Chapter 8: Declaration

chapter 8

"Father!" Larissa called on top of her voice as she burst open the door to the king's court room and proceeded to run ungracefully in

Earlier, her horse had passed the scared bunch by the gate while they were held still in fright

Midway into the court, she stops, smiles sheepishly and gracefully curtsied when she meets her father scowling face.

A small smile escapes her, as she already knows how this would play out, afterall, her father could never get angry with her and she knows that.

And so like she predicted, the king let out a defeated sigh and smiles

"Larissa" he called gently and she grins widely, her white dentition on full display as she runs up the rest of the way and fell into the king's widespread arms.

“Oh father, I missed you so much, and when instead of you I saw those grumpy men, I really thought something happened to you, it scared me” she pouted and the king laughed heartily as he patted her hair

It surprised everyone present at the court room to see the king that way, he wasn't a stoic man but he had never laughed so freely in their presence before

Melissa also had an apaled look on her face as she watched the duo. The king had never been this close to her even when she was a kid, and she was never allowed to be this close to the king either

'So why is she different?' she thought

Just then, Larissa looked up and her eyes met Melissa's

“Oh?” she made a surprised sound as she wriggles out of her father's arms to walk up to where she sat on her little throne beside the king. 

"You must be Melissa my younger sister, I'm Larissa, nice to meet you and wow, father was right, you are beautiful, just not as much as me" a giggle escapes her, a contrast to the blank look on Melissa's face. 

"It is nice to have you with us" she nodded, her whole being screaming elegance 

"Sure,  sure" Larissa waved her off and turned to the expanse of the court to see the court officials bow their heads in respect. 

"I should have been here sooner father, I don't see any major demon around here you know?"

"Larissa..." the king sighs and was about to say something when the door to the court burst open again and this time, Patrick waltzed in, a blank look on his face as he stared up Larissa who made sheep's eyes at him, an amused look on her face. 

"Is this she?" the young King's voice thundered in the wide space "my bride?"

'Bride?" Larissa asked back surprised before her eyes widen in realization "oh oh, I know you" she giggles as she ran down the small elevated platform to stand in front of him "you must be the son of king Jordan of... Hmm, what was the name again?"

Patrick looked down at her as she cocked her head up, and tapped at her chin with her fingers in thought, and then up at the king

"What is this supposed to be?" he gestured at the princess who looked taken aback by the way he said it "you do realize that any ploy to keep the real princess from me by giving me a cheap substitute will result to war, don't you your majesty?"

Chills ran down the spine of everyone in the room and an indescribable look occupied Larissa's face

"Right now..." Larissa began,  her suddenly steel voice sending another wave of chills down spines "are you doubting my royalty? Why? I look and sound like a princess don't I?"

Patrick let out a dry laugh at that and turns fully to the lady "you look,  sound and act nothing like a princess, you act like a pauper with the way you act and talk to people" 

He suddenly pointed towards Melissa, who flinched a bit "that's what a princess looks like"

Larissa was quiet for a while and so was the entire place 

"Now you're comparing me to someone else aren't you?" she asked as she walked up back to her father and took a detour to the throne seat at the right hand side of her father that had been there for a while. 

She sits on it and crossed her legs, her arms folded as she stared down at the king with pure defiance

"Fine then, by the power bestowed upon me as the first born daughter of the king of Windfall and by my right to select by myself a partner that is worthy of me,  I hereby declare an open brawl between men for my hand in marriage"

Patrick furrowed his brows in confusion just like everyone else in the room

"What do you mean a brawl, that would be going against an agreement and would call for repercussions..."

"You're not a very learned one are you?" Larissa asked, causing everyone to gasp in shock at the disrespect, Patrick too could not believe someone would ever be bold enough to question his intelligence but he still raised his hand to stop his gritting right hand man from pulling his sword 

Apparently, the princess had more to say

"In the book of kingdom laws where laws that keep nations from straying away from the path of humanity, there are laws especially for this situation, and I really thought every royal gets to read it but it seems your case is different"

Larissa could hear her name being whispered by her father but she was way too vexed to pay any attention to anything else but stepping on the rude Kong's ego. 

"There is a law that allows the princess to declare a competition for her hand in marriage should she not be satisfied with the one she was promised to when she hadn't even arrived this world" she smiled victoriously when Patrick's face showed pure rage "now you can choose to participate or forfeit the competition, but that would be you giving up on the promise, same if you participate and lose"

That was the last straw as the young King's right hand man,  rushed forward with his sword, but just then George intercepted him and blocked his path

"I humbly ask that you step back mister" he said, his eyes glinting dangerously

"I never run away from a fight, and I always get what is duly mine" Patrick said before he turned and walked away, his man following after

Larissa smirked 

"Fine then, let the fights begin"