Crown of Shadows

X

King Edmund and Prince Nicholas were set to deliver their traditional New Year's speeches, a moment the entire country awaited.

"Are you nervous for Nic?" The familiar voice of her maid broke through Clara's thoughts.

Clara turned, offering a small smile. "I should be used to it by now. But tonight feels different."

Louise gave her a knowing look. "It's because Nicholas has been more tense than usual, isn't it?"

Clara sighed. "Yes. He's got a lot on his shoulders." She turned back to the window. "More than he'll admit."

The truth was, she had noticed the change in Nicholas ever since their conversation on Christmas Eve. He was increasingly restless, carrying the heavy burden of being the heir. And while she had always been there to support him, tonight it felt like something else entirely. She felt it in the air, in the way he had lingered at the dinner table the night before, asking her quiet questions about how she was handling the growing public attention after her split with Alec.

Clara shook her head to clear her thoughts. There was no time for doubt now. Nicholas would step up to that podium tonight, as always, and deliver a speech that would calm and inspire the people of Aurelia. She had to believe that.

"I think I'll go check on him," Clara said, suddenly feeling the need to see her brother before the speeches began.

Louise nodded. "I'll make sure everything's ready here."

Clara left her suite, weaving through the palace's quiet corridors until she reached the room where Nicholas was preparing. She knocked softly before entering.

Nicholas was standing by the fireplace, dressed in a sharp, dark suit that fit him perfectly. His shoulders were squared, and his expression was composed, but Clara could see the tension in his posture. The speech cards lay on the table beside him, but he hadn't touched them in several minutes.

"Nic," Clara said gently, closing the door behind her.

He turned, his serious expression softening slightly when he saw her. "Clara. I didn't expect you."

"I just wanted to see how you were feeling," she said, crossing the room to stand beside him. She glanced at the cards. "You're ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied, but there was something in his tone that felt off.

Clara studied him for a moment. "You don't have to do this perfectly, you know. No one expects that."

Nicholas chuckled softly, though there was no real humour in it. "I think you underestimate the expectations placed on me."

She knew he was right. The pressure on Nicholas was immense. As the future king, every word he spoke was scrutinised, every action weighed against centuries of tradition. But tonight, the stakes seemed higher.

"You're going to do fine," she said, trying to reassure him.

Nicholas met her gaze, his expression serious. "Clara, what if I'm not cut out for this?"

The question caught her off guard. It wasn't the first time he had hinted at his doubts, but hearing him voice it aloud now, so close to the speech, made it real in a way she hadn't expected.

"You are," she said firmly. "You've been preparing for this your whole life. You can handle it."

Nicholas sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's not just about the speech. It's everything. The weight of it all. Sometimes I wonder if stepping back might be better—for me, for the monarchy, for everyone."