by Rachel Angel
I huffed with indignation and glanced out the window. “Well…”
“Well, nothing,” Lucinda said firmly. “It’s time you opened your eyes and looked clearly at what is going on.”
“Are you aware of what happened last night, Lucinda?” I said, trying to tone down the anger and frustration in my voice. “The King of Islandia was poisoned. It’s unclear yet whether he’ll survive. A new king may have to be named. After that, some wild woman entered the King’s quarters and stabbed my father. My father! The Kingmaker. He is presently lying in bed suffering from a horrible wound. Don’t you see? A new Kingmaker must be appointed, and that appointment comes to me.”
“Yes,” Lucinda said with her usually calm. “I am aware of all that.”
“Add to that the replacement of King Frederick,” I went on. “A new king was to be chosen tonight. What are we going to do about that?”
“The thing that you must understand, dear Violet, is that your father was the first Kingmaker. No official decree was ever made as to who would follow in his footsteps. While it was widely assumed that his offspring would take over, it was never made official.”
Dumbfounded, I looked at her. “But, Father promised.”
“Did he?”
Again, I just looked at her. Had I been misled this whole time? Had I, too, simply assumed the role would come to me? I tried to remember conversations with my father; tried to remember a time when he might have clearly stated that I would one day take over.
It was suggested, implied, hoped for and wished for, but I had to concede; Killian Kingsbury, the Kingmaker for the last decades, had never explicitly said that I would automatically be named Kingmaker should anything ever happen to him.
“Did he?” Lucinda repeated.
I shook my head and thought back to a conversation with him.
One day, he had said, if you are found worthy, you may find yourself with the role of Kingmaker.
“If I was found worthy,” I muttered. “He said I had to be found worthy. Why had I ignored that portion of his statement? Naively, I simply latched onto the promise that I would be Kingmaker.”
“I’m happy to see that you finally understand.”
Pressing my lips together, I looked quizzically at her. “Lucinda. Do you think perhaps the men in that room do not wish to see me as Kingmaker because I am a girl? A woman?”
Lucinda chuckled, clearly amused. “I wish I could say that you were completely wrong, but, unfortunately, you may have a point. The men of these kingdoms have ruled for so long… I doubt they can imagine a woman in such a position of power and authority. I would think that the older men, especially, still consider women to be nothing more than wives and mothers.”
“What about the younger men?” I said. “They were all there, too. They voted against me.”
Looking sweetly at me, Lucinda considered that for a moment. “The younger men, princes… I have no doubt their vote against you is out of concern, not out of any antiquated notions of chauvinism.”
I pulled in a deep breath and stood to walk over to the window. The gardens, the forest, the sea and the islands beyond all pulled at me, beckoning me to keep order in the kingdom.
“What do I do now?” I asked quietly.
“You’ve already successfully accomplished the first part,” she said as she got up and came beside me. “You’ve tamed the spoiled child within you and have taken on a mature view of the situation. And now, you must prove to those men, young and old, that you are the best person for the role of Kingmaker; that you are the only person deserving of the title Kingmaker.”
“And how do I do that?”
“Lift your chin up high, child.” Lucinda put her fingers beneath my chin and tilted it up. “Accept the challenge before you. Tackle it with everything you have. Then… win.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“Oh, no. It will be far from simple. Changing the minds of all these royals in any circumstance is difficult and complicated. This will be no different.”
I looked doubtfully at her. “I believe that Kingmaker is my birthright. I just hope I can show all of them that I deserve it.”
Lucinda was silent for a long while. We both stared out at the sea as if seeking answers from the rolling waves.
“When I was about your age,” she finally said, “I thought I was the rightful heir to my father’s realm.”
I looked at her. She’d never discussed her childhood. For that matter, I suddenly realized that, beyond her time training me, I knew nothing about her.
“Your father?” I said. “Who was your father?”
“The Pirate King of China,” she said proudly. “My father ruled all the seas and waterways of China. He began modestly, with one ship. But he was so successful that one ship became ten, then ten ships became hundreds.”
Stunned, I looked at her.
“I was to become Pirate Queen.” Smiling, she gazed out onto the sea. “My father had made that abundantly clear. Over and over again, he would tell me how, one day, all the ships would be mine. I would rule the seas.”
“What happened?”
“He was ultimately betrayed by his closest friends. He was ambushed, cornered into a shallow cove where his ship ran aground. His crew then turned on him, stole the entire contents of the ship and boarded another pirate ship. My father was left to die stranded with no food or water.”
“Oh, Lucinda,” I said. “I’m so sorry. I never knew.”
“It wasn’t your place to know,” she said matter-of-factly. “These are not stories I openly share.”
“What did you do after your father’s death?”
“At first, I was like you. I was determined to take his place. After all, it was my birthright to be Pirate Queen.” She looked wistfully at the bright blue sky. “But it quickly became clear that it was not to be. Threats on my life were made. There were even a few fumbled attempts.”
Shocked, I gasped at the thought. “They tried to kill you over this?”
“Indeed. Being the ruler of the seas was a very coveted title. I decided I would have to give up the dream of that title. So, instead of becoming the Pirate Queen, I had to go into hiding if I didn’t want to get killed.”
“Where did you go?”
She smiled at looked up at me. “Here, dear.”
Smiling back at her, I was immensely pleased by her declaration.
“I took to the seas in a smaller and faster craft and weaseled my way out of the Asian seas. Initially, I had no idea where I was going. All I knew was that I had to go and keep going. When I discovered this cluster of islands, so remote, and seemingly unfriendly, I felt certain my enemies would never find me here.”
“We seemed unfriendly?” I said with surprise.
“Not the people,” she said. “The islands themselves. Most of the outer islands are impossible to approach. The sea beats relentlessly against high cliffs, or the shoreline is strewn with immense boulders. As I made my way deeper into the center of the islands, I found a welcoming shoreline.”
“Arcadia?”
Lucinda nodded. “Your father could have had me thrown off the island,” she said. “It certainly would have been his right. But he didn’t. He took me in. I learned a lot from your father, as I did from the fae who lived in the Forests of Arcadia. She taught me a lot about enchantment.”
“Fae?” I said with a skeptical gaze.
She smiled knowingly. “That’s a conversation for another time,” she offered.
I nodded. I wasn’t in the mood to discuss why I didn’t believe in faes.
“All this time,” I said softly. “I’ve been working with you, training with you, and I never knew. I never even thought to question you about your life. I feel so selfish.”
“You had no cause to question me, dear,” Lucinda said. “Your father appointment me as your trainer. My role was to teach you everything I knew about martial arts, and to keep an eye on you.”
“My father mentored y
ou,” I said. “I’m not sure why, but that makes me feel even closer to you than ever. Like a sister.”
“It pleases me to hear that, Violet. Having watched you grow up these last ten years, I’ve often felt like an older sister.”
“Have you ever considered getting revenge on those who took your father away from you?” I said.
She chuckled. “Every day. At first the vengeful fantasies were violent and bloody, but over the past few years, they’ve become tamer. My revenge may prove to be more mental than physical.”
“Do you know who’s responsible for his death?”
She looked at me with a gleam in her eye, a gleam I had never seen before. Slowly, she nodded. “The Pillager, he is called. About as ruthless and cruel as they come. It is said that every island he has ever landed on was left in ruins. Not only would he take any and all valuables, but he would rape the women, torture the men and take the children aboard as slaves.”
“Oh, my,” I said. “That’s horrible.”
“Yes,” Lucinda said with a heavy nod. “My father did everything he could to stop him, to rein him in. He said the Pillager was ruining everything for all pirates. I think the more my father fought him, the wilder and more demented the Pillager became.”
“I’m glad you were able to get away from him,” I said.
“As am I,” she said with a smile. “And, one day, when the moment is right, I will seek my revenge.”
I reached for her hand and squeezed. “And I hope that I can stand by your side and assist you. It would be my honor.”
Lucinda smiled. “Until that day comes, let us get you prepared. Your mind, body and soul.”
Chapter 12
After my long conversation with Lucinda, she allowed me to leave for lunch. I’d skipped breakfast due to the turmoil in my belly but was now famished. Sitting out on the patio beside the duck pond, I nibbled on a cucumber sandwich accompanied with a green salad, lemon water and a small slice of blueberry pie for dessert.
As I was finishing my last delicious bite of pie, Maryjane came up to the table. Still so painfully shy, she curtsied and looked expectantly at me, waiting for me to give her permission to speak.
“Hello, Maryjane,” I said, trying to sound as friendly and approachable as possible. “Do you have something to tell me?”
Blushing profusely, she nodded. “Pardon me, Miss, but I’ve been asked to come to you.”
“Really? By whom?”
“Sir Richard Honeywell,” she said.
I nodded wondering what Honeywell could possibly want now. “In the meeting room?”
“No, Miss,” Maryjane said. “He’s waiting for you in the banquet hall.”
Frowning, I looked at her. “Are you certain?”
“Positive, Miss Violet.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I’ll be there in a moment.”
Maryjane curtsied and walked away, leaving me staring at my empty dessert plate. Over and over again, I asked myself the same question. What did he want? But no matter how many times I asked it, no answer ever came.
“May as well get this over with,” I finally muttered to myself as I got up and headed to the banquet hall.
The room was filled with the royals who’d spent the night at the castle. Though properly attired, complete with swept up hair and fine jewels, most of the royals seemed tired and worried.
I looked at Honeywell at the front of the room, his stern face like a cold stone. My glance then went to his son, Henry. While stern, Henry’s face was filled with concern as he looked at me.
Without acknowledging him, or any of the other princes, I walked past them and took a seat to the side of the large room.
“I believe all the nobles and royals are present,” Honeywell said.
Amidst mutters and mumblings, everyone nodded.
“Is this the Choosing?” someone called out.
Honeywell shook his head. “Not quite.” He raised his chin and looked over the crowd. “As you all know, I am Sir Richard Honeywell. I am Killian Kingsbury’s right hand man; second in command, as it were.”
Nobles and royals mumbled loudly.
“Unfortunately, we’ve had a few strange occurrences overnight. Circumstances regarding the Choosing have left us no other choice than to postpone the ceremony.”
“What?” someone called out.
“What do you mean postponed?” another shouted. “For how long? When will there be a new king?”
“Please, everyone,” Honeywell said, waving his hands down to calm them. “Settle down. Settle down.”
“What’s going on?”
“The Kingmaker has been injured, as has the King of Islandia.”
Horrified gasps filled the room. A few women even began to cry.
“Both are recuperating,” Honeywell said reassuringly. “But you will all agree, that under the circumstances, the best thing to do is to delay the Choosing, that is with regards to King Frederick’s successor. For the time being, we must put our efforts elsewhere.”
“Where?” someone said.
“We have to look at the possibility of choosing a new king of Islandia,” Honeywell said.
I glanced at Axel and his mother, the queen, seated nearby. Their faces somber, they did not look at Honeywell as he made his statement.
“If the Kingmaker is incapacitated,” a noble queen said, “who is going to choose the king of Islandia?”
Honeywell gazed down at her, then back up to the crowd. “An interim Kingmaker must be appointed.”
“Appointed?”
I heard the surprised voice behind me and glanced back to see Princess Jarely.
“I thought she was to become the Kingmaker,” Princess Jarely said, pointing at me.
“I want to set up a special council,” Honeywell went on. “It will be comprised of Kings who will prepare a series of challenges.”
“Why kings?” I asked. “Why not the queens and princesses?”
Honeywell ignored me.
“Anyone wishing to take part, please submit your name, title, kingdom and the reason you believe you are best suited for the role of Kingmaker.” He pointed to a man standing to his left. “Please give your submission to Antoine, my aid.”
As the meeting came to an end, a stream of young men made their way to Antoine to submit their name. As I watched them, one by one , give their information, I grew increasingly frustrated. Why were no women coming forward? I turned to ask Princess Jarely why she didn’t try out to become interim Kingmaker, but she was already gone; already off to chat with the other princesses.
Well, so much for that, I thought as I stood and went to the end of the line. The men in front of me discussed among themselves their reasons for applying. Some thought they had good judgment, others claimed to have the ability to read the sincerity of a future king. A few admitted to simply enjoying the idea of such power and authority.
Two young men got in line behind me.
“Who is going to be on the special council?” one said.
I tuned in more acutely to what they were saying. I, too, wanted to know who was going to be in charge of this whole thing.
“I heard a few names going around,” the other answered.
“Like who?”
“Ollie.”
“You mean Prince Oliver?”
“Well, not him exactly. I believe his father, the King of his kingdom will take part. Also Prince Reginald’s father.”
Chapter 13
Violet
Later that afternoon, the first competition was set to begin. In my room, I weighed my fashion options. My dressing room was filled with comfortable and functional clothes, but I also had a nice array of simple day gowns and some very luxurious evening gowns.
I looked through the pretty day gowns and stopped to pull out two choices. A striking purple dress with a daring neckline and clingy skirt and a more somber navy dress with a very formal cut and unimpressive adornments.
Did I want to walk into that competiti
on as one of the guys or as a shining diamond?
Diamond!
I wanted to shine. I wanted to stand out. I wanted every man in that room to see me, look at me, contemplate me.
Today’s competition was to be one of strategy and intellect. Well, part of my strategy was to distract them. I wanted to break their concentration, throw them off, make them whimper.
Yes, I thought as I set the navy dress on the chaise lounge in my dressing room and held the purple one up in front of me. My violet eyes danced. They were brilliant, their deep hue enhanced by the shimmer of the gown.
Throw them off, indeed.
Foregoing the help of my maid, I slowly dressed, reveling in the anticipation. The dress was tight, pushing my breasts up and cinching my waist. The skirt, though fluid, hugged my hips as I walked and showed off the sumptuous round curve of my back side.
Looking into the full length mirror, I smiled. There was definitely something classy about the dress – the fine fabric, the expert cut and the flawless confection – but it also amplified my femininity.
Jewels, I thought. What enticing gem could I dangle over my bosom? A brilliant white diamond? Too much. A sapphire or ruby? Clashed too much.
Rummaging through my jewelry box, I came upon a canary diamond. It sparkled like the sun on a cool winter’s day. The yellow contrasted perfectly with the deep purple of my gown. I added drop earrings and a few fine bracelets.
Though I rarely relied on makeup, I decided to add a little more shine to my overall appearance. I shadowed my eyelids with a deep, dark, almost black, purple, careful to highlight the ridge of my eyes with a lighter lavender. I then added a tasteful sprinkling of glitter. My lips, naturally full, were plumped up further with a shimmering gloss that tasted like cherry.
“Try to beat me now,” I said to my reflection.
I left my room and sashayed down the corridor to the banquet hall. Still a good distance from the competition, I could hear the muffled chatter of onlookers.
“Miss Violet,” Honeywell said when I reached the threshold of the banquet hall. “I was afraid you might have chosen to back out of the competition.”
“Never, Honeywell,” I said with a slight upward tilt of my head. “I look forward to it. I just hope I don’t put too many of the competitors to shame.”
