7 The Legitimate Heir

THE dawn of day paved the way for enthusiastic men, women, maidens, and children alike to bask in sheer anticipation of the would-be inaugurated King of Aegremonth on such an auspicious morning.

Despite it being a customary tradition of Castle nobles to allow for the inhabitants of the kingdom at large, to surrender a month in mourning of the demised king, many had grown impatient from waiting for Prince Aldrich to accede his late father's throne.

Prior to the inauguration of the Lord Sovereign Elect of Aegremonth, the Queen was usually made to act as King for this thirty-day duration.

Now, the day arrived with fifty families in attendance, families with potential maiden(s) of the King, and also whose source of income was stable enough. Because, for the dwellers of Barad-dûr, the Castle would not have the king take to his maiden, a daughter of a NOBODY.

Lady Osborn and her daughter, Giselle, were particularly handful in helping Elizabeth dress up for the event, causing her to feel immense gratitude to them and also to Giselle's aunt for letting her spend the night at her home, and for treating her in no way less than she treated her niece, Giselle.

In the carriage of the kind Lady Osborn were seated the Lady herself, her daughter, Giselle, and Elizabeth. All three donned semi-rich clothing fabric putting the effort to look ideal. As for Beth, she could not appreciate her Bessie enough and the kind old Mr Lynchfield for their help in getting her a dress.

Even though Elizabeth's dress could not measure up to the others' in cost and nobility, she was easily the most beautiful of the trio.

The carriage that conveyed them to the Castle was conducted by Mr Graylock and as they mounted a slight bridge over a moat, one of the heavy-armored tough faced men that stood to guard the castle entrance, lifted his hand to signal the coachman, who in this case was Mr Graylock, to halt. To which, he obeyed accordingly.

"What be your mission?" demanded the guard who had caused Mr Graylock to stop.

Behind Lady Osborn's carriage was a line of five others, but as was the protocol, the guard seemed to have all the time.

"We are from Griffinwald. We were invited to the King's coronation," Just then, Mr Graylock coughed as he remembered to add, "Me, and my family, my wife Lady Osborn..."

His speech got cut short once he noticed a noble man who resembled the news-bearer that had journeyed to Griffinwald to invite selected families to the King's inauguration. Standing by the side of the Great Wall, with his eyes peering through some lettered wordings in a large scroll, presumably a list of the families invited, he found what he was searching for, and nodded.

Mr Graylock was thus permitted to go through, and every other carriage behind him, regardless of the town or village they came from, were made to go through the same protocol.

"For a second, my dear Giselle, I did think that we would be sent aback," said Beth who had noticed the carriage when it halted and had inclined her ears to listen to the ongoing conversation with Mr Graylock and the Castle guard.

"Hahaha, I had no doubt at all, Elizabeth. Mother was invited, and me. And I should have easily said you were my sister if they had asked," Giselle replied.

To this, Lady Osborn smiled brightly and Beth concluded in her heart that she should be more relaxed.

Once they alighted the carriage which they abandoned at a safe place, they walked to the large spaced open arena where everyone else was. As they drew closer, Beth began to feel tensed because she did not want to be seen by her mother or sister, both of whom she presumed would have arrived much earlier along with their father, given that Louisa was very keen on seeing Prince Aldrich.

Set on the high pedestal a couple feet above the invitees, were a few persons of nobility—Her Majesty the Queen, Queen Athena, her son; Prince Aldrich, an unfamiliar male figure with an unmistakable dark aura who looked older in years than Prince Aldrich, a Duke, and three others.

Everyone was excited, and chants of "Prince Aldrich!" could be heard from the mouths of the inhabitants of Aegremonth, majorly. Queen Athena signalled for silence, with a raise of her hand, and the inauguration began.

However, to the utter dismay of all and sundry, Prince Aldrich was not crowned the king...

"All hail the Lord Sovereign Elect, Citizens of Aegremonth and on-looker communities. Now, your king before you, as was the dying wish of Lord Voldemort...

His highness, the legitimate heir, Lord Briceus!!" Came the words of the one who was handed the delegation of crowning the new king.

The crowd hailed, and clapped cheerily. But, more purposeful were the subtle whispers which loomed over the arena...

"I never knew the king had another son. More so, that Prince Aldrich was the youngest to a much older brother."

"Indeed, how can one whom the Queen did not bear ascend the throne?"

"No, I heard the tale of the late king selling his soul to a She-devil, I dare not mention her name, for fear."

"Truly, is he not the demon child? Or so I had heard. How then was he made king?"

"Indeed, I thought it was not true for we never knew such a man to be the son of the late king."

"No. For fear, he was sent away and not made to stay in the Castle."

"Then why should we settle for him to be king?"

"This is not right, but he is truly handsome in looks."

"Hush! There is about to be an announcement. Let us listen!" A lady rebuked her fellow.

But a blind aged man who stood nearby had something to say.

"I have lived long enough to know that the darkness shall reign with the crowning of the Lord Briceus. For he is an abomination to the earth." This, he said in a quavering voice. Then, he spat. But, those who heard him reasoned that he was merely exaggerating.

Elizabeth and Giselle were not left out of those who were surprised by the announcement of the new king. Even though they had never met either of the Princes, it was obvious that everyone expected the king to be Prince Aldrich and not his demon-tagged brother, Lord Briceus.

Turning to Giselle's mother, Beth spoke, "Kind Lady Osborn, you were indeed right about the late king having a son apart from the Prince Aldrich. But I perceive that he shall have a hard time because he is not loved, and I wonder how the brother should feel about this."

Lady Osborn had no immediate words because even though Prince Aldrich was not made the king, she held no reservations. All she wanted was to experience the ceremony. She had no other expectations, neither did her daughter, Giselle.

Regardless of who was made King, most of the maidens remained hungry-eyed; hungry to be a maiden to the king at least, in hopes that one day they'd be made Queens, legalized by marriage. Because, it was evident that of the two brothers, Lord Briceus, had a beauty unmatched by any other. Yet, he was a man and not a woman. He was far more beautiful than those who existed before him(those who were long forgotten in the grave), as well as any man who was still breathing. His attractive features in no way resembled anything earthly.

As such, those present to witness the ceremony, concluded in their hearts that even his father, the late King was never as good-looking a man in all his years of existence.

Amongst such hungry-eyed maidens, was Louisa, the Blythe's Legitimate daughter.

Turning to look at her mother with a tint of disappointment in her eyes, she spoke, "Mother! In truth, father was right in saying that the king had more than one sons."

"My dear girl, you lie not! But even this One is of much beauty than his brother. Now, cheer you up! You are by far the most beautiful maiden here. Remember all I told you the night past—how you must behave. I hold no doubt that you shall be chosen to be with the king, and that I shall have access to Royal living from you," Mrs Blythe declared.

Her husband, Mr Blythe was not too distant that he could not hear what they said but he chose to ignore. While his wife schemed with her daughter on how to capture the king's heart, he had a different perspective. He felt something did not add up. But, his certainty rested with the fact that he did not want his daughter to be the maiden to Lord Briceus.

Soon after the cheer and murmurs died down, an announcement followed stating that every maiden present, be separated from their families and made to undergo random selection in one of the halls in the Castle, big enough to accommodate sixty maidens.

Locking eyes with each other in uncertainty, Elizabeth and Giselle had no other option than to join the array of maidens who were being ushered into the Castle by a male guide.

Luckily for Beth, Louisa had gone in, a few minutes ahead of her.

For Lady Osborn, she was sceptical to let go of her daughter, Giselle, and Elizabeth, without first hinting a warning.

"Please, my dears," she began, "You two should stay together unless one of you get picked. For the castle is a mighty place, and I shall not be burdened in running a search for either one of you."

To this, both girls nodded their approval and disappeared from her sight.