush danced on her features, and I decided then and there that it was all worth it. 

"I needed to talk to you, Ellie... Things have been…"

"Awkward? Yea.. I know.. Look, I'm sorry I-"

"No- no, it's ok-"

"Look at the Ball.. I was high as fuck.. It's why I was late and-"

We suddenly both realize she's still sitting on my hips and holding a wrist to my chest. She immediately fumbles back and off me.

"Shit- I'm so sorry, Y/n... I almost murdered you-"

"Hey... Hey, it's ok. I knew you wouldn't." I adjust so I'm sitting on the grass facing her. 

"You're still a dumbass for that." I focus on her face as I hear water running from the palace fountain.

"What are you doing out here so late?" I ask, tying her untied converses.

She shifts her foot and huffs.

"I was going for a walk."

"With a cloak on? And with your switchblade?" I ask, raising a brow as I finish the last knot.

"It's cold out here! And I never go anywhere without it…" She argues. I pull my hands away from her shoe and lean back onto my hands. The feeling of the grass poking my hands tickles a little, but I ignore it. 

"Alright, fair enough. Where did you even get it? It's a lovely switchblade," I say, looking at it as Ellie closes it. She gently hands it over, and I sit up and gently take it.

"My mom gave it to a woman named Marlene for me to have. She.. she got sick and wasn't going to make it.."

I frown and examine the blade. Marble is carved into the wood of the handle. It was simple yet gorgeous at the same time. I close it and hand it back.

"It's gorgeous Ellie… " I didn't note on her mother's death; Ellie didn't seem like the type of person to like even a smidge of pity. So I ask her questions about it instead.

"What sickness was it..? If I can ask..?"

"Some disease that spread around Jackson right before I was born. Loads of people died from it, but Joel won't let anyone tell me about it. I've tried to find information on it for ages now, but all I get is a bunch of nothing." She says, fiddling with a rock on the ground. 

"Why don't I look into it for you..? I'm sure I can find something." I say gently.

She looks up at me finally with a slight hesitation on her face.

"You'd do that..?"

"Yea… 'course I would, El.."

She stares at me for a moment, and I begin to question if I've done something wrong.

"Ellie-" 

"Say it again.." She whispers.

"Wha-"

"Call me El again.." Louder this time.

I stare into her eyes trying to determine what she's thinking but I can't. The fireflies seem to be moving even faster, and crickets sing once more. I open my mouth and whisper,

"El.."

She grins and pulls out her journal.

"What are you-"

"Shhh! Hold still." Her hand holds my chin as she moves my head to face her.

 Cold fingers and callouses.

She lets go and starts sketching. She sticks her tongue out just a smidge, and I have to resist the urge to laugh. I smile at her, and she grins. Watching her pencil move across the paper to form my face is quite the sight. I could tell she moved more fireflies around my face because they were surrounding me, and I could hardly see her. After a few minutes, she signs her name, writes something at the bottom, and closes the notebook.

"What! I don't get to see??" My voice breaking the silence.

"Nope." She says with a cheeky grin.

"How rude! I sat here for hours posing, and now you won't even let me see the finished work!"

"Yup, that's right."

I glare at her, and she just bursts out laughing. Huffing, I gently swat the fireflies away. 

"Can't believe you."

"You seriously didn't see this coming?" 

I huff and roll my eyes.

"No…I trusted you."

"Rule number one, never trust anyone."

"That rule is bullshit."

"You calling my rules bullshit?"

"I calls them like I sees them."

This time, it's her turn to huff. She flicks my forehead and stands. As she extends a hand to me, I take it and stand next to her.

"Next time, don't go chasing people in your pajamas during the middle of the night." She looks down at me with a raised brow and a slightly judgemental look.

"I'm not a child Ellie."

"You're younger than me."

"What! No way!"

"Yea, I'm 21," Ellie says cockily.

I huff and kick a rock before I take my hand from hers.

"Alright, whatever.. Next time I'll send the guards to tackle your ass."

She grins and forms a flower for me from the ground up. Cutting the stem as she usually does, she hands it to me. This time, it's a Dalhia with an ombre pattern. 

"Thanks, Ellie, it's gorgeous…" 

She says nothing for a moment before she asks, "Why did you kiss me on the cheek..?" 

My heart dropped, and I didn't know what to tell her because I honestly didn't know why either. 

"Isn't that what some royals do as a farewell…?" I think on the spot. It was true that some royals and nobles used it as a farewell to people they considered close. Still, it was usually given to someone who was on the same hierarchy as you. Giving a kiss to someone "Beneath you" was considered running the royal lips.

I can't read her expression, but she seems to buy it. Just when the silence becomes too unbearable, she tucks my hair away from my cheek and kisses it softly.

"Figured I'd return the favor.."

Before I can respond, she's practically running away. I stand there dazed for a moment and cup the spot she kissed to hold my hand out and look at it as if the kiss would appear on my hand. My face heats up and I feel butterflies attack my stomach. I take a deep, shaky breath before I make my way back to my room.

It turns out I freaked out my maids. Due to my little excursion, the whole palace was in a panic, thinking I'd been kidnapped. Now, thanks to my idiocy, two guards were placed at the bottom of the second balcony. It seemed my general was not playing with my safety, which I kind of appreciated. I sent him a long letter profusely apologizing, and this time, instead of flowers like I did for Nakir, I sent his favorite food along with it. 

Now, I was currently getting ready for Barrow's court hearing. A judge would be providing, but as I was the Queen and had made the claim, I was required to be there.

Jane weaves pearl pins into my hair while Rose smooths out my dress. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was going in there as a lawyer myself. They've put me in a deep purple pantsuit and white heels. Pearls are woven and pinned into my hair, and I've been given a folder with all the information needed for court today. Finishing up, Jane takes a step back and curtsies.

"All done, Your Majesty." Her usually timid voice was gone.

"Thank you, Jane," I say as I finish adjusting my jewelry.

I was happy she had finally come out of her shell and gained some sense of comfort around me. I smile at her before I walk to the door.

"I'll be back, girls! Feel free to relax while I'm gone; it's gonna be a while." I say before I open the doors. They respond with well-wishes and such, and I close the door behind me. I make my way to the courtroom and spot a few friendly faces in the crowd. The Prime Minister and Nakir are in the booth. I see Ellie, too, and I'm surprised to see Dina and Jesse with her. Dina spots me and waves to me while Jesse smacks her arm down. I giggle and wave back before making my way to my throne. I watch as Dina smacks Jesse and says something to him as he rolls his eyes. Those two are a handful, and Ellie seems annoyed. I try to meet her eyes, but she seems too tired to realize it. 

Soon, court is in session, and Barrow is brought out. He glares up at me, and I raise a brow. You reap what you sow motherfucker. 

"Barrow, formerly known as Duke Barrow Haleson, you are hereby charged with impersonation of a noble and slandering the royal name. Are you or are you not guilty?" The Judge asks Barrow.

"I'm not guilty." He says proudly. His lawyer facepalms and groans. I stifle a laugh and pay attention. 

"Alrighty then. Will the court please present its evidence?"

The District attorney presents the birth certificate to the Judge. I watch as his eyes scan over the document. The room waits with bated breath as the Judge sets the document down. Her eyes narrow as she looks at Barrow.

"What is your claim, Barrow? Because this document seems legally accurate to me." She says coldly, her voice unwavering.

"Your Honor… I was only helping the late Duke Haleson... You see, his child died as it was born along with his wife. He had to start all over again… but I was born under his roof to a maid and a stable boy. He promised them I would be well taken care of. The Duke hid that document away… If anything, this is the late Duke's fault, not mine! I had no choice in the matter, and by the time I knew, I was too far in deep to admit the truth." He begins pleading, "Please, Judge Mallory... There must be something you can do."

"Do not blame the dead, for they are no longer here." The Prime Minister suddenly says. I wasn't aware people were allowed to interject during court.

"Yes… thank you, Prime Minister.. Barrow, you are admitting to being an illegitimate child, yet you claim you aren't guilty?"

"Yes… Your honor.."

Judge Mallory sighs and writes something down.

"And what of the slander against the Queen? Do you admit to that?"

"I was simply saying what everyone in the room was thinking." Everyone in the room rushes to my side and begins yelling at him. Barrow flinches and begins apologizing.

"Alright! Alright! I'm sorry!! " he says, covering his ears and glaring at the people in the room.

Judge Mallory turns to me and asks, "How would you like to proceed, Your Majesty?"

I ponder on it for a moment. What he said may be true... And if so, I do feel some sort of pity for him… however, I had to make an example of what happened to those who fooled me.

"Imprisonment for 20 years," I say to the Judge. Barrow begins screaming and pleading.

"Your Majesty, no!! Please!!" He cries out. I look down at him unfeeling and wish I could feel some sort of pity, but this man attempted to take away my right to choose who I marry. And so much more. 

"Would you like 40 years instead, Barrow? I thought 20 was quite merciful of me…" Looking down at him, I see the fear turn to rage.

"Fine. So be it, but there's something that needs to be addressed! You must pay for your infidelity and unloyalty to my son!"

I was heavily confused. Glancing at Oren himself, I see he, too, is perplexed.

"What do you mean Barrow?" Judge Mallory asks.

"She is cheating on my son! Bring me the letters!"

A butler brings out something covered in a white cloth and sets it on the table before him. Whispers fill the room, and I begin to notice that outline along the bottom.. no .. it couldn't be... Could it..?

Barrow lifts the cloth off the top, and my worst fears come to life. The box full of letters Ellie sent me rests on the table right in front of him. He opens the box and hands the letters to his lawyer. How did he get his hands on those... The only people who know about them are… my maids…

One of my maids betrayed me. The sickening realization fills my lungs with bile, and I feel myself grip my seat. I glance at Ellie, but she's staring at the letters.

"They're all letters to the Queen... From some Prince E!!" Barrow's lawyer shouts. The room erupts in gasps, and he brings the letters to Judge Mallory. I  feel everyone's eyes on me. I try to open my mouth, but it's dry, and I can't seem to get a word out.

"Your Majesty… is this true..?"

Judge Mallory looks at me with the letters in her hand, and I try not to cry.

"Of course it's true!! Prince E can only be a man that she's cheating on my son with!"

"But I've never heard of a Prince E…"

"Who could Prince E be."

A few whispers I catch stress me out further. I was screwed. The only people who knew Prince E were Ellie and me. If I spoke up about it, I'd have to say Ellie is just a friend. Which I could do.. or … admit that I was cheating even though I wasn't and face the consequences. Neither option sounded good, but I was backed into a corner. Licking my lips, I begin to say something when I hear, "It was me." 

A voice rings out from the stands. Ellie stands tall as whispers erupt around the room.

"I wrote Y/n.. I mean Queen Y/n, those letters. I'm Prince E."

Chaos ensues, and Judge Mallory has to slam her gavel to calm everyone down. I stare at Ellie in shock, but she doesn't look my way.

"Can you prove this claim, Prince Ellie?" Judge Mallory asks.

"Yes, Jesse, go grab the letters, please." She asks him loudly. He bows and runs off, looking more stressed than I've ever seen him.

Ellie meets my eyes, but before I can say anything to her, she looks away. My heart drops even further. As we wait for Jesse to return, people gossip like crazy. Jesse runs back into the room with a box similar to mine. She really had been keeping them…

"As you can see, these are sealed with Her Majesty's personal seal," Ellie says, looking directly at Barrow, challenging him. Jesse brings the box to Judge Mallory, and she reads a few before sighing.

"What is your point, Prince Ellie?" Judge Mallory asks her.

"My point.. Is that Queen Y/n and I are just friends? Nothing more." 

Tears well in my eyes as I feel my heart snap. Everyone in the room has some form of reaction, and Barrow yells in outrage.

"This can't be!! I had a reliable source tell me the Queen was cheating on my son!!" He bellows. 

Judge Mallory bangs the gavel once more and calmly says.

"Prince Ellie's statement checks out, Barrow; you are hereby stripped of your title permanently and sentenced to 30 years imprisonment for slander of the Royal family and impersonation of a noble."

She bangs her gavel once more as a final message to keep quiet and rises from her seat. Things go by quickly after that. Ellie, Dina, Jesse, and everyone else leave the room quickly while I stay frozen in my seat. Suddenly, I snap out of it, grab the letters from the bench, and run back to my room. As soon as I'm there, I kick my maids out. I didn't know which one of them to trust... One of them had betrayed me... Maybe even more.

I felt so hurt and betrayed... Not only by others but by myself. Here I was, sobbing over a woman who didn't love me back...

I was falling in love with her…

No…

I was in love with Ellie Williams.

And it killed me inside to admit that.

The tears fall down my face at a faster pace now. I'm looking around the room for a place to hide the letters when my eyes land on the fireplace. Blinded by my emotions and tears, I stumble over to it and light it. If I was going to be a Queen I could be proud of, I needed to make a change. Besides… as Ellie said, we're just friends…

The warm flames lick my cold tears as I sob and burn each and every letter…

I should've just gotten a damn phone..

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