Chapter 8 #2
Treena coughed to cover her amusement when the three Alphas immediately did.
“That was your one pass at insanity like I gave the elders and it will be your last or I will handle it as my father would have,” I warned them.
The Alpha of Applerest—who was actually Kole’s father and my closest ally—dipped his head to me.
“I know you are much better educated on court protocols than any give you credit for, Your Highness, but you never did attend one of these meetings. I think everyone here would wonder if you know what your father would have done.”
I met his gaze and couldn’t hide my amusement. “I have actually even if I was too little to see much at the time, Alpha. And yes, I then watched Father beat the Alpha in all three forms for stepping out of line. Also, the heavy fine any of you pay for…”
“Being too stupid to control yourselves,” Uncle Fraser finished for me, his voice cracking. “Best addition to the meetings Rhys added. Even Father loved it.”
I was glad he said that when all of the Alphas nodded or muttered in agreement. I kept my focus on Kole’s dad though. “So yes, I know what I just said, but thank you for checking so respectfully.”
He opened his mouth but then slowly closed it, glancing from Fraser to Darren, and then his head swung to Benson. “They’re amused.”
I chuckled. “You are smarter than most. Yes, they are.”
“I’m still confused.”
I moved my elbows onto the table and cradled my chin with my hands. “Did Father strike you as the type of man to not train his daughter?”
“No,” almost the whole room said immediately.
“And if I was shorter than most female dragons, most would underestimate me. Do you think he’d allow any less training for me then, or more?
” I was glad when a few started to catch on.
“The best part is I’ve seen all of you fight.
You all love to record and post your fights or events to prove why you should be Alpha. ”
“While none of you have seen her fight,” Fraser chuckled darkly. “I haven’t seen it in… Three years?”
I shared a glance with him and we shrugged. It was about then that he’d seen it.
Up close and personal when I’d kicked his ass all over the place.
Kole’s father glanced at him and then between us. “But—surely Kole has—”
“I haven’t,” Kole muttered with a frown.
“That was intentional,” I told them both, snorting when they both seemed upset.
“A conversation for later, but we’re not even engaged.
My life is always at risk being the heir to the throne.
” I gestured around the room. “And the people who are supposed to follow my rule and listen to me can’t even keep it together to not talk about me like a baby-making whore. ”
“To your face no less,” Aunt Maple seethed. “I’m ready to take them all out back, and I’m very sure Rhys will haunt them in their nightmares for a while.”
That made them at least squirm a bit.
Good. It should.
I stood and stared down each Alpha in turn.
“Let this be your one lesson to not underestimate me again. None of you had the balls to be blunt and simply spit it out. You all knew you were selfish monsters taking advantage of a horrid situation for your own gains. Taking advantage of your future queen because you saw me as a young, weaker than you, unprotected woman.”
I stared them all down again.
“I am the rightful ruler of Thovudin, daughter of Rhys and Amelia, and I am never weak.” I used my fire dragon’s power to burn all of them for the insult.
I was impressed when at least five didn’t show any sign of pain at all and only a few made any sort of noise.
“Never forget this moment because next time I won’t be so lenient. ”
That got a reaction because getting a burn from a royal wasn’t a small thing. Those were deep, deep burns on their left arms that they were all to show in shame that they had committed a sin against their leader. It would take a month to heal and it was no small punishment.
I snorted. “You want to treat me like a whore for sale?” I let them see my evil smile.
“You all have daughters too, right? Should we make alliance matings a practice? If you think it fine for me, of course you would say the same for your families, yes?” I was glad when the females of the royal family all chuckled darkly.
“The merfolk have been asking for sons for eons to be traded too, Sagan,” Aunt Maple reminded me as if that wasn’t part of the plan.
“Oh yes, we can’t forget the needs of some of our other allies and how we can best utilize our stock of Alpha families and their bloodlines,” I said, my tone amused while my gaze was cold.
I took my time meeting the eyes of each Alpha.
“This never happens again. Ever. Or it will become normal practice. Decide now.”
The decision was fast and easy.
Duh.
They wanted to enact a law to ban it. It was the way of dragons and tradition, but they wanted it in writing now.
“Glad to hear it,” I said trying not to gloat.
“I will see it done the moment I become queen. Now, as I warned you all, demanding this meeting while I was supposed to be observing mourning would come with a cost.” I ignored when several of them flinched, probably thinking they had already paid it.
“The coronation happens next full moon as is tradition.”
Elder Hardin jumped to his feet but unfortunately caught himself at the last second.
A different elder wasn’t as smooth. “That’s not for you to decide, Your Highness. We are the only way you become queen.”
I didn’t even have to give the order to remove him before the guards already were.
I did shoot Hardin a smirk before focusing on the Alphas.
“Normally, the elders confirm the heir, but given what has happened and as stated in our ascension laws, as long as every Alpha gives their witnessed verbal approval of the heir, the coronation happens.”
Kole’s father chuckled. “Well done, Princess. And yes, we more than deserve it.” He stood and slapped the table. “Aye, I confirm Princess Sagan De la Rosa. More than that, I’ll personally challenge any Alpha who contests and any elder who questions the decision later.”
I had trouble hiding my reaction to that. He was throwing down.
Uncle Fraser snorted. “Well, at least one Alpha is forgiven for being stupid.” He gave a half shrug when people focused on him. “I said stupid things in my grief as well. I was raised to be Rhys’s replacement and people kept referring to Sagan as a child. I wasn’t vying for power; it was more…”
Panic. It hit me hard. He was truly a bit panicked that he might have to be in charge for a while and hold control until I could.
Maybe.
Possibly.
Or that was how he was trying to settle his own bad behavior now.
I would file it away as a bit of both. Even Father said Fraser was selfish, but he never blamed his younger brother because he’d suffered a lot as well. I could give him this pass and move forward.
Hopefully.
The sentiment spread though and all the Alphas confirmed me, none willing to go against the others. Only a few seemed reluctant, so that was better than I’d hoped.
“Any objections?” I chuckled darkly as I met Hardin’s gaze, egging him on to open his mouth. I saw retribution in his eyes and didn’t hide that I was gloating. “Good. Now on to a few rules going forward.”
I stood because I needed to keep things lighter than I felt. I even moved to the front of the table and then decided to move around the room for my own sanity.
“None of us wanted this. None of us was ready for this,” I said honestly.
“The main reason I agreed to this meeting during mourning was so we could just address that openly. I’m not ready.
” I snorted when the tension shot up. “I’m not.
” I met my family’s worried faces. “It’s not going to change the reality we’re in by lying.
“I’m better prepared than they think. I know more than they think.
I wasn’t learning underwater basket weaving like some of the rumors.
I was learning what I should and making needed alliances.
” I gestured to Treena who dipped her head in acknowledgement.
“It was a strong message that the future of Thovudin is secure with the attendees to the funeral.
“It went off without a hitch.” I gave them a moment to let that sink in.
“Besides three of you, these are the founding families of our nation, and this is the time to remember that and we will need to work together. You will not be the only ones to undermine me or make wrong assumptions.” I turned to face them again. “Which is why I won’t lie to you.
“I’m not ready. This wasn’t how things were supposed to happen.
This wasn’t the plan.” My voice cracked and I took a moment.
“I meant what I said that I will keep to the rules and traditions of my parents as much as possible. However, this nonsense of throwing in my face ‘your father didn’t’ ends. Or parents—mother—any of it.
“It’s done. Not again. Not without proof or something to back it up and with reason.
” I stared them down and then the elders.
“We are not having such an abusive, toxic relationship that—we’re just not.
” I leaned against the table and glanced around.
“Or the burns on your arms will be nothing compared to the wrath you receive from me.
“Because, by the gods, I will not fail in the task before me nor disappoint my parents where they sit next to the gods. You have my royal vow on that, and I don’t care if I have to go through you or your entire family to do what I must. I will and not bat an eyelash.
Nothing means more to me than my duty to my family and this nation. Nothing.
“Not your feelings. Not your selfishness, not your—nothing.” Again I paused.
I let out a slow breath. “But no, I’m not ready and there have been major problems already.
So we work together and move forward or go hide in your areas and stay out of my way.
” I jumped when a few cheered, glad it was better received than I’d thought.
And then they all verbally confirmed they agreed to officially kick the elders out of the castle. That broke another elder and he blasted me that it went against tradition and I would anger the gods.
I held up a finger to the guards who were about to drag him away. “What have you actually done since my parents died to help the royal family or this nation?”
The room went silent and several of the elders shared looks.
I snorted and stood, picking up my phone and wiggling it.
“While you and the others were actively working against me and the royal family, who you are charged with advising to the best of your abilities, plotting to blackmail me into several matings you would use like pawns and then groom the future king as you—”
“That’s not how things were, nor—” he interrupted, shutting his mouth when several of the Alphas started chuffing. Interrupting any member of the royal family was a huge faux pas, much less the leader.
“I was speaking with leaders of other countries who would never take your call, you don’t know the numbers of, and have never met,” I continued. “The elder advising system is outdated which is why most nations have done away with it. Mostly the ones you keep advising we not be closer allies with.”
“I never made that correlation,” Uncle Fraser muttered.
“We did,” I said, gesturing between Treena and myself. “There’s no reason we’re not closer allies with Bodach. There hasn’t been a war between us in hundreds of years, but right before King Taryn took over, there was some ‘dispute’ and tensions that had no real explanation.”
“Which was right about the time we did away with having corrupt elders whisper in Grandfather’s ear all the time because communication was so much easier,” Treena confirmed. “All the back door deals between different elders from other countries—they kept each other in their positions—”
“If you go against my orders for silence and speak ill of my advisor and heir to another country’s throne in an official meeting, you will lose more than your position,” I warned a different elder when he opened his mouth.
“Stop testing me.” I adjusted my neck when he pressed his lips together and looked at Treena.
“I apologize you have seen this side of my people.”
She sighed. “Every new leader has to clean house. I’m sure I’ll have to do the same.
The snakes come out for power. I’m sorry you’re suffering this while dealing with grief no one should ever have to, my friend.
” She looked to my uncle. “Sagan and I looked into it more when she visited a few summers ago. We found proof of one of our elders…”
“That was why Rhys had such a change of heart and suddenly shut down all the advice on Bodach,” he whispered, glancing at me. “Only what you told him would he trust. He said it time and time again.”
Now I was the shocked one. “He never told me he had such faith in what we found, simply it was interesting and explained some things.”
Pity filled Fraser’s eyes. “I wish I had ever recorded how he spoke of you so you heard it. I never dreamed he didn’t say the same to you. Fools. They were… We’re all such fools letting the weight of being royals taint our lives.”
He wasn’t wrong, but right then wasn’t the time.
I decided to focus back on the elder who was getting booted.
“The old system was needed when it took weeks to travel. Now it’s a video call or email.
So instead of telling me over and over again that I need you after your treachery, you’d better start convincing me what value any of you have because I only see the wisdom of what others have done.
“The system is outdated and all I see is corruption. It’s not tradition that the elders live like fat cats at the castle which the royal family pays for.
Extra staff and lavish requests that come out of our family’s accounts.
It was a luxury given after travel that kept getting extended.
And then travel wasn’t needed and you all never left. So stop insulting my intelligence!”
I waved for the guards to take him away before I blew my top.
“Wait, what do you mean the royal family pays for them?” Aunt Maple asked, her voice cold.
Oh shit.