Chapter 45

"Princess, you are back sooner than I expected and Lady Margaret is joining you?" Leonard was puzzled when he saw Margaret's carriage at the castle stairs and bags were being unloaded.

"Grandmother is going to stay with me for a little while. Did you miss me, Leonard? Why are you frowning?" Amelia knew something bad concerning her must have happened from the sullen look on Leonard's face. "Tell me."

"While you were away your father and the court ministers selected a partner for you to wed by the end of the month. They think it's best to marry you off not to keep you away from the war- Princess," Leonard grabbed Amelia's hand when she picked up her dress to make a run towards wherever her father was. "I know that you are upset-"

"Upset? Leonard, I am furious but you won't ever know what that feels like because there is no one forcing you to marry someone you do not know. I said I would pick my own husband but then he does this behind my back. Release me, Leonard. I order you," she commanded him when he wouldn't move. "Cyrus."

In a blink of an eye, Cyrus's sword was pointed at Leonard's neck.

"Princess, let's take a moment to think about this calmly. I also do not want you to marry anyone you do not know but you must be mindful of what happened the last time you rushed to your father to let him hear your thoughts."

"I will not be cast aside now he has gotten that woman pregnant. When will he start caring for his firstborn?" Amelia fought back tears as she spoke. She was tired of her father not considering her feelings. She would never have been stubborn if he had just treated her like his child and heir.

"What is happening, Amelia? Why is he pointing his sword at Leonard? Amelia?" Margaret placed her hand on Amelia's arm when she noticed the tears forming in Amelia's eyes. "What did you say to her, Leonard?"

"The king has picked a husband for the princess while she was away. She will leave the kingdom to be married by the end of the month. She should not seek out her father right now," said Leonard. 

"Is it to Killian Bune to stop this ridiculous war the two of them are in? Am I being sent to the north to end this war?" Amelia clenched her fist as the words left her mouth. 

"I have not heard the exact details of who it will be because your father is keeping the information private aside from the court ministers. It doesn't seem to be the king of the north. Your father wants all the people of the north dead."

"Plus, he wouldn't like his daughter to be married to the man who can potentially kill him. He would fear me joining the north and telling secrets I do not know. I am certain it must be a prince from the south. There has been quite a lot of noise from there and my father has been trying to join hands with them against the north. Now that he is truly desperate, he has offered my hand in marriage before the south and north turn against us. Wonderful," Amelia chuckled but there was nothing she found funny.

"I wish to be alone for a little while. Please," Amelia glanced to her side where Margaret was holding unto her. She knew her grandmother would wish to comfort her but this was a time she needed to be alone to think about her future. "I won't go to my father. Just, leave me alone. Cyrus put down your sword."

"I will find out who the man is for you, princess. Your father will be looking to get a reaction out of you. Do not give him the satisfaction of seeing you emotional about this. Keep your head up high." It was not the best thing to say to someone in an arranged marriage but it was the only advice Leonard could offer her now.

Amelia walked away without saying anything. Finding out who she was arranged to marry would change nothing. She did not want to be sent away from her kingdom. She made it quite clear throughout her youth but the man who was supposed to be her father waited until she was not around to do it.

'I am tired,' Amelia thought as she dragged her feet back to her bedroom.

Her father will never let her forget about  this marriage from the moment they would be face to face.  Annabelle will be on a high horse as she got what she always wanted. For her child to have a clear path to the throne. Annabelle would now have to plot to get rid of Fraser.

This was only proving  Fraser right when he said he did not consider her competition. She was already getting shipped off somewhere before  her father's heir would be announced.

'I should get rid of all of them. I'll burn this castle to the ground before I let him send me away. I am a true Blackwell,' Amelia thought.

Her sadness and anger were leading her to only one conclusion. She wouldn't  be the first royal to think of it and she most definitely would not be the last. 

The only way to buy time from being sent away and to stop the court document about the king's heir from being finalized, would be to kill the king.

'Even if I inevitably get sent away after his death I will be satisfied to know he can no longer run this kingdom into the ground,' Amelia smiled.

It wouldn't be easy to pull off as it was always hard for anyone trying to kill the king to get past his guards. However, Amelia knew the ins and outs of the castle. She knew what time the guards rotated because of the late nights she left her room and did not want to be seen.

"I have the perfect distraction," a brilliant idea came to mind.