My Villain, My Balance

Chapter 30: The Rise of a Tyrant

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖞

Ⓐ ᗯᗩᐯE Oᖴ ᑎᗩᑌSEᗩ passed over me as I stood before the doors of the balcony. Through the glass, I saw the gathering of people at the palace, waiting for our first public appearance since the wedding and to hear the Shadow King speak about Shu Han. So many people surrounded the palace that the ground was not visible for miles, and they looked like ants clustered together. I guessed there were at least three thousand lingering bevond the gates and even more lining the streets.

The Darkling finally appeared beside me, waiting for the guards to open the doors. "Are you ready?" he asked while straightening out the collar of his kefta.

"Not really," I shrugged nervously.

"Just follow me out and remember to smile and wave. You needn't worry about speaking. I will do all the talking."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay."

The Darkling motioned for the doors to be opened. Cheers erupted from the courtyard and streets of Os Alta as we emerged onto the balcony. It was a lot to take in. Some cheered "Sol Koroleva" or "moya tsaritsa." Many put an open hand to their chest as religious people often did for supposed saints, and some placed a closed fist over their hearts (the Darkling's sign amongst his followers.) I tried to focus on that instead of the worried looks or glares in the crowd. They were scared, all of them, both critics and supporters. The Darkling and I were more powerful than ever before; in effect, the Fold was more of a daunting presence. They had a right to be frightened. If I was being honest, so was I, but I couldn't let it show. A country is as strong as its leaders, so I had to conceal my fear.

The cheers died down to quiet murmurs. Everyone looked up at their young Sun Saint and the eternal Starless One expectantly, waiting for their fear to be resolved and to be reassured that everything would be fine. They wanted to be fed a lie, and Aleksander would deliver. If I learned something from being Queen thus far, it was that people always saw what they wanted to see; heard what they wanted to hear. They saw a Queen standing on the balcony above them. They saw the selfless Sun Queen, not what I really was, which was selfish and power-hungry. That was what frightened me more than the crowd of people staring up at me. It terrified me that I felt empowered looking at all those people. I wondered if that was how the Darkling felt, controlling his army. The insatiable desire for control was everything I despised about who I was becoming, yet I couldn't get enough. It was that same feeling as when I was anywhere near the Fold. The control. The sheer power it held. I loved it.

I shook my head of the dark thoughts and focused ahead of me, smiling and giving a small wave to the populace.

Finally, the Darkling spoke after letting the crowd calm down.

"Ravka!" he announced. His voice sounded diplomatic but confident. It cut through the crowd effortlessly, reaching each and every listening ear of the public."Today is a day that will go down in history. It will change our lives in the present and rewrite a future—a better future—for us all. Shu Han will no longer be a threat to our country. Our enemies have seen what power we hold. I am here to tell you that there will be no more war with Ravka from this day forward."

The crowd roared in applause and cheers. There were even tears of joy shed and hugs shared among strangers. Some people in the front, near the gates, weren't so thrilled, however. I couldn't help but focus on them. They glared at both of us with a deep look of hatred. It gave me chills. There were two women and three men that I could see. They stood there unmoving, just staring up at the balcony while everyone around them was jumping and clapping.