The Forced Throne

Chapter 5

Dang it! Where did I set my gloves down? Oh no, I can't go anywhere without them. Alexius thought as she swiftly ran around her room. Mari walked into her room with a tray and gasped when she saw Alexius' scar on her arm. "Mari, do you know where my gloves are at?" She said, her voice slightly shaking. Hardly anyone but her family, the council, and Cyrus knew about her scar. She wasn't about to go walking around exposing something that brought up some of her worst memories. Alexius didn't want people gathered all around her asking question about her scar. "Um, no, I haven't seen them. Are you okay?" Mari asked. "No, I'm not. I need those gloves," Alexius said frantically as she continued to dig through stuff her room. The outfit that Hakkan had given her was nice, but it had no sleeves on it. 

"I can see if I can get some made for you, but it might be a day or two," Mari said, setting down the tray on a table. "Please do, and thank you," Alexius said. Mari dipped her head and walked out of the room, Cyrus came rushing in. "Are you okay?" He asked. "I can't find my gloves anywhere and I supposed to meet with Hakkan and my father in a couple of minutes," Alexius said. Cyrus quickly glanced around the room, "Did anyone come in while you were gone?" Alexius paused for a moment, Cyrus had a good point, Alexius had took her gloves off before she went to go see her father. She was wearing something over her arms and she didn't think much of it. "Someone must of came in while I was gone and picked them up," Alexius said. Turning around to face Cyrus she let out a sigh. "It's time to go now, I guess that I'll just have to go without them," She sighed. Cyrus hugged her, "it will be fine, I'll make sure that it will be." Alexius smiled at him, thankful that he was willing to help her with anything. "Wait, I have an idea. Do you have any sort of sash or a thin cover up?" Cyrus asked. Alexius knew where Cyrus was going with this.

After a couple of minutes, Alexius finally met up with her father. "Everyhting okay?" He asked. "I couldn't find my gloves, so I had to improvise and where something that would cover her arms," Alexius responded. Back in the room she had looked into the wardrobe and found a long shawl that had a feather pattern that reminded her of the mythical phoenix and some sort of ancient language she didn't regonize. "Oh, be careful about your arm then. People might start some rumors if they see your scar," Jaron said, but it sounded like he didn't really believe himself and what he was saying. Alexius never really understood why her father, Jaron, always wanted her scar covered up. 

Alexius waited for the dark haired King to appear in the meeting room for their trade offers. Time passed quickly and they waited over half an hour for the King to show up. "Lets get this over with already," he said angrily and sat down on his throne. Alexius couldn't quite understand this 'King' one minute he seemed mean, then he seems just like a goof, and then he's back to being aggresive. "Whats his motive?" Alexius asked herself. Jaron disscused trade ideas with Hakkan while he didn't even try to look interested in Jarons ideas. Alexius payed attention to little details, but she was mainly focused on other things. Something about Hakkan is very fishy, they never had a proper funeral for their late king. Hakkan hated talking about his father and seemed to not be at least a bit interested in this trade but more interested in Carthya and it's people. Could he be planning and attack of some sort? No...he seems only interested in the riches of being king. Maybe he just wants something out of Carthya so he's asking a lot. Alexius's mind was racing with so many thoughts. Jaron was good at avoiding the personal questions about Carthya that Hakkan was asking. 

"So, King Jaron, I heard many stories of your youth. Quite an interesting past I have to say," Hakkan turned and faced Alexius and back at Jaron, "Your daughter had a very similar past to, ran away from her kingdom and returned after how many years.....was it four or six? She only returned once someone wanted to claim her throne, sounds very suspicious to me. Not to mention how most your family died when you were young, Jaron, and now as a grown adult your son was murdered in your very own palace walls and then about a year or two later you daughter was attacked by someone and left with a horrible scar, not to mention that her friend died and Alexius ran away afterwards. Sounds like Carthian royalty is really messed up, you guys need better defences." Alexius looked at her father, He was stuggling to keep his mouth closed and his anger undercontol. 

This whole situation really made Alexius think, was he trying to make her father super angry on purpose?