“Father, I’ve spent the last year touring the kingdom, and I can tell you that most people have more worries than just Tolsten. They also care about their livelihoods, earning enough money to survive the winter, and keeping their crops from failing. If people vote based on those things, I might not win the election. What happens to the alliance then?”
His father leaned back in his chair. “If you don’t win the election, the terms of the alliance won’t be honored. Albion will lose everything.”
There was a lot riding on Trev—on him becoming king. If he somehow messed up the election, his kingdom would suffer. He alone held the future of Albion in his hands. When he really thought about it, the pressure suffocated him.
“Of course, if you lose the election, we wouldn’t be giving up all chance at a crown. You’d have to go to New Hope and gain support there. Though, King Bryant still has thirteen more years to his reign, which isn’t ideal.” His father rubbed his chin. “Unless we usurped him somehow.”
Trev dropped his head into his hands. “You’re unbelievable! Do you even hear yourself?”
“What?” The king shrugged.
“I can’t believe you would suggest usurping King Bryant just so I could become a king. It’s despicable and I won’t be a part of it.”
“Don’t lose the election and you won’t have to be.”
Trev gave him a pointed look. “You’re not helping my chances. Did you know that Oakefor’s main water source is contaminated?”
“I heard something about that.”
“Why didn’t you send help? They’re desperate.”
His father rolled his eyes. “It’s good for people to feel desperate. It helps them realize how much they depend on us. Now they’ll be grateful when we do help.”
“No, they’re grateful to Joniss Doman for personally delivering barrels of water when their king ignored them. If you want me to win this election, you’re going to have to start listening to the people and helping them because that is exactly what Joniss is doing.”
The king’s face colored with sudden rage. He picked up a book on his desk and threw it at the tray of food on the table next to Trev. The plate toppled to the ground, flinging fruit and cheeses everywhere. “Don’t tell me how to run my kingdom!” The king pounded his fist against the desk. “I am the one who has kept Oakefor and everywhere else safe from Tolsten for the last thirty years. Without me, people would be under Tolsten’s rule!”
“Our people need more than protection. They need a king who listens,” Trev shot back.
Carver let out an exasperated sigh and calmed his voice. “You think you know it all, don’t you?” His father glared at him. “That you know exactly what this kingdom needs. Did you know there was an attack on the province of Axville? On our border with Tolsten?”
“What?” A burst of air escaped Trev’s chest.
Carver looked oddly pleased, as though the news of the attack cheered him. “We received reports of a group of Tolsten soldiers ransacking the city and kidnapping eight young women from the town. As far as we can tell, they took the girls back to Tolsten. There’s no more information on their whereabouts, but the reports say the land on our side of the border is still overrun with Tolsten soldiers.”
“When did this happen?”
“A few days ago, while you were busy shaking hands with peasants.” His father leveled a condescending smile at him. “As you can see, Oakefor’s water problem is the least of my worries. Right now, Tolsten is my only concern.”
“When will you let go of this obsession with Tolsten?” Trev asked.
“You couldn’t possibly understand.” His father huffed. “They think I killed her—my own wife.”
“I know.” Trev’s stomach tightened. He had loved Queen Avina from Tolsten. His father had married her a year after his own mother had died during childbirth. Queen Avina was the only mother he’d ever known and Trev vividly remembered the day he’d heard her ragged scream outside his window, only to look down and see her sprawled and broken on the hard ground below, her body contorted in ways that even a seven-year-old boy knew were wrong. Servants quickly ushered him away, but not before he saw his father barrel across the courtyard toward her, bellowing orders and demanding to know how this could have happened.
His father was many less-than-honorable things, but he hadn’t killed his wife. Even as a boy, Trev had sensed that Avina was sad. He had often taken her poppies and roses from the palace garden to cheer her up, but it had never been enough. Now a grown man, Trev understood the signs more clearly. Avina had been fighting a battle in her mind, one he couldn’t hope to understand. His father’s brash and unsentimental manner likely hadn’t helped, especially when partnered with Avina’s inability to bear children for the king. Over time, she retreated further and further into herself. Before long, she was a shell of a person.
Tolsten used her death as a reason to start a war, blaming King Carver, saying he’d murdered her. Avina’s brother, King Adler of Tolsten, wouldn’t accept any other explanation.
“With New Hope’s military, we will finally be able to defend our kingdom against Tolsten and win,” Trev’s father said, a satisfied gleam in his eye. “Joniss doesn’t have that. He is nothing more than an act. The wedding will take attention away from him and put it back on you. You and the princess will visit some cities. If you want to personally address some of their needs, then fine, but let’s remind them who the real enemy is. The fear of Tolsten is the surest way to make people vote for us.”
Trev hated it when his father used the word us when talking about the election, as if he planned to run the kingdom in Trev’s stead. Unfortunately for his father, his thirty years were up. His reign was over.
“Charm the princess,” the king continued. “Give the people of Albion a fairytale wedding, and I’ll take care of Tolsten.” He swiveled in his chair, turning his back on Trev. “You are dismissed.”
Trev couldn’t recall a time when he had ever left his father’s office not feeling frustrated. Winning the election had consumed his father for the last few years, almost as much as his obsessive rivalry with Tolsten. The people of Albion had suffered because of it.
A few more months. That’s it. Then I can help the people the way they deserve with Renna by my side.
9
Renna
The nerves were really starting to get to Renna. Or maybe it was just excitement. It was hard to tell. They had been traveling for a day and a half, stopping often for bathroom breaks and to rest. They would arrive at the Albion Ruler’s Palace today. For most of the ride, Renna stayed quiet as her mother and Seran chatted about government gossip back at New Hope.
She was used to the close relationship between her mother and Seran. Used to being the third wheel. Her mother and Seran just understood each other.
Rather than try to keep up with them, Renna passed the time by looking out the window and watching the scenery change. She had never been to another country before. The rolling hills of New Hope abruptly changed into rising peaks with patches of evergreen trees and rocky edges. At the summit of the tallest mountain, Renna saw the remains of clean, white snow where the summer sun hadn’t yet melted it away.
The transporter rolled to a stop as a guard approached the window. “Your Majesty, Albana City has come into view.”
The queen peered out the window, wanting to get a better view. “Send a soldier ahead to the ruler’s palace and let them know we are arriving soon.”
The guard nodded and stepped away from the vehicle.
Her mother turned to Seran as the window rolled up. “Are you ready for this?”
Seran pulled her lips into a tight smile. “The people of Albion want protection from Tolsten. They need us.” Seran hesitated a moment, then added, “They need me.”
The queen tried to reassure her. “You are doing a good thing. It’s an alliance that will be mutually beneficial to both parties. Albion gets the support of our superior military and the use of ou
r ports. In return, New Hope gets access to valuable resources. Iron, silver, and gold are all items that are scarce in New Hope. The Rocky Mountains of Albion are rich with them.” Her mother smiled back at Seran. “And the marriage joins two powerful, royal families together. Those connections will help keep you and your family in leadership and royalty for many years to come.”
“I know.” Seran nodded.
Renna was in awe at how dignified and intelligent Seran seemed while maintaining an air of gracefulness. It was clear that she had been prepping for this role her whole life. Seran was going to be a magnificent queen; still, there was something about her smile that made Renna feel sorry for her.
It was an odd thing to feel sorry for a princess.
Outside, buildings began to be more numerous. Renna pressed her face against the glass and sucked in a breath at the sight. The capital of Albion was larger than Renna expected. Cream and gray four-story buildings were sandwiched together by narrow, cobblestone roads. Windows and balconies decorated the sides of the buildings, providing a quick glimpse of the working families who lived inside. Damp laundry hung from lines, dancing in the summer breeze—in sync with other colorless shirts hung farther down the road. As they drove along, Renna could tell by the buildings they were getting closer to the ruler’s palace. Apartments got a little taller, a little nicer, and more colorful. Nothing was cream anymore. Instead, buildings were plastered in yellow, blue, and green, with colorful trim around each window.
Renna’s stomach flipped over in anticipation as the transporters approached the palace’s perimeter wall. Large iron gates automatically opened in front of them as the sentries within saw their arrival. All three women eagerly pressed against the windows, trying to get a good look at the ruler’s palace in front of them.
Renna thought the Government Center in New Hope was nice, but it was simple compared to Albion’s royal residence. The level of luxury here had been kicked up a notch or two . . . or three. Large fountains lined both sides of the cobblestone drive, spaced apart every ten to twenty feet.
Since when are water features considered essential? Renna raised an eyebrow. They had nothing like that back in New Hope.
But it appeared that Albion was less concerned with essentials when it came to their royalty. Perfectly trimmed grass stretched out for hundreds of feet leading up to the palace. The drive ended in a circle with an enormous fountain in the center, dumping gallons of water into a circular stone pool.
Then there was the palace. It was enormous, with exquisite architecture that practically screamed unessential. Towers and gables jutted out of the roof across the entire building. The exterior was covered in balconies and windows of all sizes, facing every direction. Three grand stone staircases led up to the palace entrance, a massive archway surrounding two ornately carved wooden doors.
Renna’s mouth hung open in shock. She couldn’t understand it. The New Hope Government Center was a lot more practical with its flat roofline and box-like exterior. In a world of essentialism, how could the kingdom of Albion justify such luxury?
Beyond the circular drive, a crowd of people waited for them, some of them wearing expensive colored clothes and some in working-class gray. Soldiers lined each side of the path leading to the front steps of the palace. Her heart fluttered. Was Trev among them?
Since she’d last seen him, Renna had dreamed up an entire future for the two of them. She would spend her time in Albion getting to know him. He would show her around the kingdom, and when the time was right, he would kiss her under a moonlit sky. And who knew? From there . . . maybe they would fall in love and live happily ever after. She liked those kinds of endings, even if Trev didn’t believe in them.
She looked across the transporter at Seran. Would she get her own happy ending with the prince of Albion? Renna hoped so.
The transporter slowed to a stop in the circle drive.
It was time.
Renna’s breaths got heavier as she looked over her reflection in the window, smoothing her blonde hair. Across from her, Queen Mariele fidgeted with Seran’s updo, fixing a few stray strands of hair.
“You look lovely,” her mother said to Seran.
Renna could see Seran’s chest rise and fall as she nodded back to the queen.
“Everything will turn out okay,” Renna said, offering Seran a small smile.
Seran bit her bottom lip. “Thanks.”
The air inside the transporter was thick as a guard approached and opened the door.
10
Trev
King Carver stood just below the palace steps, ready to greet his royal guests. Trev and Drake were just a few steps behind him. The entire palace had come out to see the arrival of the New Hope royalty. A crowd of political leaders and citizens lined the pathway in anticipation, craning their necks to see over the wall of Albion soldiers separating them from the path. Trev’s heart raced with excitement and nerves. He couldn’t wait to see Renna’s reaction when she realized that he was the prince.
“I hear the princess’s beauty surpasses all others. Maybe I will keep her for myself,” the king leaned over and whispered, half-jokingly.
Trev tightened his fists at the thought of his father with Renna but chose not to say anything. His father had always had a weird sense of humor.
The caravan slowly moved toward them. Dozens of New Hope soldiers on PTs flanked the three black transporters as they rolled into the circle. The transporter in the middle was reserved for the royal family and displayed the purple and yellow New Hope flag.
The crowd seemed to get louder as each transporter came to a stop outside the courtyard wall. New Hope guards dismounted from their PTs and set a formation surrounding each side of the main transporter. Trev waited impatiently for the guard to open the door.
“Relax!” whispered Drake. “The whole city can hear you breathing.”
Trev tried to slow his heavy breaths.
The guard opened the transporter door, extending his arm to help its occupants down the narrow steps. The first to emerge was undoubtedly the queen. Trev could tell even from where he stood that she was beautiful, but in a different way than Renna. She had brown hair that was swept up on the top of her head, and she wore a crimson dress made out of the finest silk. Her movements were poised and regal as she stepped down from the transporter and moved to the side to make way for the princess behind her.
The guard reached into the transporter to help the princess out next. Each movement seemed slow and drawn out. Sweat gathered on Trev’s forehead. Never in his life had he been this nervous to see a woman, especially one he had already met. But Renna was going to be his princess, his queen. How could he remain calm when his entire world was about to change?
But instead of seeing Renna’s familiar golden waves of hair, another girl stepped out of the transporter—a girl with black hair and creamy skin in a richly adorned purple dress. The mysterious woman raised her chin proudly and took her place to the right of the queen, indicating her role as princess.
This wasn’t the princess he expected. Where was Renna?
Then he saw her. The guard helped her out of the transporter last, and she moved to stand on her mother’s left. She wore her hair up in loose braids around her head with a few stray pieces framing her face. She looked more timid than the others, her shoulders slightly hunched as though the hundreds of eyes on her weighed them down. But then she took a breath and threw her shoulders back as if a wave of confidence had washed over her. She stood in her pink dress—elegant in her own way—though not like the queen and the other girl.
Renna seemed distracted as she glanced down the row of soldiers lining the path. She turned her head to the side like she was looking for something.
Or someone.
Trev’s heart sank. She was looking for him.
None of it made sense. He turned to his father’s chief advisor. “Gaines, who is the girl on the queen’s left?” His voice sounded harsh.
Gaines stepped forw
ard, ready with information. “Yes, that is the daughter of the queen. Renna, I believe.”
“So she’s Seran’s sister? Also a princess?”
Please.
“No, sire. Miss Renna is the product of the queen’s first marriage. She has no birthright within the royal family.”
Gaines’s words hurt like a punch to the gut.
Drake put a steadying hand on Trev’s shoulder as the three women started to walk toward them.
Renna
Renna sensed hundreds of eyes on the three of them as they began their procession toward the palace. There were so many people watching them, but everyone was really looking at Seran. This was a big moment for her.
She eyed Seran from the side, marveling at how calm and collected she seemed. She clearly knew her own importance, moving forward with poise and confidence.
Then Renna glanced straight ahead. A colorful group of people waited at the end of the path. Albion royalty, she assumed, mixed with advisors and political figures. She wanted to get a glimpse of Seran’s prince, but it was difficult to make out who was who from this distance.
The soldiers on each side of her were much easier to see. Was Trev among them? He said that she wouldn’t be able to miss him. She could picture him watching her now, ready to smirk at her surprise when she finally spotted him. As each step brought them closer to the courtyard, Renna discreetly searched the soldiers’ faces for Trev’s laughing blue eyes and dark curls. Instead, unfamiliar eyes stared back with serious, unblinking expressions. As far as she could see, Trev was not there.
Renna’s mother slowed her pace and then stopped several feet from the king. The king stood before them in a navy suit with a pin of the blue and white Albion flag on his lapel. His features seemed hard and menacing as he waited for introductions.
The herald’s voice boomed behind the king from the palace steps. “Introducing Her Royal Majesty, Queen Mariele Haslett of New Hope.” The queen bowed gracefully.
The Promised Prince: A YA Dystopian Romance Page 8