"What?"
"She's waiting outside the gates. Says if you don't open them, she'll smash them open."
I rub my temples. "As If I don't already have enough problems."
"Tell her to come, alone."
He nods and rushes back out the door.
I turn to Darien. "This is going to turn into a war."
He kneels before me. "I'm sorry, this is my fault."
"Rise, knight. This isn't your fault. Your sister would've done this with or without you."
Darien stands up.
The doors slam open to reveal Ailee's tall silhouette in the doorway. They swing shut behind her.
She strides up to me. "Hello, princess," she spits.
Darien lays a hand on his sword. She notices. She bites her lip and cocks her hip to the side.
"Protecting the princess now, Darien?"
I steal a glance at Darien, who's keeping his face emotionless.
"What do you want?" I ask, turning to Ailee.
She takes a step closer to me. "What I've wanted from the beginning. The throne to Arania, you don't deserve it."
"How would you know what I deserve? Because so far, it looks like you're the undeserving one. You killed a little girl's parents over bread-"
She holds a hand up. "And what exactly have you done? Sit in your castle and look pretty until the day your prince comes to save you?"
My fingers ball into fists. Darien lays a calming hand on my arm. I inhale a deep breath and relax my shoulders.
Ailee takes another step closer to me. "Your people are dying and you don't even see it. There are riots breaking out in the street, and you do nothing to stop them. Most of your people have never even seen you come out of this castle. You have done nothing for this kingdom."
I snap. In a flash, my hand is connecting with her cheek, setting her off balance.
" Proceed with caution, Ailee. You are one insult away from starting a war." I spit.
She straightens her red tunic and pushes her raven hair back.
"You are nothing but a weak, runt who your real mother never loved."
I lunge at her, my hands tightening around her throat. I push her to the ground. Darien's arms wrap around my waist and pull me off of her.
She stands and shoots a glare at me.
"My army will charge on the castle at midnight tomorrow."
My knees buckle and I collapse in Darien's arms as the doors swing shut.
YOU ARE READING
RULE (Completed)
Adventure"You are queen now, start acting like it." Ariana has waited her entire life to become queen and rule her country. But things prove to be much more difficult than she ever thought they would be. After the death of her beloved father, her mother sudd...
