Page 123 of The Stolen Princess
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Myka
Myka peeked out the window as the crowd gathered in front of Tolsten House. She looked over her shoulder at her maid, Pennie, letting the gold curtain fall back to its place.
“There are so many people here,” she said, running her sweaty palms down the front of her fitted purple gown.
Pennie fidgeted with her hair one last time. It was pulled up into an elegant twist on top of her head—something very queenly. “It’s your coronation day, and everyone in Tolsten is excited.” Pennie walked away. “I think we’re ready for the crown.”
Myka looked back at her maid as Pennie picked up her mother’s crown from off of the stand on her dresser. A large red ruby stood out in the center of the crown, leading up to an oval-shaped crystal that shone at the top of the highest peak. Smaller crystals and rubies circled around the rest of the piece. She straightened as Pennie placed the crown on top of her head. Then her maid put a round hand mirror in her hands.
“You look beautiful, Your Majesty.”
Myka glanced down at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair wasn’t as dark, and her eyes were blue like her father’s, not brown, but still, she could see her mother staring back at her. Her eyes glossed over. Myka would give anything to have her mother here with her, but she finally understood why she’d had to leave. She had left to tell the Council about the weapons. She had put her kingdom before herself and had died trying to let everyone know about the weapons. She had been a good queen, and Myka planned to follow in her footsteps.
“Are you ready?” Arco asked behind them, knocking on the open door.
Pennie stepped aside. “Yes, she’s all set.”
Myka didn’t know if she felt ready. She probably would never feel like a queen, but she took in a breath and nodded to Arco.
Her new commander led her down the hall to the double doors that opened up to the west wing’s grand balcony. Two guards on the outside opened the doors as the herald's deep voice yelled out to the crowd. “Introducing, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Mykaleen—”
Myka grimaced. Her full name rhymed with queen…she was like Queen Renna Trevenna over in Albion. She’d have to tell the herald from now on to announce her as Queen Myka. She couldn’t have any of that rhyming stuff.
All eyes looked at her. She must’ve missed the rest of her introduction. She swallowed, throwing back her shoulders, and stepped out onto the stone balcony. The crowd thirty feet below cheered as she made her way to the railing. Her eyes scanned over the people, and her heart swelled. She loved them. She didn’t even know all of them, but she loved them anyway. They were her family, her purpose. She may not have anyone else on her side, but she had the people of Tolsten, and she promised herself she wouldn’t let them down.
She glanced at the acres of blackness to her left where the explosions had gone off. Patches of white snow covered the burned ground, but nothing could cover up the charred area completely. It was such a contrast to the West Woods on her right. The snow glistened off of barren branches and blanketed the forest's dirt floor, sparkling in the sunlight. The entire scene reminded her of her own life. Her past had burned her soul, scarred her life, but it hadn’t ruined everything. Her future was still bright and sparkly like the west side of the grounds.
She smiled down at the spectators. “Thank you to everyone who has come here today. I am honored to be your queen, and I hope that I can be the kind of queen that you’re proud of. Your trust is a big deal to me. The fact that you took a chance on King Adler’s daughter, despite all the mistakes my father made, means a lot. I’m sure there are some people out there who doubt me or think that I will rule this kingdom like my father did. He lost sight of his role, but I won’t. I’ll work every day for the next thirty years to build up this kingdom. You are a resilient people. You have suffered a lot under King Adler’s reign and yet, you are still strong. I hope to be strong like you. Some of you have gone hungry, lost your homes, your jobs, and even your loved ones during my father’s reign. But I want you to know that you have a lot to live for—the hope of a future where every man and woman is essential to this kingdom no matter what class he or she comes from.
“I’m young and you might think what I’m saying sounds like a dream. Maybe it is.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’m dreaming out loud. But I believe the people of Tolsten are good. Tolsten isn’t as bad as the world paints us to be. If we remove the hate from our kingdom, the love will begin to grow, and I think the other six kingdoms and the Council of Essentials will see that. I’m proud to be your queen, and I will do my best to serve you.”
The crowd burst into claps and cheers. Some of the people even had tears streaming down their faces. Their emotion surprised her. She hadn’t planned what she would say, and she couldn’t believe her ramblings had touched them so much. She’d seen her father give a few speeches over her lifetime. Mostly in front of newswriters or small groups of soldiers. At the time, Myka had thought her father was the best king and the best leader she’d ever seen, but standing here on the balcony in the cold, Myka knew in her heart she could be a better leader than her father.
She stood tall.
Taller than she’d ever stood in her whole life.
Her eyes glanced over the crowd, and a familiar face took her breath away.
Drake.
His broad shoulders and handsome face stood out to her. His feet were spread wide and his hands moved slowly, clapping together. Her pink scarf was tied around the sleeve of his black jacket, and although it was just a silly scarf, her heart expanded inside her chest at the sight of it. Drake’s expression was unreadable, but she could tell his brown eyes were fixed on her. Myka wished she was closer so she could glean hints from his stare. Was this a business trip or a personal visit? She hoped it was personal.
Her lips lifted into a small smile, and she nodded down at him before exiting the balcony.
For the next hour, Myka sat on her throne greeting prestigious guests who had come to congratulate her on winning the election. Every time the door to the small gathering room opened, she moved her neck to see if it was Drake. But it never was.
“That’s all the visitors,” said Sharlette, her newly appointed secretary.
Myka straightened, scratching the back of her neck. “That’s it?”
“Yes,” Sharlette nodded.
Myka tried to hide her disappointment. “Are you sure there isn’t anyone else?”
Sharlette shook her head. “There’s no one.”
