Chapter 126
The royal family rarely gathered for afternoon tea.
Today was different.
The atmosphere inside the Queen's private sitting room was unusually quiet.
King Edward sat with a ledger open before him.
Queen Amelia stirred her untouched tea.
Lucian stared absent-mindedly out of the window.
No one seemed interested in speaking.
Each was thinking about the same thing.
Emberforge.
The silence was finally broken by hurried footsteps.
A knock echoed against the door.
"Your Majesties."
Theo entered carrying three thick leather-bound books, each coated in enough dust to suggest they had not been opened in decades.
His normally composed expression carried unmistakable excitement.
Lucian immediately stood, "Theo?"
"I think..." Theo carefully placed the books on the table, "...I may have found something."
All three members of the royal family looked at him.
King Edward adjusted his spectacles, "What is it?"
Theo opened one of the books with surprising care.
"The Fourth Royal Charter."
The King's eyebrows rose, "I thought that charter had long since fallen into disuse."
"It has," Theo replied, "But it was never repealed."
Queen Amelia leaned forward, "What does it say?"
Theo turned several fragile pages before stopping.
"There" He cleared his throat and began reading.
"In times of national hardship, where a Grand Duchy essential to the prosperity of the Kingdom faces ruin through disaster, war, or treason..."
Lucian looked up immediately.
Theo continued.
"...the Royal Household may invest its personal estates, wealth, lands, and revenues into territories jointly administered by members of the Royal Family."
Silence.
Lucian frowned, "Jointly administered?"
Theo nodded, "It does not refer to the Crown Treasury. It refers to the personal wealth of the royal family."
King Edward slowly sat back, "My private estates..."
Queen Amelia whispered, "My inheritance..."
Theo nodded, "All of it."
Lucian frowned, "But Emberforge isn't jointly administered by the Royal Family."
"No" , Theo closed the book gently, "Not yet."
The meaning settled over the room.
Queen Amelia's eyes slowly widened, "You mean..."
Theo looked toward Lucian.
"If Lady Aurora becomes Crown Princess...House Ambrose would become directly connected to the Royal Household. The Royal Family could legally invest its own private fortune into rebuilding Emberforge."
King Edward remained silent for several moments.
Finally he spoke, "So we could help them."
Theo nodded, "Legally. And without touching the Crown Treasury."
Lucian stared at the old charter.
Hope flickered inside him for the first time in weeks.
Then Theo quietly added, "There is... one condition."
The room became still.
King Edward frowned, "I suspected there would be."
Theo turned another page.
"The charter requires that such an investment serve not only the present kingdom......but also its future stability."
Lucian looked up, "What does that mean?"
Theo read aloud once more.
"Where such an alliance is formed through royal marriage, the succession must be secured without unnecessary delay."
He paused.
"The next clause explains it."
"The Royal Council shall approve such investment only where the royal union is intended to produce a lawful heir, thereby ensuring that lands receiving investment remain permanently tied to the Crown."
Queen Amelia's smile slowly disappeared.
Theo closed the book, "The council later interpreted that clause."
King Edward sighed, "I remember."
Theo nodded, "They ruled that a royal heir must be expected within one year of the marriage."
"If not...The authority to continue investing royal personal funds expires."
Silence filled the room.
Lucian looked stunned, "So the council would only approve this......if Aurora and I married."
Theo nodded, "And accepted the succession requirement."
Queen Amelia's heart sank, "That places an enormous burden upon her."
King Edward folded his hands.
"It isn't intended as a favour. It is a constitutional safeguard. If the Royal Family is permitted to invest millions into a Grand Duchy...The council wants assurance that those lands will permanently remain connected to the Crown."
Lucian slowly stood.
His expression unreadable, "I can't ask her."
The three others looked at him.
He stared at the rain beyond the window.
"Not like this " His voice was quiet, "If I approached Aurora now...How could she ever know whether I was asking because I love her......or because her duchy needs saving?"
Queen Amelia smiled sadly, "My son..."
He turned toward her, "For years she believed I never truly saw her. And now..."
"If I propose while Emberforge is collapsing......she'll believe I'm choosing duty over her."
He lowered his head, "And perhaps......she'd be right."
The Queen walked over and gently rested a hand on his shoulder.
"No ", She smiled softly, "The fact that you're thinking of her heart before your own......tells me you've finally become the man worthy of asking."
King Edward chuckled quietly, "Unfortunately..."
He looked at Lucian with amusement, "I suspect she'd throw you out of the nearest window if you proposed while her miners are still recovering."
Despite everything...
Lucian laughed. A genuine laugh, "I think she'd throw me through the window."
Theo smiled, "Probably."
Queen Amelia nodded, "Almost certainly."
The laughter faded as quickly as it had come.
The old charter remained open on the table.
Within its faded pages lay the answer to Emberforge's future.
But it also demanded something extraordinary.
Not merely a marriage.
A lifetime.
A family.
An heir.
And none of it would matter...
Unless Aurora freely chose it.
Please vote