309: In line for the throne (part 1)

In line for the throne (part 1)

The last memory etched in her mind was the invasion that had torn through their home, leading to her eventual abduction.2

"…Did the fire leave anything behind?" she inquired.

Her father's somber demeanor was enough to make her throat constrict with unease, and there was only one remaining question she needed to ask to determine if her ordeal had truly come to an end.

"Is he dead?"

"Why are you asking about that man?"  Egon's entrance disrupted the moment, his voice dripping with anger as he abandoned the customary greetings, his crimson eyes ablaze.

Adela flushed, "I…I wounded him, and then-"

Egon's expression silenced her.

"Do you truly believe that a wound as superficial as that could have ended his life?"

Obviously not.

"I had the impression that he was severely injured, but I may have imagined things..."

"You did not." The Archduke's sharp retort was aimed at Egon who remained stationed at the door. "Now, please, continue what you were saying before the interruption."

Desolation weighed down Adela's heart as she watched her father and her husband glaring at each other just like the old days. She needed to clarify her intentions for asking the question.

"The counselors must surely be aware of my escape by now. I'm just contemplating the potential diplomatic ramifications."

Or worse, the eruption of a full-blown war.

Kaiser shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "You appeared to be someone else when you injured him."

Glancing at Larissa and the Archduchess, Adela knew that they were hearing this information for the first time.

"His men were the ones who made me look like that in the first place, Father, they know that it was Adelaide de Lanark von Conradie who stabbed their Monarch."

"Why are we wasting our time on this matter?" Egon's angry voice resonated through his room.

Kaiser rose from his seat, his expression firm. "Sir Egon, I will not condone such aggression in the presence of my family."

Egon's lips curled into a disrespectful smirk. "Am I not considered part of your family, Your Excellency?"

The anger in the Archduke's blue eyes waned, replaced by confusion. "What kind of question is that?"

"It's a legitimate question that deserves an answer," Egon retorted.

Kaiser let out a sigh and placed his hand over his left arm, clutching it momentarily. "My daughters' husbands are like sons to me. Regardless of whether you are married to Adelaide, I hold deep respect for you."

Egon assessed the sincerity in the Archduke's words, finding no fault in them, he turned his gaze toward Adela.

"Whether they know who you are or not, how can that be a concern to you? It is them who should be shaking with fear right now. Where is your pride when you most need it?"

His final words felt like a dagger in her back. While it might have been one thing for them to argue openly if they were alone, it was another matter entirely for him to disrespect her like that in front of her family, especially her father. This was something she couldn't tolerate, regardless of the circumstances or his emotional state.

"My pride, as you are well aware of, is immeasurable. Perhaps my husband takes issue with my intelligence?"

She drew in a deep breath, making a concerted effort to calm herself down in an attempt to defuse the tense situation.

"I had actually planned to discuss this matter with my father to avoid upsetting you, perhaps His Excellency and I can discuss it privately."

If she knew him at all, there was a glimmer of fear behind his fiery red eyes for a fleeting moment.

"Excuse me, then, Your Ladyship," he said, turning to leave but then changing his mind and stopping.

"Regarding your earlier question, Your Ladyship," he continued with a hint of sarcasm, "Your true home awaits your arrival in Latora. That's where we should have gone in the first place. But instead, you're left here in Lanark because of some misguided and unreliable Oracle's prophecy."

Adela bit her lower lip when Egon looked nowhere near done.

"The Kings around you have turned into rivals! One attempting to spill your blood and the other resorting to kidnapping in the name of protecting you. What a brilliant plan it was to leave you here in Lanark throughout all of that?"

The tension in the room flared up, and Adela was trapped in between two lines of fire, her mother had bluntly blamed Egon for what happened to her in Varinthia which is most likely why her husband made an entrance, while Egon blamed her father for confining them to Lanark.

"Now that both Kings have departed, may I assume it's fair for me to take my wife and leave, Your Excellency?" He taunted.

This again... But at least it was a misunderstanding Adela could clarify between her father and her husband.

She gazed up at Kaiser, who wore a puzzled expression, and explained, "Egon believes that the reason you didn't want me to leave Lanark was due to doubts about Aldric being the King from the prophecy."

Kaiser's eyes gleamed with recognition, then his countenance switched from defensive to offensive.

"Son, it seems you're reverting to your old habits. When in doubt, I urge you to come to me so we can clear up any misunderstandings and avoid unnecessary conflicts."

"Unnecessary?" Egon questioned, as if he couldn't believe Kaiser had used that word.

"Yes, unnecessary. Don't misunderstand me. The Oracle's prophecies are as valid as Healers' magic. We've lived long enough to witness their accuracy, and you will too," Kaiser sighed. "I asked you to stay in Lanark because of this prophecy, as I believe the identity of the King in the Oracle is..."

Adela held her breath, her heart racing. She wanted to etch this moment into her memory, the moment when Kaiser would claim the throne of Emoria.

"Irrelevant." Kaiser declared.

With the exception of the Archduchess who nodded proudly at her husband, Larissa, Egon, and Adela all wore matching frowns. Grace squared her shoulders, preparing to share with Adela what she and the Archduke had long agreed upon.

"Adelaide, my dear sister and the person I named my daughter after used to say that she sees things with a distorted lens, as people's decisions can shape the future, or..."

Grace glanced at Larissa with a grave expression.

"...Or Oracles can deliver the message in a way that would influence the future according to their desires."

She locked eyes with Adela after that.

"Your father and I, along with Sir Gustav and the knights of both Orders... We believe that the royal protection mentioned in the Oracle's prophecy was meant to be passed on or inherited by you."

Everyone frowned again as they turned their attention to Kaiser, waiting for a clearer explanation.

"You should be Queen, Adelaide," Kaiser said.

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