Bram

I am dreaming. This is some terrible, bizarre dream from which I will awaken shortly. I’m not supposed to be a Prince! I’m a librarian!

Prince Leander and Duke Aurel are turning the pages in the Book of the Constitution, trying to find a loophole. There’s been talk of swearing everyone in the room to secrecy and asking the question again. I certainly wouldn’t mind that, but the Archbishop is clear that he will not lie about such matters.

A King is declared a King in front of God, apparently, and the vows are just as important as marriage.

“This is an outrage! It must be undone immediately!” Duke Aurel is shouting. I shrink against the wall to stay out of the way of his rage. I don’t especially want to be caught up in this.

“It cannot be,” the Archbishop says, his tone as final as a tombstone. “My role as head of the Church of Svaltova is to crown the King as laid out in the Acts of Divine Succession in 1483 and-”

“That was five hundred years ago!” Duke Aurel snarls. “A lot has changed since 1483!”

“Not legally, and not before God,” the Archbishop sniffs. “You are asking me to go against my vows to the Church, and that is something I am not prepared to do. As Archbishop of Svaltova, it is my God-given duty to-”

“You old-”

“The last King to interfere with the rights of the Church ended up in a very precarious situation regarding a dungeon and a confession to being illegitimate, if I remember correctly?” The Archbishop raises an eyebrow. “Is that the way we wish for things to go this time, Duke Aurel?”

That seems to shut Duke Aurel up for the mean time at least.

“There must be something we can do,” Leander says. His hands are shaking.

“Leander must be on the throne. My brother and I worked hard to ensure that Leander would be a fine example of the monarchy for the modern age! It can’t go to this interloper!” Aurel casts me a dirty look. “You know the Yuranians will not be happy to find that their plans for a union have been thwarted. The betrothal was confirmed!”

The Archbishop inclines his head. “Be that as it may, Duke Aurel, my hands are tied in the matter. Leander has abdicated. It was the Crown’s own incompetence that got us here. If you take the credit for raising Leander to be King, then you must also take responsibility for the lack of regard he has for the rules and vows of Kingship.”

“Your Highness, we should not waste time in preparing. There is a lot to do.”

I don’t realise that the large, hulking bodyguard is talking to me at first. Not until he puts his hand on my shoulder.

“What do you mean? I think we should probably stay here and find-” I say but the bodyguard shakes his head.

“You know as well as I do what has happened here. Don’t tell me you haven’t read every book in the Royal Library,” he says.

It’s true, though I wonder how he knows that. Maybe it’s just his business to know everything about everyone for security purposes. Yet even knowing the constitution inside out as I do, and knowing that Prince Leander’s flippant answer does break all royal protocols, I can’t find it in myself to believe what just happened.

“Why doesn’t he just abdicate and nominate me?” Prince Leander suggests.

I’ve always thought that the Prince has a delicate face. High cheekbones and a strong, thin nose. In his blind panic, that elfin beauty hasn’t disappeared, but it looks out of place. He looks like a child who doesn’t quite know what to do, his eyes wide and wild.

“I can’t,” I say, unhappily. “Once your abdication was made, it cannot be withdrawn. You can never be King.”

“This is preposterous! Our family has ruled Svaltova for over three hundred years!” Duke Aurel snarls, turning to the Archbishop. “It can’t just be handed over to some peasant because of a flippant remark! Find a way around it.”

“Your Highness, you are the expert on the Constitution. Is there a way around it?” the bodyguard asks me. I shake my head.

“N-not that I know of.” I swallow. “The only way that an abdicated royal could re-enter the royal family would be through marriage to a member of the current line of succession. But I only have a brother, and his children are far too young-”

“How old?” Duke Aurel asks sharply.

I am deeply disturbed by the implication of the question. When my mind flies to Lotte, I become even more determined not to let this man know anything of my family.

“The eldest is six.”

Prince Leander sinks into the chair of his father’s desk, putting his head in his hands. He starts to laugh. The sound has a hysterical edge to it, sharp and high-pitched. It’s not how I imagined Prince Leander’s laugh sounding at all.

“The old man would have loved this!” he says, laughing even harder. I think he’s lost it.

“Jack,” the bodyguard says. I can see the Earl of Dencer was inching his way to the door. “Would you be so kind as to take Prince Bram to a room in the royal suite? He will need his rest for tomorrow.”

Jack looks like he wants to do nothing more than escape, but he nods his head quickly. Prince Leander is looking at him like he’s committed treason.

“U-um. Good night?” I offer to the room, hesitantly. I’m aware that I’ve been dismissed and should leave it to them.

“Good night, Your Highness.” The bodyguard takes me by the elbow to the door and shuts me out.