Rahua's POV
Why would the king stop me!! I was pacing back and forth, back inside of my room. Maybe that man was really the king, and now I have offended him and he wants my head. Why did I have to say all that stuff ? I mean, I wasn't wrong in what I said but still. Grrrrrr
Ok, maybe everything will be fine. For a moment I manage to calm myself down. But reality soon sinks in, I am so doomed. Why didn't I followed my instinct to leave, he would never know it was me.
As I am pacing back and forth, someone knocks on the door. "Miss Rahua, His Majesty the King, has demanded your presence."
I am so doomed. As soon as I open the door, the knights that are standing outside put a restraint shackles on my wrists.
"Isn't this being a little extreme, is not like I can fight you and run away." Both of the knights looked distressed as if they were doing it against their will.
"We are just following orders." Sure blame on the bigger man. I just shrink my shoulders and walk between them, good that they didn't restraint my feet. Everyone is looking at me, is a little bit embarrassing.
Damion is busy with the farming project, so he is monitoring everything preparation, that's good and all, but would it kill him to stay with me until I recover? Well even though I told him to go and do what he had to do. "Ahahahha I am such a mess" I say to myself.
"Is there something funny Miss Rahua?" One of the knights asked me.
I clear my throat before answering. "No no, everything is fine." I say my voice breaking down into desperation as we approach the King's room.
"King Albert, the second, the beloved, concedes a audience for Miss Rahua Stronghold." The huge doors open before me, large room is full of faces I don't know, are staring back at me.
"Miss Rahua is you turn to enter the room." One of the knights whispers. So this is what it feels like to be judged by the court. Some faces I could see looking down on me, some were hidden behind their fans.
As I walked slowly to my doom, I could hear that the people were whispering, I couldn't just make up what they were saying.
"Miss Stronghold, you are accused of disrespecting the King, and slander the King's good name. How do you plea."
So I guess that's how they going with, not for dating the king's son, but for saying what I said earlier. Well done, is not like what I say will change anyone minds. I am already guilty in their eyes.
"Not guilty and guilty!" I say, The room was in a uproar, whispers were louder than before.
"How dare she"
"Filthy commoner"
"Disgraceful"
I couldn't careless what they were saying. I don't know what is going to happen to me, but I am hoping in the meantime Damion will arrive, because this time I cannot save myself. Either that or get plot Armor lucky, which I doubt, either way I just have to drag this as long as I can.
"Silence" the king demands. The room went suddenly mute. "Why do you plea not guilty and guilty?" He asks.
I have no idea how to talk in audience with a King, never thought I would need it, if I knew I would have watched more documentaries on royal affairs. Well I am going to as I normally did in my work reports I'll just wing it.
"If my voice may raise in front of your Majesty, indeed I did disrespect your Majesty for not recognising you. I did not give you the right acknowledgement, and for that I am guilty."
The room went loud again. I stopped talking I was not about to scream over their voices.
After a while, the King had to scream silence again and the voices settled down.
"However your Majesty, I am accused of lying and saying something false about the King. But I did not do anything of the sorts. I was indeed honest in what I said." I said. The room was once again filled with whispers.
"I swear if I have to tell you lot to be silence once again...." The whispers and murmurs went dead again.
"Did you not say to our beloved King ;
...As for not recognizing the king, you would think that anyone who lived here in this kingdom long enough, would eventually see his Majesty, at least once or twice in life. I must admit that I am not well-versed in the nobility and their appearances. And the truth remains noone that isn't from a noble house would recognise a king that, never shows his face to his people..."
Did you not?" A man standing next to the king spoke.
"Well is not like I remember every word, but yeah something like that." I could hear the Aws and Ah's sorrounding me, but was nothing more than that.
"So is true that you said that the king is not beloved by everyone?" That man that the name was not mentioned to me kept accusing me.
"No, I didn't, I said no commoner could not recognise a king that they never met." I repeat.
"Wouldn't that mean they could not love him as well." The aws and ahs start again.
Just give me a break this is the least creative way to judge someone.
"No, not really, one can discuss you don't to see something to love something. Just as you know there's air, and you breathe you still never saw it, but you like don't you." I could hear a small chuckle lost in the crowd. "One does not overule the other."
"You are such a insolent woman. To compare our beloved king to the air." He says his face twisted in frustration.
"Well I did compare our beloved... King with something important, something necessary to life, so I do think is best comparison . But you my Lord wish to find a fault with me, there's every argument in world that you can use. It may not mean that I cannot refute it." Damn I didn't even know, I could be so outspoken.
"Lord.. do you even know who I am? " I feared that he would ask me that. No I have no idea who all of this people are, I to be honest I don't care, but I can't say that.
"I..I .. I don't think so, I don't." I say not being able to talk my away out of it.
"You see, ladies and gentlemen is this the woman would you have as a Queen?" Ahhhhh finally the real reason.
"Lord Khunen, is enough." A voice from behind me came forward, to stand next to me. Do I know this name?? Why is it so familiar?
"Lord Count Cramer, this is a serious matter, we can't just close our eyes, and let the little Prince decide..."
"Little Prince? Isn't calling our Prince 'little' trying to dismiss his authority and all that he managed to accomplish in last few months?" Wow that's Lady's Vilahna father, he looks scary, I guess one can only guess where she got her strong personality.
" Wha.. what I meant was this woman before us, is not fit for Queen. With that you must agree." Lord Khunen says flustered.
"I must do nothing!" Says Lord Cramer, bluntly that shocked the Lord Khunen, that for a moment seemed in loss for words, looking back at the king for support.
"If I may add something. " The king that's fiercely looking my way nods. I compose myself. "Like Lord Khunen said, I may not be fit to be to Queen, but who is? " I remember when Lady Bianca was about to Queen many raised the question if she was fit to be queen because her house name was not big enough.
Lord Ceaser did make arrangements for her have the proper preparation, but no matter who, Damion chose they would frown if she wasn't who they wanted. I am sure those who opposed to Princess Amina and Damion's engagement would also raise the same question.
"Your problem with me is easily solved, but let me tell you a story, about a love so strong, that even after death she was made Queen."
"Once upon a time there's was a Prince, he was the sole survivor son of his father, the king could not have anymore son's or daughters.
He loved a woman that his court did not approved is love for her was so strong that he would face anyone to be with her. In secret they married. Still his father and is court conspired to have her killed. They were successful.
The Prince when he found out that his beloved was betrayed and killed, he went in persue of the guilty ones. He took their hearts with his bare hands. That rendering him the congnome of the 'Cruel' " I could see the faces of horror they were making. They were certainly planning to kill me.
"After took her beloved from her burial disposal, and dressed and crowned her Queen of his kingdom. Every noble person was forced to kiss her hand and accept her as their Queen. He became one of the greatest kings rendering the congnome the 'Just'."
As I finished the story, with a little of my own addition, everyone was silent. This was in fact a true story, that happened in the world I come from, but I wanted to use to make a point.
"At end you can do whatever you want with me but, the final decision is still Damion's. Maybe I would be a great Posthumous Queen. " I smile. If they going to do something to me my smile will be last thing they will see.
The Lord Khunen was speechless, noone dare to raise any questions. The King was looking at me, expressionless.
All of the sudden, "Ahahaha" The king starts laughing everyone was surprised, even I was surprised. "You are something else, I hope Damion won't be over his head with you."
"But your Majesty..." The Lord Khunen, tried to interject.
"Give it a rest! Didn't you heard, do you want to kiss a corpse. " He laughs and coughs at same time.
Everyone starts to disperse as they didn't have anything else to say.
I turn to Lord Cramer. "I must thank you Lord Cramer, for stepping forward..."
He raised his hand for me to stop. " Don't think I did this for you, Miss. My daughter thinks highly of you, I would hate to see her sad if anything were to happen to you. "
"I see, I thank you anyways." I say bowing.
"Could any of you take this shackles out of the miss hands, that's unbefitting of the story future Queen. " Lord Cramer says with a serious tone.
"I have heard of great Queens who wore those, and they were no less capable." I say, trying to downplay the situation, and laugh to change the mood.
"Still, it's not necessary." Lord Cramer insists, is tone still very serious. I feel awkward for laughing.
The knights that escorted me in, approached and unlocked the shackles. I rubbed my wrists, feeling a sense of relief.
"Miss Rahua, I hope this experience has taught you something. " The King says, not unkindly.
"Yes it did, your Majesty." I say, bowing respectfully. That I should be careful of everyone in this place.
"You are interesting, I shall join you later, I want to know what else you know. " I really rather not having any other encounters with the king.
I could still hear murmurs "how can a commoner, a peasant know so much, and speak the way she did?"
"Where did she learn such fluency on her speech."
"This Prince I never heard of it. Where did she hear about? "
I gnored everything that was being said, I just turned and leave the room, feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders. I can't believe I managed to talk my way out of that one. I make a mental note to learn more about protocol and proper etiquette before my next encounter with the King or any noble, which will be soon.