Page 6 of Her Royal Blood

Pass? They had time to send out passes? Perhaps Polonius had been planning this day long in advance and knew he’d defeat us as he did. It only was a little over twenty-four hours ago that Polonius was able to enter Onyx Rah. While he didn’t stay to see his soldiers arrest most of the citizens and threaten the residents with their lives, by dawn my kingdom had been reduced to nothing. All of my soldiers had either been killed or carted away and the citizens who had just started their lives with us, cowered in their huts, shelters, and newly built homes after declaring fealty to Polonius and the joint kingdoms of Onyx Rah and Brahman’s Peak.

With the surrender of Angeline Falls and the Obsidian Valley, Polonius considered himself the new ruler of Tobran. Only Navarah City had refused to surrender and declared war upon Polonius, however none of the Redveign Royals had been located and were assumed to have either been killed or were in hiding. I prayed for the latter. But the world had broken so completely I had no faith in what was once our reality. I remained focused on my goals, to kill Polonius and rescue Lex.

“Sir,” I began and was pleasantly surprised by how deep and aged my voice sounded. “I am a diplomat from Solbrook. I was in Navarrah City with our allies when I heard of Polonius’ wedding. As I believed a representative from our kingdom should be in attendance, I made the journey here as soon as I got word that there would be a coronation and a wedding today.” I cleared my throat and stood tall.

“Navarrah City has declared war. You could be a spy!” The soldier accused me and I found myself in a bind. How to gain this man’s trust? “I most certainly am not a spy,” I protested. I conjured an identification card and fit it into a magical pursethat materialized under the black cloak I wore. I pulled out the magical piece of parchment and showed it to him. “Here are my credentials, Sir.”

I handed them to the soldier and while he seemed unimpressed, his body relaxed a little so he was also no longer on high alert.

“Stay here,” the guard commanded and I watched him walk over to Sire who was focusing his magic on the projection.

He was going to become fatigued if he had to project the wedding after he had just showed my coronation.

“I have a diplomat from Solbrook,” he was about to show Sire the document and only then did I panic, as he would have known the document was a fraud.

I was redying my explanation about new official documents and the bother of having to register again after Solbrook forced diplomats to get new identification with their updated system, all of it an elaborate lie, when Polonius yelled for Sire.

“Sire Vanoire,” Polonius bellowed. “Don’t bother with the projection right now, I want you to make sure that the guests are silenced so that no one objects to my marriage. I must have a legal union and therefore no one may voice their objections or legitimacy of my marriage will be jeopardized.”

“Yes, Your highness.” Sire turned to the guard and looked at me, not seeing through my disguise he gave a disgusted frown. “Let him in saves us from having to send someone to Solbrook.”

“Wait until we say our vows to project the wedding, that way I’ll have no opposition,” Polonius told Amadeus before he left.

“Of course,” Sire answered when the guard came back to me.

Handing me the document back he said, “Go in. Don’t object to the wedding or you won’t return to Solbrook alive.”

I wanted to gut the man, but instead said. “Why would I have any reason to object?” And walked past him and into the courtyard of Polonius’ estate.

Just being back there sent shivers of fear and dread up my spine. There was little fanfare or decoration. A few of Polonius’ banners whipped back and forth in the wind and Crypt Claw soldiers stood lined on either side of the courtyard. The coronation had happened earlier in the day at Onyx Rah. As hasty as the wedding, the coronation was a dismal affair, though it gave me official rights over Onyx Rah, by proxy through Gabrielle, it wasn’t at all the way I’d imagined my coronation being.

I remembered Polonius coming to my palace summoning Gabrielle. I was able to disguise myself as an Onyx Rah servant girl and hung back with the rest of the servants as we stood in the receiving room with the few onlookers in attendance. It was strange being a servant again, even if only in disguise, as I was now a queen. My coronation was a sad affair, but I was never one to like public attention, so I rejoiced that the official crowning was done.

Despite the crown being placed on the wrong head, the official declaration would be signed and sealed by Sire Vanoire and Halo, the only two officials needed to declare Aria Blackbane Queen. I watched as Polonius stood beside me as I bowed before Sire Vanoire and was given a coronet of gold. Halo, with her soft light brown hair pulled up into an elaborate hairstyle read from an official document she had found among her father's books which proclaimed me the reigning sovereign of Onyx Rah. Her mesmerizing blue eyes seemed like they had been dulled by tears and her usually effervescent and engaging tone had dulled to a monotonous drone.

As soon as the crown was laid upon my head and the official words spoken, the ceremony was over and Polonius dismissed all of the witnesses. Sire then directed each of those in attendance to sign a book with their witness accounts. I was ableto sneak out of the room and make my way to Brahman's Peak just in time to be a guest to my own wedding.

I walked through the courtyard where a table with a large bouquet of white roses in a glass urn sat next to a sign painted in gold. On the sign, penned in elegant scroll were the words:

Warlord Polonius of Brahman's Peak

and Queen Aria of Onyx Rah

are this day wed

Seeing the declaration made me sick. Just beyond two heavy wooden doors with metal iron brackets and studs, was a voluminous space where people were seated. At the front of the room was a simple altar where two more urns of white roses were placed, one on either side, upon tall pillars. On the walls hung more of Polonius’ banners and nothing else. It was a dismal looking wedding with the white roses being the only delicate touch. There was no representation of Onyx Rah, not that we had had time to create banners and crests, but there was no mention of it other than in my name as if Onyx Rah had already been erased.

Having come to know Polonius during the three days we spent together traveling for the Peace Accords, I understood that those roses were his romantic gesture. Pathetic as it was, they were the best he could do. I’m sure he would have rather had the heads of my countrymen mounted instead, but white roses, the color of peace and surrender, were my wedding gift. I walked into the room feeling a heavy air of dread weigh upon me. The room smelled musty and dank but for the bright floral scent of the roses. I thought of poor Gabrielle and how she’d have toendure their wedding night and I was all the more grateful for her.

I was able to find a seat next to a family from my kingdom. It was good to be near my people though they looked sad and worried. All around us were Brahman’s Peak guards and Crypt Claw warriors. Though I could not tell the family that I was their queen, I did feel happier sitting beside them as if we were both there fighting a silent war.

As the last guests took their seats, the heavy doors slammed closed. For one moment I thought of the lava pit and how Polonius’ ancestor destroyed my kingdom once before. I stilled my beating heart so that I would remain calm. I would defeat him. As I looked at that empty altar I envisioned Lex and I standing at a similar podium taking our vows promising ourselves to one another.

A trumpet sounded from the rafters, likely a battle bugler, who heralded Polonius’ approach. He walked alone dressed in polished leather cuirass, black silk shirt with iron cufflinks and buttons, and a pair of black leather pants. He wore tall boots and his hair was neatly pulled away from his face in a long slick braid that had been oiled. He looked like a king.

Whenever I thought of him, I saw a vicious warrior in my mind’s eye. He was rough and unrefined. Never did I imagine Polonius as a king, but making his way to the altar with long slow strides he was exactly that. He stopped his procession at the altar and stood there standing tall with his arms clasped behind his back. As soon as he took his place the trumpeter stopped playing. There was a loud screaming echoing through the hall, shrieking and high pitched.

All of the guests were immediately on alert after so much violence and mayhem had already ensued but Polonius remained calm as Crypt Claw warriors brought a smallbedraggled man of advanced age into the hall. They dumped the poor wailing creature at Polonius’ feet.

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