Chapter 75
CAMILLA’S PO.V
Two days later and I still hated the idea. It just felt wrong to me and I tried searching for another solution to the problem but there was none. The people were worried and there had been more fights breaking out in the last two days. than in the last month combined. Everyone had a different opinion on how what they thought was supposed to happen and the rumor mill was alive with theories. Some were closer to the truth than I would have liked while others were so unbelievable that I could not fathom how anyone possibly came up with it. A small gurgle interrupted me and I glanced down at Aurora lying peacefully in her bassinet. I couldn’t leave her alone for an extended period of time so she was going with us. She and Audrey were going to be in a safe tent with Christine but it still didn’t stop me from worrying. There were so many things that could go wrong and I couldn’t help but feel like something bad was going to happen. The door to the room opened and I turned to see Ryker. He was dressed in tailored slacks with a button–up shirt. His coat was slung over his shoulder and despite the more casual look to his outfit, he still looked every part of the royal that he was. He crossed the length of the room and came to stand right next to me. I put on a practiced smile hoping he wouldn’t see the worry on my face. “I felt your anxiety,” he said casually without looking up at me. “Do you want to talk about it?” I shook my head. “It will be a quick meeting, in and out. It doesn’t have to last up to half an hour. All you need to do is tell them that you heard the rumors and they are unfounded.”
“You should have been king instead,” I muttered. “You’re so good at this already, I have no idea what I am doing.”
“Cut yourself some slack, you’ve barely been queen for a year. You’ll learn and you will get better at it. You’re already a great Queen as it is.”
“Going to war in your first year as Queen does not exactly scream ‘great,” I couldn’t keep the condescending edge out of my tone. Ryker sighed and opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by someone mind linking us both.
“They carriage is ready,” Christine said. “It is time.”
She broke off the mind link and I just stood there in silence. Ryker offered me a small smile of encouragement before picking up our daughter. Audrey was already with Christine. He held out his hand to me and I gingerly took it. That uneasy feeling hadn’t left but for the first time since I woke up, I felt a little confident that things weren’t going to end up badly.
I was quiet for the entire carriage ride. Audrey chattered nonstop while Ryker entertained her. As soon as we got out of the palace, I was handed some notes to serve as pointers for what I was supposed to say. As I read through them, I couldn’t help but feel a certain level of guilt. I knew I couldn’t say half of the
things that were written down.
Basically, the strategy was to expose his mother but paint her as a whore who tried to pin a pregnancy on the king. They wanted to make Eva and Frederick. look so unbelievable in the eyes of the people by painting them as deranged and desperate. It was a brilliant strategy but it was also cruel and for the entire ride I pondered on whether or not I wanted to do it.
The meeting was to hold in the large town square. It had already been set up. Christine led the children into the hall where they would be safe while I was taken to the back to ensure that I was ready. Immediately we were alone, I went to the elders.
“I can’t say this,” I told them and there was a collective sigh.
“You don’t have to say it all but you need to keep to the script,” I still didn’t budge. “You need to figure out whether you are more worried about Frederick or about this kingdom. As Queen you will have to make terrible decisions, you should know that by now and you should get used to it.”
I wanted to protest but my crown was brought over and I knew that my time was up. I placed the notes on the table and allowed myself to be led towards the doors. I peeked out from the curtains and I felt a stab of anxiety when I realized that the square was
filled up. My heart rate started to pick up and I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder. I didn’t need to turn around to know that it was Ryker.
He glanced over my shoulder at the sea of people. “You’ll be fine, I will be right there with you.”
“There are a lot of people. What if I say the wrong thing?”
“You won’t. Forget about the notes and forget about what anyone wants you to say. Say whatever you think is right and we will deal with the aftermath together.” I was shocked. I turned to him with wide eyes. “We are on the same team, remember? I will support whatever you choose to do. Follow your gut.”
Everyone had been trying to control me and force my hand yet Ryker was here. telling me to do whatever I wanted. It was like a breath of fresh air and I couldn’t help my small smile.
“Thank you.”
Before he could respond, one of the guards pulled open the curtain- it was show time.
Ryker and I walked out while keeping our heads high. I reached out for him and he wasted no time in intertwining our fingers. His touch was like an anchor grounding me and keeping me stable. I could feel the watchful eyes of the people on me as I stood in front of the podium. The square was as quiet as a graveyard, there were no crickets chirping or any sounds of any sort.
“It is a pleasure to meet with you all today although I wish it were under better circumstances,” I began and I glanced at Ryker. He gave me a discreet not encouraging me to go on. “There have been some rumors going around since the
poisoning that it was done by a son of the late king who wants to ascend the throne. I came to add some clarity to that.”
I glanced back at the elders who were all smiles and I had to do.
“I regret to tell you all that it is true. The late king- my father- fathered a child three years before I was born with a maid by the name of Eva. This child is the man that you all know, his name is Frederick.”
Werder their breaths before
There was an immediate uproar. I saw the elders curse disappearing into the curtains again. The people were filled with confusion and it took almost five minutes to calm them down. I held onto Ryker’s hand for dear life. My decision could have potentially cost us everything but I was hoping and praying to the goddess that I had done the right thing. I hoped and I prayed that my actions wouldn’t doom us all.
“Did the king and the queen know about it?” someone yelled.
“Did they hide him from us?”
“Why are we just knowing about this now?”
“Are you going to step down?”
“Does this mean that you aren’t the true heir?”
Questions were being shot at me from all corners. “If you can all settle down then I will answer your questions. I cannot respond in chaos.”
It took another five minutes to get everyone to settle. I could feel the confusion and the unease. If Ryker was not next to me, I would have been overwhelmed by it but he was like a silent confidant.
“You’ve got this,” he told me via the mind link. “Just take a calm breath.”
Once everyone was quiet, I continued. “It is unsure at the time whether the king knew of the existence of his son but I was not made aware until two weeks ago when he showed up.”
My father may have been the cause of the issue but I was not going to throw him under the bus like that.
“Frederick expressed a desire to claim the throne but according to the laws, he has no right to it. The throne belongs to the heir of the King and the Queen. Frederick is a member of the royal family regardless and I want to use this as an opportunity to speak directly to him,” I paused and inhaled deeply before. continuing. “I know you’re listening and I want to tell you that we are willing to forgive everything that you have done if you stopped now. No more innocents. have to get hurt.”
There was silence as people waited with bated breath in case Frederick was going to respond. When there was nothing, I squared my shoulders and plastered on the closest I could to a smile.
“That is all I have to say on the matter. I will be entertaining questions so if you. have anything you want to-” I was barely done when a hand shot up.
It belonged to a man and he pushed through the sea of people to stand directly in front. “How can we be sure that you can protect us? He already attacked us once and you’re a woman. What can a woman do against a man?”
“I assure you that the threat will be dealt with. My gender has nothing to do with it.”
“How can you defend us when you can’t even defend yourself?”
“What do you mean?”
He just smirked and I heard it. It was a sound like the rushing of air and I heard it
before I felt the searing pain in my chest.
