The last royal blood

Part 7: Can I do it?

The question sent my heart racing in my chest. Both from fright, and the unease feeling eating up my inside. I looked around the room like a rat surrounded my cats aiming to eat him alive which didn't help improve my state of mind. All I wanted to do was run from the room screaming. This is a lot.

Most of the room looked hopefully at me, with two third of them looking positively hopeful, and the rest negatively hopeful. These are the ones hoping that I will forfeit. They need no mention. The only one without any emotion on her face was Eretria. The woman was truly a mystery. A few seconds ago I would have thought she wanted me to be queen, but now she looked as if she couldn't care which way it went.

Everything inside me screams hell no. Yes, that is my answer. I don't want any part of these. Not if it means having to fight some seasoned trained warrior, or have my life be in constant danger all because someone doesn't want me to rule. I mean what is the benefit of being their Queen?

Unless it comes with some huge salary pay, and benefits that I don't know about. And even if that is the case I will still have to consider if the pay is equal to the risk.

Now that we have analyzed the pros and cons, with pros losing badly is time to give my answer. The sound of my heart beat echoed louder as I opened my mouth to speak. My palm felt sweaty, and I was trembling a little. No make that a lot. I had to sit very stiffly to hide my trembling.

As the words approached my lips my eyes caught Clarence gaze and he had a knowing smug smirk on his face as if he knew what my response is going to be. Eve spoke too. From behind me. Her words softly uttered as if she was too knew what I was going to say and was pleading to have a rethink.

"Think well before you speak princess. I know that you are scared, but you have a strength inside you that is untapped, don't let anyone make you feel unworthy. You are our true leader."

Her conviction and sincerity made me turn and look at her. Her grey eyes radiated nothing but truth, and a softened feeling that I have no idea why she was looking at me like that. It was maternal. Again I thought about her relationship with my mother. Were they more?

"How are you sure?" I held her eyes as I waited for her answer. She hesitated to speak, as if giving thoughts to her response, and when she did, she never stared away from me. She wanted me to know that he words weren't just a mere lips saying. It was coming from deep down.

"Because you are a Clyborne, and Clybornes never runs from anything."

We stared at each other for few more minutes longer, and I was surprise the room didn't get impatient. This is obviously an important decision and no one was mounting any pressure.

Eve's words made me feel better inside. It felt as if it gave me power to believe that I could move mountain. I have no idea what it means to be a Clyborne, but she does. She has lived with one and if she thinks that whatever is inside my father is inside me, that I am capable of doing this then I am going to do it. I trust her.

As soon as I arrived at that conclusion, I felt a kind of peace inside me. The anxiety, the fear all disappeared. I turned to face the rest of the room. My eyes landing on Clarence again. When he saw the determined look in my eyes, the smile on his face disappeared, but it wasn't him that spoke. His father did.

"Princess, don't let some magic name make you believe that you could take us on. We are Clyborne's too, despite what so many might lead you to believe." At this he cast a pointed look at Eretria, who is still very silent and unrevealing. The same expression can be seen on most of the elders face, though Martin looked slightly worried. Caroline bored. Pierre interest as if amused by what is going on around him.