Cecilia POV:

It turns out that I had inadvertently fallen asleep while sitting in the chair, suffice to say I was stiff when Gabriel woke me up some hours later to tell me about our presence being needed soon. We abruptly left the council room towards the Throne Room, and I noticed that all the decorations had been placed and a great deal of music being played in the direction of the Feasting Hall and Square.

“Of course someone brought musicians, I was hoping they would stick to tradition, gets too uncomfortable being at a party with people you hate. Let alone all that damn dancing.” Gabriel

“What, got something against another excuse to stuff yourself on good food?” Cecilia

He sighs in a dejected manner.

“If it were just that, I would be the most outgoing nobleman in Eria, but then comes the part where everyone is forcing you to talk to them, despite the fact that you hate them and they hate you. Then there are the ones that love to brag about either their idiot kids finally learning how to shoot a fucking bow. Then someone tries to seduce, imagine how that goes, and their husband shows up to try and ‘save his wife from the womanizer’ just to find that I had essentially told her to fuck off.” Gabriel

I just pat him on the back.

“Well, tough luck. I get the feeling I’m going to have to go to quite a few, and you’re the one who advises me on the nobility. Sooo…” Cecilia

“I’m screwed?” Gabriel

“Probably.” Cecilia

“Yaaaayy.” Gabriel

He spoke with sarcasm so obvious I would probably laugh if we didn’t have a harrowing experience before us. We were just in front of the hall and a number of bodyguards and barons were looking at me with interest and curiosity. Makes a good amount of sense, I mean someone you’ve never heard of is standing right next to the advisors of the King, your curiosity is going to be peaked. From what Gabriel told me, the Barons are usually fairly intelligent, which is a far cry from heirs to counts and the like. Barons aren’t too important in the grand scheme of things and have a title so easily exchanged that they don’t get the luxury of holding a noble house to defend their title and all the birthright stuff. It’s not too terribly uncommon for a count to replace a baron.

However, it’s far more difficult to replace a count because they hold the power of the dukes beneath them, and it gets more difficult as the station increases in importance. Hell, a village leader is a baron in all but name, and credibility, of course.

Since all the barons wouldn’t make a comfortable fit in the hall for my Choosing, they have to wait out here until the choosing occurs at which time everyone spreads out to either eat or converse privately in the rest of the ring, or any ring of lower priority for that matter.

I can hear them start whispering to eachother about my identity, wondering if I was some new baron, one of Gabriel’s aides, his concubine, or some unknown noble’s child. Gabriel looked slightly amused at the people who believed me his concubine, meaning he has fairly decent hearing as well. Is he a half breed? Erians have this weird quirk where they sometime only appear to be Erian, showing none of the physical multiracial quirks. It wasn’t like that for me though, not in the least, I have slit eyes, tail, pointed ears, no hair on my legs or arms, poison resistance and possibly fangs, I’ll figure that out in a few years, they only show up in your twenties, though that's a coin toss for me since I’m a hybrid.

I could hear my father through the open windows, his voice a powerful bellow.

“As you all know, and no doubt see, I am going to die. You have all been expecting this, so I doubt I need to explain my intentions in summoning you all. Now then, I demand for my heir that they you pledge your loyalty.” Dad

after that was a round of each noble family pledging their allegiance to the heir of their king, though I doubt many truly meant it.

“Now then, all who would claim my position, come before me, present your achievements, and among you I will chose one to rule all others. Know this, however, should you lose, you forfeit all claim to the throne, now and forever.” Dad

Here we go…

*****************

Talia POV:

First to go was myself, obviously. I smirk up at father, the bastard looking so weak he may as well be a skeleton already.

“I, Lady Talia, daughter of the King offer myself to be chosen as his heir. I have been taught by the greatest tutors in the world, and stand ready to stand as heir to your will!” Talia

He grimaces at me, and my smirk turns into a grin. Like hell I would inherit the will of some commoner loving, prudish and insufferable bastard like him. Once you die, I will dance on your grave in glee, destroying your pet rangers and finally making my own play-room like mothers. Oh the things my children will learn, the gifts I will give them.

I go over to retake my seat by the left wall, Riker and Trevor quite happy. Riker will take his post as my minister of war while Trevor becomes my spymaster, I’ll get some of my toys to take up the rest of the positions, Gabriel and Tor are almost more annoying than my father, especially the crippled freak.

My grin grows even wider as I take my seat. It would be fun to train that bastard, then leave him in the dungeons for the rest of his life. Maybe I should do the same to the traitor? No, unlike Trevor, I’m disinterested in fucking my siblings, better to just flay Jerry to pieces, that would work nicely.

Next, Elysia walks up, startling me only slightly. It isn’t that unexpected for her to try and challenge me, that girl reminding me of the traitor quite a lot. She took after father and his love for tradition, wearing a hood atop her head and obscuring her features with a veil, aside from her eyes of course, and warrior-esque leathers covering the rest. I’m not even interested in trying to teach her what mother taught us, maybe I’ll make her a gift to Count Elris? I know that he’s been looking for a blonde toy for his son to practice on, after all, using someone of too different a size can make the experience quite clunky. I’m sure she’ll grow up to be quite beautiful, so it’s highly doubtful they’ll toss her out too early, especially when she’s still growing. And her skin is so pale and perfect that it will show the mark of whips and any scars better, so teaching the boy such things will be far easier with such a responsive canvas. Elysia kneels before father, one of those useless ceremonial acts that father is so touchy about.

“I, Lady Elysia Kelleran, daughter to the King offer myself as his heir. I am in the midst of my tutorship and have been hailed as a student far beyond my years of study by teachers who have attended the great academies from Lanra, to Sofus. I stand ready to inherit your will.” Elysia

Hmph, little ass kisser, as always. And doesn’t she know it’s pronounced ‘Safis’ and ‘Locus!’

My father smiles down at her, and she returns to her seat, clearly fidgeting from nervousness. Foolish child, the nobles already smell her fear, maybe I’ll have the Elris boy throw her to those wolves one day? Maybe getting ravaged would help her loosen up? I can think of a few other women who would surely benefit from such an enlightening experience, like that countess, the one that has a fancy for Saran.

After that were a few counts who thought they might get lucky, though none of them could boast achievements like mine. And then, I notice a triumphant grin settle itself on father’s face. I know that look, it’s the same he always has when he manages to trick everyone! What has he been planning?! He stood up, the shakiness I had noticed earlier disappeared as he raised both arms to the roof, gazing upon the group of nobles below him as he bellowed out to the entrance of the throne room.

“Do any others stand ready to uphold the mantle of Kingship?” Father

Just then, the doors to the throne room opened, and I heard the clacking of boots against the stone floor as any sound abruptly stops and all heads turn to the sound. I can’t see the individual they are looking at for a while, confusing me, before she exits the wall of people, revealing a woman half a head shorter than me. She was wearing clothing quite similar to Elysia’s, but silver and white colored. A curved sword strapped to her belt, a silver gilding running along the Elder Wood scabbard, Elder Wood being the famous trees grown by the Elves. However, I could care less about all those little things, what draws my attention is her hair.

Her silver hair.

I’ve only known one girl with hair like that. I look at her eyes, my own widening in further shock as I realize that they look the same as that damn servant’s. I remember her disappearing with her mother and a few other servants when some of grandfather’s assassins attacked. The memory giving me further shock. I know that the majority of them died, their bodies were buried in the royal tombs as some form of atonement for their deaths. When she opens her mouth, the tone of the happy girl I remember is gone, now it’s hard, cold, and determined, as though every word she says bears a great amount of meaning; though the words themselves stop any semblance of a thought I may have had.

“I, Cecilia Kelleran, bastard to the King, offer myself as his heir. I have shared in the Tutelage of Lady Talia Kelleran and Lord Jeremiah Kelleran, I have sat as a member of the King’s Council, I have learned the ways of the King from his very council, I have attained the rank of Ranger Captain, becoming the youngest Captain of the Rangers in all known History. Let it also be known, that I have tamed the mare of the King’s horse, and have named her Lugurinacta, as our traditions allow.” Cecilia

She stands up slowly, and lifts her head up to gaze upon father with eyes, though cold, could pierce through a shield.

“I stand ready to inherit your will.” Cecilia

Several nobles start whispering to one another as panic causes my breathing to turn panicked and vision to narrow into a tunnel, my hearing reducing itself to a dull ringing to all but that Bitch’s voice and Father’s.

“Of the candidates, your claim rings strongest! Do you swear fealty to God and the people, to uphold our ways and work for the betterment of Eria!” Father

Th-those aren’t the words I remember?! B-but they’re familiar, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!! I feel the urge to jump up and strangle the imposter, to put this worthless common born serving bitch in her place, a thousand thoughts of breaking the imperious women to pieces as she takes Elysia’s place in my fantasy of her being ravaged by everyone in the room. My boots twitch forwards, but that action is all that is needed to alert her, and she stares at me with cold and hateful eyes, her look piercing me and freezing me in fear. She returns her gaze back to father.

“I swear on the Primordials ever written Story, my soul and life, that I will lead our people as only an Erian can be lead. Under my rule, I swear that the great threats to our people be tamed and put to the betterment of the people, or crushed beneath my heel.” Cecilia

Her final words bore a savage sincerity, somehow chilling my already frozen blood further.

“Do you swear to keep the peace, and uphold the teachings of the Rowunes, who guide us to the conclusion of the Primordials tale.” Father

“By my honor as a Ranger, I have sworn this vow three times, and shall swear it a fourth. The Rowunes will know no fear under my rule, and shall act as the forge to purify our people of those who exploit our ways and leave only those who uphold the teachings of the Rowunes. Let it be known to all who bear the name Erian, regardless of parentage and achievement.” Cecilia

“Do you swear that you will harden our people, and never allow them to become as cattle, but as strong oxen and yak, strong and resilient.” Father

“I swear, that the people shall be made great beneath my leadership, and that any man of Eria be worth tenfold a foreigners, that any woman be worth tenfold a foreigners, and that any one killed by a foreigner, pay a price in kind in blood.” Cecilia

He holds out his hands in welcoming.

“Come, you stand as my equal, not theirs.” Cecilia

She ascends the steps of the throne, and hugs my- her father.

At that single action, it's as if the world starts again, and every noble in the room starts clamoring. The majority of what their talking about is unintelligible, simply because everyone is trying to talk over one another. I look to my brothers, Trevor and Riker. Riker looks clueless and Trevor is gnawing at his fingers as he examines the Bitch, his eyes calculating. The Bitch turns around with a warm smile on her face, completely opposite the cold and authoritative atmosphere around her previously.

“Now, now, I believe there will be more than an adequate degree of time with which you may question me during and after the feast which the servants have prepared for us. The scent alone was more than enough to bring a wetness to my appetite. I am also certain the Barons will also desire a chance to inquire my existence, and would it not be unfair to ignore them, in regards to the very identity of their Queen?” Bitch, Whore, Slut--

She turned her gaze to us, the royal children, her expression unwavering.

“Besides, it has been years since I last saw my siblings, and I doubt any of you would be so cruel as to deny such a long awaited family reunion.” --Wench, Goat Faced Mule--

The nobles in the room look uneasily at one another but do as she wished. The Bitch, however, walked over to me and the others, her smiling mask unwavering, though I catch the look in her eyes. It’s quite familiar to me.

After all, it's the same one Mother had whenever she found someone she wanted to ‘play’ with.

*******

Cecilia POV:

I watch with glee as color drains from the faces of Trevor, Riker, and the beautiful blonde bitch Talia. Elysia, however, looks between me and the trio with apparent confusion, though her eyes tell a tale of interest. I want to get to know her better, she was little more than a toddler when I last saw her six years ago, and I’ve been hearing some good things so far from everyone. It would also appear that William and Susana aren’t here, but that makes sense, they’re too young to even be considered for being chosen.

I approach the now standing trio, as Elysia hadn’t stood yet. I kept my smiling mask, though if the trio kept giving such hilarious responses it wouldn’t be much of a mask.

“Who are you? Wait, no, since when did dad have a bastard?!” Elysia

She beat me to the punch when it came to talking first. I turned my gaze to my little sister, that’s going to be weird for a while, she’s looking to get a bit shocked.

“Oh, that, my mother--” Cecilia

“Was a scandalous slut who seduced our father!” Talia

I roll my eyes as Talia starts showing her bratty side. I.E. she’s throwing a tantrum already because she didn’t get what she wanted.

“Language Talia, I’ll not have you tainting our little sister more than you already have.” Cecilia

“TAINTING?! How dare you speak to me in such a manner you worthless--” Talia

“Queen? Chosen Heir? Ranger Captain? Councillor to the King? I’m sorry, but what, exactly, makes me worth less than a girl who has been reduced to the same station as an unlanded noble and courtier who can’t speak a single foreign language? Can you even speak Old Erian?” Cecilia

Her face grew redder and redder as I spoke, not even caring to wait for her reply I turned my look back to Elysia.

“Come, I think we’d better leave before she explodes, and I think we can both attest to how long she likes to take when having her tantrums.” Cecilia

She just nodded at me in what seemed like an absentminded way, making me think that I might be the first person to have talked back to Talia aside from a select few before her. Then I something forcefully tug at my hood and I look at the offender, which is Trevor. He’s pissed, from the look of things.

“HEY, I didn’t tell you you could leave slut!” Riker

“It’s always the sexual harassment with you three, isn’t it? I mean seriously, why are you all so damn focused on me being just as willing to spread my legs as Talia? Also, no.” Cecilia

The last part was said after he started moving to try and strangle me with the other hand. I placed both of mine beneath his own, and pushed upwards, leaving his head completely unprotected. I kick him in the pants, I.E., the head he thinks with.

His knees buckle and I can tell that Talia’s fuse is about halfway spent, and Trevor is currently hiding behind a chair, fucking craven--

I stop myself from continuing on that line of thought so I can lead Elysia, who is thoroughly shocked, out of the throne room. The nobles had already left by the time Talia was halfway through her initial outburst, though I wouldn’t be surprised if most of them were listening in for the majority of it. You might think it strange that people like that wouldn’t take note of a probably fight someone was having with the damn monarch, well future monarch but at this point same difference, and if we were in another nation, I’d be inclined to agree. However, I think I’ve mentioned previously that Talia is a brat that will scream and shout when she doesn’t get her way. I truly doubt any of them wanted to listen to her shrill cries and whining, they’ve no doubt heard it before, though the smart ones are probably the same ones who would be listening in, because who in their right mind would ignore a chance to learn about the brand new monarch that no one has met.

I’d honestly be disappointed if none of them so much as tried to listen in, though that would help with controlling all of them. I’m no control freak, but if they were all idiots it’d be much easier to hogtie them, figuratively or, literally should they try and revolt.

An image of Talia being roasted over a fire while strapped to a spit ran through my mind.

Maybe…