Chapter 7 Castles Crumbling
Verena
Your presence is hereby cordially requested by the Royal Family to witness the momentous Crowning of the Princess Verena Woodall
E verything I have ever done… ever endured… and sacrificed has been leading up to this moment in time.
The crowning of a new Zoryan Queen. The co-leader of the Court of Dawn.
My coronation.
It sounds as if I thirst for power but in truth? I want this country to thrive and to live in the very best way it can. And I do not believe it to be doing so right now. But, I can help. I can fix it. As queen, I can make Zoryan history and get this country to be one that the other continents teach about. I can make us happy, healthy, and excited to be apart of such a culture.
Dryston never cares for any of that, he cares about power and wealth and sure, the betterment of this country. But, in his terms, better meant bigger or richer.
Where he wants rich in coin, I want rich in cultivation. Together, we will make this country better .
Eryx left this morning before anyone was awake, except me of course. I barely slept and saw him slip into his carriage and take off. None of it should matter but something in me is sad at the fact that he hadn’t stayed for my coronation.
My gown came in this morning— delivered by the seamstress herself. She designed it and I gave her the inspiration for it.
I know I could never get away with wanting it purple, my favorite color that matches my eyes. So I went for a dusty rose hue, perfect for this court’s theme.
It has a modest neckline and shoulder sleeve but it’s still gorgeous, sexy, and queenly all wrapped up into one gown. The length was long, the detailing was gorgeous.
I will wear matching heels and silver jewelry. My hair will stay down so the crown fits easily and I will wear minimal makeup.
Today is a day I have been preparing for practically my entire life. I was ready for it.
I was wondering around the library, thankful for it being so gargantuan and well-lit. It was a beautiful place.
There was nothing really to do today. Hadeon follows me around, Rya was being in a more joyous mood than ever, but Lianna seems distant, almost. It bothers me but she promised everything was fine.
“You weren’t in your room last night.” Hadeon finally speaks. He hadn’t said anything to me all morning except hello when we first saw each other. I look from the books to his tall build, scrunching my eyebrows in confusion before a blush creeps along my skin.
“I… I, uh, spent the evening with my husband.” I answer, unsure of how to speak about this. No one has spoken to me about those relations before, except Dryston.
Hadeon grunts and my light smile drops. “What?” I ask him. He crosses his arms, fully facing me now and taking a step closer. We stand a foot from each other and he lowers his voice.
“I thought you’d be back in your room before you slept. Or that he’d visit you in yours.” He tries to stay quiet so no one overhears this completely inappropriate conversation.
“Well, it was our wedding night. I just followed him to his. What’s wrong with that? Dryston and I are married now. Things change.”
“Nothing changes overnight.”
I huff, “Well this clearly did.” I reply sternly, my voice raises in irritation. “Dryston isn’t going to be the same. He’s different now, I can feel it. Hadeon, I know you are protective of me but I am fine. Trust me.” I, once again, am trying to convince myself more than him.
His gaze softens, his body droops into it’s more relaxed frame, “I trust you , Verena. I do not trust him .”
* * *
After speaking with Hadeon, I felt dirty. Off. As if something deep inside of me was screaming… clawing… begging and pleading for a way out. My chest hurt, my hip was starting to ache again. It has been since the wedding.
Last night, Dryston trailed over it and after hissing in pain, he had stopped with worry. It was sweet so I pushed through the pain and let him continue. Although, he’s spoken to me before about wanting to get it fixed by the healer. He hated the look of it so I tried to keep it hidden from him when we are together.
The first time he saw it, he bombarded me with questions on it but I told him the truth, it’s a birthmark. I don’t remember a time when it wasn’t there.
I shake off the thought, rubbing the aching mark shaped like a bird.
I bathe and dress into my coronation outfit, silence ensues around me, driving me crazy. I open my balcony doors to let in a fresh breeze, birds chirping break the dead air in my room. I take a deep breath. As much as I am prepared for this, I feel as though simultaneously I am not ready for it. I take a step out from my room, looking over the lawn full of guests mingling. The coronation was starting soon and while the festivities after will be in the dining hall, I crave for it to be outside. But, Rya and Dryston assure me inside is the better option.
None of this was my choice. Not technically. I was born into this world and ‘sold’ to a betrothal for my safety. And because of that betrothal, I was to be the future reigning queen of Zorya.
My entire life has been planned out for me and now, I can’t breathe.
I gasp for breath, stepping from the edge of the railing and stumbling into my room as I fight for air to enter my lungs.
My chest rises and falls in quick succession and I whimper out in pain from my heart hurting.
A knock sounds, “Verena?” Hadeon’s familiar voice breaks through the door but I can’t answer him. “I’m coming in.” He calls out, not hearing me.
My knees give out and Hadeon closes my door before rushing over to me. “V, what is wrong?” Words refuse to leave me as I gasp for breath with his arms wrapped around me.
My vision gets blurry as he questions on how to fix this but I have no answers even if I could speak.
Pain shoots through me before fading out almost just as fast. My hand flies to my face, holding my cheek. I jerk my face back to him, his eyes and the way they swim with worry.
“You were not well. Please tell me you can speak now? Your breathing seems to be back to normal.” He was right. My heart still beats fast but my breaths are coming and going just as they did my entire life.
“You slapped me.”
“I’ve been privy to a few episodes of these sorts before we met. Breaking the attention from your panicked breaths help you return to normal.” I allow him to hold me, regaining my composure.
“I am sorry you had to witness such a scene. I am to be queen in a short time and I can barely handle stress.”
“You handle it fine. It is a big accomplishment— becoming queen.” He smiles at me, allowing me to stand while he assures I do not fall over.
I scoff, “ Accomplishment . This was handed to me for my soul, it seems. None of this was my decision. I thought it’s what I wanted but maybe I was wrong?” I finally voice my fears to him in a whisper so quiet he almost doesn’t hear it. I am trusting him although I refuse to meet his gaze.
“You will make a phenomenal queen. If you desperately wanted this, I’d question otherwise. You’re not starving for power. So, to me? I shall say you are pretty well off. But, I’d follow you anywhere— were you to run though.” I laugh, finally, relaxing. I know he is joking, we’d be fugitives against the crown. But, I appreciate the gesture all the same.
“Thank you, Hadeon. For everything. You are truly the only family I have.” He smiles at me before hugging my smaller frame. “I must finish getting ready and then we can start. Let the king know?” He nods before taking his leave and I gather myself.
Time to show this court and this country who I am.
Standing at the doors, alone again, and this time I know Hadeon can’t prevent me from walking by myself. I take another steadying breath and nod to the guards at the doors who look at me like their queen already.
The guards and the staff here have respect for me because I have respect for them. That I am more than sure of. Of course the guards answer to the king over me but some of them have made me question if that is true. I have allies and that makes this easier.
The doors open and I walk in to the music selected. All eyes are on me, some with disdain, others with awe, and a few are neutral like they could not care less about being here.
I make eye contact with no one, staring straight ahead of me at the gorgeous queens crown. I can see Dryston on his throne, his mother standing off to the side with her mother regent crown on next to Lianna. Hadeon stands by my throne. The archbishop stands in front of the thrones on the top of the few steps leading to them.
Stopping just before the steps until the archbishop leads me up, we stand side by side like a wedding altar and face each other. Lianna comes forward, fixing my gown and moving back to her mother. I smile at her sweetly.
Practically the same as Dryston’s, the archbishop speaks his monologue before my vows and hands me the scepter.
“I, Verena Woodall, solemnly swear to rule Zorya as it’s Queen. And as it’s queen, my duties are as follows: I will rule as the center of life in Zorya, I will stifle any strife between beings, I shall school those in need of righteousness, I will use my power to cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, and to execute all my judgments. I will uphold-” My vow is cut short by an all too familiar voice.
“Ladies and gentle-fae of the court. I thank everyone here and appreciate all your support.” Dryston stands from his throne and refuses to meet my gaze. “Now that I am king, I cannot allow this to happen. Lady Verena has been groomed to take over as queen her entire life. But she will not be our queen.” There it is. The room falls into a deafening silence, the only sound is the pounding of my heart against my ribcage. I see lips moving but no words reach my ears, as if I am trapped underwater. My vision blurs and darkens at the edges, an ominous sign of impending danger. Hadeon steps closer to me with a determination in his eyes. My hands shake uncontrollably, nails digging into my palms until they draw blood. Tears well up behind my eyelids, threatening to spill over and betray my fear. “And as one of my first decisions as King, I place the royal guard Hadeon under arrest for treason. Because of his affair with Lady Verena.” I audibly gasp and Hadeon stops moving. I watch as royal guards, also shocked, come over to grab Hadeon who doesn’t even fight them. I look to Lianna, whose face is ghostly white, shaking her head at me saying she didn’t know. And then my eyes find Hadeon. He will know what to do. He goes to reach for me, but Dryston’s personal guard grabs him tightly after slamming the hilt of his sword into the mans gut.
“No!” I scream, smacking guards away from my best friend. The room stops talking, the guards stop moving him. I step closer to Dryston, “How dare you. Hadeon and I have never been anything but respectable. I understand not liking him but this petty accusation is pathetic. You will not crumble my reputation or name. Or his for that matter. Where is the proof?” I search the crowd frantically, waiting for someone to say something. But the cowards wait and do nothing.
He scoffs, stepping down and walking to me. “I need no proof. I am King. But if you must have it, Mya says she’s seen both of you together intimately.”
“She’s lying. She is just angry I removed her from being my ladysmaid because of how ignorant she is.” Again, another scoff.
“Where is your proof? You are no one. You were not born into royalty, your parents are dead, and you have no one of statue to take your word as their own.” To prove his point, no one stands to defend me. It was like a punch to my heart. He was ripping the organ out and stomping on it. A power surges through me wanting to burst, it’s a foreign feeling but it dissipates just as quickly. “You are lucky I am not throwing you in the dungeon with him. You are dismissed, Lady Verena. Unless you do want to be thrown in there and hung for treason with him? You may be my wife but you will not be this country’s queen.” I look to Hadeon, who shakes his head almost unnoticeably. I turn and leave the room, not wanting to see him carried off or let everyone see my tears. My whole vision is blood red in rage and it takes everything in me not to snap and kill everyone.
Once the doors shut behind me, I run to my room.
What am I supposed to do now?
Everything I’ve ever been told to want and groomed to be is ripped away from me, my castle crumbling to the ground. The last thing of my parents wishes.
My soon-to-be empire was once a golden age where I was adored and loved. People— the people of Zorya— cherish me.
Or do they? No one said anything. No one cares . This overwhelming pain runs through my veins, burning me from the inside. I’ve been following all the rules, drawing inside all of the lines, staying quiet and never asking for anything since I was a little girl. I’ve allowed this scum of a male to consistently hurt me and tear me down for this crown I was told I should want and be grateful that I have it. Then why has it always felt like a burden? Sure, I wasn’t always easy to manage. I love adventure and I love causing a little trouble but this? And to lie to get his way? Branding me as a treasonous whore was the lowest he could go. No one will have me as their queen now even if he changed his mind.
I slam my door shut, screaming to myself while pulling my hair in frustration.
I wait patiently for twenty-six years and he just says no ?
I am done.
Done .
I am exhausted from constantly putting on a facade of politeness and allowing others to mistreat me. My frustration simmers beneath my skin, a seething rage that threatens to erupt. I hastily wipe away the tears streaming down my face, untangling my hair from its disheveled state and quickly weaving it into a braid. With determination fueling my movements, I storm toward the closet and violently strip off the suffocating dress before donning practical pants and a tunic. I then wrap myself in my trusty fighting leathers, hidden away for moments like this.
A flash of black on my forearm, catches my eye and I freeze entirely. With the wedded rune: spouses can track each other, feel each other’s life, and feel each other’s death.
Knives now line me along with a sword— my eyes stick to them, the gifts from Hadeon for my first time pinning him. Even if I’m still convinced he let me win. I will need to cut the skin off but Dryston would immediately know because the connection will feel as if I died.
In fact, the leathers were also a gift. As if he knew something like this would happen.
He said he’d follow me anywhere, let’s see if he was telling the truth.
I will get him out of the prison and we will leave the kingdom.
Dryston is bold. And stupid.
I know he thinks so little of me that he would never assume I’d run.
Well, that will be his first of many mistakes after today.
Today is the start of the future I will make for myself. And I know just where to go so he never finds me.