The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen
After the commotion of the news, the room turns silent, and the servants leave after a wave of Ignis's hand. He leans back on the sofa, observing the ceiling as if it was the source of all our trouble.
Everyone listened to their King when he ordered them to leave, except for Aida. She's my bodyguard and my companion; she listens to my mother, the Queen, and then to me.
«Aida, you knew it...» I whisper, frowning again. «Why wasn't I informed?»
«Your Highness, the situation...» she sighs.
Ignis clears his throat, throwing a burning glance in Aida's direction.
«She's your Queen, now,» he says.
«Your Majesty,» Aida repeats, rolling her eyes.
Oh, right. I haven't told Ignis yet. Our child will be his successor, but also mine. A single person, being the ruler of Alba and of Mages! Oh, only if they have enough magical power to handle the role of King of Mages.
«Your body is frail, your Majesty. And the pregnancy... It's been at risk from the start. The child's aura is too weak for this stage, and the chances of losing it are high. I didn't want you to hope for something that might vanish in a moment.»
«Ah, is that so?»
«Yes, it is.»
I sigh, realising that life will never be as easy as when I was at home, protected by my family and safe from any ill.
«You shouldn't lift anything too heavy, nor drink alcohol. You should limit raw food and drink a lot of water,» Aida explains. «You should rest more often and avoid overexerting your body. Especially from next month...»
«It's seven months more,» I comment.
And it sounds like forever. I've done two months already, but I didn't know about this child. And now? Now that I know, every day will last three times longer.
«Things were complicated enough.»
«Are you talking about the poisoning?» Ignis inquires.
«Not just that... On the day of the coronation, a servant walked into my room and poured goat blood all over the regal mantle. There was a needle with itching powder in my belt. Ah... Was there something else?» I can't remember. «Those were all stupid pranks, but now... Even a stupid prank can cost me much.»
«Pranks?» Ignis stutters, widening his eyes. «Can you imagine what would have happened if it worked? It's more than a simple game.»
«It didn't happen,» I point out. «I cleaned everything, and we were good to go.»
«Veronica... You're in danger. Even a maid glaring at you isn't something you should underestimate. Please, be more careful. Do it for your child if you don't want to do it for me.»
Oh, this little manipulator. He's already using our child for his purposes.
«You can leave,» he says to Aida, but she doesn't move.
Of course, she listens to me only. I need a nod to signal everything is all right, and we're finally left alone.
«The nobles that tried to get rid of me are taken care of,» Ignis says when no one but me can hear. «They aren't those attempting at your life, and the few remaining are watched as closely as to know if they were just thinking of trying anything. This is someone else.»
«About the people trying to get rid of you... Is someone from the Royal Family involved?»
«Yes, it is. I can't find proof, but all clues bring us to the core of the Palace. I have trouble identifying the leader, though.»
«Trouble? Like, you can't find proof enough?»
«I don't know who it is, Veronica. I have no clue.»
Isn't it obvious?
«Also, the moves of this person started a couple of months ago. It intensified when you reached the Palace, but I didn't see any link until you told me about the coronation. The guards stopped a couple of serious attempts at ruining the ceremony, but we couldn't catch anyone to interrogate.»
«I see...»
So, is it the Queen Dowager or not? She's the first person coming to mind when I think of Ignis's enemies. But there's also the Queen Dowager Grandmother: that vixen treated Ignis so badly, on the day I was crowned.
«It's not her?» I say. «How sure can you be?»
«Gratia is ten this year, and it's early to think about marriage, isn't it?»
«Marriage? Are you planning to send her away like a package?» I burst out, crossing my arms and staring at him. «You do not dare! She's still a kid! It doesn't matter that she's spoiled and impolite. She's ten, for goodness.»
«I know, right? Also, do you think my stepmother would gladly accept? She would start plotting her coup after hearing such news.»
«What news?»
He delivers a tiny piece of paper to me, and I unfold it to read the words. It's a marriage offer, written in great secret and with just barely enough words to make it clear. Princess Gratia is offered as the bride of the Emperor of a faraway land. Far enough not to hear from her anymore.
«Goodness,» I sigh. «This isn't your work.»
The Gs are normal so it wasn't written by Ignis. Also, he wouldn't use such an underhanded means to get rid of his sister.
«It's not. Someone else is plotting, and they want to remove Gratia from her position.»
«Why?»
«If Gratia isn't Crown Princess, then the Dowager Queen's influence disappears into thin air. Her parental link with my successor is what makes her voice heard. If not for that, she would be as powerless as the Dowager Empress Grandmother.»
«So, this is why you allow that old witch to treat you like that: she has no power other than to say what she wants!»
«She's my grandmother, Veronica. I can't talk back to her, can I?»
«Could it be her, though? She has some power in the Palace, and her maternal family is backing her up even after so much time... Could it be that the Elder Queen Dowager wants more power before striking at you?»
«For sure, after sending Gratia away, the plan is to hit us. But I don't think it's my grandmother. She has no interest in the throne: she lost it ages ago, after all...»
«Things have changed now that you're King.»
«She doesn't care who's on the throne as long as it's her bloodline. Gratia and I are both suitable, and she wouldn't send her away, for it would endanger the succession. After all, blood is thicker than water. She prefers me on the throne than someone completely unrelated, and she wouldn't help a rebellion by removing Gratia from the court. Not this early, at least.»
«Your family is so complicated,» I comment.
«Oh, you still have no idea.»
«We can't let them succeed, Ignis. Gratia has to stay here, and she needs to understand how much you're helping her. First, we will save her, and then we'll tell her about it. If that doesn't change her attitude, nothing will.»
«You're planning to manipulate the events through a child, Veronica! How can you scold me when you're just the same?»
«Oh, it's not the same! We're saving her from a marriage; the other side is forcing her into one. Who better than me can understand the troubles of a girl being sold off just like this?»
«You weren't sold, Ronnie. Your father came here to drag you back, and your family was starting to assemble an army to get you back.»
«Yeah, sure...» I chuckle. Still, his face is so serious.
His hands squeeze mine, and his eyes caress my face when our gazes meet. He's not joking right now. Father was really going to start a war.
«Oh, thank goodness everything ended well,» I say out loud. It would have been bad if people died for me. «We should make it work this time around as well.»
No matter how much Gratia is unlikeable, she's a child. I won't take revenge on her, not until she becomes an adult. There's still time to show her the right path: to stop harassing my hubby with her glares and sour words.
«Oh, Veronica,» he sighs, dragging me in his arms. Not that I mind, but it's sudden.
«Yes?»
«We're going to be parents,» he says, pecking my hair and caressing my back.
Oh, he's right.
I press a hand on my stomach where I suppose the child is. It's so soon.. Too soon! I'm not ready to be a mother.
Chapter 117: Early Marriage
Everyone listened to their King when he ordered them to leave, except for Aida. She's my bodyguard and my companion; she listens to my mother, the Queen, and then to me.
«Aida, you knew it...» I whisper, frowning again. «Why wasn't I informed?»
«Your Highness, the situation...» she sighs.
Ignis clears his throat, throwing a burning glance in Aida's direction.
«She's your Queen, now,» he says.
«Your Majesty,» Aida repeats, rolling her eyes.
Oh, right. I haven't told Ignis yet. Our child will be his successor, but also mine. A single person, being the ruler of Alba and of Mages! Oh, only if they have enough magical power to handle the role of King of Mages.
«Your body is frail, your Majesty. And the pregnancy... It's been at risk from the start. The child's aura is too weak for this stage, and the chances of losing it are high. I didn't want you to hope for something that might vanish in a moment.»
«Ah, is that so?»
«Yes, it is.»
I sigh, realising that life will never be as easy as when I was at home, protected by my family and safe from any ill.
«You shouldn't lift anything too heavy, nor drink alcohol. You should limit raw food and drink a lot of water,» Aida explains. «You should rest more often and avoid overexerting your body. Especially from next month...»
«It's seven months more,» I comment.
And it sounds like forever. I've done two months already, but I didn't know about this child. And now? Now that I know, every day will last three times longer.
«Things were complicated enough.»
«Are you talking about the poisoning?» Ignis inquires.
«Not just that... On the day of the coronation, a servant walked into my room and poured goat blood all over the regal mantle. There was a needle with itching powder in my belt. Ah... Was there something else?» I can't remember. «Those were all stupid pranks, but now... Even a stupid prank can cost me much.»
«Pranks?» Ignis stutters, widening his eyes. «Can you imagine what would have happened if it worked? It's more than a simple game.»
«It didn't happen,» I point out. «I cleaned everything, and we were good to go.»
Oh, this little manipulator. He's already using our child for his purposes.
«You can leave,» he says to Aida, but she doesn't move.
Of course, she listens to me only. I need a nod to signal everything is all right, and we're finally left alone.
«The nobles that tried to get rid of me are taken care of,» Ignis says when no one but me can hear. «They aren't those attempting at your life, and the few remaining are watched as closely as to know if they were just thinking of trying anything. This is someone else.»
«About the people trying to get rid of you... Is someone from the Royal Family involved?»
«Yes, it is. I can't find proof, but all clues bring us to the core of the Palace. I have trouble identifying the leader, though.»
«Trouble? Like, you can't find proof enough?»
«I don't know who it is, Veronica. I have no clue.»
Isn't it obvious?
«Also, the moves of this person started a couple of months ago. It intensified when you reached the Palace, but I didn't see any link until you told me about the coronation. The guards stopped a couple of serious attempts at ruining the ceremony, but we couldn't catch anyone to interrogate.»
«I see...»
So, is it the Queen Dowager or not? She's the first person coming to mind when I think of Ignis's enemies. But there's also the Queen Dowager Grandmother: that vixen treated Ignis so badly, on the day I was crowned.
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«I know what you're thinking, Veronica,» he says after a while. «But things are not that easy. Not only that I couldn't find a single clue pointing at her, but the Queen Dowager doesn't have any real reason to get rid of me. Not now that her only living daughter is Crown Princess. It would be difficult to govern Alba with a regent, and too many things could go wrong. She might not be the chosen regent, or other things could happen before she could hold power... Coups are turbulent events, after all. It's difficult to keep them under control.»«It's not her?» I say. «How sure can you be?»
«Gratia is ten this year, and it's early to think about marriage, isn't it?»
«Marriage? Are you planning to send her away like a package?» I burst out, crossing my arms and staring at him. «You do not dare! She's still a kid! It doesn't matter that she's spoiled and impolite. She's ten, for goodness.»
«I know, right? Also, do you think my stepmother would gladly accept? She would start plotting her coup after hearing such news.»
«What news?»
He delivers a tiny piece of paper to me, and I unfold it to read the words. It's a marriage offer, written in great secret and with just barely enough words to make it clear. Princess Gratia is offered as the bride of the Emperor of a faraway land. Far enough not to hear from her anymore.
The Gs are normal so it wasn't written by Ignis. Also, he wouldn't use such an underhanded means to get rid of his sister.
«It's not. Someone else is plotting, and they want to remove Gratia from her position.»
«Why?»
«If Gratia isn't Crown Princess, then the Dowager Queen's influence disappears into thin air. Her parental link with my successor is what makes her voice heard. If not for that, she would be as powerless as the Dowager Empress Grandmother.»
«So, this is why you allow that old witch to treat you like that: she has no power other than to say what she wants!»
«She's my grandmother, Veronica. I can't talk back to her, can I?»
«Could it be her, though? She has some power in the Palace, and her maternal family is backing her up even after so much time... Could it be that the Elder Queen Dowager wants more power before striking at you?»
«For sure, after sending Gratia away, the plan is to hit us. But I don't think it's my grandmother. She has no interest in the throne: she lost it ages ago, after all...»
«Things have changed now that you're King.»
«She doesn't care who's on the throne as long as it's her bloodline. Gratia and I are both suitable, and she wouldn't send her away, for it would endanger the succession. After all, blood is thicker than water. She prefers me on the throne than someone completely unrelated, and she wouldn't help a rebellion by removing Gratia from the court. Not this early, at least.»
«Your family is so complicated,» I comment.
«Oh, you still have no idea.»
«We can't let them succeed, Ignis. Gratia has to stay here, and she needs to understand how much you're helping her. First, we will save her, and then we'll tell her about it. If that doesn't change her attitude, nothing will.»
«You're planning to manipulate the events through a child, Veronica! How can you scold me when you're just the same?»
«Oh, it's not the same! We're saving her from a marriage; the other side is forcing her into one. Who better than me can understand the troubles of a girl being sold off just like this?»
«You weren't sold, Ronnie. Your father came here to drag you back, and your family was starting to assemble an army to get you back.»
«Yeah, sure...» I chuckle. Still, his face is so serious.
His hands squeeze mine, and his eyes caress my face when our gazes meet. He's not joking right now. Father was really going to start a war.
«Oh, thank goodness everything ended well,» I say out loud. It would have been bad if people died for me. «We should make it work this time around as well.»
«Oh, Veronica,» he sighs, dragging me in his arms. Not that I mind, but it's sudden.
«Yes?»
«We're going to be parents,» he says, pecking my hair and caressing my back.
Oh, he's right.
I press a hand on my stomach where I suppose the child is. It's so soon.. Too soon! I'm not ready to be a mother.
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