Kingdom of Sorrows

The Lycan Kingdom "Are you insinuating that I am too old to make honorable judgments on the matter?" The icy blue eyes of my father shot daggers at me. "Insinuating? No, father, I downright said it. You see the entire world through blood-covered spectacles. Tell me, what good would war do?" I crossed my arms over my chest. "Honestly, what do we have to gain from attacking the dark kingdom? The vampires are much too strong for our soldiers." "How dare you, insolent child! You know nothing of the world, and you know nothing of the vampires." He spat. A handmaid wiped the spit off his chin for him. He seemed to grow more feeble and less right-minded each year. Even his stature was of a weak old man with too much power to know what to do with. "Maybe I'm young and naive, father, but history doesn't lie. Right now, we have peace--" "FOR NOW! They are likely planning to attack as we speak! But the child in front of me would rather us perish instead of preparing to attack first. I'd strike you, if there were no others present." I sigh. Then why even bring it up in front of them? "Father--" "His majesty is quite tired. It'd be best to let him rest, Princess Zara," Cobelin, my father's closest advisor, said with a sour smile. He knew how to pull my father's strings to his advantage. And my father knew how to dance like the puppet he was. Cobelin helped my father down from his throne. It was no secret that Cobelin hoped for my father to die and give him the throne. Of course, that is not something that my father would ever do. Even Coblin knew that. If there is anything my father believes in, it's a strong bloodline. Something that Cobelin sorely lacks. So Cobelin will fan the throne, polish the wooden feet, and make it presentable without ever being allowed to sit in it. I stand there facing the throne as the maids move around me and the knights that hold their positions against the walls. "You never learn, do you, sister?" Thomas, my eldest brother, said walking up beside me. He looked at the empty throne along with me. "You know he will do whatever Cobelin advises. And the vampires are no friend to us." "Maybe not, but they were once our foes. And for an entire generation, we've had peace grown off the back of our grandfather's work. Our numbers have more than doubled in that time. Father won’t survive a war." I could see Thomas turned his head to me before dismissing all the staff in the room. "Zara, you know better than to speak that way about father around others. The walls have ears, as they say." "Then cut them off." I said through gritted teeth. "Amusing. You don’t want to raise a sword against a vampire but you'd cut the ears off your own." I rolled my eyes lazily and turned to him. "Jace was looking for you earlier. Why?" "He wanted to know what I thought about the gate. It's strength." Thomas smirked at my misdirection. "Why would he be concerned about that?" "According to Annabelle, Jace has been acting very odd lately. She says he won't even take her to the market anymore." I smiled at the innocence that our youngest sister portrays. "Poor Annabelle," I shook my head smiling. "I don't know how that makes a difference in his behavior but I have noticed that he has been spending long hours in the study long after dark." "Alone?" I asked before I could stop myself. "What are you suggesting, little sister?" "Nothing at all. But my older brother was also known for spending long hours in the study with a certain handmaid." I teased him. Thomas feigns insult. Taking an exaggerated breath and placing a hand over his heart. "I was helping her learn to read." "I'm sure. The pair of you read very loudly, as I recall. Was it the bible you were reading?" "As a matter of fact, it was. She's a very spiritual person, you know. Called out to God more than once." I laughed out loud, no longer able to hold up the charade. "They'd call you a rake in the old day." "I prefer 'an enthusiastic teacher.'" We walked down the corridors. Thomas asked if I was preparing to be ostracized for my objections of war. "Cobelin will make you the villain in everyone's eyes. I hope you're prepared for that." "I think I'm already the villain in everyone's eyes. This would only be the cherry on top for them. Honestly, how much more can they condemn me?" "Your highness. Princess Zara. You have both been summoned by the King," Cobelin called as we approached my bedroom chamber. "I suppose we are about to find out," Thomas muttered to me as we both followed Cobelin back to the throne room.