Queen Midknight: The Wolf’s Bride - Chapter 175

Chapter hundred and seventy five: All hail the Queen….not again.

Jamie watched as her father taught Rosemund and Arabella some basic fighting skills while she practiced with her brother, Elliott.

Rosemund looked fairly interested while Arabella looked like she would rather be anywhere else than the dusty Arena, she was constantly dusting her clothes and checking her fingernails. She could see the amusement on King’s Jared’s face, unlike his youngest child, Arabella had no zeal for fighting.

“I thought father hated it when I fought?” Jamie asked her brother.

“He did, he still does” Elliott asked and tried to hit Jamie’s leg and she jumped out of the way.

“Then why is he doing this?” Jamie tried to retaliate but Elliott wasn’t just the king’s son because he was a prince. He was a skilled fighter too.

“I think selling you to Alexander was his biggest regret and now, he is willing to do anything…like publicly support you when you took your husband’s army and won an impossible war. I think he is afraid to fail you Jamie. We all are” Elliott stopped himself on time from bashing the hilt of his sword into his sister’s face.

“Don’t let your gourd down, sister! It will get you killed” he admonished her.

Jamie smiled softly and stopped fighting him.

“I used to think that you and Bella couldn’t wait to be rid of me as a child. Let’s face it, we weren’t particularly close as children. I know it was the age difference and all but…” Jamie was interrupted by Elliott.

“It wasn’t the age difference. I just didn’t understand you. I was your older brother but unlike Bella that came to me whenever she skinned her knee or she was hurt by another child, you never did. Even as a child you were self sufficient, Jamie. I don’t know…I guess I should have tried harder. Thanks to everything with Alexander, I know that now and I regret it” Elliott admitted to his sister.

“No Elle…No, you were exactly what I needed. You were the only lad to fight me without pulling back your punches. You were the perfect brother to me and so, now I will ask you a question and I need an answer”

“Okay…” Elliott stared at her intently.

“With Alexander d-dead, what happens to me? I have to go back to Namura, right since I have no child with him and we didn’t perform the binding ceremony. I have to leave Aradale, right?” Jamie knew sooner than later, she would have to find answers to those questions.

“No!”

The voice startled them and they turned around. It was Rosemund. She looked awful in her disarray.

“You are not going back to your kingdom and leaving me all by myself. The answer is no. Aradale is your home as much as it’s mine. I can’t rule two hemispheres without your help, Jamie” Rosemund’s objection was very strong.

“Rosemund…”

“I said no. You are not leaving!” The Alpha Princess shook her head vigorously.

“Judd has to go back to Koi. Alexander is dead and you are all I have left. Are you going to abandon me too?”

Jamie was quiet for a minute before she spoke again.

“No” She grabbed Rosemund’s hand “Let’s go make you a Queen”

****

Later in the evening, Jamie stood like a statue as she was dressed by Heavens and another maid in her ceremonial white dress as the widow of the former King. She didn’t allow herself to feel anything.

She did as she was told. Raised her hand as she was told and wore the shoes she was given.

Heavens was considerate. She chose an outfit she knew the Queen would be comfortable and a fairly reasonable white shoes too.

Jamie was given a white veil but she declined it. A grieving Queen was supposed to cover her face.

There was a soft knock on the door.

“Make your presence known” Heaven called out to the caller.

“Lady Arabella of Kyre, Princess of Namura. I want to speak to my sister please”

Jamie nodded and she was let inside.

Arabella watched as the veil was returned to the wardrobe.

“You may leave us” Arabella ordered the maids. They both looked at Jamie who nodded and they departed.

“You have to wear the veil. You are grieving, Jamie” Her sister encouraged her.

Jamie turned around and watched her sister. She took off the white shoes and opened her wardrobe to pick out a more comfortable one. It was black shoes but her gown was long enough to cover her feet and frankly, Jamie didn’t really care.

“The veil won’t make Alexander any deader and it will give me a rash” Jamie complained and took off the huge earrings and opted for smaller ones on her desk.

“One would need a physician’s glass to see those earrings, Jamie” Her sister complained.

“Hmmm” was Jamie’s only answer.

“We can’t upset the general order of things, Little sister”

“Bella, I am barely twenty years of age and I am going to be known as Queen Dowager. The natural order of things has been screwed already. Plus, if I can lead an army and defeat seven Kingdoms, I can go to the coronation without a scratchy veil and with my hair down” Jamie pulled out hair extension Heavens used to make her hair longer and her red hair fell softly on her shoulder.

She took a comb and she brushed it.

“Did you hear they are styling your husband’s heir as Empress not Queen anymore?” Arabella asked his sister.

Jamie turned around and stared at Arabella in surprise. She didn’t know.

“Empress? Isn’t that higher than the Queen? But I guess it makes sense. The Western and Southern hemispheres are too big to be known as a kingdom. An empire makes more sense” Jamie shrugged nonchalantly.

“But doesn’t it bother you that you did all the work and she is reaping from it?” Arabella asked.

She would be a liar if she said that she hasn’t been thinking of her sister’s rights all day. Arabella didn’t consider it fair that Jamie was pushed aside and the king’s sister was taking everything to herself.

“It doesn’t bother me, Bella. I have no claim to the throne of Aradale but Rosemund does. When I chose love and married Alexander, I also gave up my claim to the throne of my father. I guess I lost both ways. And I might have given Alexander’s sister the keys to the southern hemisphere, it’s her birthright to keep not mine” Jamie answered sensibly.

Arabella smiled.

“When did you grow up? Before all you really wanted was the throne and knighthood but now….’

“My husband…the man I loved, he was worth all my sacrifice and he didn’t force me to be who I am not and neither will his sister. I might not be Queen or a knight but I am a warrior and that is not going to change any time soon, Bella”

Jamie looked at herself in the mirror one more time before she grabbed the fan on the table.

“Walk with me” Jamie offered her hand to Arabella and she took it.

Together they walked to the king’s court. She waited by the door to be announced.

“Janessa of Aradale, Queen…dowager”

When Jamie heard her new title, she tried not to flinch but she couldn’t help it. She felt her eyes beginning to pull with tears but she blinked them away.

She walked inside amidst the stares from people for her blatant disregard for the rules of mourning. She didn’t care. She found her spot and she stood there and waited for Rosemund to walk inside.

Soon, the door opened again and everyone turned around to watch as Rosemund walked inside in her dress and long golden robe.

She stopped in front of the lords and she waited to be crowned.

Jamie’s mind wandered for a while as Rosemund was asked a series of questions by the oldest Lord of the realm.

She only paid attention towards the end.

“Do you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of Aradale, the entire western hemisphere and southern hemisphere according to their respective laws and custom?”

“I solemnly promise” Rosemund answered with a clear voice.

Even though she looked composed, Jamie knew she was nervous.

Of course she should be. Everyone in her place would be.

“Will you to your power cause law and Justice in mercy to be executed in your judgements?”

“I will” Rosemund answered

The lord gestured for the crown to be brought to him.

Everyone was quiet. Jamie knew that if a pin should drop, the sound would echo.

“Then I, lord crane crown you…Rosemund Liliana Aradale as Empress of the…”

The sound of the door made everyone turn, including Rosemund.

“The king is alive…the king is alive…the king is alive!”

The royal announcer ran inside waving a scroll in the air as gasps escaped from everyone.

“The king is not dead. The king is alive!”