Kriss Ambers || THE SELECTION

☆ You Have To Be Queen ☆

At her cue for elaboration, he continued, "It is impossible to take over without causing disarray and panic among the public. Sure most of the upper castes are more or less arseholes and the lowers castes are already suffering as it is - but it would cause more disorder. The Illean and Schreavan rule till now has beaten down the people of this country until there was nothing but obedience for the crown in them. Obedience out of fear. And you can't stamp out fear that easily Kriss," he stressed staring straight at her. "Especially not one festered over generations."

"The people would riot. They wouldn't know how much of a favour we did them by overthrowing Clarkson. All they'd know is that we are enemies of the crown, and thus their enemies. We'll all die."

Kriss frowned, chills sliding up her back.

"Because the people of this country are so conditioned into this dystopia, they would be scared of the ones offering kindness. Even the Sevens and Eights would come at us with pitchforks. It would be too much instability. This country's barely hanging on a thread of sanity as it is with the cruelty of Illean monarchy, but if you take even that away? What do you think they'll do? They know nothing but the cruelty offered to them. An abused child knows nothing but the abuse he's familiar with. He rejects help. Illea's the same."

Kriss stood in her place, stunned at the description August gave and blinked. It was the truth.

"The only way to give Illea the help it needs," August said, "Is by making smaller changes among the system, letting them learn what they need. You have to give short, regular doses to an ill patient. If you pour the whole bottle down their throat, they'll die, Kriss, remember that."

"That's the reason the Northern Rebellion has never made a move till now," Kriss realized.

August nodded, "Yes. But we can now," he stared at her, "With you as the Queen."

Kriss inhaled deeply.

"Do what you need to do, Kriss," August told her. "If your love and dedication to this country is true, do what you need to do."

"Fine, I'll do it," Kriss agreed wearily. "What about the Southern Rebellion?"

August let out a short sigh and gazed ahead, "Alas, they remain a thorn in our side as ever."

Kriss looked at him in curiosity, "How did they come to be?"

"They came from us," August answered. "The Northern Rebellion. The north, the south, it was not a division when Spencer Illea began it. It was created because of internal conflicts. Some people were too impatient with the inaction of the leaders. They separated and formed what is now known as the Southern Rebellion. Of course, their many plans of attack have always been too shortsighted to actually land a hit. Most of our muscle went to that side a few decades ago. There were no weapons. That's why we had not eradicated them a long time ago."

August's tone was calm but a storm of emotions quietly raged in his eyes.

"Now, thanks to your cleverness, Kriss, we have those weapons. We have the means to fight them and end them. And we will, if our last attempt at peace is not enough. The southern rebels were bred in violence and they crave it. It's unfortunate about some of them, but the Southern Rebellion is a plague to Illea. It has to be stopped." August took in a breath then looked at Kriss.

"But Kriss, it is just one of the many problems that our country is ridden with. I can't fight them all at once. Neither can you. We have to crash those walls down, one by one. To destroy the legacy that my ancestor Gregory Illéa has left to us."

"To do that, there must be pillars in place that will still save Illea from breaking apart along with it. I am one, Kriss, but one is not strong enough. I need you too," August pleaded her.

"I need you to be the queen. I need you to rule this kingdom. I need your help to eradicate the evils here. I need your help to rebuild Illea."

"Please, Kriss, you do understand now, don't you? You can't refuse. If you do, Illea will either fall apart or continue repeating the vicious cycle created by our forefathers. I alone can only save it so many times. You have to help me save it."

"I understand, August. I'll be here." Kriss promised. What else was there to say? After knowing this, to refuse would be to abandon the people of her country. She had a duty to them and she'd do it.

At last, August relaxed. "Thank you."

"All this responsibility. How did we come to this, August?" Kriss shook her head.

August chuckled. "I was born into it, Kriss. But you, Kriss, you walked right into it."

And he was extremely glad that she did.

••••

"Why do you love Illea so much, August? You were raised out of Illea for the most part. You might have been raised as a potential ruler of the kingdom, but you didn't have to choose that when it came to it."

"True," August agreed, leaning back, "I don't know, really, Kriss. I guess I just love it too much. My parents were patriots. It bled into me, I guess. Now, all I see is how broken Illea is. I can't help but want to fix it."

Kriss looked at him, thinking about how lucky the people of this country were that a man like August Illea had been born. And that for some reason, he always chose it. If he didn't... she couldn't help but think of the leader of the Southern Rebellion. He was the furthest thing from August. She was really glad that she had stumbled upon Cassie and not one of the Southern rebels two years ago.

The Northern Rebellion had given her life a purpose. It had given her life like none she had known before. Sure, she had lived comfortably all her life. But the passion that rose to her heart till the brim for Illea now, the comfort was nothing compared to it.

Kriss Ambers might have had a normal life before in Illea, probably ending up as a teacher just like her parents. But because of the Northern Rebellion, she had experienced so much more than that. Her life had become truly extraordinary. She had saved so many. And she would save many more. She would be forever grateful to the Northern Rebellion for that.

Kriss needed to help Illea. The same thing that drove August, drove her too. And she would fight tooth and nail for her home.

Kriss took a breath and leaned August's shoulder. They remained there silently, feeling as meant to be there as they had ever had. They belonged there, side by side.