Chapter 88: The Truth

Chapter 88: The Truth

"Rihannan, what do you think will happen should Chrichton's immediate royal members befall a tragic death?"

The Queen spoke on the assumption of the future that could come to existence.

"What do you mean by that? Why would you..."

"What do you think will happen?"

Rihannan shut her eyes. "...The throne will fall in Igor's lap."

Like Arundell, Chrichton's bastard children from their concubine mothers have no rights to kingship titles. It was a tradition that originated from the ancient empire.

"Yes. Should all the immediate royal male members fall, the king's illegitimate children hold no claim to the throne. And because no female royals would be recognized as a successor according to kingship laws, the rights will only pass through another direct royal family line. Can you guess who that would be?". The Queen's lips curved to a smile.

"Igor will end up as Chrichton's king... and jointly rule over the two kingdoms." Rihannan held her breath, blue eyes quivering. "Why is that..."

"Rihannan, my mother's a Chrichtonite princess before she was Arundell's queen. Chrichton blood flows through Igor. If Arundell and Chrichton's relations remain favorable, Igor having claim to the throne is certainly qualified should the royal members pass away. Should Igor combine both the powers of Arundell and Chrichton, to build an empire able to go against the Toulouse Empire would no longer be a dream."

Rihannan looked at the Queen, her heart palpitating.

The Queen's thoughts were valid.

Igor was a legitimate heir and in terms of genealogical purity, he was first in line before Dimitri. Igor's family tree came directly from Carl I's lineage tree whose descendants were the direct members of the royal family while she and Dimitri were descendants of the Preibius ancestry.

Preibius was Carl I's brother.

Rihannan never arrived at this notion before. When Chrichton's direct royal members fell to the plague, the issues of pure lineage would emerge as well.

She recalled the memory of Dimitri's crowning. She was pregnant at the time and took a rest in the seasonal palace away from official duties. It was expected that she would be left in the dark of the current situation.

The teacup in Rihannan's grasp trembled.

The Queen had dangerous thoughts pervading her mind for a long while.

Since when?

"But Your Majesty, it's practically impossible. The Crown Prince is vigorous and healthy and there exist several immediate male royal members."

"...Yes. And since the relationship with Crichton dwindled to this point, it has become an impossible dream," the Queen sighed solemnly and looked out the window with a blank face. "Igor won't follow me even if that were to happen. I had hopes... he used to be a little rebellious but never this much. It happened at the time when the palace turned upside down at his sudden disappearance. And then he came back..."

"...I'm not sure I follow," Rihannan asked curiously.

The Queen Mother was the core power of the kingdom and she had the strength and means to wield it. Rihannan did not know how Igor suddenly left her eyes without notice. He was always under extreme protection.

"Everyone's mouths were shut tight. No one knew Igor went missing except for a handful of close associates." The Queen looked down at her teacup and sighed once more.

"Why did he go missing? Was he kidnapped?"

"No. Given Basil's attitude, he had gone somewhere in secret with Igor, but he refused to tell me. Regardless, I paid it no mind. I was only glad that he came back safely, but ever since then, life with him changed," she frowned, recalling those painful memories. "He looks at me like a murderer, like a person who had killed someone dear to him. This is our current relationship now, Rihannan."

The Queen laughed; it was a despondent laugh.

"And you don't need to worry. I've no hopes of making a comeback. All my limbs had been cut off - my people, my loyal supporters destroyed. What can I do now but spend my life away like this? I've long given up. I didn't call you here for malicious means. I only wanted to see you. You remind me a whole lot of your mother. Sometimes I see a wisp of her soul in you. She was a kind-hearted woman."

The Queen reached out and patted Rihannan's cheek, her eyes watery. Her wrinkled face spoke many stories. She had left her dreams in the mud of history and never to see its ending end. She built her kingdom out of splintered spine and blood, but it was no longer.

Rihannan felt the sincerity in her voice. She grasped the Queen's hand tightly and whispered affectionately, "I'm also very happy to see you again."