The Queen's Throne

Prologue

I've tried other methods to see what death is like. Things like drinking poison, cutting my arm open, and eating days-old food. Nothing's worked. I blame the witch my father ordered to put protection spells on every generation of Verina's that made it impossible for us to kill ourselves.

The doors to the Throne room are open wide, music Is playing loudly throughout the castle and the nobles are dancing around, whilst my father watches. Eric and Luca stand beside his left as my mother sits on a smaller throne to his right. Before I enter I see Nathaniel dancing amongst the masked women, thoroughly enjoying himself. Conan is off sleeping in his chambers as the party drags on.

Glancing towards the entree table, I catch sight of Brigette and Rankin. My best friend and her brother. They're bickering about something as I walk towards them. Brigette immediately stops when she notices me and crushes me into a tight hug. Rankin nods his head downwards at me like I am beneath him and not worth his time. He stalks off to find Nathaniel and Brigette releases me.

"Your father said he will choose his King tonight, how are you?" She asks, taking a quick look at where my father sits atop his throne and diverting her eyes back to me.

"Pleasantly well, at least for someone who will never have a chance," I reply, turning to her side.

"Yes well, I understand the feeling."

Our conversation is over as quickly as it started when an extremely tall and handsome man walks towards us. I turn towards Brigette, and she shrugs at me. Neither of us knows who stands before us.

He puts out his hand towards Brigette, "Prince Mikael Delacroix, and you must be Princess Aelizia, might I say you are quite the looker."

The Delacroix's are here? Surely my father would not accept this. He hates their corrupt way of ruling.

"Actually, your Royal Highness, I am Princess Aelizia, and whilst you may think otherwise it is quite certainly not a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If you would discretely move along and find someone else's Kingdom to attack that would be greatly appreciated."

"Watch your mouth Aelizia," Brigette whispers to me, soft enough so only I can hear it over the loud hum of the Strings.

Prince Mikael's attention diverts to me and his lip's part slightly, "My apologies, I did not know I was not welcome to the Ball."

"You are never welcome anywhere within the walls of My Kingdom."

"I believe this is not exactly your Kingdom," he scoffs, turning towards my father and placing a hand out to motion out the fact it is my father's Kingdom. He turns back towards me and notices the irritated look on my face. My tongue pokes at my right cheek as Brigette engages in conversation with him.

My attention finds Nathaniel and Rankin talking. Women are flanking their sides and trying to pull them away from each other to dance. I switch my attention to where Eric and Luca stand by my father, glaring at one another in hopes that the other may drop dead and they will become the sole heir.

'Please be careful of the Prince beside you,' Nathaniel says through his mind. Our eyes connect and I nod briefly before glancing at the Prince who is now laughing with Brigette.

'What makes you think I need to be careful?' I say back.

'He plans on killing us,' I snap my head towards Nathaniel and watch as Rankin stabs him in the throat with a dagger and falls to the floor, crimson blood spurting from his neck. At the sight, Brigette lets out a shrill scream and I grab her arm, pulling her quickly towards the Throne Room door without her falling to her knees and throwing up. She covers her mouth with her right hand and tries not to fall in disgust.