What if/Side Stories {The Acendant Princess Trilogy}

What If! #1, part 1

This is my first what-if!! 

What If: Alexius rejected the throne?

"That'll be three garlins," the woman said with a funky accent, she obviously wasn't from Cartya. Alexius digged in her satchel for a the coins and handed them to the lady. She was then given the paper. Alexius put the paper into her satchel and hoped onto Dawn, riding out of town. She rode for about half an hour before she stopped at a spring to let Dawn have a break and she could wash up. She had been riding all around Carthya this morning. Alexius sat down on the grass and opened the paper that was filled with Carthyan news. 

The headline read 'King Jaron and Queen Imogen pick new successor today!' Alexius eyes widened. "Shoot! I need to go back home" Alexius panicked, she ran to Dawn so she could ride to Drylliad, but then she stopped. She had no right to come home and return to the throne, she had abandoned her kingdom. "What do I do, I don't want someone who's unfit to be on the throne to take my place as heir? Alexuis decided that she would go, just in case if she needed to step in. She mounted onto Dawn and rode her way to Drylliad. 

She stopped at a taylor shop to see if she could find a cheep enough dress to wear. Luckly, most dresses were on sale today. She picked out a light purple one with a lavish flower design and bought it for around twenty-five garlins. Running into a changing room, she swiftly put it on and ran back out. She would need a carriage or some sort of way to show that she was of high status to get into the castle. Grabbing her satchle, she put it on and hid a small dagger under her dress, just in case. Alexius then had to bring Dawn over to a stall that she could rent. The owner of the stables made a remark on Dawn. It was always risky riding Dawn since he was my horse and was recognizable, but I had an excuse if someone asked about him.

Alexius made sure to hide anything super important before she left dawn and made her way to the castle. By the time she got to the palace, she had missed the meeting, but she arrive on time to see the new heir be presented before the kingdom. The trumpets sounded and out walk King Jaron and Queen Imogen as the announcer announced their presence. Everyone fell to their knees, expect Alexius. She hadn't seen them in so long and she only stood and stared, everything around her had blured. All she saw was her parents and Jaron had definitely noticed her, in a panic, she looked around for a way to leave. Jaron narrowed his eyes on her and a flicker of hope sparkled in his eyes or at least that's what she thought she had thought she had seen before Jaron ordered her to be taken to a cellular where she was thrown in. 

She hit her head hard on the ground and growned. "That's what you get for disrespecting you royals!" the guard hissed before slamming the cellar door. Sitting up, Alexius backed against the wall. She rapped her arms around her legs and let her head rest on her knees. What would happened now? Alexius must've fallen asleep because when she looked up to the sound of keys rattling, she saw that the sun was setting. The cellar door opened and in walked Roden and Jaron following behind him. Alexius tried to cover her face with her hair and she prepared to speak in a higher voice.

"How dare you treat you king with disrespect!" Roden shouted angrily. Alexius had never heard him that frustrated before and she flinched at his harsh tone. Had something happened that made him upset? "Roden, calm down," Jaron said before turning to look at Alexius. She could feel his gaze upon her as he studied her. "What's you name and your hometown?" Jaron asked in a calm voice. "Uh, my name is......Lora...Navidine....I'm from Tithio," Alexius mumbled in a voice that was supposed to sound far off from her own so that way she would throw Jaron off. "And why didn't you kneel?" Jaron asked, leaning forward to get a better look at her. "I've......I've never seen a royal before and I was in awe of you," some of what she said felt like the truth to her. She was in awe of her parents and forgot that she had to kneel to them, partially. 

Jaron nodded slowly before leaning away from her before asking "Why do you cover your face?" Alexius paused for a moment, trying to think of a lie. "Oh...I have an embarrassing birthmark," Alexius lied. Jaron sighed, he was obviously disappointed that I wasn't what he was looking for, or what I was pretending not to be. "Sorry for this, I believed that you were someone else. You may go now, Roden will show you the way out," Jaron brushed off the dirt from his coat and turned to look out the window like he was longing for something out there. "I'm good, I know my way out Ja- I mean your highness," Alexius bowed and walked towards the cellar door that Roden was guarding. She hoped she hadn't blown her cover. "Wait, how do you know the way out of here?" Jaron asked as he arched a brow. Alexius laughed nervously, "Uh, I mapped the way when they brought me in." Jaron nodded, but still insited on Roden guiding her back.