C2 Chapter 02

Yanni was furious. Ruth had just confirmed that what Yanni had been thinking this entire time. Her stepmother was never planning to allow her to take over the throne. She felt stupid that she didn’t see that Ruth was so power-hungry.

Yanni was devastated when she lost her father. She was only a teenager then, and Ruth was never able to replace him, not that she could anyway. It had always just been the two of them: Yanni and her devoted father. Yanni didn’t remember much of her mother, and when Ruth entered her life, she never showed her any motherly love or affection.

The truth was that the crown had always belonged to Yanni; she was in line for the throne unless… unless the people objected to it.

She remembered a conversation that she had overheard between her stepmother and Thomas, one of the court’s advisors. He said that Yanni needed to gain the respect of the people first before she could ever rule.

Seconds later, Yanni decided that she didn’t need to talk to Ruth anymore. She was planning to take matters into her own hands. She wasn’t going to be influenced by her stepmother or her magic any longer. Anger burned its way through her as she tried to make sense of what was going on.

She didn’t know why Ruth hated her so much. She had never done anything to the woman. It wasn’t as if she ever thought about becoming Queen before she was ready. Now, she truly wanted to rule because she cared about her people and she was afraid of what Ruth might have planned, not only for, but her kingdom as well. Her father was a fair, strong-willed man and people respected him. Yanni wanted to be more like him.

She wished that she would have been much more mature from the start. Deep down, she had always hated injustice. She didn’t like when people in her kingdom weren’t treated fairly.

She often heard about highwaymen that were terrorising local villages and only now did she begin to realise that Ruth had never really done anything in order to deal with them. In the past, her father had sent his troops when it was deemed necessary, but her stepmother only cared about taking younger lovers. Most of the time, she wasn’t even in the castle. She was constantly travelling. Granted, she took care of most pressing matters, but what about those who had been killed or robbed by thieves? Yanni hadn’t heard of Ruth imprisoning any of these characters, so it was safe to say that she ignored it.

Even before Ruth became part of their family, her father often told her that being a Queen was in her blood, her birthright. Things changed when Yanni lost him and was forced to grow up way too fast. She discovered that her life wasn't all about responsibilities and silly events that she was obligated to attend.

Practising her beloved archery or dancing at balls was much more interesting. Her father used to say that once she was old enough, he would match her with the right man, but then he died. Everything fell apart and Yanni began partying way too much. She could see now that even if Ruth had influenced her drinking in the beginning, she later began to use it as a way of dealing with her grief.

Yanni and Ruth never had any kind of arrangement, but her stepmother had been the one in charge while Yanni was doing her own thing. Over the past several years, she hadn’t attended any official meetings or formed relationships with neighbouring kingdoms. Had she turned her back on her people?

Memories of her father revealed the answer. And if she wanted to change that, she needed to do it now.

Yanni didn’t return to her chamber. Instead, she headed straight to see Thomas, her official assistant and advisor. Her heart was racing away when she asked him to give her the list of official events that were happening in Tyndil. In the past, Ruth had always taken care of things like that—well, not anymore.

Thomas was somewhat shocked that Yanni was suddenly expressing an interest in matters of the kingdom.

“I have been neglecting my duties as princess for far too long," she told him, taking the list and marching back to her chamber.

Once she was finally alone, she sat on her bed and looked through the list, deciding where she needed to be over the next several weeks.

Tomorrow, some sort of special ceremony was scheduled on the square. Yanni decided this would be the best opportunity to show the people in her kingdom that her life wasn’t all about having a good time. She wanted to remind everyone that she hadn’t forgotten her responsibilities, that she was much more like her father.

That same night she couldn’t sleep. She kept tossing and turning, thinking about her unsteady future. Yanni had to find a way to defeat Ruth. She suspected that Ruth wasn’t planning to let her live. It was quite possible that Ruth’s magical power had affected her in the past, and Yanni felt vulnerable.

At some point, she finally managed to drift off to sleep.

The next day she woke up excited and determined to beat Ruth at her own game. A few maids arrived to help her dress. Today, she was going to attend her first award ceremony. Yanni needed to make a good impression on everyone.

“Oh, my lady, you look very beautiful. The colour of your dress suits you perfectly,” one of the maids told her.

Yanni smoothed her hair, happy with her new look. Her normally black hair was curled up and nicely styled by Monic, one of the maids. Yanni’s eyes were grey and wide. She’d never paid much attention to her appearance before, but now she needed to. Everyone in town was going to be there, and for once, she had to show them that she was completely sober.

She was to officially become Queen once she turned twenty-one. Ruth couldn’t change the fact that Yanni had already came of age. Things were going to be different from now on, and her stepmother had no idea what Yanni was truly capable of.

Around midday, when the sun was high in the sky, Yanni headed straight to her carriage that was already waiting for her outside the gates. Ruth would be shocked seeing her in the town square all dressed up and ready to pay her respects to war veterans, but Yanni wanted her to understand that she was done being manipulated into believing that she would never be good enough.

The guards bowed and stared at her when she crossed the gates. Ten minutes later, the carriage stopped at the main square.

Thomas was already waiting for her outside, along with a few guards from the castle.

“My lady, your stepmother had to leave the castle urgently. I came here to inform you that you will be on your own," her assistant explained. Yanni wasn’t sure what to think, but she was a little disappointed that her stepmother wasn’t going to be there.

Yanni looked around, noticing that a crowd had already gathered. The locals had set up the stage in the town hall building where a few veterans were going to be awarded their medals.

"Do you know why she left?" Yanni asked, wondering what else could be so important that Ruth had to leave so suddenly.

"No, my lady. The Queen seemed to be in distress. A young huntsman was waiting for her outside. They left together," Thomas added, and Yanni thanked him.

Yanni knew the Queen slept around, and she was using her father's money to keep up her lavish lifestyle. However, no one in the castle but Yanni dared to say anything. People in town had no idea that Ruth was such a hypocrite.

Yanni smoothed her dark hair and took a few breaths, determined to do what was expected of her. She had been blinded for too long. Ruth was a witch, using black magic and she wanted to poison Yanni. The thought of all this still unnerved her.

People needed to stop being so devoted to her. If they only knew…

She walked all the way to the stage. Several older gentlemen stood in line near the back waiting to be called to the stage. A few smiled at her, and Yanni took time to chat with them for a bit.

Then she walked towards the buffet section. Dorothy, Bea and a few other women from the palace kitchen were sorting out the food and drinks behind a thick curtain. A few official guards bowed toward Yanni when she passed by and one of the dwarves who was serving drinks winked at her. Yanni remembered him from the tavern a few weeks ago, and recalled dancing with him to several long ballads.

"I don't know what this girl is doing here. It's an official event and these men deserve to receive their medals from the real Queen, not some girl who cares more about getting wasted with bunch of dirty men," Yanni heard Dorothy say. She stood right behind the curtain, wanting to speak to Yanni about the after party and obviously had no idea that she could hear her. Maybe it was just Yanni’s luck, but this was the second time this week that she overheard someone talking about her.

"She's still a princess,” another woman pointed out. “If her father hadn’t married Lady Lancet, then Yanni would have been our Queen."

"Maybe when she was a teenager, but not now. People have been saying that she acts like a wild child, like the town hooker—partying and drinking with dwarves. This is not the behaviour one expects from the future Queen," Dorothy said and Yanni's heart exploded in her chest.

More people knew about her wild side than she realised. She felt rooted to the spot, unable to move. A tiny voice in her head told her to leave now.

But anger punched through the confusion and hurt. No one was perfect and she wondered why Dorothy hadn’t noticed that Ruth was sleeping around with men at least twenty years younger than her. Besides, Yanni’s life wasn’t all about partying. She practised archery and spent a lot of her time in the castle library too. She loved reading, and in the past several months, she realised that she hated sewing.

Another woman laughed. "Yes, you're right. No respectable man would want to marry her either. Her reputation is ruined. Snow White should be thinking about moving away, relocating to another kingdom if she ever wants to find a good man. It's a done deal. I think we are stuck with Queen Ruth in the future."

“My lady, we are ready for you.” Someone tapped her shoulder and she was pulled away from the darkness.

She needed to get herself together. Tears tried to force their way out of her eyes, but she couldn’t break now. Yanni knew that women in town were outraged that she drank in the local tavern, but she never thought their insults would hurt so much.

She walked back to where she was expected to hand out medals, finding it hard to breathe. How dare these women judge her like that?

She was their Princess after all, and so what if she liked having good time? She was only twenty-one, for heaven's sake. Their comments about any other men not wanting her were below the belt. Yanni was available and any man outside Tyndil Kingdom would be lucky to have her.

Several minutes later, Thomas handed her a box of medals. She had to keep a fake smile on her face and carry on with her duties. Tyndil was her father’s kingdom. He built it and it was her responsibility to uphold his legacy. Ruth didn’t even fit into her world.

Yanni began decorating the veterans with medals commemorating their service. Deep down, she was furious with herself, and acknowledged that she had lost control.

Later on, Dorothy and the other ladies from town complimented her dress and smiled. Yanni wasn’t planning to cause a scene. She smiled back, filled with determination and hoped that soon enough people would change their opinion about her. The ceremony lasted longer than she expected. People were whispering, and in general, everyone was surprised to see her at such an official event.

A few hours later, the ceremony was over and she left, stepped into her carriage and asked the coachman to take her to the castle straight away. That night, she skipped dinner altogether and locked herself inside her chamber. Yanni was shaking when she started tossing away all the provocative dresses that she owned. She cleared her closet, thinking about the men that she had gone out with in the past.

She had never been in love, and didn’t think she believed in such nonsense. She hooked up with a few men here and there, but most of the time, alcohol was a contributing factor. They were all handsome and kind. They paid her compliments, but the next morning she would always disappear. She never thought she would regret not meeting the right man

When the sun was hiding behind the horizon, Yanni realised that she had her answer. If she wanted to ensure the people in her kingdom respected her, she needed to marry a man who was honourable and came from a respectable family. She was going to become Queen anyway, but showing her people that she was done with that frivolous lifestyle by getting engaged, could earn her the respect that was warranted. Besides, she needed to see if she could win a man, be a strong woman and change herself to become a better person.

Then no one would dare question her integrity.

Yanni wanted to become Queen, but she also knew that her stepmother would never renounce her right to the throne.

Around midnight, Yanni left her chamber and headed straight to the staff quarters. It was late, and she knew that most of the maids had retired for the evening. Barbra, one of the older maids, tended to stay up late and Yanni needed to speak to her urgently.

Barbra used to be her nanny. The two of them spent a lot of time together, and now Yanni felt a little guilty that she hadn’t visited her sooner. In the past, Yanni knew the names of every staff member living in the castle, but over the years, her relationships faded. Five minutes later, she stood in front of Barbra’s door, wondering if this was such a good idea.

Yanni knew that Barbra could tell her about the most desirable bachelor kings and princes in the whole southern land beyond Tyndil.

She finally gathered her courage and knocked. Yanni didn’t have to wait long. The door opened and Barbra looked shocked seeing the young princess.

“My lady? Are you okay? Is there anything wrong?" she asked, looking a little apprehensive. Yanni glanced around to make sure that that no one was around. Gossip in the castle spread fast and Yanni needed to be discreet about her plans.

"No, it's all fine. Can I talk to you for a bit?" she asked, still remembering what Dorothy had said about her earlier on. Maybe she was right. Maybe Yanni had already ruined her reputation enough, and no respectable man would ever want her.

The maid nodded and gestured for her to come inside. The room was basic, as expected for staff quarters: there was a bed with a dressing table and some books stacked on a small shelf along the far wall.

“My lady—”

"No, Barbra, just call me Yanni, same as you did years ago," she cut her off. "Please, sit down."

Barbra smiled widely and nodded.

"What is it that you need, Yanni? And before you say anything I want you to know that I’m not upset about the past. It’s understandable that we drifted apart. You’re the princess and I was always only a maid."

“You were a friend and you still are. I’m only just beginning to realise that,” Yanni admitted, then got straight to the point.

Even after so many years, Yanni still believed that she could trust her.

“Please tell me, who is the most desirable bachelor in the southern world? I came of age a few months ago and I want to take over the throne. It’s my right, but I also want to find the right man for a husband,” she said, thinking that she needed to be honest.

She wanted to be Queen because of her father and because she cared about her people more than she realised. She’d lost him before he had a chance to guide her to be like him, to be a leader of his people.

Yanni needed to gain the respect of her people—the respect that she’d lost. Deep down, she did want to fall in love with the right man. She’d never given it much thought before, but now it was time.

Barbra was a short, obese woman with rosy cheeks and long brown hair. She knew everything about everyone in the castle, including her stepmother, Ruth.

"Why are you looking for a husband? You need to ask yourself if this is really want you want? You could rule without a man standing beside you,” Barbra said, and Yanni was a little shocked. She didn't expect that kind of response from her old nanny. She thought that she would agree with everyone that Yanni was spoiled and loud.

She sighed, and thought that it was time for her to explain to Barbra what was really going on.

“I wish that I could show people that they are wrong about me, besides there is also another reason. My stepmother wants me dead. I saw her in the forest the other night. She killed a deer and admitted then that she would never let me rule. She looked like she had lost her mind, and was talking about poisoning me.”

The older maid looked shocked, but Yanni sensed that she already knew that Ruth had magical powers. The staff in the castle liked spreading rumours and Yanni felt silly that she never noticed what was going on around her.

“Getting engaged is a good idea, and this could buy you some time too,” The corner of Barbra’s lips curved into a smile. “But I think that you should go after the Ice King, James Fredrick III, then that will solve all your problems. He’s the only man that your stepmother has ever truly wanted, and that man would never look at her twice. Seducing and maybe even marrying him will show her that she can’t win.”

A cold shiver crawled over Yanni's spine. She had never heard of the Ice King but knew that not far from Tyndil there was a winter land, located in the Bjorku Kingdom. Most people avoided it because dangerous animals and locals occupied some parts of it. There had been a lot of robberies and kidnappings out there.

"The Ice King? Would this be the king of that winter land in the Bjorku Kingdom?”

“Yes, dear.”

“I have never heard of him. And Ruth has never mentioned him."

"That's because she’s been trying to get close to him since they were introduced here in the castle at some kind of event back when your father was still alive. Trust me, Yanni, he's much older than you, but if you can convince him to propose, then you will have the whole world at your feet. People in the entire southern world respect him. And if he stands beside you, then your stepmother won’t dare harm you.”