Royal or Rebel (A Disgraced Prince Scott AU)

Betrayal

November 16th, 1820, 5:57am.

She was twenty years old as of this morning.

"Her Royal Highness, Crowned Princess Amber, Princess Regent of Avias!" King Hudson's page announced the princess's arrival.

"Your Majesty," Amber curtsied low to her father, "I brought you an offering, to toast to your health," she removed a bottle of wine from its place hidden in her satchel, beneath her cloak.

Was it far to early for wine? Yes, however, Hudson Denholm always started the day with a drink.

"I hear you are holding an extravagant ball tonight for your birthday? Of course you would waste our funds on something so trivial," Hudson struck his daughter, taking the wine from the princess.

"Avias will not bear the weight of the costs, Your Majesty, the ball is a gift from my husband, Prince Jacob," Amber responded, watching her father set the wine bottle down on his table.

Hudson let out a hissed demand from his seat, "Pour the glasses yourself."

Amber poured two glasses of wine, handing one to her father, "To Your Majesty's health, may you recover from the illness that has plagued you for two years. Long live the King," she raised her glass to her lips.

Hudson took a drink of the alcoholic beverage, "It tastes like..." he slurred, his eyes closing.

"May Grandma have no mercy on you," Amber drove a dagger through her father's heart before he could react and then dug one into her own leg and screamed.

A small handful, about four or five, of a mix of Hudson and Amber's serving staff rushed in, "Your Highness! What happened?" Hudson's head guard asked.

The false tears ran down Amber's cheeks, "I poured us some wine, the bottle was on his shelf, he always starts the day with a small drink. I hadn't had a sip yet but he was saying it tasted off... I didn't even have time to react but... three cloaked figures came from nowhere, they must have been waiting for me to arrive. One stabbed His Majesty and the other's dagger missed me!" She lied through her fake sobs.

Her father had been a horribly abusive man and tyrannical king for his entire life, he had to be stopped and Amber wouldn't let her baby son be raised in a world where that man still roamed free.

The guard checked the king's pulse, "The King is dead! Long live the Queen!"

"Crowton, take Lady Abbie, fetch the physician for Her Highness- apologies, Her Majesty," one of Hudson's guards demanded.

"No, I'd like Lord Alexander and Lady Abbie to stay with me, please," Amber replied, Alexander and Abbie had been in on her plan and she did not want to be left in a room with her father's guards.

"Yes, Your Majesty. May Crow Father protect you and provide you with a blessed reign and many children."

"Blessings be to you Sir," Amber let out a fake smile through her false sadness, she was forever grateful that her betrayal of her father had worked so flawlessly.

It was almost as if by holy intervention that everything has fallen into place, but of course that couldn't be the case, a deity had no place to mess with the mortal timeline, Phil nor Kristen did not dare.

Between Amber, Alex and Abbie, a small glance was shared as the sun began to rise, Sun God be thanked for his help for he did not need to play by as tight of rules as more minor deities did.

The sun had set on Avias on the night of November 15th 1820 with King Hudson III and had risen under the rule of Queen Amber and Prince Jacob, the Prince Consort.

Many houses and families around the kingdom started their morning hearing the heralds in town crying out, "The King is dead! Long live the Queen and Prince!"

"Gods save the Queen and Prince," Alex whispered to Amber in the hospital wing minutes later, holding her hand.

"I wish my brothers were here..." Now Amber's tears were real thinking of Scott and Acho, she wished they could be by her side for her coronation.

"I miss the too, for very different reasons but I miss them," Alex replied under his breath.

"We'll see them again some day, that is a promise," Amber smiled.

In the hall outside of the hospital, the council that Hudson had left behind was plotting how to curry favour with the new Queen and her husband.

"Your son is close with her William, keep him under a close eye," one suggested.

"I plan to," William replied, "For now, we do not oppose her until absolutely necessary. Let her settle in first and then we bend her to our will. She is the last Denholm left, we cannot risk falling out of her graces."