Reign of Rivalry

Chapter 3

One of the staff must have alerted Clara because not too long after the King left me on the floor, Clara was pulling me to my feet. By the time we had made it back to my room, the tears had stopped, and a numbness had settled in.

I was this way every time the King reminded me of whom I really was. He was right, I wasn't his daughter, no matter what the rest of Amarayus believed.

My mother had died of an illness that starved her body. Doctors and healers didn't know what had caused it, but my mother had ignored the signs and by the time we found out it was too late. It wasn't long after she died that I found out the king was not my father. I had thought the distance Cassius had created between us in that time of mourning was because he was still suffering the loss of his Queen; I had been wrong, and that distance was never repaired.

"The King has only requested to see the Prince," the guards outside my father's office told me, blocking me from getting into the room.
I looked at my brother standing by my side and Brax gave me a sad smile. "I'm sure it's just about my training or boring politics stuff," he said with a shrug.

"But I like hearing about the politics," I whined. "Mother always allowed me to sit in on these meetings. I don't understand why that has changed?" I pulled on Brax's arm, stopping him from entering the office.

"Brenna, let go, I need to get inside." He pulled his arm from my hand.

"He won't even look at me anymore." I sighed, giving up.

Brax held up a hand, stopping the guards from opening the doors, and turned back to me.

"Bren, you know what he's like. He doesn't want any distractions in these meetings. Darklanders are being spotted throughout the mountains, and he wants an update from the General. Don't take it personally." He squeezed my shoulder and then signalled at the guards to open the doors.
I stood on my toes to see over Brax's shoulder and get a glimpse of what was going on inside. I spotted my father standing behind his desk and a few others positioned around the room before the doors closed again. _

A bit hard to not take it personally when you're the one with the doors being closed in your face, I thought to myself.

Heading back to my rooms, I thought about what Brax had told me. Why was my father so worried about Darklanders being spotted in the mountains between our two territories? Did he not trust the new King of the Darklands, Arius? Arius was crowned not long ago after his father was killed during a trip to The Valley. The story was; a group of exiled Darklander soldiers had attacked the Darklands King's travelling group. The king hadn't made it home.

I felt for Arius, I knew what it was like to lose a parent but to then have to take on the responsibility of leading his territory, I couldn't imagine the pressure he was under. He was the youngest royal leader Amarayus had seen, but if the rumours were true, he was turning out to be a strong one.

Was that why father had upped patrols along the southern border? I hated not knowing. When my mother was alive, she had said it was important for me to be included and across the political landscape of our territory. That, as princess, my opinion mattered, and I should be informed to be able to make decisions for the betterment of my people like she did. I missed my mother terribly. Ever since she died I felt like I had become an afterthought for this kingdom, no longer a future leader but instead a pretty ornament my father hung out when we had guests over. When I had first been locked out of these meetings and my training postponed, I hadn't argued, still reeling because of my mother's death but I was ready to be a part of this kingdom once again.

Maybe my father didn't think I was strong enough yet, and perhaps I needed to show him. With that, I turned and headed back towards where I had just come from, determination setting in.