Speaking Of Rings...

No one pays any attention to the servants, which is good. It makes it a lot easier for me to kill the king.

Townsfolk may praise him and sing long ballads of his victories about him in court, but only a person who seems invisible knows that his Kingsguard and Council shout curses at him during their nights drinking in the tavern.

And I don’t blame them.

King Trystan Waters isn’t even a true king. He’s a usurper, that’s what he is. Sundosia was never made to be ruled by a man. It has been a harmonious matriarchy since its birth, but not anymore. He stole the throne from my sister, the rightful queen. He’s a liar. I wasn’t born a servant, you see. I was born a princess of Sundosia, the most powerful kingdom in all of Celestia. We had been betrayed. It was her wedding day, and she seemed so happy next to Trystan, the man she loved and was finally married to. But that was short-lived. A ruse, that’s all it was. His guests were an army in disguise, and he’d attacked right after the two of them had joined houses. I still remember the merciless killing of our allies, the floor slick with blood, and my sister’s severed head being held up to mark our defeat. It’s been eleven years since I started hiding in plain sight as a mere serving girl. But I am of ruling age now. I plan to take this throne, to avenge my sister and give the people the respect and peace they deserve.

The castle’s kitchens are bustling with preparations for a feast Trystan Waters is holding in celebration of his victor over Greenhall. I am taking part in the celebrations as well, so I can think of a plan to end Trystan’s reign. Should I poison his food? No, he has a personal taster. Shoot him with a crossbow bolt? No, it takes too much of time to reload. What do I do? I’ll need some help…

An idea pops into my head and I run like lightning over to the barracks. The army is back from the Greenhall siege and there is one person who knows my secret and will support me in my battle for the throne. I scan the training grounds and spot a young man with short black hair having large curls in them and brown eyes sighing and walking towards me. That’s Edward, my best friend and the youngest knight in all of Celestia.

“Listen, Elyssa. For the last time, I will NOT lend you- “

“Ned, I’m not here to ask for your sword. I got Mikken to forge one for me.”

“You did WHAT?”

I was a fighter from the start. When I was six, and Edward had just come to Sundosia to be fostered by my mother, I would braid my soft brown hair, grab a wooden sword, and speak to my father about becoming a knight. After I got to know that women can’t become knights, I’d plead Edward to teach me in secret, and he did. After Trystan took over, Edward and I would sneak off into the woods at night to train. He keeps saying that even if I’m caught with a sword in my hand, I’d be killed, but I do it anyway.

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Look, Elyssa. Being a knight of the Kingsguard, I need to train ten times as hard. We’ve won Greenhall over, and the king wants us to train harder for the next siege in the Venusian kingdom. I’ll talk to you in the Great Hall during dinner, alright?”

“I want to kill the king.”

A soft, sad smile washed over Edward’s face. “Why didn’t I expect this sooner? You turned one-and-twenty in the moon of May already, and I know the fire of vengeance that burns within you. Trust me, I’ve been waiting for this moment. You would make a great ruler, and make Sundosia prosperous again, just like your sister did. I’m done with this horrible, evil Kingsguard, and I owe your mother far too much. The only way I could ever repay her is to make sure her next of kin is safe at the throne.”

“Don’t be tired of the Kingsguard yet, Ned. Your position makes it easier for me to execute my plan. Also, you’re going to be the future Lord Commander of the royal Queensguard, aren’t you, now?”

The plan is simple. Edward, being a member of Trystan’s Kingsguard, knows the king’s comings and goings. I need to be as sharp as a hawk, watching his every move, finding his every weakness. And then, when he least expects it, I’ll go in for the kill.

“Elyssa, promise me you’ll stay safe. I can’t lose you. Are you sure you want to do this?” Edward asks, concern on his face.

“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”

It’s the night of the feast. The Great Hall has been set up, and there are banners of Sharks swimming in deep blue waters in place of where the golden Sun of Sundosia was. Trystan’s sigil doesn’t scare me. I will end his torturous reign today, and the Sun will shine on us again.

As lords and ladies started to file in, Edward, in his white armour of the Kingsguard, gave me a signal to tell me now’s my chance.

I spot Trystan and his crown, chatting with some lady from Duskendale. He’s sitting on the Mother Throne, a spectacular beauty made from ebony, inlaid with the Sun sigil made of pure gold. Noticing his empty plate, I take the chance and grab a dish of roast capon to serve him. I step over to the dais, finding the hidden dagger in my dress. Weapon in hand, I step behind the Mother Throne and swiftly move my arm forward, but…

Trystan is too fast for me. He notices my arm and grabs it. He sees my signet ring, an insignia of my royal birth. I had worn it to prove my heritage to the masses after Trystan’s assassination, but it seems like he saw it first and understood everything.

“You scheming little rat…” Trystan starts, pushing me over to a stone pillar. The dais is empty now, and it is my battlefield. Edward has his hand on the hilt of his sword and begins to rush to my rescue, but I glare at him and gesture him to stay where he is. I must fight this alone.

It seems like Trystan has done the same for the rest of the Kingsguard as well, since he removes his sword from his scabbard. I throw the dagger aside and grab my sword which was hidden there by Edward in case something goes wrong.

We spar, block and parry. All of the anger builds up inside my head. “Why did you do this to her? Elena truly loved you, yet…” “I killed her? Sure. You think I loved her as much as I pretended to? I needed to take control of Sundosia to conquer all of Celestia, and marrying your sister was the perfect opportunity to do so. I’m still surprised you got away. But not for long.”

Memories of blood and carnage flash before my eyes, and I let it all out.

Trystan’s bloody head falls in front of me. The crowd gasps, and I can see the Kingsguard approaching me. To avoid any conflict, I raise my hand to show my signet ring to the crowd. “I am Princess Elyssa of Sundosia, Queen Elena’s sister. For long, we have been under the rule of a truly horrible and cruel man, a usurper. But not today! Sundosia will have its peace and happiness restored, for we have been freed from the clutches of Trystan Waters!”

After hearing this, the crowd rejoices. The former Kingsguard kneels to pledge their allegiance to me. Edward kneels as well, but he looks up and smiles at me. This is what Elena would’ve wanted.

A day before my official coronation, Edward and I take a walk in the woods. With Sundosia’s peace and prosperity recovered, we can finally take a break and talk to each other in peace. The warm glow of the sun makes Edward’s armour sparkle and my hair shine like metal. Looking up to him, I say, “Sir Edward, Lord Commander of the Queensguard. It’s got a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” He smiles at me.

“My lady, speaking of rings…”