To Save a Heart

Chapter 1

I felt absolutely nothing as I gazed down at the broken bodies of my father and my brother. My brother had been discovered in a pile of men and my father had been found in the forest with an arrow in his chest. Blood splattered their armor in an almost artistic manner. I could appreciate the visionary who had decorated them in red.

Now was the matter of the bodies. For all I cared they could be tossed into the ocean or thrown off a cliff. Just put them at the top of a mountain and give them a push. Let them tumble down it wasn't like they would feel it. An unrecognizable bloodied heap at the base of a mountain sounded quite poetic to me after the types of lives they had lived. These men had literally ruined my life.

"Put them with the rest of the men." I said referring to the mass grave that was being dug out back. They didn't deserve to be put in the crypt with the others. My mother was in that crypt and for some reason that made it seem sacred to me.

"But." The man stuttered with wide eyes.

"No buts" I said to the man and he offered a deep bow and sprang forward to fulfill my request. It had been a long day. I massaged my sore temples with my long fingers hoping to chase away the sudden headache. Planning a funeral was exhausting. But lucky for me they weren't going to get a funeral. Neither of the men would be missed in the slightest and I didn't want to put forth the effort.

I walked the stairs up to my bedroom and sank down into the familiar comfort of my large soft bed. It had been an excruciating day but now it was over. I never had to deal with my brother or father again. I would be restarting the kingdom. Laws would be changed and there would be a lot of new protocols. My father had abused his power as king. I was just beginning to think of some new procedures as my eyes drifted shut. 

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I sat down on the throne. My father's throne... actually it was my throne. The memories of my tyrannical father and cruel brother were being erased from my mind with little effort. No longer would I pretend to love them. I wouldn't have to pretend to be happy to see them. They were finally gone and could no longer hurt me. I sighed and relaxed against the overlarge cushion closing my eyes.

"Excuse me princess." Bradford piped up.

I raised an eyebrow at him as I opened one eye to squint at him.

"Pardon me. Excuse me, Queen Saphrine."

"Yes?" I asked opening both eyes to look at him. 

"Your uncle Parson is here."

"Really? already?" surely one was allowed time to mourn the loss of a loved one. Two loved ones. But I guess they weren't really loved so who would mourn their loss?

"Yes it would appear that he is here to see you."

"Ah." I said, my mind was racing with possibilities of why he was here. "Well send him in."

Bradford bowed deep and low his large nose hovering a few inches above the ground. Then his stout frame waddled away with surprising efficiency.

The door burst open and my fathers much younger brother Parson glided into the room. His expensive robes sweeping gracefully across the floor. Behind him trailed a train of identical looking man servants each carrying the same quiet confidence of their master. Bradford visibly straightened his stoutness straighter and puffed out his barrel chest. Parson halted a few feet away and looked at me his equal. He sneered behind his long hook nose that slightly concealed his mouth. This bushy brown eyebrows lifted on his forehead to reveal his black eyes.

"Saphrine." He crooned and his servants looked me up and down.

"Queen Saphrine actually." I corrected.