Page 1 of Her Royal Blood

Chapter 1

Aria

Everything was pain. Seeing Lex with his brilliant blue eyes dulled in agony, hurt. His skin paled against his black hair as he lay defeated by magic outside the gates of Onyx Rah. It broke me to witness such a man of might and strength brought low. Sire, though graying and grisled, took him down with a blast of magic to his head. All I could do was watch as the Crypt Claw soldiers took him away. Polonius, standing tall and proud with his hair pulled back tightly wearing a necklace full of wolf’s teeth for protection, promised to spare his life, but was sending Lex to prison.

“Where are they taking him?” I asked in a quiet pained voice, feeling the heaviness of my defeat as I was still on my knees bowed before Polonius.

“He’s going to the Isle of Vitoria, with the rest of the criminals.” Polonius towered over my head which made me feel small as he often had. Worse, he patted my long brown hair gloating over his prize. “You’ll get used to living without him,” he said, perhaps genuinely empathetic, understanding the greatness of my loss, however, I knew he was also enjoying his victory.

I wanted to fight him and tell him that I would get Lex back and kill him the minute I did. But I’d surrendered and the only way Polonius was ever going to let his guard down was if I convinced him that I’d accepted my fate. The moment I earned his trust, however, would be his last.

We were in the courtyard just beyond the palace walls. There Polonius had brought hundreds of soldiers to fight our Royal Guards. Our warriors fought valiantly for Onyx Rah, but they were so heavily outnumbered there was no way we’d win the battle. My heart shattered watching each one of them be put in chains and led away. Watching Bindi, my fierce commander of the royal guards, struggle and then be beaten to the ground was too much. She’d been muscled to the ground and was held there, with her caramel skin covered in dirt and her fire red mohawk of coiling locks tangled with debris. Then Lex was dragged away…

“Come,” Polonius said, offering me his hand and pulling me up to my feet. “I’m not going to restrain you, but if you attack me or try to escape I’ll have Lex beheaded. This is how I will ensure you become a proper wife to me. I hold your lover’s life in my hands. Deny me and I’ll mount his severed head on our bedroom wall. Do you understand?” he asked, his voice eerie and calm.

“Yes,” I whispered, hating him to the point where I couldn’t see or feel anything more than my loathing.

“After the violence and destruction necessary to overthrow Tobran, I’m going to need someone by my side who calms the people. My wife will offer the citizens hope by being beautiful and compassionate. She’ll be the mercy to my tyranny. You soften my image. Being their queen will lull the people into believing that they have entered an era of peace and prosperity. I know you genuinely love the citizens of your kingdom perhaps even a fraction more than you do Lex. You’ll not betray them by making them suffer for your rebellion will you?” He smiled atme and smoothed his hand over my hair, still patronizing no… worse, genuinely admiring me.

“No,” I said quietly.

“If their leader is happy, everyone will be happy.” He tilted my chin up to look at his face and his dark eyes were full of lust.

I doubted it was for me entirely, but for the power marrying me would finally bring him.

“Yes,” I mouthed.

“Remember that, tomorrow,” he threatened and looked like he might kiss me, but I flattened my lips which made him laugh. “And be ready to marry me.” He let go of my chin and started to walk away leaving me kneeling at the gates of Onyx Rah amid all of the carnage.

“What am I to do now?” I asked, trying to make a show of obedience.

“Someone will come and collect you,” he said without turning back to look at me.

“Did you arrest Gabrielle?” I made sure to make my voice as quiet and soft as I could.

“Why would I?” he then turned and looked at me as if I was going to confess something to him.

“You’ve taken everyone else in my court,” I said, holding back tears, which I wanted him to see, so he knew I had genuine emotions around what he was doing to my people.

“No, why would I arrest Gabrielle? She’s done nothing wrong.” His expression was stern, but not threatening.

“Can Gabrielle stay with me?” I shook as I asked the question, and that wasn’t an act.

I wasn’t afraid, but my anger and the effort to keep my rage at bay had me shaking.

“I don’t see why not, she is in my harem after all. Her truthful accounts of your conversations have garnered my trust, so there Aria, I can be merciful.” His smile only punctuated the evilbehind him, overtaking Onyx Rah to conquer Tobran and all of Votaire.

“Bring Gabrielle to the queen’s rooms,” he said with a throaty command to the many Crypt Claw guards standing in attendance, “And two of you need to be outside her door at all times.” After giving orders he turned to me. “I have other matters to attend to, but I want you to hear me and know. You do anything at all that goes against my wishes, my command, or my person, and I’ll have Lex killed. There’ll be no begging for mercy or second chances. Betray me once and he dies, betray me a second time and I’ll start killing every single person you love. And after you’ve given me heirs and become a beloved sovereign, I’ll murder you with my own two hands,” he took a pause and stared straight into my eyes. “If you ever choose to betray me.”

I looked back at him and lifted myself off of the ground and stood up straight despite the riot of emotions attacking my light grip on sanity and said, “I don’t doubt that you will.”

“Then tomorrow you’ll be my wife. Go to your room and rest. I’ve already arranged your coronation and our wedding. You needn’t bother with them, just show up looking refreshed and beautiful, ready to serve me,” he said with halting command as he walked out towards the path to Brahman’s Peak and my heart seized, everything I’d worked so hard for was crumbling, but worse Lex was gone and this time I may never see him again.

A pair of Crypt Claw soldiers brought me to my rooms as Polonius had said they would. a I was happy to obey because I I needed to speak with Gabrielle. As soon as I entered my room, there was a knock at the door and Gabrielle came in, also escorted by two guards. Her face was red and bloated from hours of crying as tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

“I am so sorry,” she started and another wave of sobbing crashed over her. “I didn’t say anything, I promise.”

“Even if you did, you are under Amadeus’ truth spell Gabrielle, it would be our fault for mentioning something you shouldn’t have heard,” I tried to comfort her even though there wasn’t much more than words I could offer.

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