"It is highly unusual, Your Majesty," the priest said, "but given the circumstances, I think we can allow it."
"Thank you." She regarded the family members seated in the first pew. "Prince Damien, can you assist me?"
The Prince stood and bowed. "It would be my honor, Your Majesty." He walked toward her, ignoring his mother's protests.
"Now, Prince Damien, it is my understanding King Killian's son David died just before Princess Evangeline gave birth to a son."
"That's true," Damien said.
"It is unfortunate that all of King Killian's sons died, but the law states the eldest male descendant of the previous King is the rightful heir. Is that correct?"
"It is."
"Everyone knows that is Josiah," Veronica cried.
Ursula ignored her. "If Princess Evangeline's son had lived, wouldn't he be a few months older than Josiah?"
"If he'd lived." Now Damien looked confused, as did Josiah and the rest of the congregation, except Veronica, Ursula noted. Instead of confused, she was outraged.
"Princess Evangeline's husband was descended from the Anamii, was he not, Captain?" Now Ursula addressed one of the Anamii soldiers, Thunder of Night.
"Your Majesty, Prince Everett, husband of Princess Evangeline was the grandson of King Stormwater of the Anamii."
"Now, I find that interesting," Ursula said. "See, I recently found myself in the company of King Stormwater." She hesitated. "It isn't important at this time how or why I was there, but I discovered all the royal children born to the Anamii have a birthmark in the shape of a seahorse. If Princess Evangeline's son were living, he, too, would have that birthmark. There is a painting in her cottage that shows it."
"I don't understand what this is about," Josiah said. "Carsten died in a fire. Everyone knows that."
"Gideon," Ursula said. "Would you come up here?"
His eyes met hers, and she saw, rather than felt, his reluctance. However, he joined her on the platform.
"You don't have to take the crown," she whispered. "Just show us the truth."
He nodded once and lifted his tunic to show the birthmark on his leg.
The priest and Damien gasped. Those closest to the platform began murmuring.
"As you can see, Prince Gideon has the seahorse birthmark. He is Princess Evangeline's son, born before Prince Josiah, and therefore, rightful King of Heyton."
Princess Delthyn and Duke Thomas, who were seated in one of the pews with the congregation, stood.
"It's true," Delthyn said. "I was with Evangeline at the inn. She saved her son before the fire killed her. We raised him as our own."
"Why didn't you bring him home?" Josiah asked. "Why hide the truth?"
"Maybe Grand Princess Veronica can guess why." Ursula looked at her. "Or do you want me to tell everyone here you bribed the soldiers to start the fire that killed your sister?"
"Mother?" Josiah asked.
Veronica struggled, but Streams of Fire held her arm, preventing her from escaping.
"Tell us the truth," the priest said. "Did you tamper with the rightful succession to the throne of Heyton?"
"There wasn't supposed to be a fire," Veronica said. "I didn't order the men to do that."
"Mother?" Josiah said, taking a step toward her. "Is what they're saying true?"
"I did it all for you, my darling. Even before you were born, I knew my son should be King, just as I should have been Queen. In any other kingdom, women can rule, and I would have been a great Queen. I was born first, but just because I am female, I had to watch my parents dote on Killian. My own mother was a good Queen, and I thought she would change the law and let me have what should have been mine all along. But, no. The crown went to Killian, and I decided I would see my own son on the throne, no matter what."
"You killed my brothers?" Oriana stood, dressed in the colors of mourning.
"Not the first David," Veronica said. "That was the Elements, but when the second boy was born, Josiah was already learning how to be King. It was too late for Killian to have a son."
"What about the second David? Did you kill him, too?"
"No, Ori. He was just sick," Isabel said from behind her sister.
"No." Oriana shook her head. "When they found him, he smelled like strawberries. I can't eat them without thinking of him. Father's room smelled like them, too, after he died."
"When I awoke from being poisoned by Yamina, I smelled strawberries, too." Ursula tilted her head. "You and Yamina used strawberries so no one would be suspicious."
"Tell the truth, Mother," Josiah said. "Did you kill David and your own brother?"
She leaned toward Josiah. "I did it for you. You should be King. Don't you understand? I was only thinking about the good of the kingdom and what was best for you."
Josiah turned away from his mother, shuddering. He closed his eyes for a moment then opened them to look at Ursula.
"You're the King's Widow," he said, resignation in his voice and posture. "Name the rightful heir."
Ursula took a deep breath and said to the priest, "The rightful heir to the throne of Heyton is Prince Gideon, son of Princess Evangeline."
"Prince Gideon, would you please take a seat on the throne?" the priest asked.
Gideon shook his head. "No. Let Josiah have it."
"You can't do that," Harriet cried. "She'll win. Don't you see? It's what she wanted all along. She killed all those people just so Josiah could be King."
"She's right," Josiah said. "I don't want the throne and the crown if that's how I got it."
"I can't be King," Gideon said. "I'm not a warrior. You know that's not what Uncle Killian would have wanted."
"Don't be daft," Damien said. "You will be a great King. You're smarter than the rest of us, and don't think Josiah and I are leaving. We're going to be right with you every step of the way."
"You would follow me?"
"Of course. You're our cousin, and clearly, you have the backing of the Anamii people, too."
"Your sitting on the throne of Heyton would unite our people with the Anamii," Harriet said. "It would put an end to generations of war."
Gideon gazed at Ursula. "Do you think I can do it?"
"Of course," she said. "I named you rightful heir, didn't I?"
Three weeks after the coronation, Ursula sat in a throne to the left of Gideon's but not on the throne room platform. Veronica and the head of her personal guard, a man named Thane, stood in front of Gideon, who, again, wore King Stormwater's armor, but now he had the crown of Heyton on his head.
"I don't like that my first official act as King is to condemn my aunt," he said, "but you have admitted to not only infanticide but regicide, which is a crime punishable by execution."
Most of the royal family as well as the Council of Ministers were in attendance, and Veronica's daughter, Amara, was crying. Duke Zebulon, strangely, was nowhere to be seen.
"You are not fit to sit in that chair," Veronica sneered. "I don't accept your rule."
Gideon sighed and glanced at Ursula. This response was not unexpected. Veronica's attitude had reflected this since her incarceration. She continued to insist she did what she had to do for the good of the kingdom.
"Thane," Gideon said, turning back to the couple in front of his throne, "you have testified that all we heard at the coronation was true."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"As a loyal servant of the Grand Princess, what do you think her punishment should be?"
Thane scowled. "I don't understand, Your Majesty. Treason and regicide is punishable by death."
"So you believe the Grand Princess should be executed?"
The other man swallowed, and Ursula saw him reach for Veronica's hand. "I would not want to see her put to death, no," Thane said.
"She is my aunt," Gideon said. "In spite of everything she's done, I don't want to subject my family to more death if I can help it. We've lost too many loved ones as it is. "
He struggled to his feet. Dash
iell stood nearby, ready to help but he wasn't needed.
"It is my ruling as King of Heyton that Veronica is to be stripped of her title of Princess in any form, and she is to be banished from Heyton for the rest of her life." He hit the arm of the throne with the end of the scepter.
Then he looked at his aunt. "The King of the Anamii has offered to allow you to live in their kingdom as his guest."
"His prisoner, you mean," Veronica said.
"I mean you will be given your own quarters, with Anamii servants, and you will be treated as an honored guest. You will not be allowed to leave the Water Folk palace, and you will be accompanied by at least one guard at all times."
"You can't do this to me," she cried. "I am—"
Gideon cut her off. "Nothing, Aunt Veronica. You are nothing now. You killed the King of Heyton, not to mention your own brother and nephews. You arranged to have Oriana's husband killed and tried to kill me and Queen Ursula. I am showing you mercy by not having you executed in front of your own children."
"There is no mercy in sending me to live with those things."
"Be that as it may," he said. He opened his mouth to give instructions to the Anamii guards, but Thane spoke up.
"I will go with her."
"Thane, you are guilty of collusion in the murders and attempted murders, but as you were acting under orders from the Grand Princess, you are not sentenced to exile."
The soldier shook his head. "I don't care. I love her, and I don't want to stay in Heyton without her."
"Fine," Gideon said and turned back to the guards. "Take them away."
When Veronica and Thane had left the throne room, many of the witnesses walked out, but Josiah, Damien, and Amara approached the throne.
"Thank you," Josiah said. "That was kinder than you needed to be."
Gideon shrugged. "Enough of us have died for this stupid throne. I think it's time to put it all behind us."
"I agree." Josiah nodded, beaming. "I'm leaving tomorrow to find Cynara and see if she'll have me back."
"Good luck, old man." Gideon clapped his cousin on the shoulder. "She's too good for you, you know."
"I know." Josiah motioned to a servant in the shadows who came forward. "I found these in Mother's rooms. They are lists of prisoners she moved from the camps to work sapphire mines all over Heyton. I thought you might want to know."
Ursula hurried to Gideon's side. "The prisoners?"
He smiled at her. "I think we can get them released now. Damien and I will get to work on it immediately."
Damien had been named as head of Gideon's staff, and now he took the papers. "Finally, some good news."
"I have some more," Gideon said. "Or at least, I hope I do." He gazed at Ursula.
"I know you're planning to head to the Sesawth Highlands," he said.
"I leave tomorrow." She swallowed. Her official time of mourning wasn't finished and with a new King on the throne, she needed to be out of the palace. Her position at court was nebulous now, and for the good of the kingdom, she needed to step out of the spotlight. "Killian had a smaller palace there. I will take the necessary servants and finish out my time of mourning."
"It is the appropriate thing for her to do," Josiah said, "for the sake of appearances."
"I know," Gideon said, "and I'm not going to stop her, but perhaps she could go to the Sesawth Palace as the King's betrothed."
"What?" Damien said. "You haven't asked her to marry you yet? What have you been doing the last three weeks?"
"Damien, he has had a few things on his mind," Josiah said. "After all, he just became King."
"I know, but the whole palace knows he loves her and she loves him, too. I don't see why they just don't get married and get it over with."
"Appearances, little brother. How would it look to the people if Ursula marries one King right after burying another?"
"I suppose, but..."
Ursula couldn't hear what the two men were saying because all her attention was held by Gideon's face. He reached for her hand.
"You didn't answer me," he said softly. "I know you planned to leave palace life and live quietly somewhere, but—"
She stopped him with a finger on his lips.
"I also told you that once the rightful heir was on the throne, I might be free to kiss a Prince with a deformed leg. I think that applies to marrying that same Prince now that he's King."
About the Author
Nancy S. Brandt is a stay-at-home mother of two children, a married daughter, 27, and a son, 14. Nancy's husband, Steven, is also an author and an adjunct professor of computer science at Louisiana State University.
In about sixth grade, an English teacher gave an assignment to write a descriptive essay. Nancy's was all about a wonderful cave filled with diamonds, emeralds and other precious gems. From that experience, she walked into every English class hoping to get to write something, and she learned three things:
1. The difference between stalactite and stalagmite,
2. That fantasy was probably the genre she should concentrate on, and
3. Never end a story with "It was all a dream."
* * *
Nancy is a kidney transplant recipient (her husband was her living donor), a thyroid cancer survivor, and an Army veteran.
@nancysbrandt
NancySBrandtfantasyauthor
www.nancysbrandt.com
Questionable Queen Page 35