Cost of the Crown (UNREVISED VERSION)

Violet

Three months have passed and nothing bad has happened, but this was the month that the vote will be cast whether Duke Henry and his wife will be the next king and queen of the Orient.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I present to you, reasons as of why I should be king." Duke Henry said. "First of all, Cedric my boy, you are too young! You are still not eligible by law to rule a kingdom as big as the Orient."

"That's true..." Lady Clara whispered.

"I rest my case." Duke Henry said.

"With all due respect, my uncle, age is just a number and I have been experienced enough to know by now how my parents ruled. They are still here to guide me and I take their teachings into account. I will not abdicate the throne and run away from my responsibilities, instead, I will be a man and face all of these tragedies. I have lost a father and a mother who loved this kingdom more than you have, a king and a queen who did their best to protect their land." Cedric said, "Now do please enlighten me of the reason I should abdicate."

"Reason number two, you are not married. It is by the law that a king must have a queen and a queen must have a king. You are not old enough to take the throne, let alone get married." The Duke continued.

"My father got married after the coronation, why cannot I do the same? Twenty-six days and I am already eligible to be king." He rebutted.

"Third! You do not care about your kingdom, you care only for your lineage and your family's legacy. And I have proof of it." He claimed.

"Prove it." Cedric said.

"Don't worry Maria, we will take what is ours and it's not only the gold." A recording of Cedric said.

Everyone in the room gasped and it was not only bad for Cedric, but also for Maria as future queen. Cedric was sweating bullets and he was at loss for words.

"What now, Prince Cedric? Cat got your tongue?" The Duke teased.

Cedric glared at Duke Henry then Maria stood up from her seat. She went down from the court throne to accompany Cedric. She was still silent, but she was more upset.

"My brother is not selfish unlike you, dear uncle." Maria said. Her red eyes glowed as she glared at the man.

"Maria, please take a set, this is my battle, not yours." Cedric whispered to his sister.

"Dear brother of mine, you are too good. Uncle Henry, I have evidences that you have been trying to take the throne for years. Want me to share it with the court?" Maria challenged.

"Maria..." Cedric said.

"There are two sides of a person, the good and the bad. Normally, we show the good, but my brother dear is everything but bad. He is good to heart, unlike me. He is selfless to the point he's been helping my parents to live longer, if he hadn't done that, our parents would have been dead even before the war began. As for me, I am good most of the time, but don't you dare ridicule me or my family because I, myself, will make you pay for it." The young girl told her uncle. "I have the audacity to shatter your name that you took time to build. It only takes a spell to show everyone your true nature."

"Try me, Princess Maria Venice Victoria Elizabeth Helen Paris Cordovin Wordsworth." Duke Henry said.

"Gladly!" Maria's eyes glowed more vibrant as she smiled. "I have been challenged by someone bold, tell the tale everyone should be told."

Maria tapped her uncle's forehead, then numerous memories flew in the form of violet bubbles that almost filled the ceiling.

"Behold! People of the Orient, the deeds my uncle has done in attempt to get the throne." Maria announced. "What should I show first?"

She took one bubble then it showed how Henry paid an assassin to kill King Eduard.

"Here, this is the half of your salary, when you kill the king, you'll get the other half." Henry told an assassin.

"Mention also that he shouldn't be caught, but when he is, never to mention that we paid him to do it." A voice in the memory said.

Everyone in the room looked at Duchess Livette for they recognized her high and powerful voice. She slowly put her head down as she felt the people's eyes piercing through her.

"But what proof do you have besides that? Your foundation is memories that alter every time. Memory is not that reliable, my dear." Henry scoffed.

"Thank you Maria..." Cedric told his sister as he rested his hand on her shoulder.

Maria was twitching and her hand was moving as if she was looking something in a file drawer.

"Found it..." Maria said in a demonic voice. She smirked at her uncle "I told you... You are just like my brother, so organized and you both take note of everything."

She raised her hand as the shadow held a book with a quill inside it. "Thank you, dear."

"W-Where did you find that?" Henry asked. "That is invasion of privacy! Lady Clara."

"Overruled. I wish to know more." Lady Clara said.

"Where shall we start? Oh goodie!

August 31st

My brother is finally gone! One down, one to go... When the king and queen are gone, it will be easy to take the throne.

Prince Cedric and Princess Maria are too naive and I bet both won't even fight for the throne. How pathetic, I shall enhance my power and rule the Orient!" Maria read.

"Maria..." Cedric called.

"Should I read more?" She asked playfully.

"Maria!" Cedric called again.

"Yes, brother of mine?" She asked.

"Stop..." Cedric asked.

"Aww... Okay then..." She said, frowning.

She walked towards her brother then Duke Henry took out a sword and got ready to strike the little girl. When he was about to strike, Cedric managed to run to Maria and stop the sword along with Lady Clara's powers.

"Cedric, are you hurt?" Lady Clara asked.

"No, my mother protected me." He smiled.

"Duke Henry... For the attempted murder of both Prince Cedric and Princess Maria, you are to be thrown into jail until the court and jury decides your fate." She told Henry.

"Lady Clara, let's talk about this." Duchess Livette said.

Cedric looked at her then said, "No, this woman is planning to free her husband when he is sent to jail. I suggest banishing them to the ends of the Orient or death penalty to both."

"Is that what you saw, Cedric?" Lady Clara asked.

"I saw gold fading into black when they get the throne. But if they don't, I see their escape highly likely. They can't escape the death penalty." Cedric explained.

"Guards, take these two and throw them in jail. Make sure they are not in the same dungeon." Lady Clara ordered.

"Are you okay, Maria?" Cedric asked his sister.

Maria's eyes lost their glow again, then she fainted. All her spells were reversed as she was on her brother's arms.

"You won't be able to see violet again when I go to get you and your sister. Your lavish life will be over!" Their uncle yelled.