The Heiress Carrying Chapter 128 - 129: The Stone and the Sword

Chapter 128: Chapter 129: The Stone and the Sword

Elara’s POV

The square was packed.

I had never seen so many people in one place. They lined the streets. They filled the windows. They stood on rooftops, craning their necks to see. The guards had ford a path from the palace gates to the center of the square, where a wooden platform had been built.

On the platform, kneeling in a row, were the lords. Ashford. rcer. The others. Their hands were bound. Their faces were pale. They looked like n who had finally understood that their money and their titles could not save them.

Malakor was there too. He was not kneeling with the others. He was standing to the side, under guard, his hands bound behind his back. His face was still. His eyes were cold. He was watching .

I walked to the center of the platform. The crowd went quiet.

"People of Dravara," I said. My voice carried across the square. "For years, these n have stolen from you. They have taken grain from your tables. They have diverted funds ant for your water. They have let your children go hungry while they filled their own warehouses."

A murmur ran through the crowd. Anger. Recognition.

"The council would have tried them. The council would have judged them. The council would have sentenced them to prison or exile or fines that their families could easily pay."

I paused.

"But I am not the council. And this is not their justice."

I turned to the lords. Ashford was crying. rcer was staring straight ahead, his face empty.

"These n stole from you. Their punishnt belongs to you."

The crowd erupted.

I stepped back from the platform. The guards moved away. The people surged forward.

The first stone flew. It struck Ashford in the shoulder. He cried out. Then another stone. And another. The crowd was shouting now, screaming, throwing everything they had. Rocks. Broken bricks. Pieces of wood.

rcer went down first. Then Ashford. The others followed.

The stones kept coming.

I stood at the edge of the platform, watching. I had told myself I would not watch. But I needed to see. I needed to rember.

The crowd was wild. They were throwing stones and screaming and crying. So of them were laughing. So of them were weeping. It was chaos.

The lords stopped moving after a while. The crowd did not stop.

I turned to Malakor. He was standing to the side, his hands bound, his face still. The guards had pulled him back from the crowd. But his eyes were on . Full of hatred. Full of rage.

I walked to him. The guards stepped aside.

I leaned close to his ear. Close enough that only he could hear .

"You caused my parents’ death," I whispered.

His eyes widened. Just a little. Just enough for

to see.

"I don’t know if there is truth to that or not. But it ca to my mind. You advised my father to kill his best friend. That best friend gave birth to a son. That son is Kaelen."

Malakor’s jaw tightened.

"It’s a pity Kaelen cannot be here to look at you right now." I stepped back. I looked at him. "But I hope he is sowhere in this crowd. Watching . Watching

take revenge for the death of his father."

Malakor’s face did not change. But sothing in his eyes shifted. Fear, maybe. Or understanding. Or the knowledge that his ti had co.

"I curse you, Elara," he said. His voice was low. "I curse your throne. I curse your child. I curse the ground you walk on. You will never know peace. You will never know safety. You will never–"

The guard struck him. He fell silent. But his eyes never left mine.

I turned and walked back toward the palace. The sounds of the crowd followed . Shouts. Screams. The thud of stones against flesh. I did not look back.

The council chamber was quiet when I returned.

The remaining council mbers sat at the table. Lord Harwick was there. Corvus was there. A few others. Their faces were pale. They had heard the news from the square. They knew what had happened.

I took my seat at the head of the table. The crown was on my head. My hands were folded.

But the room was not empty.

Thorn was sitting in the chair at the far end of the table. His legs were crossed. His hands were folded. He looked like he had been waiting for a long ti and was not bothered by the wait.

I looked at him. Then I looked at the guards by the door.

"Who gave you the right to enter my palace?" I said. My voice was cold. "Talk less of my council chamber?"

Thorn smiled. It was not a kind smile. "Your Majesty. I ca as soon as I heard the news. You have been busy."

"I asked you a question."

"I am a king. I go where I please."

"Not in my kingdom. Not in my palace. Not in my council chamber." I stood. "You need to leave. As you can see, my people are in rage. I would not want you to be caught in the crossfire."

Thorn did not move. "I heard that the queen was pregnant. With a bastard, they say. The child of the Voice. The man who tried to destroy your kingdom."

I said nothing.

"I ca to make you an offer." He leaned forward. "I am still willing to marry you. I will father your child. Give it my na. Give it legitimacy. All you have to do is give

what I want."

I stood up.

I walked to the wall where the old sword hung. It had been there for generations. A relic. A decoration. No one had touched it in years.

I took it down.

The tal was cold in my hands. The blade was sharp.

I turned to Thorn. I raised the sword. The point was aid at his chest.

"Get out of my palace," I said. "Get out of my kingdom. Get out of my sight. If I ever see your face again, I will not need a sword to end you. I will use my bare hands."

Thorn’s smile faded. He stood slowly. He looked at the blade. Then he looked at .

"You are making a mistake," he said.

"I have made many mistakes. And I would never consider you as one."

He walked toward the door. He paused at the threshold.

"This is not over."

"I will be waiting" I said.

The door closed behind him.

The council chamber was silent. The council mbers stared at . The sword was still in my hands. The blade was still pointed at the door where Thorn had stood.

I lowered the sword. My hands were shaking. My heart was pounding.

The door opened again.

Kaelen walked in.

He crossed the room slowly. His eyes found mine. He did not look at the council mbers. He did not look at the sword. He looked at .

"Elara," he said.

"Kaelen."

He stopped in front of . The council mbers watched. No one spoke.

Lord Harwick stood. "Your Majesty, this is highly irregular. The Voice is a–"

"Hush, Lord Harwick." I did not look at him. My eyes were on Kaelen. "I did not ask for your opinion."

Harwick’s mouth closed. He sat down.

"As you all know," I said, my voice steady now, "I am pregnant with the Voice’s child."

I looked at Kaelen. He looked at .

"So we are getting married."

The room erupted. Lord Harwick stood again. "Your Majesty, you cannot–"

I turned to him. "Lord Harwick. Since we have most of our council mbers gone you should be expecting new people to join you soon. I will be making appointnts. Until then, you will sit. You will listen. And you will keep your opinions to yourself unless I ask for them."

Harwick stared at . His face was red. But he sat down.

I looked at Corvus. He was watching

with sothing that looked like approval. He said nothing.

I looked back at Kaelen.

He smiled. It was small. Tired. But real.

"Good," he said.

I set the sword on the table. The tal clattered against the wood.

Then I sat down. Kaelen sat beside .

"Is there anything else?" I asked.

No one spoke.

"Good. This eting is adjourned."

The council mbers stood. They bowed. They filed out. Harwick hesitated at the door, looking back at . I t his eyes. He left.

Kaelen and I sat alone at the head of the table. The sword lay in front of us. The crown was still on my head.

"I witnessed Malakor’s death." he said.

"He deserved worse."

He laughed. It was quiet. "He did."

I pressed my hand to my stomach. "We are still standing."

Kaelen reached over and took my hand. His fingers were warm.

"We are still standing," he said.

I smiled. It was small. Tired. But real.

Then I stood up. He stood with .

"Co," I said. "There is work to do."

We walked out of the council chamber together. The corridor was empty. The palace was quiet. The sun was setting, painting the windows gold.

"Kaelen," I said.

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For coming back. For staying. For everything."

He squeezed my hand.

"I am not going anywhere," he said.

We walked down the corridor together, toward whatever ca next.