Rightful Ruler

Kallie woke that morning to the soft sounds of men's joyful singing issuing beneath her door. There was a loud hissing shushing noise that could have only been Helga quietening them. Kallie sat up, slowly but steadily. She didn't hurt as badly as she thought she would this morning. That was good. This meant that she could put on a better face for the people. They needed her, needed her strength. If they didn't, they would have no one to look up to. No one to be their beacon in these times... No one to light their way until she could ascend to the throne...

She slipped her legs over the side of her bed, taking a deep breath as her arms that supported her protested. She slid off of the bed and placed her feet firmly on the ground. Her shaky arms pushed her to her feet, and she stumbled forward, grabbing the nearest post at the end of the bed. She glanced around. Her room was the same... The beautiful bed with an intricate headboard sat against the stone, warm tapestry covered wall. Her bookshelf sat flush against the wall next to her window, and a chair sat in the corner near a small mahogany table. Sunlight streamed in through the pane, dimly illuminating her room.

Her feet fumbled toward the door, her hands pushing it open. A chuckle or two still echoed from the dining room as she ambled down the narrow halls.

"If you don't keep quiet, I will flog all of you with this rolling pin!" Helga barked across the hall. A fond smile spread across Kallie's face. It was great to be back, where the first thing to reach her ears wasn't the stomping of Demitri's boots down the stairs through the bars in her cell.

She stopped by the doorway of the dining hall, peeking in to see everyone sitting around the table. Everyone except for Ravin... Her stomach fell. Was he badly wounded? She turned on her heel, stumbling from the dizziness of the sudden movement. Her hands braced against the wall as she felt her way back down the hall. When she reached his door, her eyes trailed over the plaque that read: Ravin.

Her shaky fingers gripped the mahogany doorknob and pushed the door open silently. She peeked her head in, brushing her ebony hair from her face. Her eyes squinted to take in the dark room. Ravin's sleeping form was only half covered in his blanket, his toned chest and torso visible through his open shirt. The wound in his side was sautered shut and a scar was beginning to form. Her mouth fell into a soft frown as she watched his chest rise and fall. He was injured because he rescued her. She couldn't hold herself too high in contempt, but she couldn't help but hope that he would begin to heal quickly.

"There's no use in fretting over this, princess." His deep voice uttered, his lids opening and his charcoal eyes looking her in the eye. The sunlight seemed to glint off of the scar that sliced through his left brow and cheek.

Kallie stepped through and left the door cracked, "I tend worry about those who serve and protect me."

"You needn't do that, prin-"

"I needn't worry that men and women put their lives on the line for me?" She walked forward slowly with careful, steady steps. "To protect me? Me, an outcasted princess? The princess with a weight so heavy that it puts the entire kingdom on the line?"

Ravin pushed himself up, to look at her more clearly, "Kallie, everyone that serves you does it by choice, you know this. Anyone that wouldn't gladly stand for you is no longer here."

"That isn't what I worry over, Ravin." Kallie crossed her arms as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

"Then what is it?" A soft smirk pulled up the corners of his mouth.

"You were wounded when you rescued me, and you didn't tell me." Kallie's eyes were stony as she gazed at Ravin.

"My job is to protect you, princess." Ravin stated, sliding his boots onto his feet. "I gave your father my solemn oath. Therefore, I am to use whatever means necessary to keep that oath. Even if it means getting perforated by arrows and keeping it from you until you have reached safety." Another frown pulled down the petite young woman's lips as she watched her most loyal servant stand. He walked up to her, kneeling at her feet, "I do owe you an apology, m'lady." He muttered.

"For what...exactly...?" Kallie's face smoothed over as she held her head high.

"I allowed you to stay within your brother's clutches, and now, you are in pain with every step that you take. You have my deepest apologies, m'lady. Do with me what you see fit." He took her hand in his, pressing his forehead to her knuckles.

"Rise, you idiot." Kallie muttered quietly. His charcoal eyes met hers, "I will only tell you what you've heard many times before. You will receive no contempt for something you cannot control."

Ravin followed her out of the room, and they strode down the narrow hallway together. As they reached the dining room, Kallie entered with her head held high. There were many hoots from the men as she passed by. One of the little girls—Bella was her name—hugged Kallie's leg. Her mother gasped, one of the women that attended to Kallie. Kallie put up a hand to stop her as she rushed forward. She took a silent, deep breath to ease the pain that rocketed through her body.

She peered down at the girl, who was no older than three or four years old, her eyes softening, "Hello, Bella." She lifted the little girl into her arms. This child had always been one of her favorites. She was the youngest of all of the children and the sweetest. Kallie brushed a piece of the girl's honey-wheat hair out of her face. Her round cheeks held dimples as she gave the princess a shy, cheeky grin.

"I'm glad your here, princess." Her child-like lisp lined her quiet words.

A gentle smile spread across Kallie's face as she adjusted the little girl so that she was sitting upon her hip, "I'm glad that I am here as well." Her large, innocent baby-blue eyes twinkled as she hugged Kallie's neck. Kallie glanced up to see the apologetic look on the mother's face.

"Alright, Bella, you have eaten. It is time for you to go play with the other children." Her mother pulled her from Kallie's hip and placed her on her feet after straightening out her dress. The little girl waved at Kallie before running out of the dining room.

"I apologize, princess. She was just so excited that you had returned—" Kallie put up a hand to stop her again.

"No harm done." She muttered. The woman bowed and smiled gratefully before sitting back down. Kallie turned and made her way across the room to sit at the head of the table. The entire table was covered with its usual spread of a magnificent meal. It all looked very delicious, but just the smell of it made Kallie's stomach flip and churn.

"Good evening, princess." Jasper, who sat on the other side of Ravin, gave her a cheeky grin.

"Good evening, Hugo." The young woman rolled her eyes. Benjamin sat to her left, and Ravin sat to her right.

"You don't have anything on your plate, child. You must eat." Kallie glanced at Helga, whose greying eyes pierced into her.

"I appreciate your cooking, but I'm not very hungry." Kallie gave her a politely grateful smile.

"Kallie, you need to eat." Ben muttered, pushing an empty plate at her.

Kallie took a deep breath, waiting for the nausea to pass before she released it, "Ben, I appreciate your concern, but I need you to trust my knowledge of my own body." She said quietly.

"Kallie..." Her eyes caught Baylee's teal orbs, "Please eat a small amount. It would make us all feel better."

Kallie should have known that they wouldn't understand. Being princess meant that others tended to believe that they knew what was best for you, and currently, she was going to be sick if the didn't find a way to ignore the smell of food wafting around her. This food would have been appetizing if it weren't for the condition of her stomach. Her stomach churned and clenched as she covered her mouth.

"Have some bread, child." Helga handed her a fresh roll, "It will absorb the acids in your stomach and give you some sustenance."

"Thank you..." She sighed, nibbling on a piece of the warm roll.

"Also," Helga pushed a goblet at her, "sip on mint tea. It will warm you and help to settle your stomach." She sounded more along the lines of doctor than a nursemaid.

"Thank you." She said, forcing a graceful smile onto her lips.

Everyone around her seemed to be appeased. Helga's greying eyes bore into hers, giving her a hard stare. "Kallie, you have no need to force such grace. I know that you wish not to be taken care of."

"Helga..." She gazed at the aged woman fondly.

"Just do as I say, and your stomach will have been nursed back to help." She stated in a matter-of-fact way.

"Yes." Kallie said softly. She nibbled gently on the edges of her soft, warm bread. The fresh-baked taste melted across her tongue, satisfying her taste-buds but angering her nausea.

Demitri angrily paced his candlelit study. His sister and his bride to be had escaped him. Now he had no traitor to execute and no woman to wed. He knew he would have to take her back or resort to another. He didn't want to seek out another woman. That would be meaningless. He already had a the captain of the guard's daughter, Lady Elizabeth, as a contingency plan to fall back on, but he wanted Baylee. Wedding Baylee would tear his sister apart. It would secure his seat on the throne, and it would allow him to enact what ever revenge he deemed necessary on his sister—who he could then charge with treason.

Currently, she was safe. She still had a claim to the throne. Hell, when she is of age, it's hers if she appears to claim it on her birthday. He wouldn't win this unless he married that white-blonde haired annoyance.

"Seth," Demitri called out to his faithful butler.

The door opened and closed, "I am here to serve you as you please, master." These were the exact words that he spoke to him when he was first put in Demitri's service. Those words lifted the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, you are." He turned to him, "I want you to gather as much information on this resistance as possible. Rumors, facts...whatever you find, I want it written on parchment and delivered to me. I am destroying the foundation of this resistance." He glanced at his humble servant, "I want to ask for your counsel before you go."

"Anything, my lord."

"Do you share my belief that I have a legitimate claim to the throne?" He asked.

"Of course, my lord." Seth answered.

"In what way?"

"You are the first born male; therefore, it is your birth right." Seth retorted.

"Why do you believe my father willed it to my sister?" Demitri asked. Seth didn't answer right away, "I want what you view as truth."

"He always favored your sister. I wasn't the only one to see it." He said, "Your sister has a subtle charm that you lack at times, and she has the same troublesome charisma that your father did. Of course he would choose her to succeed him. She was the spitting image of him in personality, just a little more steadfast."

"Do you believe that I deserve to be king?"

"I don't know anyone who would better deserve it."

"Are you fond of my sister?" Demitri asked thoughtfully. The shock on Seth's face brought a smirk to the young king's lips, "You have nothing to fear from me. You have always been faithful."

"Everyone in the castle was fond of your sister." Seth said, "While I admit, I find that your sister has a comely visage, but I have always preferred your company."

"Good." Demitri said, "That will be all. Don't return without my information."

"Yes, your majesty." He gave Demitri a brief bow and left him alone to his thoughts.