Sin of the Fathers: Chapter 1

It had been four days since the bomb, set by an anarchist, had killed her father and the other kings and their wives. Now she sat by her mother’s bed and waited for her to wake again. Her mother had a concussion, several broken ribs, and a broken arm and leg. At first she had been too shocked and upset, but now she began to think about what would happen to the kingdom. She was the king’s only child. Would she be Queen? Her father had taught her a lot about ruling, but was she ready? Who else was there? She soon came to the cold realization that there was no one else. Only her cousin Fred, but he had a drinking problem and he was known for his violent character. No, she had to rule, for her father, for everything he had believed in. She had to be strong for her mother and for the people, no, for her people.

Her mother began to stir and she called for the doctor. “Mom, Mom.” She said hoping that her mother would finally wake.

“Cassie?” her mother sighed. “Where is your father? No, I know he was in the explosion.”

“He’s not coming back,” Her mother signed at this. Cassandra wondered what she was thinking. They were starting a new life, life without the king, life without her father. She didn’t know which was more frightening.

“She is finally awake.” Said the doctor walking to the white hospital room.

During the medical exams Cassandra wondered how she could bring up the subject of ruling. Finally after the doctor was done, she asked her mother simply, “Will I be Queen now?”

“Yes,” her mother said quickly. “We must do this. To save the country you must have the crown.”

*          *          *

Tears stung Anastasia’s eyes as she stood by her parents’ fresh graves. The service was over but she didn’t want to leave. She pulled her black cloak around her more tightly as her brother put his arm around her. So many eyes, the guards, the passer-bys come to see their king buried; she couldn’t even cry in private. She didn’t want to cry in front of her people, but the tears slid down her face and wet her long, blond braids. Her brother, now the king, led her slowly back towards the palace. Her black silk dress rustled as she walked, and she looked back at the grave covered with flowers. The massive seas of flowers stretched five yards from where her parents were buried and more had been littered in front of the castle. She stopped suddenly unable to keep going.

“Come on Ana,” whispered Sam, her brother. “We can’t stay here.”

She knew he was right and kept going even though with every step she left her childhood farther behind. Sam gently escorted her to her chambers. She lay on her bed sobbing for a while until she finally fell asleep.

Sam left his crying sister and began to prepare for another funeral. His head ached, he was exhausted and emotionally drained from his parents’ funeral but he knew that whoever was ruling Quazypoor must not be offended. He donned a black robe, a silver crown and a steel sword with a silver hilt.

As soon as he walked back out to the royal burial ground, sitting right on the border of the two lands, he saw the stark contrast between the two fresh graves. His father’s was littered with flowers, people still standing in line to pay respects. Only a few feet away was the grave of another king, a cruel king, the kind of man who would use women, who would spend the people’s money on himself. He looked at the grave totally devoid of flowers; no subjects mourned this death.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the royal procession and her. Even after all this time her beauty still went to his head, but he would never be made her slave again. She stopped and looked at him. Long, long ago he had learned how to hide his inner turmoil behind a mask, and he was glad for this now. She stopped and her litter was let down. Everyone in her procession bowed. Seeing his guards did not he snapped his fingers. Obviously loathed to do so yet unbendingly loyal to their king they all went down on one knee. He made a cold bow and the procession moved on.

The service for the king moved quickly. There were very few people who cared for his death. The queen’s service went on a little longer, there were still those who remembered her as she had been before her husband broke her heart and changed her to a cold, cruel, and rigid person. In fact it seemed that the only one truly grieving for the king was his son. Sam looked him over. The prince was about five ten, muscular, with black hair and brown eyes. You could see the pain on his face. Not everything Sam had heard about him was good though. He was a reckless chariot driver, and his servants didn’t have very easy lives.

Alarm bells went off in his head as he saw her walking toward him. “Samuel, the king. Well you look handsome. Have you thought about us?”

“The only us there ever was ended two years ago.” He said fighting to remain cool.

“You will regret that. We would have had all the power.” her voice was like a dagger of ice. “But now I will have it all. After I win the war that is.”

“War?” Sam asked shocked.

“Yes, this could have been so easy.” She sneered, “Now men will have to die and I will have both kingdoms anyway. I am already the Queen of Quazypoor.”

“What about your brother? Shouldn’t he be king?” Sam asked. Grasping at straws while covering his shock under the mask he had become so skilled at creating.

“Edles? That spineless excuse for a prince? Sammy, you know me better than that. Can you honestly believe that I will be challenged by Him?” Her words were spiteful.

Suddenly Sam realized that being king would be more difficult than he, or even his father had ever thought. Sam left; he needed to think it over and make preparations. Sam and his guards walked through the first gate. looking up he recognized the wall guard as William, one of the few friends he and Ana had had as children. He waved.

“Hey Sam,” Will yelled down. “How did it go?”

Sam shook his head. Will immediately understood. It hadn’t gone well and Sam couldn’t talk about it now. Will knew that when his shift was over he would have to go ask Sam about it. He had to support his friend no matter how uncomfortable he felt around Ana.

Sam walked past the beautiful gardens and orchards, hardly seeing them. The giant gates of the second wall opened slowly and the portcullis was lifted. Sam walked through the limestone arch dismissed his guard to their barracks behind the castle. Seeing a boy walking past he sent him off to tell the lords and generals to come to a council in two hours.

Sam walked into the room that he had been his since he was a little boy. He ran his fingers over the model boats on the stuffed bookcases. He stepped on the familiar blue carpet as his eye passed over the oak dresser, the closet, and the desk. He had expected to live in this room for maybe thirty more years. Tomorrow he would move to the room of the king, the room that his parents had lived in. At nineteen he would take on the responsibility of running a nation and, even more daunting, the responsibility of a nation at war.

Sam sat down on the edge of his bed and held his aching head in his hands. He didn’t hear the door open or his sister’s steps as she came in. He looked up quickly as she put her hand on his shoulder. Ana’s eyes were red from crying, and her hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed but the hopelessness that had been in her eyes had been replaced by a determination, so strong it could overcome mountains.

“You should have told me where you were going. I would have come too.” She said softly.

He smiled at her, “Why do you think I kept it from you? I didn’t want to put you through that.” His smile quickly faded as he remembered Sapphira’s threats. “Ana, I think we maybe on the verge of war. Sapphira said if I don’t marry her,” he left the sentence unfinished and saw in Ana’s eyes that she was hurting for him. “This is all my fault if I hadn’t…”

“No,” Ana interrupted firmly. “What you did was wrong but it did not cause this. Sapphira is obsessed with power. She would want both kingdoms even if things had been different two years ago.”

Sam sighed, “I just don’t know.”

“Well I do know something. You need rest! You look horrible.” Ana said quickly.

“Oh, well, I have a council in an hour and a half.” Sam massaged his temples and wished his head would stop aching.

“I’ll wake you up. Now try to sleep.” Said Ana as she closed the wooden blinds around the room.

“I guess… but you have to wake me up.” Sighed Sam.

“Relax,” laughed Ana as she snuffed out the blue candles. “Can they start without the king?”

Ana decided to make sure Sam got enough sleep so she sat on the red silk couch and tried to read a book taken out of one of the many mahogany books that lined the hallway. After about twenty minutes Ana heard a step in the hallway. She looked up expecting to see a chambermaid but it was William.

Will gasped; his heart was going at a hundred miles an hour. It was Ana. Even though her hair was unbrushed and she was only wearing unadorned white linen she seemed more beautiful than any woman he had ever seen before. He wanted to run up to her and tell her he loved her. But he didn’t; he would never do that. Guards and princesses didn’t get together. He wished things could be simple like when they were children. He saw her red eyes and knew she had been crying. He wanted to comfort her, but then he would forget all the reasons that they could never be together.

“I…I came to see Sam.” Will stuttered.

“He wasn’t feeling well so I told him to sleep.” Said Ana quickly.

“Oh, I’ll…come back later.” Said Will as he began to walk away.

“Will,” said Ana running up beside him. “It just seems like I never see you any more.”

“Oh, yeah, um, I’ve been really busy,” Stuttered Will.

“Oh,” said Ana sadly. “Well bye then.”

“Bye,” Said Will.

All Ana could see was his swaying red hair and his worn brown boots quickly walking down the hall. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was avoiding her. Ana sighed and sat down to resume reading.

*          *          *

“What do you mean she can’t be queen?” Said Sabrina as she pounded her good fist emphatically on the marble table.

“My lady it is simple that while your daughter does have her supporters most of the people believe that our country needs a strong man to rule. Many now support her cousin.” Said the lord Rogus.

“You know why Fredrick can’t rule.” She said angrily.

“Which is why we came to the conclusion that the Lady Cassandra should, well…” Sir Belgun’s voice was apologetic.

“Marry the lord Fredrick.” Duke Gonda finished the sentence uncomfotablely.

“What,” said Sabrina. “She’s only sixteen! And Fredrick?”

“We simply believe that this would be the most… well that this would be best for the country.” Said Sir Belgun.

“Just think about it, supporters of Fredrick of your daughter united.” Said Lord Rogus his foot tapping nervously on the green tiled floor.

“All I can see in my daughter and Fredrick united.” And its not pretty Sabrina thought as soon as the words left her lips.

“We understand your desire to protect your daughter.” Said Duke Gonda trying to sound sympathetic.

“But we must think of the entire nation.”  Sir Belgun Finished fearfully.

“They’re cousins!” Said Sabrina upset now. “Our laws forbid this Union.”

“Well,” said Duke Gonda uncomfortably.

“We did a little research,” said Lord Rogus timidly as if unwilling to face the full wrath of his queen.

“And we found that they are not really first cousins.” Sir Belgun finished Quickly.

“But they share a Grandfather,” protested Sabrina.

“You’re right, but they don’t share a Grandmother. King Katon’s first wife died so he married again.” Said the Duke.

“Therefore they have the same genetic relation to each other as second cousins do.” Said Lord Rogus looking pleased with him self.

“The marriage of second cousins is discouraged but not totally outlawed.” Finished Sir Belgun proudly.

“My husband never would have wanted this for her,” said Sabrina wondering if she had any choice, any power to protect her child. Her unspoken question was immediately answered.

“We have discussed this at great length.” Lord Rogus’s usually blustering voice had a hard edge to it.

“This is what is best,” said Duke Gonda coldly.

“You do not have the power to stand in the way of the nation.” Sir Belgun’s voice was filled with ice and danger.

The meeting was over. There was nothing else to say. There were no choices. A sixteen-year-old girl would be sacrificed.

Cassie had heard every word. She was looking for an earring she had lost and saw it on the floor right next to the room where the discussion was going on. As she knelt to pick it up she heard her mother’s voice raised in anger, something she hardly ever heard. Tears sprung to her eyes as she slowly realized what they were discussing her. As she heard the meeting adjourn she ran into a small chamber on the left. She heard her mother pass and looked around. At first it looked like any unoccupied room, the mahogany furniture, the plush green rug, the rich forest green curtains. But it took only moments to realize where she was, the Duke’s personal apartments. Just as she was about to leave she heard a footstep at the door and heard the duke’s unmistakable voice.