Memoirs of a King
Page 8
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I had already decided that I was going to go public with the whole sordid affair and attempt to detain Aksel and Helina on the grounds of abuse of power. I have several prominent generals in my pocket who are loyal to me above my father, who would have helped make my plan a reality. There was no way I could dethrone the king without the backup and support of the military.
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This, however, was an unexpected boon. The people themselves were demanding I be reinstated as heir to the throne. They were refusing Paavo as the next choice to lead Latvala and making it quite clear no one would do but me.
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Sensing an advantage, we departed Mattias’s holding and did the unthinkable. We went to see the people directly. I held Chey’s hand while Mattias flanked her on the other side and we immersed ourselves in the crowds.
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Fearless, bold, undaunted.
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We greeted the people, shook hands, thanked them for their support. Chey received a very warm welcome, which was a balm to my aching heart. They had not forgotten her selfless act at the wharf that day, when she helped an injured child and came to the aid of a woman who might have otherwise drowned. We spent hours among the people, listening to their insistence that I be reinstalled in the line of succession.
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They will all find out soon enough that I am not the legal heir.
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I will be curious to see if the same citizens gather to support me when the truth comes out.
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Sander
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The Takeover
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We stormed the castle not with swords and chain mail but with machine guns and the element of surprise. The generals loyal to me had a small army waiting, and once we were in the gate, their men overtook the regular guards. I had Aksel and Helina detained and sent to separate rooms.
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No one stopped me.
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Then it was on to the council, where I specifically and explicitly detailed the extremes of my father’s actions. While the advisors and councilmen were shocked to hear the story, especially about Laur, they still ruled against me. By law, a bastard cannot sit on Latvala’s throne. It was close, though. Many advisors and council members voted in my favor after I spent an hour fighting my cause. There were just enough votes to overrule them; thus, Mattias will become the next king of our country instead of Paavo. Mattias is the legal next in line, and most of the advisors understand that Paavo is unfit to lead.
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I am not bitter about the outcome, but I do not yet know how to reconcile my fate to what I have worked for all my life. It will come, I suppose. Change must happen slowly, in this case. I have not been told whether I will retain the title of prince, or whether I will be stripped of everything except the mantle of bastard. I guess it’s a good thing I know how to make a living doing something else besides being king.
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Sander
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Winds of Change
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It is often said that you reap what you sow. I have always believed in honor and loyalty, and that people are humans above all else, deserving of respect and dignity. I have made it a point in my life to include the citizens of Latvala in my personal circle; I go out among them, work with them, talk with them.
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That respect has come back tenfold.
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During and after my speech at the Monument of Kings, the citizens (shocked at the news I delivered of Laur and my father) shouted their support of me, despite the details of my lineage. Hundreds of people rushed the dais with flowers and signs and gifts, all desperately begging me not to abandon the throne.
* * *
If they only knew how badly I want to give them their wish. But the law is the law, and eventually Chey and I made our way home. The scandal that has rocked Latvala over Aksel and Helina’s cruelty, along with my removal from the line of succession, has been fierce. It will be for some time. We knew it would be this way, and I chose to sequester myself at Kallaster Castle with Chey during the fallout.
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Two days after my speech, Chey and I flew to the mainland to attend Laur’s funeral.
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I have been unbelievably sorrowful over his death. I have grieved, am still grieving. Such a fine man deserved a better life.
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At least in death he will receive the honors that should have been bestowed upon him from the beginning. I ordered him a headstone and he will be buried in the royal cemetery. It’s where he belongs, after all.
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Just as the ceremony was ending, Mattias received an unexpected call.
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It was a shocking call, one that rattled me to the core.
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The king of Latvala, Aksel Ahtissari, was dead.
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A million things went through my mind. Who? When? Why? Where? I’d be lying if I didn’t think that someone, if not a lot of someones were already wondering if I’d ordered a hit.
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Mattias and I exchanged a look that spoke volumes: He was now the king of Latvala. By order of the court, according to law and unanimous vote, my brother would take the throne.
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We went back to the castle and attended a meeting with the primary council members. My father’s death was a mystery. There had been no sign of forced entry into his suite, no strangers in the hall or on the premises, no sounds of struggle from within.
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Mattias asked whether it was suicide, a good question considering the public debacle that was sweeping the country.
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No one knows. The death is still too new and investigations are ongoing.
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The next shock came when the councilmen informed us that they had been inundated with calls, letters, and emails all morning regarding the successor to the crown. This was before the death—the public does not yet know. The councilmen indicated that the citizens have threatened revolt, strikes, and all other manner of disruption if their voices are not heard.
* * *
They do not want anyone on the throne but me.
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And so it came down to an impossible situation. They gave Mattias the choice: either step up and rule, or relinquish the title to me. Mattias did not hesitate even for a breath of a second. He formally relinquished all right to the throne.
* * *
In that room, in that moment, I became king of Latvala.
* * *
I am king of Latvala. The role I was born and bred for. The role I fought for.
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There is another role I will take on in about seven months’ time as well.
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The role of father.
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Chey is pregnant.
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I couldn’t have ever imagined things would turn out this way. Aksel is gone, his death probably nothing more sinister than a heart attack from all the recent stress. We’ll find out for sure soon enough. Helina will remain banned and sent far from the family seat to live out the rest of her life. Somewhere distant enough that she won’t have access to my children. I will work hard to repair whatever damage has been done to our reputation as a family and country.
* * *
I have a lot of work to do, but I am, as ever, up to the challenge.
* * *
Sander, King of Latvala
About the Author
Born and raised in Corona California, Danielle now resides in Texas with her husband and two sons. She has been writing for as long as she can remember, penning works in a number of genres. To date, she has published twenty-four novels and nine short stories. Her interests vary wildly: reading, traveling, photography, graphic art and baking, among others.
Visit the author's website for
news, updates and giveaways:
www.daniellebourdon.com
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Also by Danielle Bourdon
Romance/Romantic Suspense
Heir Untamed (Royals Book 1)
King and Kingdom (Royals Book 2)
Heir in Exile (Royals Book 3)
The King Takes a Bride (Royals Book 4)
The Wrath of the King (Royals Book 5)
A Royal Legacy (Royals Book 6)
A King’s Crusade (Royals Book 7)
Latvala Royals: Bloodlines (Royals Book 8)
Memoirs of a King (A Royals Novella)
* * *
The Royal Elite
Mattias
Ahsan
Chayton
Leander
* * *
Romantic Suspense
Escaping Vegas (Book 1)
Rendezvous in Rio (Book 2)
A Dangerous Tryst (Book 3)
* * *
Contemporary Romance
I'll Say Anything (Book 1)
I'll Do Anything (Book 2)
Superstar
* * *
Urban Fantasy/Romance
Sin and Sacrifice (Book 1)
Templar's Creed (Book 2)
The Seven Seals (Book 3)
* * *
Thriller/Mystery
Society of the Nines (Book 1)
Violin Song (Book 2)
Vengeance for the Dead (Book 3)
The Starsight Project
* * *
Fantasy/Young Adult
The Fate of Destiny (Book 1)
The Fate of Chaos (Book 2)
The Reign of Mayhem (Book 3)
A Crisis of Fate (Book 4)
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Paranormal Romance
Bound by Blood