Love And Hurt: A Royal Tale

Anna yawned lazily reaching for her cup of coffee again, their estate was built close to the Azurethra sea. Mornings were usually cool and sometimes even too cold to step outside.

She stretched her legs very well on the table, placing her father's journal on her stomach.

Reading his journal always made it seem like he was there, that he was going to walk out any moment from the house.

'Who was that,' Anna thought hearing the sound of a horse. She didn't want to be disturbed this morning, she hoped the servants sends the person away.

The heavy stride coming her way few minutes after she had heard the sound told her they didn't succeed in sending the intruder away.

Seeing Tony walk hastily with a frown on his face told Anna all wasn't well in the castle. 'What bad news had he brought for her this time,' she thought. The last time he walked into the estate with that stern look on his face, was to inform him about her father's death, though he had paid her several visits after that to check up on her.

Tony had been her father's friend and also one of the advisors to the king.

He was one of the few men Anna could still trust. Anna was up on her feet before he got to her.

"Don't tell me he is dead also," Anna hoarsed out.

Tony answered immediately, "the king is not dead-"

"Thank goodness", Anna cut him short.

"He has been forced to relinquish his claim to the throne," Tony said suddenly. "The king has been declared incapacitated, he is paralyzed. He met with an accident during the royal games. Duchess Vivianne has now ascended the throne as queen of Azurethra."

"Why am I been kept in the dark while all these are happening," Anna said out almost in a rage. "By right I am supposed to be the right-hand man of the king, by right I am supposed to be one the king advisors and a member of the parliament. I am not going to sit and watch quietly like a weak fool anymore. I am going to take my rightful place in the castle as the king's right-hand man and as a member of the parliament and no one's stopping me. If a woman is fit to rule Azurethra then a woman is also fit to be one of the king's advisor and a member of the parliament."

Anna paced around with her father's journal still in her hand, her father had warned her before going to rescue the late king.

He had smelt trouble, he always had those hunch that was never wrong. She remembered his words to her.

"There is a conspiracy in the castle Anna, the royal family is in danger, the king might not make it alive. This is not a kidnapping Annie, they mean to kill."

"But papa... please stay safe, let me come with you, I can help..."

"No Annie, no .. your future is with William. Now remember who ever is behind this won't stop here, protect William, protect his legacy, it's your duty to protect Azurethra."

"Papa you're talking as though you're not coming back," Anna retorted almost in tears. She had lost her mother at a very tender age, she wasn't ready to lose her father now.

"My Annie, my dear girl," he said hugging her fondly. "Don't you ever forget you were brought up by the best agent in all four kingdoms, you're strong, smart and beautiful; use them to your advantage Annie, promise me you won't let anything happen to William, promise me my girl. Promise me you'll stay alive."

Anna didn't say anything, she just placed her head on her father's shoulder, hoping she would see him again.

When she found out he had died protecting the old king; she had lost focus, lost every will to fight for William, to protect Azurethra.

She isolated herself from everyone and every gathering and now she had failed her father. She'd let him down, no.. she could still do something as long as there was life in William, she was going to get him his throne, she was going to protect Azurethra. She was ready to fulfill her destiny now.

She filed away the tingling sensation she had in her stomach, she had a job to do, she could not let anything come in her way not even her feelings. Feelings Anna had nursed over the years, she doubted if William still felt the same.

She had been sent away to her aunt when they discovered the relationship going on between them. William had been told she was unsuitable for him, an agent wasn't fit to be the crowned queen of Azurethra.

Her father had scolded her, had told her sternly she was straying away from her destiny.

His father had protected the past king and so did all his past generation, a time would come when he will be no more and then it will be her turn to protect the king.

But after her father's death, with the pain still fresh in her heart she had felt so weak to fight against the parliament when majority was against a woman joining the parliament, a woman becoming the king's right-hand man.. once again she was labelled unsuitable.

Anna went into the house leaving Tony, she had to start packing, she had to keep her promise to her father, she had to protect William.

She knew it was not going to be easy, first her long stay in her aunt's estate had made her unaware of the happenings in Azurethra, and again her absence in any social activity after her father's death.

She sat on her bed watching her maid pack for her and the thought kept on nagging her, 'she had failed her father.' She swallowed the urge to cry, it was impossible to stop the tears once they began flowing.

Could it be that William's accident was planned? What if it wasn't just an accident but they meant to kill William, just like the king had been killed taking her father along with him, she stood up feeling more confident than she had been since the royal message with one thought in her mind, 'avenge her father's death.' She was going to get the scoundrel, even if it was the last thing she did.