06/04/2020- A Royal’s Place

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨.⁣

⁣

This was the only thing that was bouncing around in her head as she sat, slouched with exhaustion in the office she was waiting to meet the King in. She rarely ever acknowledged feeling tired, but this time it was special. Her limbs were heavier than she had ever thought possible. Even if she wanted to sit respectably to meet the ruler of the country, she would be unable to.⁣

𝘏𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘖𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶.⁣

⁣

“Adelaide. You are here.” a commanding yet jovial voice interrupted her thought, and she barely turned her head to see the king walk in.⁣

She did not rise and give him a bow. She was too angry for that.⁣

“How 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐞 you! Will you not stand and pay respects to His Majesty?!!” The King’s guard shouted, his hand quickly grasping the hilt of his sword. “Now now, Richter. I’ve been told that Adelaide is still recovering from the wounds she got on the battlefield. Remain seated.” The king chuckled, turning to her. She simply started at him with smoldering wrath.⁣

𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨.⁣

⁣

“I called you here to discuss your new office.”⁣

“The Seat of the Archmage Supremus can only be taken by a member of the Royal Family. You’re not my dad, or my uncle, or my grandfather, so I’m not legitimate.” Adelaide cut straight to the point. She really couldn’t be bothered to entertain anything else. The king stared at her silently, his face neutral.⁣

⁣

“There has been no royal born with exceptional magical ability in ninety-three years. Sometimes we’ve got to adapt to new truths.”⁣

“And the daughter of a concubine from a Marquis house is fit for the job, yeah?”⁣

To this he laughed. He did not know it, but Adelaide 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 him. In the list of individuals she would love to strangle with their own intestines, he was easily in the top ten. Right up there with her father’s wife and half-sister. His part in her previous life’s end was not insignificant. In fact, he was the authority that allowed it to happen. Working under him would be something that Adelaide simply could not bear. She was already shit at holding herself back. She wasn’t suited to walking on eggshells around the delicate ego of spoon-fed Royals.⁣

⁣

“You fulfill the biggest requirement of the position, Adelaide. Your skill in the art of magic is unparalleled. Even the wise mages that heard of your feats could not believe a single person executed such complex and powerful spells. You are a rare genius that is seen only once in one hundred years.”⁣

“Hard work, determination and 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞. Not latent talent, Your Majesty. There’s a difference.” She growled. “But that doesn’t matter. A seat meant to be held by a Royal is exclusive. No amount of hard work can earn that. And we both know it. So this appointment—“⁣

“Is legitimate. Hand Lady Adelaide the documents, Richter.” The king smoothly interjected, signaling his guard to step forward with a crisp envelope.⁣

⁣

Adelaide snatched it from the hands of the barely self-restrained Knight and tore it open unceremoniously. Yes. She would not behave in the presence of the King. 𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺. Pulling out the paper, she unfolded it and lazily read its contents. And then her jaw dropped again. 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺.⁣

⁣

“You’re insane, Your Majesty.”⁣

“Welcome to our family, Adelaide.”⁣

“No way. That crown on your head must have messed it up big time.”⁣

“We are very glad to have you,” she saw his face break into a calm smile. “as an 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲.”

//I was very shocked to find out that I don’t have pictures of Adelaide being very very angry. I’m honestly shocked.//