Your High - Your Majesty
1142 Words
And he had no complaints. . . He was happy to be king -
“No!”
Everyone looked over at Alvina, who had just spoken.
The Prime Minister raised one eyebrow, “Your highness. . . No?” He grinned slightly, “Your highness, there is no other route. As the Prime Minister, I have the most experience in governing the lands and making decisions. This is the best choice for the empire.”
Alvina smirked, “Best choice for the empire? Prime Minister Edward, unless your plan is to overthrow the empire and start a new dynasty, then this is not the best choice. With all due respect, you have no royal blood inside your veins. On the other hand, as the eldest child of King Otis, I do.”
The ministers looked amongst themselves and a few furrowed their eyebrows together.
“Your highness, of course my plan isn’t to overthrow the empire! I am a loyal servant to the Asber family and I will forever be until my death. Your highness is indeed the eldest child of his majesty, and the throne will for sure go to your husband when you are to get married. However, your highness is still young and may not be the most experienced in politics. For the empire’s sake, we all concur to allow me to become the king temporarily.”
“I may be young but I have been taking lessons about politics, the military, and every lesson a crown prince would take since birth.”
“Yes indeed, your highness. However, what is taught in your lessons is different from actually being a ruler and making decisions that will affect the entire empire and the people. And, your highness is still young, and you are not married yet.”
In the Baldamia Empire, the order of succession to the throne was first the sons of the emperor, and if there were no sons, then it would go to the emperor’s brothers, and then any male relatives, and then the princess’s husband, and finally. . . maybe the princess if she was old enough.
Women had few rights in the empire. . .
Alvina lifted her head up slightly, “I propose that I shall be the next ruler of the Baldamia Empire.”
Everyone in the room gasped as people began whispering to each other. Princess Beatrice and Concubine Laura also opened their mouths in surprise.
“Your highness, but -” The Prime Minister was cut off before he could finish his sentence.
“I have come of age already, and I am old enough and ready to rule the empire. It also does not matter that I am female, for I have royal blood in me, and I can govern the country well. The Chertyn Empire also has a female monarch, and she has brought the empire to heights it has never reached before. Why can’t a female rule the empire?”
All of the ministers didn’t know what to say as they looked at the Prime Minister, who was also at a loss for words.
“Your highness, but you are only 18, and. . . and just because Queen Hersha of the Chertyn Empire could rule well does not suggest that any female could rule well.”
Alvina smiled, “You’re right, but I can.”
Alvina was this confident because she indeed knew the ins and outs of ruling a country. Her mother had her stay in her father’s throne room several hours a day, and she didn’t know why until now.
After all those hours of listening to her father talk to ministers and watching her father sign and read documents, she had a basic grasp on how the country runs by now.
With a little help, she was certain she could be a great ruler.
“Prime Minister Edward, you are, for sure, a great servant. I am certain that I will need your help in the future in order to lead the country in a better direction. You will help me. . . right?”
The Prime Minister glanced behind him at the other ministers, who were all worriedly furrowing their eyebrows and frowning.
He stayed silent for a few seconds before he finally nodded his head, “Of course, your highness.”
Princess Alvina smiled, “Great. Then please help me to spread the word of the king’s death and my accession to the people of the empire and plan my coronation. The coronation shall be held immediately, and the announcement of the King’s death shall not sound as a surprise or shock. Your most important task at hand is to keep the people calm. Do you understand?”
The Prime Minister was slightly taken aback at the similarity between Princess Alvina and King Otis’s tone and presence before he nodded his head, “Yes, your high - your majesty.”
“I will be going to see my parents now.” Alvina lifted up her nightgown slightly as she marched out of the room, and Beatrice and Laura followed her.
The Prime Minister sat down in his seat after they had left, and the other ministers all began complaining and talking about what had just happened.
“Silence!” The Prime Minister sighed, “Don’t worry. We can give the Princess a few weeks. Once she realizes that she can’t do it, she will stop by herself.”
The ministers nodded their heads. Hopefully. . .
---
Tears began falling down her cheeks when Alvina saw her dead mother. Why?!
She was such a sweet and beautiful woman. . . Why did she die so early?
Alvina Astley placed one hand onto her mother’s smooth and soft skin and more tears began rolling down her eyes. Concubine Laura walked over to her and gently placed one hand over her back.
“It’s okay, Princess Alvina. . . They wouldn’t want to see you so sad.”
Alvina nodded her head slightly as she wiped away her tears. She wasn’t going to stay depressed for long. . . She still had a country to lead! She wasn’t going to let her parent’s hard work go to waste.
--- One Week Later
The news of the late King and Queen’s Death and the news about the elder princess becoming the new ruler spread across the country like wildfire.
A large majority of the people were worried about an 18-year-old girl becoming the emperor, and there were several protests going around in the empire.
Today. . . was Alvina’s coronation.
- Writer
