XVIII
Birthright
Rafael knelt on the smooth, hard floor of his own palace's throne room, surrounded on either side by lines of his own soldiers- looking up at his daughter holding his trident in front of his throne.
He felt hundreds of eyes burning against his back. It seemed the entire staff of the palace had arrived to watch his sentencing- not to mention the swarm of curious nobles eager to see the show. Did they not have anything better to do? Had the current of the kingdom finally stood still, to linger in his humiliation?
This was wrong. His kingdom was treating him like an animal. His daughter- a traitor- treating him like a criminal. He acted in the best interest of his people, and he found himself on his knees for it.
The golden glow of Alfāor- the sacred weapon of the Kingdom of Lyveria- illuminated Genevieve's features, and gave her an otherworldly radiance that the trident never seemed to grant her father. She could feel the adoration of the spectators flooding over her; as if they weren't watching their princess- but a deity, a captivating archangel- come to pass judgment and purify their lowly masses. And, trident in hand, that was perhaps exactly what she intended to be.
"Rafael Carretero." She began. "Your reckless and inhumane acts have rendered you a detriment to the well-being of our kingdom. To restore not only our neighboring nations' faith in us, but also the faith of our own people, you have been sentenced to permanent exile. The kingdom will return to its rightful path by my hand, without you. Do you object?"
"Object!?" Rafael spouted. "Of course I object! You don't have a trace of ground to condemn me on, vapid girl! Do you honestly expect me to confess to any of that drivel!? How do you intend to prove my guilt to the people you seek to take from me?"
"She hardly needs your confession." Lotus stood at Genevieve's side, and smiled. "No matter what you tell us, we have an entire circle of mages ready to sing your condemnation, if we wring it from their throats."
Rafael scoffed. "Don't bluff me, eel. I don't know what got your foster father to sell me out, but you haven't the spine to break my circle any-"
Suddenly, Lotus grabbed Rafael by the collar, and pulled his face up to hers. The audience gasped at the battery and mishandling of the King- lowly as he now was.
"You don't have a clue what she's capable of, Rafael." Lotus hissed. "And don't you dare underestimate what I'm willing to do for her."
"The circle is being rounded up as we speak, and I get the impression they'll give us quite a detailed story when we ask." Genevieve smiled. "I'm especially interested in hearing what Renee Longsworth has to say… I found out recently that he's the circle's only druid. How convenient that he's just finished receiving treatment following his 'bandit attack.'"
Rafael's breathing quivered. Genevieve leaned in and tilted her head. "Now- tell me he couldn't give us a very convincing impression of a dragon, for the King’s daughter."
Lotus let go of Rafael. He stared at the floor, his messy hair falling over his face, casting a shadow over his visage.
"Even if you lock me away in the deepest circle of Hell, I am still King. Our people won't accept you as their ruler yet, you petulant brat. You aren't of age. And…"
Rafael's eyes drifted to Lotus. He gave her a look- like a reaper laying eyes on a starving sinner. He grinned, as Lotus shifted uncomfortably.
"Last I checked, you aren't married."
Genevieve frowned, and twirled Alfaör in her hand. "You're right. I'm not. Officially, I cannot be Queen. But I don't have to be."
"I'm not here to depose you, Father." She continued. "I'm here to shut you off from the light of day until you've rotted in your cell. The legislation of the kingdom cannot fall to me until I am a married adult, so… I'll have our bills sent to your desk within captivity. So long as you never step foot on free soil again, you can drown yourself in your paperwork until you suffocate, Your Majesty."
Rafael grinded his teeth, and glared at his daughter, who turned up her nose to look even further down on him. Hands cuffed tightly to his back, he resisted the urge to stand up and kill her right there.
"Why!?" He shouted abruptly. "Why are you doing this to me!? Why would you betray your nation so- and strip it of it's king!? Strip me of my daughter- wicked girl, have you gone mad!?"
Genevieve took a step closer to her father, and crossed her arms behind her back.
"I'm fulfilling my duty to my kingdom."
She leaned in, and whispered words that both shook Rafael to his core.
"You lost your freedom the moment you chose to use my people as bait."
Genevieve stood up straight, and waved for the guards to carry Rafael away. As a soldier picked him up by his arms, Rafael thrashed and swung his legs, desperately trying to break free.
"Traitor! Villain! Witch! Set me free this instant! I'll bring misery to your wretched reign, Genevieve! Mark my words, I will RUIN you! GENEVIEVE!"
The soldiers pushed through the crowd, and dragged the raving monarch down the halls, gradually out of earshot. Genevieve sighed, and slouched her back, the tears she'd been stifling for hours now fighting harder than ever to break through. Her breathing shook, as she did everything she could not to whimper.
The nobles and staff watched her, curiously- some praising her in silence, some cursing her- all waiting to see her next move. Lotus gently held Genevieve by the arm, and pushed her chin back up with her knuckle.
"Head up, Genevieve. It won't do for a Queen to weep in front of her people."
Genevieve turned to look at Lotus, and smiled. Lotus squeezed her hand, and gently smiled back.
