Heir of the Underground

Chapter 9: Prissayne

The shimmering gold crown seemed to fit Laurent's head perfectly, and yet Prissayne couldn't help but feel like it didn't belong on him.

He stood before everyone, on the same platform that he had stood on when Helios had been put to rest the night before, just a day after his father. A broad smile was on Laurent's tanned face, and his blue eyes glimmered with joy.

He was the King of Keddeirin now.

It was strange to think of him as being a king. The Elder King's death had come as suspected, but Helios's had been an utter shock. Everyone had expected to see him on the platform instead, to watch him be crowned the new king.

But Helios was dead, and now, it was Laurent who ruled the kingdom, just as it was Laurent who had reported Helios's death and identified his killer as Aurelia, of all people.

He claimed that he had gone to Helios's room to discuss the coronation and had opened the door to see Aurelia towering over Helios, face first on the floor and turning purple from the poison he had been given. And then she had attacked Laurent with fire magic, and revealed herself as a Fey.

Strange. It was all so strange, and it felt wrong to believe. Why would the odd little musician from Rheolaeth that Laurent loved so dearly kill Helios? It just didn't make sense for her to do that. What would she have to gain from him being dead?

Of course, there was also the possibility that, as a Fey, she could've killed Helios as some kind of revenge, but even then, the manner of death that she chose for Helios didn't make sense. If she had magic, and attacked Laurent with it, why kill Helios with poison?

Still, Aurelia had fled. On top of that, Laurent had burns on his arms from her attack. And that was proof enough. All of Keddeirin had long since accepted her as the criminal, even though Aurelia really didn't seem like a murderer, nor did she appear to have a strong enough motive to turn her into one.

But there was nothing Prissayne could do about the case. And frankly, it didn't matter who had killed Helios. Laurent was king now, and there was no bringing Helios back.

All Prissayne could hope now was that Laurent would be a good king.

Sighing, she turned her attention back towards the coronation that was happening around her. Laurent was still standing on the platform, though he was now surrounded by guests. Of them, Prissayne easily identified King Clyve Farpike of Tanasis, who appeared to be in the middle of a deep conversation with Laurent.

Just the sight of Clyve was enough to put a scowl on Prissayne's face.

She had heard all of the courtly gossip through the years—gossip which painted Clyve in a very unpleasant light. He was thought of as being violent. He constantly boasted of all the kills that he had made during the war, and it was rumored that he beat his servants and that he himself publicly executed criminals in Tanasis.

Having to put up with him at the High King's ball had been a nightmare, and even more so when he had danced with Sorcha and made it a point to try and converse with her and the rest of the family.

Prissayne pitied her sister for having to dance with him, though Sorcha hadn't pitied herself. She was naïve and slow to give in to court gossip. She always wanted to see the good in everyone. In a way, it was admirable, especially considering that Prissayne wasn't certain that she could find any good in Clyve, though she knew that she could certainly fake seeing the good. She had long since mastered the art of being mannerly and polite.