Fallen Queen

Chapter 39 - Present

Amelia felt his magic surrounding her, protecting her. She also felt the hand on her shoulder trembling and shaking.

This was the moment they would find out if this would turn into a bloodbath or not. This was the moment Ward and his soldiers would decide if this would end up in a battle or not.

And Amelia was afraid she already knew what Ward was about to choose. She turned her head towards Brant.

Brant's face was pale white, drained of all color and he had his hand curled around a sword. He was whispering words, probably praying that his brother would come to his senses.

But Amelia could see it in his eyes.

Ward wouldn't come to his senses. Ward didn't care that his king was dead, that a new King stood in front of him. Ward had made his choice and he would stand for it. "Maybe I can't kill you..." Ward swallowed. "And I probably can't harm her now either." He stared at Amelia and then, with a few smooths steps, he stood next to his own brother. "But I can kill your captain." He pushed his sword into Brant's chest. "See you in hell, brother." He pulled his sword out again and Brant fell down on his knees.

Blood starting sipping from the wound in his stomach and without thinking about it Amelia dropped her sword and rushed towards him, wrapping her arms around him, attempting desperately to press her hand to his wound, to stop the bleeding. But the blood sipped through her fingers and Brant looked up at her, shaking his head.

Ward stepped back, knowing all too well that Thomas' magic would kill him before he would get to her. But he had this grin on his face that caused a shiver to roll down Amelia's spine. "Soldiers!" He raised his voice and turned around. "Either one of us ends on the throne or we end up dead!" He threw his hands in the air and Amelia stared at Brant once more before the look in her eyes hardened and she pushed herself up again.

"I know one thing for sure." She grabbed the other sword from her back and after one look at Thomas she used all the physical power she had to push the sword in Wards back. "Whoever ends on the throne, it won't be you."

"Only cowards attack someone in the back." Ward hissed between his teeth, but blood started to come out of his mouth, dropping on the marble floor.

"Only fools turn their back to a Queen." She pulled the sword out and watched how Ward's lifeless body fell down on the cold stones.

He had his eyes still open and with anyone else, Amelia would have closed them. But Ward didn't deserve honor. Or dignity. Not after killing his own brother. Not after starting a war that would kill him and all the soldiers choosing his side.

"Is there anyone else who prefers fighting over peace and a better future for everyone?" Amelia looked around. She ignored the blood dripping down of the sword. "Is there anyone else who doubts that King Thomas will be a better King than the one that's now dead?" She looked around and slowly, one by one, all the soldiers fell to their knees.

They bent their heads and dropped their swords in front of their feet on the ground.

"This party is now over..." Amelia took a deep breath and then she turned her face towards Thomas. "Long live King Thomas!" She nodded at him and Thomas nodded back at her.

He clenched his hands and bit his lip while he stared at all the people, now looking at him, staring at him. "I don't want to start a war. I don't want people to be killed. I want to make this Kingdom a better place. I want a better life for everyone. I don't want people barely having money to buy marmelade or bread. I don't want people dying in cold beds. I don't want people having to walk around in one set of clothes." He took a deep breath and then he locked his eyes with Amelia's. "I know that we can't change the world within a second, but let this be the start. And let a bright future be the end." He straightened his back and uncurled his fingers. "Everyone can leave now. Tell the people what has happened and tell them they have a new King." Thomas trembled a little.

"Long live the King!" Thomas' old nurse raised her voice and soon she was joined by all the other voices in the room. "Long live the King! Long live the King!"

Thomas' chest was moving up and down quickly and while people started to leave the room he fell down on the throne.

"Long live the King..."

Amelia turned her head towards the weak voice behind her and her eyes met Brant's. Tears rolled down his cheeks and quickly she kneeled down next to him, placing her sword next to her, so she could wipe all his tears away with her thumb. "I'm sorry..." She shook her head. "This wasn't what I wanted..." She wrapped her arms around Brant's cold body and she placed his head in her lap, stroking his hair.

"It's okay..." Brant answered. He could barely breath and his voice was trembling and shaking. "We won." He closed his eyes and Amelia placed a hand on his chest, feeling how it stopped moving up and down while his heart stopped beating.

"But we lost you..." She bent her head and then she felt the tears rolling down her own cheeks. "We would have become great friends, you and I." She pressed a soft kiss to his forehead and then she felt Thomas' calming hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Thomas whispered and he kneeled down next to Amelia and the lifeless body of the one guy brave enough to risk his life to get them an entire army. "We'll make sure he didn't die for nothing."

"What brother does something like this?" Amelia shook her head. "How can you love someone your entire life and then kill him?" She looked up at Thomas and then she saw the blooded sword next to her. "O my..." She started shaking and trembling and then she looked around, finding the lifeless body of Ward not too far away from the one she was still holding. "I killed him..."

"You did." Thomas wrapped his arms around her and pressed her to his chest. "And I'm proud of you. You stopped a fight by doing so."

Amelia heard the words, but they didn't sink in. She had killed someone. She had not just defended herself, but she had killed someone. She had killed someone because he had killed her friend. She had killed someone because she had been angry. She had killed someone.

"It's okay." Thomas rocked her back and forth. "You did the right thing." He kissed her cheek, her neck. "You did the right thing."

Amelia wasn't sure yet if she could believe that. Maybe she would never believe it.