Evelyn's POV

The sound of the horse's hooves against the dirt path mimicked my ramming heart as it threatened to break free from my chest. Blood rushed through my ears, struggling to keep up with my thoughts. My lips tingled from the tooth powder that I failed to rinse out before embarking on this short journey to the castle. The tears streaming down my cheeks and nostrils only intensified the burn.

As I rode through the village, the people dressed in black only confirmed reality, a reality I stubbornly refused to confront.

King Gavin passed away and, as any loyal subjects should, they mourned his death.

I desperately hoped that the messenger was wrong, that my mother fell onto her knees in grief for no reason, that my father had shed tears over misinformation.

"The King passed away while on his goodwill tour in the neighboring kingdom of Canterbury. It was not a natural death. We fear that there may have been foul play." The cloaked herald claimed.

Why, I saw the man just this past week for dinner! He promised to take me hunting instead of his son, who was rumored to have an aim poorer than his attitude. Such an excursion would forever remain a dream. If I had known that would be the last time I saw him, I wouldn't have left so many things unsaid. I had so many ideas that often fell on deaf ears, but he was willing to entertain my thoughts out of good will if nothing else.

I remember as a child, he would take me into his arms and lift me up to the sky while his own children flanked either of his shoulders. During balls, he would always save a dance for me. When I complained about how only the boys received fencing lessons, he opened the class up to girls- although hardly any of them joined, but that's another issue. When he ordered the finest of silks from merchants, yards of fabric would always be sent to my house so that Adele and I could have matching dresses for the season.

He was as much a part of my life and my formative years as my own parents were.

King Gavin was truly the uncle that I never had. I refused to let him go. Not like this.

And what about dear Adele? My sister by soul, which I considered stronger than blood. How was she handling all of this? I couldn't begin to conceive her pain, considering how close they were. As much as I despised her brother, Ashton, I couldn't help but empathize with him as well. As the only male heir, he must now assume the throne as king and, although he is of age, he is still quite young – especially mentally. A far cry from his father.

Then my thoughts shifted to Queen Clarissa, or as I affectionately call her, Aunt Claire. She is far too young to be a widow. She doesn't deserve this. None of them do.

The kingdom doesn't deserve to have one of its most honorable monarchs stolen from it.

Not like this.

My thoughts came to a sudden halt as I sped through the castle's gates. The guards threw frantic protests at me as they chased my path, none of which I heeded. I swung myself off the horse, struggled with the landing, and ran through the doors. I managed to orient myself against the vast corridor and sought the help of a maidservant.

"Where is the princess?" I demanded in a tone that sounded a bit menacing.

She looked alarmed but replied all the same, "In the third corridor, the room at the very end." She pointed.

"You there, stop her!" A guard yelled as he reached the doors.

Once again, the girl looked distressed and hesitated to make a move. I took this to my advantage and ran. They trailed behind, but I couldn't care less. Under any other circumstances, I would have been amused by their attempts to detain a duke's daughter. I burst through the room that the maid directed me to, revealing a very startled Adele and a rather stoic Ashton. Above them, on the wall, I noticed that a candle had been lit in front of the King's tapestry.

The worst had been confirmed.

I finally managed to catch my breath, only to have it interrupted by uncontrollable sobs. My own uncontrollable sobs.

A guard grabbed me from behind.

"Apologies your majesty, she sped through the entire courtyard on horseback and- "

"Let Lady Evelyn go." Adele demanded in a calm voice.

The guard immediately froze up, shocked that I had a title, and obeyed, "Yes, your highness. I deeply apologize, your grace."

"You may leave now." She commanded.

The guard bowed before leaving. Heat radiated from my face as embarrassment washed over my conscience. No proper lady would have done what I just did, so it came as no surprise that they didn't recognize me as nobility. I took in my own appearance for the first time all morning and realized I looked every part of a girl who reluctantly rolled out of bed and fell into a waste bin. My nightgown, although modest, had been soiled from the tooth powder and suds that I wiped away in haste. Beads of sweat lined by brow and upper lip. As I brushed stray strands of hair from my eyes, my fingers caught onto brush from the unmarked paths that I raced through to get here as quickly as possible.

I locked eyes with Adele and managed a weak smile, making the entire struggle worth it. Although it must've been difficult, she returned it through her tears. Ashton, per usual, didn't even spare a glance, but this wasn't exactly the best time for me to express my reciprocated hatred towards him.

What was I supposed to say? I was at a loss for words myself, numb of all sensation other than grief. My hesitation was interrupted by Adele's sobs. I embraced her with shaking arms. I didn't say anything; I let her cry, just as she had every time Ash committed heinous pranks on me as a child. Ashton remained in his position, still as a statue. Finally, her crying faded, while his resolution did not.

"Thank you, Evelyn." She whispered to me.

She didn't have to thank me, but I nodded all the same.

"What will be the fate of the throne now?" I trembled.

Although I knew Ash would naturally succeed his father, I absolutely could not imagine him as the King. Time and time again, he proved himself reckless under normal circumstances, so I feared for the decisions he would make under political ones.

I deemed him unfit to rule. Pity that a lady's word meant nothing in this world.

As if to answer my unheard question, Queen Clarissa entered with a trail of advisors. Aunt Claire, as I fondly called her despite not sharing any blood relation, always radiated warmth and joy. She now donned a very different aura. Her eyes were puffy and lined with grief, her cheeks tear-stained.

"Children, there's no use in crying over what happened. Every second we waste is a second wasted for the people of our kingdom. We must recover as quickly as we can. It is time for you to ascend the throne, Ashton." She spoke in a calm, hushed voice.

Ash stood there, cold, expressionless, and unchanged.

An elderly man cleared his throat and began speaking, "As you are well aware of our constitution, your highness, it is necessary for you to be wed in order to be crowned king. In our kingdom, there is never a king without a queen and your mother is in no position to remarry, as it would be a disgrace when you are here as your father's rightful heir. Thus says the Parity Clause, to ensure that the new King is committed to continuing his lineage."

He clenched his fists with such force that his knuckles showed white.

"I apologize for this, Ashton. It isn't what any of us hoped for, but it has to be done for the good of the kingdom. As the incomplete Crown we are at the moment, we have decided that it is the best way to recover from the loss. If your father," The Queen spoke, her throat caught at the mention of the late King, "really was murdered by a citizen of Canterbury, then there may be a war. Our relationship with Canterbury has been at risk prior to this, and I fear that this is the tipping point. A war without a king is like a day without the sun; dreadful. The quicker you take the throne as a married man, the better it is for everyone."

My heart dropped. Never had I found precedence more of a nuisance than now. True, Sedalia has never been ruled by a singular monarch, but must that tradition be upheld even in desperate times? However, even I knew speaking out against the Crown could be charged as treason, so I kept my thoughts to myself.

The Crown stood there for a few moments, waiting for his reply. When they didn't receive one, the Queen spoke again.

"The portraits of potential suitors will arrive soon, you must choose one. We will be awaiting your wedding and coronation soon after." His mother firmly stated before leaving.

As soon as the door shut, Ashton swung his fist and knocked a nearby vase off its pedestal. Adele and I flinched as it broke into a million pieces, sending shards everywhere. He quickly recomposed himself. His dark hair was usually tidily quaffed, but today it fell below his brow in disheveled layers. His piercing sapphire eyes stared into the distance with misery. Adele and I sat silently for a while, unsure of what to do and much too frightened to move. After some time, there was a short knock on the door and a servant walked in.

"Your highness, the portraits of the suitors are awaiting your presence in the ballroom." He said, bowing low with his eyes widening as he took in the mess on the floor.

He didn't say a thing, but followed the man out, making sure that each step resounded throughout the room. As if to prove a statement, he slammed the door behind him. I suppose even crisis isn't enough to break his immaturity.

Adele sighed, "He's so hotheaded. I know that the Crown's requests are anything but lenient, but he must adapt to these changes. He's meant to be wedded at this age, after all. He'll be one and twenty this year! Mother married father at the tender age of sixteen."

I sympathetically rested my hand on hers, mentally preparing for her breakdown. Being the strong woman she is, she continued without a sob.

"Also, we exist for the sake of the kingdom! Our lives are supposed to be dedicated to its people! It's what we've been taught since birth. Can't he sacrifice some of his freedom for our people, many of who sacrifice their lives to protect us?"

I nodded in complete agreement. It seemed like a small price to pay.

"Mother is even letting him choose from an array of suitors! My parents shared a happy marriage despite not seeing each other until the wedding. Pity that God didn't bless it to last too long." She finished, letting a sob escape.

Tears started streaming down her face again. It was my turn to speak.

"Adele, God does everything for a reason. In the end, good always happens to good people. You're a good person, Adele. And you're intelligent. So, you of all people should know that your father hasn't left us. He's right here and always will be as long as we keep the memories of him alive." I said, pointing to her heart.

She nodded as I wiped her tears away. At that moment, the Queen entered the room again, by herself this time.

"I appreciate your presence here, Evelyn. I'm sure it is very comforting for Adele." She said, "This all happened so unexpectedly. It's incredibly painful to not cry at this very moment, but now isn't the time. I must hold it in a little longer, until I'm alone. If I let anyone see me shed a single tear, then rumors of weakness will spread, and the last thing we need is to lose morale. It's... It's difficult, but it's my responsibility as queen." She explained.

"Only Ash won't understand that." Adele muttered.

"Yes, your brother is very thickheaded. Very much like Gavin. Hopefully, he'll be like his father in his reign as well." Queen Clarissa lamented.

Mentioning the king's name made her blue eyes sparkle with sorrow, but she held the tears back. The entire royal family was unbelievably strong, but they had to be with the kind of roles they took on and decisions they made every day. They were groomed for these roles from the moment of conception.

The servant from earlier returned to the room.

"Your highness, Prince Ashton refuses to choose a suitor. In fact... I'm afraid that he's not even participating in the meeting." He informed in a shaky voice.

"I'll be there in a moment." The Queen dismissed him.

"Aunt Claire," I started, "Perhaps there is a suitable girl already on his mind?" I asked, referring to the many girls he was rumored to be involved with.

"He's reckless when it comes to women. I don't believe he has ever seriously, much less properly, courted a girl in his life." She explained. "This son of mine, I don't even know what to say. At this point, any girl will do as long as we can still move forward with the tasks ahead."

Too bad not just any girl would be able to handle someone as stubborn and insatiable as Ashton, I thought to myself.

Suddenly, Adele perked up, as if she thought of an alarming idea.

"Mother, why take a gamble with just any girl when we have the perfect one?" She suggested.

This left me in utter confusion. Was there a deviless amongst our circle that I was unaware of?

"Who are you suggesting?" I questioned, genuinely curious.

"You, of course!" Adele exclaimed, pointing at me.

The Queen practically leapt on this idea while utter distaste plastered my face. I, Lady Evelyn Fiennes, archenemy of that egotistical Prince Ashton Devereux, am the perfect match for him? My ego was a little hurt.

"Why, I can't believe I overlooked that! Evelyn is the perfect girl! She has the qualifications to marry into the royal family. Apart from those formalities, we've known her from birth. Why would I choose some stranger to be my daughter-in-law when my beloved second daughter is in front of me?" The Queen reasoned.

Truly, she was my second mother.

"Yes, but we're forgetting to ask for her opinion." Adele pointed out.

The Queen looked at me with sincere eyes, expressing something that I've never seen in her face before: desperation. I hesitantly averted my gaze.

"Lady Evelyn Fiennes, will you give me the greatest honor of being my daughter-in-law by wedding my son for the sake of our beloved Sedalia?" She asked in a poised voice, looking at me as if I was her only savior.

That one question changed my entire life. Or rather, it was my response.

Of course, I asked for some time. My answer wasn't immediate. I needed to discuss this with my family too, although I knew they would have no objections. Who wouldn't want their daughter to marry into the royal family? There wouldn't be a match better than this one, in the eyes of society at least. I knew women who would kill to be in my position.

However, my mind was made up much sooner than I intended. I aimlessly wandered the halls of the castle, purposefully taking my time to reach the courtyard. I was in no rush to go home simply because I knew it wouldn't help me sort out my thoughts the way I wanted. In fact, it would most likely result in more pressure for the affirmative, and I did not want bias clouding my decision.

There were obvious benefits to assuming the throne as queen, particularly political. Perhaps my ideas would no longer fall on deaf ears. I could finally be the change that I wanted to desperately see in Sedalia. I would finally get the power to sit at Court, to be a voice for those who were grossly under or misrepresented. However, there are two sides to every coin.

Marrying Ashton would crush every romantic fantasy I've ever had about marriage. Could we even be civil with each other? Or perhaps we didn't have to be. Generations of royals have wedded purely for political reasons and not all of them were fortunate enough to share a loving bond like King Gavin and Queen Claire. Yet, they still produced heirs and maintained the Devereux lineage as per their duty.

But would I be satisfied with that?

I stopped at the large windows overlooking the gardens. A flash of black gleaned against the sun's rays, which I recognized to be the back of Ashton's head. He was slumped down on a secluded bench, hidden from view of any passersby except those looking from above- like me. His shoulders heaved uncontrollably.

He was crying.

Ashton, who always came off as if he couldn't care less with his icy countenance, had melted into nothing more than a puddle of tears at his father's death.

The sight of that made my heart clench.