Page 25 of Kingdom of Crowns and Daggers

I could kill her, I think idly.

No. That’s not what I’m here for, and if she has everyone wrapped around her fingers like I think she does, then it would only start a rebellion within the palace.

However, I plaster a smile on my face, beaming as though my every wish is coming true. There’s a heavy beat of silence as I climb up the dais steps with the help of the king’s proffered hand. Usually, I would slap it away, offended that he would even offer because it implies that I need help, but here, it’s expected, so I take his hand and use my free one to hold my skirts as I step onto the dais. Smiling up at him prettily, I make sure to keep my eyes only on him, since we’re supposed to be madly in love.

“Lords and ladies, please welcome my betrothed, Lady Alyx.”

Hearing the king’s voice echo through the throne room causes nerves to twinge inside me. Nervousness isn’t an emotion I feel often anymore, so it reminds me of the risks I face by surrounding myself with these people.

Lady Alyx. That’s something I’m not used to hearing.

The lords seem to realise that this isn’t a joke, and pandemonium ensues. Shouts and calls of outrage all blur together, and Joha blinks slowly, as though realising that his people aren’t as happy for him as he expected. The lords crowd around the base of the dais, all shouting to have their voices heard. Orion seems to take this as a threat and moves forward, stepping in front of us. His silent warning seems to remind them whom they are shouting at, the noise lowering slightly and their anger stuttering.

Shaking his head, the king faces his people, his fingers still threaded with mine. “As a king, I am expected to take a wife and to have a family and heirs,” he explains, and although I know he’s putting on an act, I don’t believe that all of this confusion is faked. He genuinely seems shocked by the reaction to this announcement. I want to shake my head at his privileged and sheltered life showing through. He must know that every single person in this room is here because they want something. Daughters in high society are only useful to their families if they are traded to the highest bidder. There is no one with higher status than the king, so of course they wanted him to pick their daughters as his bride. If he’s betrothed to me, then that option is gone.

He glances at Queen Mother. “I thought you would be pleased, Queen Mother. You’ve been trying to find me a wife for years.”

Her lips are pinched, giving her the appearance of having just sucked on a lemon. She is not happy with this news or finding out in front of everyone else, where her hands are tied. “Yes, Your Majesty. A wife who has been approved by us, not some stranger you’ve plucked out of the woodwork.”

I’ve been called much worse things in my life, so this barely registers on my radar. Lady Alyx would feel differently though. Pressing a hand against my breast, I gasp quietly, widening my eyes as though I’m offended at Queen Mother’s comment.

Orion must hear it because he glances over his shoulder with a concerned frown. He doesn’t want to care, but he can’t seem to stop himself from checking, something that I know is annoying him based on the tick in his jaw.

“If you’re going to take anyone as a wife, it should be from one of the founding families!” someone shouts from below, and several other male voices chime in their agreement.

“Screw the founding families! Anyone from the noble families would do,” another voice calls out from the other side of the room. There is much more support for this comment, the room echoing with the sound.

I almost chuckle at them walking right into my plan. Joha might not have expected this, but I did.

Stumblers and Lowers might divide our society, but even within the nobility, there seems to be a hierarchy. Apparently, even money and privilege can’t take that away.

“Who is this stranger?”

“The council needs to agree on this! Why is this the first we’re hearing of this?”

The voices keep coming, each sounding angrier than the last, and I’m starting to realise that this is going to be much harder than I expected. This is going to take every scrap of my training and knowledge to make it seem like I belong here. Keeping my eyes wide, I pull a fan from a small pocket in my dress and begin to move it near my face, needing the movement of air to keep me calm. It fits with the role I’m playing, but also, this damn dress is hot. I have no idea how the ladies wear these every day.

My breasts have also never been pushed so high either. They nearly hit my fucking chin. Curse the bastard who invented corsets.

One of the men on the stage steps forward, an advisor I’m guessing from his uniform, and the crowd falls silent, all turning to listen to him. “The council will convene on this matter. Please wait here, and we shall return once this has been sorted.” He speaks as though he believes this will be quickly resolved, clapping his hands together and gesturing for everyone to leave the stage before offering his arm to Queen Mother.

Who is that man? He just made an announcement without checking with the king and dismissed him like a child before flouncing off without waiting for his ruler to go ahead of him, as is protocol. It’s clear where his loyalties lie, and if all of Joha’s council is the same, then it’s no wonder he asked for my help. Things are worse here than I thought.

Orion sighs gruffly and barks orders at the king’s guards, and we start moving to the back of the hall and out a small doorway I hadn’t noticed previously. The sound of many voices starts up as soon as we leave the dais, everyone speculating about who I am and what’s about to happen. Stepping through the doorway, I blink at the sudden darkness that surrounds us, but my eyes quickly adjust as a large set of curtains are pulled back, exposing massive glass windows overlooking the palace grounds.

This room has another exit, as I expected, but the rest of the space is taken up with a large table and walls full of books, indicating this space is used as a meeting room of some sort. The Queen Mother is standing up by the head of the table, resting her hand on the back of the chair that is obviously meant for the king, with Joha’s advisors gathered behind her. I guess that answers my earlier question about their loyalties.

“Joha,” she announces as the door shuts behind Orion, “the court will not accept your choice of bride. You owe it to your people.” The condescending tone makes me want to grit my teeth, and I don’t even know the king well, but I can feel his anger and embarrassment at how she treats him.

Part of me wants to slap her for him, while another part wants to see him do it. I have a feeling seeing Joha unleashed would be a sight to behold.

“But she is one of my people!” Releasing my hand, he walks over to the table and braces his palms against it, staring at his stepmother. “They were just surprised. Once they have time to mull over the news, they will accept it. There are families in our land other than those here who would make perfect allies.” He actually makes sense, surprising me, but I keep my face the blank, pretty mask it’s expected to be.

Snorting, the older woman looks offended at the suggestion of other noble families being welcomed in the palace. Raising a well-sculpted brow, she looks me over and returns her gaze to Joha. “She is very pretty, and I’m sure she’s lovely, but you should return her to where you found her. We won’t have harlots here.”

Honestly, the insult makes me want to laugh, and from the stifled laughter coming from behind Queen Mother, the advisors obviously think she’s hilarious. However, in high society, I’m pretty sure I’ve just been gravely insulted. I move my fan a little faster, hoping I give off the impression that I’m offended and not that I’m trying to hide a smile.

Joha seems to take it to heart, though, and instantly jumps to my defence, raising my estimation of him—I still think he’s an idiot, but a polite one.

---