The First Queen (Currently Being Updated)

Chapter 12

I would have given Aunt Veronica anything for that army.

Anything.

     But the Orb of Tantalus would be like happily giving my head to be served on a platter. Every Alagorian ruler took an oath at their coronation to protect the Orb with their lives. And I live out that oath each day, being informed daily of the Orb, if the light it shines was still dim or if it happened to flicker a little brighter than normal.

     The throne room had become silent. All eyes were now upon the woman in purple who stood before us, mischief radiating off of her. Even the guards stood taller, being more alert. What I hated most of all was that for the first time in my life I had no idea what to do about the situation in front of me. I kept balling my hands in fists at my sides, trying to calm myself down.

     I did not hesitate to make my decision about Veronica’s proposition. That’s another thing about being a ruler, man or woman. You must believe in your gut feeling, and I always trusted mine.

     “I will not handover the Orb. Not only because I believe in the legend of Alendar’s fall but also because I have no idea what you would use the Orb for. Mind you, there were originally three Orbs, each distributed amongst Fraus, Torva, and Alendar. You have the Orb of Ancora, and its power is easy to manipulate,” I said, breaking the silence with a loud voice.

     Aunt Veronica’s smirk did not fade, and she kept it when she gave her side of the argument.

     “The three Orbs were separated, to distribute their powers equally amongst the old kingdoms. But together, if we can unite them once again, the power they will create will be one that would make the gods tremble in fear,” she said with wild eyes, walking around making gestures with her hands to exaggerate her point.

     “Careful where you walk, Queen Veronica. No one messes with the gods on high, even us rulers,” said Francis, making me give him a silent look of gratitude.

     She merely shook her head and laughed.

     “You two are young, still learning the ropes of ruling. This life comes with sacrifice, having to put your beliefs aside for the greater good. Imagine –“

     “Imagine the gods bowing to us! Imagine people trembling at our mercy. Imagine this! Imagine that!” I said in a mocking tone, waving my hands around.

     “Imagination blinds you, Queen Veronica. No, it has poisoned you to look at things in a dream-like perspective, and not in one of reality. Think about the consequences! Everything has a cost.”

     I fuming by now, and was about to pounce on my aunt when she put her hands on my shoulders. Oh how desperately I wanted to shrug them off, but I tested the waters to see what else she had to say.

     “Eleanor. I know you would do anything for your country, for your family. We are close enough to be mother and child,” she said, trying to put on a hopeful look.

     Suddenly, realization hit me like a thousand pounds of flour all at once. Mother. Child. It all made sense now. I backed away from her, beginning with a low chuckle and then completely laughing to the point that I had to hold my stomach. Francis gave me a worried look while Veronica looked just as confused.

     “Tell me, Queen Veronica,” I said after I had calmed down, “any news of children on the way for King William? I’m sure you still are fertile for the next maybe . . . oh, five years?”

     “What. Did. You. Say,” asked Veronica is so low a tone that startled me.

     “You have been married for twenty years now, right? Surely you should have had children, or was there a problem in trying conceive,” I said, my words spilling out with now with no filter, adding more fuel to the fire.