The Queen’s Knight

Isla’s POV The first thing I did when I got home was to drop my gym bag by the door. My hands were aching, my legs were heavier than normal and I just wanted a long bath and to be left alone. I took off my sneakers, once stretched my neck, and grabbed my phone to charge it. It is then that I realized about the missed calls. Ten. No—eleven. All from the same name. Elena. My eyebrows were drawn together. Elena did not make so many calls unless something was very wrong. She was a doctor, and the calmest individual I could think of. She didn’t panic. She didn’t spam calls. She texted once. And she worked in Vensora. Even the mention of the name of that kingdom made my chest tight. I waited a couple of seconds and tapped her contact and called. The phone was ringing once, twice, then it died. I tried again. Same thing. “Come on,” I muttered. I checked my signal. Full bars. I made one final attempt, and this time more slowly, in the hope that would do it. The call didn’t go through. That made my uneasiness run deeper. I closed my phone and threw it on the couch. Whatever it was, Elena would call again. Or text. She always did. Spending time around fussing would do no good. I took a towel and went to the bathroom. The bath was not quick as usual. I stood in the water, and allowed it to fall down my shoulders, endeavoring to loosen the knots out of my muscles. But my mind refused to settle. The name of Elena kept on flashing behind my eyes. Vensora. Home. The area I avoided like a disease. The spot that I had implored my brother to release me. At sixteen he had sworn to me, no, I forced him to alter laws, just because I did not want to live there. Adrian had obeyed it without protest. I got out of the bath, threw on the towel and entered the living room, and picked on the remote. I turned on the TV. The screen was illuminated with a news channel. I scowled, and my thumb was hovering over the button to switch it. I hated the news. It was loud, dramatic, always filled with bad news. A familiar face was on the screen just as I was about to change channels. My brother. King Adrian Valeria, the King of Vensora. I lowered the remote slowly. The camera angle depicted him standing at a podium. He looked calm. Too calm. His pose was erect, his countenance restrained, though I was familiar with him to notice the tension in his jaw. I didn’t breathe as I listened. Adrian said through the microphones, “I made this decision because of love. And I do not regret it.” My heart pounded against my chest. The voice of the reporter came in, and before I could listen further the screen was suddenly changed to another piece. A different anchor. A different story. “What?” I whispered. I awaited the switch-over, and gazed at the screen. It didn’t. I was trembling and threw the remote on the couch and ran to my phone. I opened it and called the number of Adrian. It rang once. Twice. Then he answered. “Isla,” he said gently. “I was just about to call—” “What was that?” I interrupted. “What did I just see on the news? What did you do for love?” There was a pause on the line. Not long, but long, till my stomach turns. Adrian let out a slow breath. “What did you do?” I asked, once again. “I am abdicating the throne,” he said. “I’m stepping down as king.” The words did not initially make sense. They passed over me without drowning. “You’re what?” I asked. “I’m abdicating,” he repeated. “I’m getting married. And this is the only way.” I sat down on the couch, the towel loosening a bit round the chest , forgotten. “Why do you have to abdicate to get married?” I asked. “You’re the king. You can change laws. You’ve done it before.” “Yes,” he said quietly. “I know. But this time, I can’t.” My chest tightened. “Why?” “The reason is that the woman I love is a commoner.” Came his honest reply. I closed my eyes. Of course she was. “And you are familiar with the laws of Vensora,” he added. “”Royals are not allowed to marry commoners. Not without consequences.” “You are going to chose her over the throne,” I said. “I am settling on happiness,” he answered. “Something we never had there, either of us.” I didn’t answer. My mind was going round like a top. After some time, I put the question that had been bothering me since the first second of the call. “Okay now,” I said very slowly, “who is the head of the kingdom?” There was no hesitation. “You,” Adrian said. I laughed. It came out sharp and broken. “No,” I said immediately. “Absolutely not.” “Isla—” “No,” I repeated. “You can’t be serious. I’m not fit for that. You know that. I don’t even live there.” “You were born for it,” he said. “That doesn’t mean I want it!” I snapped. “I don’t even like Vensora. You know I don’t. I hate that place.” You despise what it did to us, you mean, Adrian said mildly. “Not the land itself.” I got on my feet and started walking around the room with my bare feet on the floor. I will not, I said, and I felt a shiver coming into my voice. I do not know anything about ruling. I don’t know the council. I don’t know the laws anymore. I do not even know how the palace functions. “You’ll learn,” he said. “I don’t want to,” I said. “I don’t want the throne, Adrian.” There was a pause. Then his voice softened. The choice is already made. I stopped pacing. “What do you mean, made?” I asked slowly. He said, “the council has been informed. The announcement will be made in the nearest future. You’ll be contacted soon, officially.” My chest was aching, as though the air had been taken out of the room. “You had not even asked me,” I argued. “I had known what you would say,” he said. “And I know also that you will get through this. You always do.” “I do not want to survive it,” I said. “I want no part of it.” Adrian attempted to bring out the light side. “I will always be there, in case it makes you feel any better. You won’t be alone.” “That’s not enough,” I said. “That doesn’t fix this.” He chuckled softly. Always hated surprises, you did. “This isn’t funny,” I said. “I know,” he replied. But there is one thing I should say, and that is, have a good last night as a free woman. “Adrian—wait—” The call ended. I was looking at my phone in shock. “Adrian?” I replied, though the screen was black. “Adrian!” I dropped the phone gradually, and my hands shook. My heart was bounding, my thoughts were going bang. Queen. Throne. Vensora. Responsibility. One I had been running away my life. My phone had just rung when I had not fully digested it. A number was flashing on the screen, but it was unknown. I hesitated. Then I answered. “Hello.”