Chapter Text
When Lady Alrina Ravensdagger of the Forest Lands received an official summons to court, she thought she would be executed. Her family’s land was the farthest from the capital and though they had chosen to stay out of the war, the new conquering king may well see that as treason. The fact of the matter is that they were the most isolated land in the kingdom so they had very little access to information, and were very slow on the uptake.
Her parents didn't find out that the young lord of the Fire Isles had declared war on the crown until well after he had already taken thirteen of seventeen lands and was gunning for the capital. They had simply chosen to wait out the whole thing, but they never got a summons to officially swear fealty to the new king. They had sent a letter officially offering their support but did not journey out of the forest.
It was likely the letter was lost as many a communication does in their land, and the new king had simply taken time to get to them. He had many an enemy to take out after all, and they were the least populated kingdom. But even with all that seventeen years seems an excessive time frame, she wasn't even born when the man had become king, and now she was the lady of the house.
But one cannot simply ignore a royal summons, so she packed her bags, put her younger sister in charge, and set off on her horse. It took her a month of nonstop riding to reach the capital, and she was in desperate need of a bath. Her hip-length black hair was matted and oily, her fox-like face was covered in dirt, her round glasses protected her wise hazel eyes. When she arrived she showed the front gate guards her summons. One of the guards took her exhausted horse to the stables, while the other led her inside the grand place.
The seat of the king was unlike anything she had ever seen outside of books. The largest castles in her own land were somewhat like hunting lodges, nothing like the thirty foot high stone foyer of Highmount, the residence of the royal family. She was led to the nicest bedroom she had ever seen, three times the size of her one back home. She was told to clean up and that someone would come fetch her soon.
She went straight for the wash tub in the corner, shocked when the water was still hot. It was rare for water to be heated for bathes in the forest lands. The time taken to boil is simply considered a waste when there are simply too many other jobs to be done. The hot water washed the dirt and grim easily, and the soaps and perfumes made her smell divine. There were even hair care products nothing like her home remedies at home. They made her usual rats nest fall into elegant waves.
She followed her dearly departed mother's instructions for fancy hair, for special occasions. If she’s going to die she wants to look her best for it, so she did her hair up in a replication of her mother's work, a crown of braids, with two braids looping around the ears, and an almost ponytail-like piece of hair rolling down her back.
Then she dressed quickly not knowing how much time she had left, pulling on the silky undergarments left on the bed for her. Then she struggled with her gown, it was nicer than anything she had ever owned in her life. The green gown was made of pure silk, emerald green. It went all the way to the floor, the sleeves were tight to her arms until the elbow then they became loose, falling almost to the floor. The bodice was a lace-up with delicate lace lining the neckline, it was the most stunning thing she had ever seen.
Just as she was finishing up a knock sounded on the door. She slid on the pair of high-quality leather shoes left for her and opened the door. A stunning woman stood on the other side, She had blonde curls swept up into an elegant updo, she had sparkling brown eyes, and her tan skin was splattered with moles. If Alrina thought she was dressed well this woman put her to shame her champagne colored gown appeared to be made of crystal.
It went down to the floor, and the skirt was slightly puffed up. There were blue accents all over the gown. The bodice was fitted to her near perfect figure. The dress was cut low and the sleeves on her arms blended gracefully into a cape on her back attached to the back of the dress. Perched on her forehead was a circlet tiara. If Alrina hadn't already been able to guess this woman was noble, that would have given it away.
“Lady Alrina?” The woman's voice sounded like bells ringing, and Alrina felt smitten, she had never felt that way before it was odd.
“I um yes that's me” Alrina wiped the drool off the side of her mouth. The Woman smiled, looking much like the sun came down to earth. Alrina dubbed her sunshine, in her own mind.
“Well then allow me to welcome you to highmount, I should hope you find your accommodations most suitable?” Sunshine asked, still flashing that radiant smile at her.
“Oh yes, perfection on earth, thank you. Um if don't mind my asking you're noble aren't you, a duchess or something of the sort?” Alrina stumbled through, she had never met another noble before, her family ruled over the entire forest lands, even if they were relatively minor lords in comparison to a palace like the Mountain lands. Which were ruled by House Buckley before the war, she had no idea who ruled it now, it may well be House Buckley still.
“Something like that,” Sunshine giggled. “If you'd be willing to oblige me, the king had called for you, and we shouldn't keep him waiting. He’s not the most patient of men”
“I yes of course” Alrina sputtered, following Sunshine. She figured she would meet this king and then meet his justice on the same day. Executioner's block before dinner, as Sunshine said, not the most patient man. But when she and Sunshine arrived at the throne room, she found she was just one of dozens of lords and ladies dressed in similar finery to her, though Sunshines was still the highest quality by a mile.
The King sat on the throne, a mighty chair nearly ten feet tall and made from the melted-down crowns and jewels of those who opposed him. The king himself sits upon the throne looking the perfect image of conquer, forgoing royal fashions for a leather armor, sword sitting at his side. His blonde hair was pulled back from his face, doing nothing to hide the thin scar running from forehead to chin on the right side of his face. His crown rested in his golden curls, golden curls not unlike Sunshines, Alrina realized. Perhaps she was the king's sister; she knew he had one, that would explain her high status and level of dress.
Alrina then realized there was a second throne next to King Williams, this throne was shorter, only about seven feet, but no less impressive. It was made of pure silver as opposed to the pure gold of William's throne, however, this throne was unoccupied. Alrina theorized that this was likely the cause of everyone just milling around waiting for orders, they were waiting on the consort. Alrina didn't know the king was married but it made sense, a fledgling dynasty cannot afford to have a succession crisis. Alrina did wonder who it was though, were they noble, common, a foreign royal perhaps, was it a love match or just business, were they a man or woman, alpha, beta, or omega?
She was not left to wonder long, the doors closest to the thrones were opened and the king consort was announced with much fanfare. Neither she nor any of her compatriots were announced quite like that, so she assumed the King held his husband in high regard. When Alrina saw the man's face she gasped, that was unmistakably Prince Steven, the alpha heir to the dynasty that the king had overthrown. How in the seven hells was he not only alive but here in a place of honor at court? To her knowledge, the King had killed off the entire Harrington line, but here the prince was alive, wearing royal finery and taking a seat on the consort's throne.
“But how only an idiot would leave the alpha heir to the former dynasty alive,” Alrina wondered aloud to herself. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Sunshine responded,
“How many male alphas do you know that can get pregnant?” Alrina took a second look at the man softly conversing with the king, who did in fact have a prominent bump.
“He bitched him?!” Alrina asked loudly, several heads swung in their direction, and Alrina flushed in embarrassment. Bitching was considered highly frowned upon, and as an Alpha herself, she couldn't imagine giving up that intrinsic part of herself. But she supposes that if the prince was given the choice of being bitched or die, it was an easy decision to make.
“Yes, of course, it was the only real option they had,” Sunshine replied softly, and the people looked away.
“What do you mean? I would think the most obvious choice would be to execute the only person with a claim stronger than yours” She was more cognizant of her volume this time.
“Not if he started the war for him,'' Sunshine answered easily. As if that wasn't a shock to her very core.
“What?” she asked.
“Yeah, they were in love but the former king and queen did a thing and- you know what the king has religiously kept journals since he was a child, and he's donated some including ones during and leading up to the war, to the library. I can show you to the section after if you like” Sunshine replied. Alrina sighed in relief at the notion that this seemingly very important person was under the impression Alrina would live to see this evening.
“I would like that a great deal, thank you” Alrina replied. Sunshine turned another one of those radiant smiles onto her.
Then the king raised a hand and the room grew instantly silent, he then began to speak.
“I'm sure you all are wondering why we’ve summoned you here. Well, our daughter the crown Princess Alexandra has recently presented as an omega. As she is already sixteen, we have called all of you here to compete for her hand.” The room broke out in whispers at the declaration, Alrina was just relieved she wasn't going to be executed. “If the princess would join us, she can explain further”
Sunshine turned to her and grabbed her hands “I’m so sorry, everyone else already knew me as my crown and not as me, and you didn’t I just wanted you to know me as me. Please don't be mad”
“Alexandra, darling come here,” Consort Steven said firmly but not unkindly.
“Coming mother” Sunshine, or rather Crown Princess Alexandra, called, dropping her hands and walking towards the throne. The room parted like the red sea to let her through, everyone staring at her intently, bowing or curtsying in respect. She easily climbed the steps to the dais where the thrones sit, standing between her parents, looking the picture of a perfect princess. How in the seven hells did Alrina not see it earlier?