Saving Her Kingdom

♡ Chapter 63

Anna's dress ^^

Chapter 63

I arrived at the servants' quarter in a rush, ignoring the skeptical look they gave me, and went directly to the main back door at the end of the hallway near the kitchen. It was highly frequented, so I doubted my father would be waiting for me here, but it allowed me to go outside and look for him.

I walked to the other backdoor near the storage rooms, and after seeing that it was empty, continued my way to the backdoor near the servants' dormitory. I heard the voice of my father before I saw him, in the middle of a discussion with the regal-looking noble that had travelled with him.

When I finally passed through the backdoor, finding him and the noble with two guards of the army, I smiled and quickly made my presence known.

"Father, I'm here," I said, curtsying to him and his companion when I reached them.

He turned his head with a smile, "Ah, thank God you're here, Annabelle. I was beginning to worry."

I chuckled, "No need to worry, father, everything is good. I have met my old maid Ella at the kitchen two days ago and she has lent me her room to hide since then," I gestured towards the corridor, "Shall we?"

My father nodded and turned to say to the noble, "Lord Khering, you can get yourself announced now if you want. My daughter and myself won't make an appearance until tomorrow."

Lord Khering nodded, "Alright. Until tomorrow then, your Majesty," he quickly bowed and left.

"Come on, let's go father. I'll tell you everything once we are in Ella's room," I said while making my way out of the corridor, with my father following me.

~~~~~~~~

The next day

I took a deep breath, my hand tensed as it gripped the pommel of my sword tightly. I looked at my father. His face had an impassive expressionless mask that he had practiced to perfection over the years. I was dressed in a dark blue and golden gown with white lace, not wanting to dress over the top but still elegant enough.

Now, my father and I were walking towards the Council room, that was already filled with the entire Council and another dozen additional lords for Yearly Reunion. It had started thirty minutes ago at two in the afternoon, and would end at seven for dinner. And what we were about to do, was to disrupt its entire course.

The two guards that followed closely behind us only went on their way when my father gave them a quick sign as we reached the door of the Council's meeting room. There were another two guards at the door, as well as a herald conversing with them, who looked like he was about to depart soon. My father cleared his throat, making him turn around. Upon seeing us, he froze for a moment, and then tried to conceal his gaping when my father requested to get announced.

"Erm, y-your Majesty... ehm... You are not supposed to be here," he blurted out.

A ghost of a smirk grazed my father's lips as he replied, "Here I am, though. Announce me and my daughter, herald."

The herald was so dumbstruck that he didn't move at all, only staring at my father, before moving on to me. I raised an eyebrow at him, and that seemed to make him snap out of his daze.

"O-Of course, your Majesty," he said in a rush, before opening the door again and cutting off the discussions with loud and clear voice, "His Majesty, the late King Ludwig of Ravenport, and Her Highness, the Princess Annabelle of Ravenport!"

All eyes fell onto us, piercing a hole into our heads, as the discussion entirely stopped. The room was exactly how I remembered it to be, except that Lord Erlenwind had taken the seat that belonged to my father originally. A curved table was taking the entire space of the room, making a three-quarter circle around a smaller table in the middle, filled with what I assumed where the most important lords. Everyone looked flabbergasted, giving each other side-eyed looks while frowning at us, or too curious and attentive to the scene to speak. My heart started beating erratically, and I forced myself to breath calmly to avoid hyperventilating.