CHAPTER THREE
1282 Words
Queen Alice POV
"This small council meeting is worthless, my chiefs. That my stepdaughter, Samara, has come of age does not mean she is ready for a leadership role. That girl barely thinks for herself. What do we stand to gain if she is eventually crowned as Queen at this moment? For sure, the kingdom will suffer greatly. So, trust me when I say, she is way too young for the burden, and that is why I want us to exercise a little patience for her to develop fully into a woman while she fulfills the last wish" I address the council, sitting on the Silver Throne.
“Your Highness, it is not in our power to make such a decision. It was the will of your late husband, the wolf-king, that Samara should succeed him as the chosen one to lead his people once she fulfills the last wish. There is absolutely nothing we or anyone can do about it,” Beta Abel speaks, then takes his seat.
“A wish she is yet to fulfill,” I reply to him.
“Certainly, but twilight comes. We must not defy the will of the dead. We must not delay any longer the ways of our ancestors. The late wolf-king has made his choice, and it is the right thing to do by showing the crowned princess the ways of the council,” Beta Karl adds, then takes his seat.
“We don’t even remember when last she set her feet into the small council meeting since the death of the king,” Beta Abel adds.
“Are you indirectly accusing me of keeping the princess away from the small council meetings?” I smirk. “She’s my daughter. I want the best for her. If she wants to be in the small council, I won’t stop her. But everyone knows this truth: Samara hasn't been well in all these years, with her unfamiliar fever coming and going, putting her in a state where she can't attend the small council meeting yet.”
“Your Highness, the chosen heir of a deceased king ascends the throne once he or she comes of age. For the crowned princess, she has clocked eighteen. Few days from now she will find her mate. It is our duty to ensure that we adhere to these ways of our ancestors,” I watch Beta Paulli from the Silver Throne respond.
“Anyone else? Anyone to contribute to this matter amongst you?” No one else responded, so I start calling their names.
“Alex, would you like to contribute?”
“Nothing, Your Highness.”
“What about you, Gius?”
“None at all.”
“This is a delicate matter. Beta Berit, lend us your opinion.”
“Your Highness, know this: I am not against you keeping the throne until the Princess finally fulfills the last wish and is fully ready to lead.” Berit responds, his eyes rather fixed on the huge clock design behind the Silver Throne. I presumed he was a bit lost in ideas.
“And you, Loris. You have been silent. Tell me your say in this matter.” Loris just shakes his head negatively, and I let him be. Then I continue, “And now to you, Abel, Karl, and Paulli, tell me, have I ever been a bad queen or a leader to you all or the people of Silverhills?”
They respond to me in unison, “Not at all, Your Highness.”
“If you three believe so, why the rush? Why do you three want a child on this throne so much? I vividly remember even when I never wanted the Silver Throne after the death of my husband, you, Abel, appointed me to lead despite my initial refusal. For five years now we have experienced peace like never before. For five years now we have commercially broken records of our produce and become one of the most powerful kingdoms. Look at our kingdom walls; it is almost completed. The people are happy and living well. No one is complaining about anything.”
“Your Highness, you have done honorably well, but let us not forget our duty. One which must not be overlooked. Hope you understand, Your Highness.” Beta Abel bows his head, then takes his seat.
“Hope I understand? No, I don’t understand, Council Chief Abel. But I do understand you are trying to ruin this kingdom. You want to give the Silver Throne to a girl who still has a long way to go. If you keep on talking this way, I will consider you a traitor to the good people of Silverhills,” I warned.
“Your Highness... I... was…”
“My commander informed me, the farmers were attacked by werewolves from Frakkenoft. They are our sworn enemy, but for so long they haven’t dared to infiltrate our land. I suspect there is a spy, a traitor among this small council.”
“Your Highness... the attack…”
“Tell me, Council Chief Abel, are you responsible? Are you the one feeding the Finn’s pack with information to destroy this kingdom?”
He pleads, “I beg your pardon, Your Highness. I was the king’s closest confidante and consort. Even now he is dead, it is my best interest to maintain my loyalty. My loyalty lies with the Nolan’s and so shall it remain.”
“Your loyalty? You’ll have to prove your loyalty. We caught all of them, and we’ll be leaving here for their execution at the city’s tower.” Just before I could finish, my guard whispers into my ear.
“Gentlemen, betas. We may leave for the tower.” I inform them, and slowly everyone leaves the council chamber. As we approach the city’s tower, the crowd starts to cheer until I take my seat.
“These hostages were caught by our warriors when they attacked our people in their farmlands. They have been a threat for some days now, scaring our noble people from going to their farms. But today, everything changes.” I pause as the crowd gives loud cheers.
“We’ll send their king a message. Since they want war, we’ll give them more than war.” The crowd cheers.
“The Frakkenoft are no friend of us, neither are they friend of any kingdom. They live miserably and derive joy in causing other kingdoms pain, suffering, and loss. We will show their king that we haven’t forgotten how he betrayed us to the vampires. We will show him the war he started years ago will consume him now.” This time the cheers are louder that I could not hear myself.
“With me here is my daughter, Morgase, a face known to you all, and the prince and princess of Rivalloo, along with our noble chiefs.” The crowd cheers as I do the introduction. Abel makes space for Morgase to sit.
“I would like Abel, one of our finest and strongest chiefs, to take the honor in spilling their blood. Then we send them back to their king.” The crowd cheer, singing, “Kill them! Kill them!”
“Abel, would you?” I order him to execute them. He is rather shocked, hoping that my army commander would do so as it has always been done.
“Your Highness... I?”
“Prove your loyalty to the Nolan’s,” I interrupt. He falls silent as he drags his boots in his wolf form. He reaches where the werewolves are tied, hands up. One by one he starts slitting their throats open with his claws.
- Writer
