The Key to Ruling a Broken Kingdom (Girl x Girl)

11: Cedric

Cedric has faced the truth: his parents and his oldest brother are dead, leaving him with his youngest siblings (Lillian and Miles). Cedric also has to decide what will happen to King Patrick. So let's see how this all plays out...

Song: The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy (If you guys think of a better song, let me know. This was just the song I was listening to while writing this. Doesn't exactly set the mood for the chapter though. But I like this song. Anyway, I'll shut up now.)

I decided to let King Patrick go. I trusted him as much as I trusted my own father. In return, the king offered to take me to his castle until my coronation, and leave the kingdom under the control of the Advisory Council.

I told him I would think about it. It was too much for a small nine year old boy. I didn't have the slightest idea as to what to do. And to make matters worse, Lillian and Miles wanted to know where Louis, Mom, and Dad went. How would I be able to make them understand that they were dead?

It's been a couple month since their deaths, but I'm still not completely over it. Queen Sophia had left for her kingdom, Crotis, with Athena and Venus. Persephonie had insisted on staying with King Patrick, who left for Crotis every week, and came back within two days for the months that I stayed in Bruvia.

I leaned against the railings in my balcony and wished Louis could at least be here. He was king material. I am not. I didn't have the slightest idea as to what to do. Patrick helped me though. He even recommended that I talk to my subjects. But he neglected the fact that I can't do that. How will I be able to address a bunch of people I don't know, about the only ones I ever truly cared about? I had considered doing what my father had done. But I had Persephonie to live for. Persephonie and the twins. I can't leave the twins alone. They're only three years old! Lord knows what the Advisory Council would do with them.

Father had warned Louis and me that the Advisory Council was corrupt. He couldn't re-establish it because no one wanted to be a part of it. I had asked Patrick to look for other family members. Dad didn't have any siblings, aunts, uncles, or cousins that I knew of. It had never dawned on me to ask him why. But still, I had hoped that Patrick might have found someone capable of ruling Bruvia- at least until I was old enough to be corinated. So far, the King of Crotis has not been able to find anyone.

"Hi Ceddy."

A small smile involuntarily crept onto my face. I had hoped Persephonie would fall for me eventually, but I didn't think it would be so quick. I don't know if she had always liked me this way, or if Louis' death had sparked something in her.

"Hey Percy" I replied, glancing at her standing beside me.

"You're okay, right?"

"Yes."

Persephonie placed a hand under my chin and turned my head so that I was looking into her eyes. "I'm serious Cedric. You're okay, right?"

I circled my head so I was out of her grip. I was far from being okay. I didn't let it show in public anymore, but when I was by myself, I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. And I know Persephonie knew that. I don't know how she knew that, but she did. "Why the sudden interest in me?"

Persephonie gazed at the goats that grazed nearby. "I've been asking myself that. And... I just- I don't want to loose you like I lost Louis."

My heart began sinking. But I can't let her see that. But despite my best efforts, my voice came out cold, and harsh. "Is it because I look like him? Do you want to replace Louis with me?"

But Persephonie calmly shook her head. "I think it's what he'd want me to do."

"Oh" I said, suddenly feeling very stupid. That did sound like a very Louis thing. He would protect his kingdom and family no matter what happened.

"I know you wish you could be with him" Persephonie continued. "I do too." She gazed into my eyes. "I admire you, you know" she said. I smiled proudly, and involuntarily puffed my chest out. "Despite everything that's just happened, you're still here. Mother says that a good ruler knows how to deal with his kingdom's problems, but a great ruler knows how to put his kingdom first."

"But kings have lives too" I countered. "They have feelings that get hurt. They have people they love and miss."

"And you need to know how to put that after the needs of your kingdom." I flashed her a grin before she continued. "The people are getting restless. They want to hear from you. What are you going to do?"

I looked away from her and closed my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I said, "To be completely honest, I really don't know. Your father can only do so much to help me. This is practically my kingdom, and I have to rule it."

"You can't rule something that doesn't belong to you" a voice behind me said. I turned to see a forty- year old bald man in a neck ruffle. I only wore a neck ruffle if I had no way to get away without wearing it. The man bowed, but he didn't go low enough to show his respect to me. "Ger- leader of the Advisory Council."

"I know who you are, Ger" I replied, cooly. "I don't recall allowing you through my sleeping chambers."

"Oh, but Prince Cedric, you can't tell me anything now" he said, a sly smile covering his face. "You see, according to a charter signed a while ago, A prince is not a king until he has undergone his coronation. And while the empire of Bruvia-"

"Bruvia is not an empire!" I interrupted sharply. "We do not seek to expand."

"But we used to" Ger said, waving it off. "As I was saying before the future king so rudely interrupted me, while the empire of Bruvia is under no qualified ruler, the Advisory Council has full and utmost authority to take over the position of ruling Bruvia until a qualified ruler comes to power."

I glared at Ger. "And where is the charter that says that?"

Ger reached under his neck ruffle and pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment. I read it to see that Ger was right, and at the bottom, Bruvia's seal (a thorny rose, to show that if approached the wrong way, we would be thorny, but if approached the right way, we can be the sweetest thing) was stamped on it. The stamp for the seal was built into the king's crown, and only I knew where the crown was (I'd hidden it) and where in the crown the stamp was.

As I handed the charter back to Ger, Persephonie tested him by asking, "Well, what do you suggest Prince Cedric do now? This castle is his home."

Ger simply shrugged. "I don't care. So long as he doesn't interfere with the Advisory Council, the prince can do whatever pleases him. Oh! And one more thing." Ger turned his attention to me. "The Council has signed a charter evicting you from the castle, permanently. So, I would suggest you begin packing Prince Cedric." Ger bowed (he barely tipped his head, actually), turned on his heel and left.

"Permanently?" I whispered, disbelief clouding my judgment. "From my own home?"

Persephonie placed a hand on my arm. I looked to her. "Father will figure something out. I promise."

A/N: Things are looking really bad for Bruvia. And Cedric also thinks Persephonie likes him now. Is he mistaken, or is he is correct? Wait to find out! Remember to vote and comment!