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Chapter One
Rebecca remembers the first time she saw a sunflower. Her grandfather's small, simple garden. He was a very respected and exceptional man. A warrior. a soldier. A king. The people of the kingdom never hesitated to bow in his presence, showing their devotion and admiration. While he himself would greet this action with a warm smile, her father would turn his head in disgust and the word “peasants,” oozing from his lips making sure they understood the indifference between them.
The flowers in her grandfather’s garden reflected his view of the kingdom as well as his dreams for its future.
Carnation- Admiration
Tulip- Hope
Sunflower- Loyalty
Rose- Love
It was surrounded by a handmade, off white fence. The paint was slightly chipping as the seasons made their annual cycles, and the wood itself was sticking out of the ground, tilting far to the right barely providing any protection for the flowers. Anyone walking by would be surprised that this belonged to the King, however, it humanized him a little. Making him seem more than just royalty, but a regular person as well. Someone who took time out of the day to take care of living things, just like them. She had just turned eight that very day, running through the garden water flying through the air while she took hard, quick steps through the shallow puddles the storm had left in its remembrance. Her toes dug deep into the small patch of fresh soil as she stood before the sunflower terrarium, challenging their colossal height. The vivid yellow flowers danced in the gracious sunlight, the glint of dew drops on the petals brought warmth to her body. She felt power run cold through her veins, sending a chill up her spine and a devilish grin across her face.
“Rebecca?” A soft voice called out for her, with gentle footsteps to match. She turned in the direction, revealing her grandfather in all his glory. His silver locks glistened in sunlight, while his skin seemed to become more pale with each passing day. Although he suffered from illness and knew his time on God’s beautiful green earth was soon to be over, he never let that become his main focus. He still had things to do. He constantly prayed for more time with his granddaughter, to ensure she would be the Queen the kingdom needed one day. He crouched down beside the princess, watching as the sun shimmered in her multicolored eyes. One deeper than the ocean, the other a true shade of emerald.
“My darling, one day all of this will be in your hands to rule,” he extended his arms referring to the kingdom that surrounded them. “You will grow to be an excellent queen, loyal, loving, selfless, and hopeful. You will undo the evil that your father’s rule will drown us in, and bring everlasting utopia to all of our people. Remember to rule with your heart, Rebecca.” She stood there, staring as if his words went through one ear and out the other. “But what if I don’t want to be queen?” she questioned with her eyes crystallized with tears. “What do you suppose you will be instead?” She took a deep breath before turning to face the man with the same iniquitous grin. “I want to be a warrior, Grandfather”
The second time she sees a sunflower, Rebecca Grayson is sixteen, naive and stubborn. It is a transitory ignition in her chest, the roar of thunder against an unguarded mortal. Despite the blinding lights, she watches while her grandfather’s casket whips passed, catching a glimpse of yellow. She recalls the pricking of stems against her legs as she slowly walked through her grandfather’s garden, picking flowers and organizing them awkwardly into a bouquet, wrapping them into crimson craft paper. A blurred vision of the sunflower bouquet laying on top of the casket was branded into her mind. Everyone thought that the King was getting better. He was getting better. After eight long years, he was finally able to do things he wasn’t able to do since he was young. Then suddenly, he was found laying on his floor beside his table, lacking a heartbeat and breathless. Rumor that his eldest son, Richard, had poisoned him the night of his death. Impatient and tired of waiting for his father to parish so that he may begin his reign. Rebecca believed those rumors, she was there that night. She watched as her father prepared the tea with himself and the king. She noticed the foul smell of toxins that filled the kitchen, when she mentioned it he father suggested that it simply might be the smell of “Black Chamomile” and walked away, The raindrops rolled off the fresh mahogany of the casket like honey. King Bruce was dead, and with that began the decline of their beloved kingdom.
Never ending war, famine, and death fell upon the Kingdom. The streets were filled with bodies infected with flies and maggot crawling out of them. Everyday seemed like a nightmare, the people begged the royal family for help, even willing to send their children out to fight in hopes of ending the war against the surrounding kingdoms. Mothers and babies sat at the front gates of the castle, crying and screaming for them to provide food or aid to keep them alive. The guards were ordered to remove them from the estate any way they could, even if that meant killing them. Eventually, they began to hate the royal family. The name ‘Grayson’ gave off a rancid taste in their mouths whenever they said it.
However, every few weeks a young woman dressed in silk wandered the kingdom baring the ripest fruits, milk, water, and many other things. She went throughout the streets handing them out to families in need despite the outrageous rise in crime. Some of her referred to her as “The Savior,” a God sent angel who came to bring the kingdom out of their current state. Most knew it was the Princess but knew to keep it a secret, protecting her from the king. A soft knock echoed throughout her room, startling her as she threw off her shoes.
“Princess Danielle, the king has your presence in the throne room.” She hated that name to her core. Her father ordered that everyone in the castle refer to her as ‘Danielle’ or ‘Dani’ because he thought it sounded more powerful and less feminine than Rebecca. She opened her room door, giving a warm smile to the poor messenger. She knew if she did not hurry to her father, the women would be fired or possibly hurt. She did not want to take that risk.
“Hello, father,” she says quietly, looking him in the eyes then turning and nodding to her mother making sure that she knew Dani was aware of her presence. “Danielle, I am aware of your little ‘heroic’ journeys beyond the castle grounds into streets to feed those lowly peasants,” his tone was harsh and demanding, eyes filled with rage at his daughter.
“Father I can expla-”
“I did not give you permission to speak, Daughter,” his boisterous interruption was followed by the loud crash of her mother’s glass hitting the marble floor. She silenced herself quickly in fear of her father's possible actions.
“If you were anyone else in his castle, I would have you punished or maybe even killed. Stealing is a crime on its own, but going and giving it to those who are inferior to us is almost beyond forgivable. Do you want to be a peasant, Danielle?”
She looked up teary eyed and shook her head, paralyzed with fear.
“After everything I have done for you? All those lessons for the past ten years for you to become a ‘warrior’. It is time for you to grow up and realize that your fate is not for you to do something a man is meant for, you are simply too weak. I have no idea who could have possibly put that idea in your head.”
She winced at his words, letting them echo through her mind for what seemed like an eternity. Her grandfather had always told her that a warrior who was also queen, would only make the kingdom’s power stronger. She turned to her mother in hope for any type of help, however she did not get anything close to it. Her poor mother, eyes weak and red with all the stress the new king has brought upon her. Depression written clear across her face, spacing out to avoid the conflict between her family. Richard was not always like this. Once upon a time, he was sweet and romantic. Every chance he got, he would show her how much he loved her and his kingdom. He was once as admirable as his father, but all that changed when he realized that his brothers were choices to take the throne after their father. His father wanted to choose between them. After that day, he became ruthless and jealous, prepared to do anything to ensure his reign would come quicker than the others. Even if it meant killing his father.
“I believe it is time for you to do something useful for our kingdom, Darling,” his words were said sickeningly sweet with a grin spread ear to ear.
What does he mean? Will he be stepping down early so I can become Queen?
“You will be marrying Prince Shouyou of the Karasuno Empire next month.”