Retrieve the Kingdom

A young woman was crying in front of two coffins. She was wearing a black dress, its skirt touching the ground, sleeves that reach her wrist. She was wearing a black veil too to hide her sorrowful face. Behind her is other few people standing and mourning too, with their fancy black attires. She approached a big picture of a man and a woman and she continued her crying there. “Desiree…” She ignored the call of a manly voice and just continued to cry. She received horrifying news just yesterday and here she is, seeing the coffins where her lifeless parents are laying, forever. As a teenager who just turned to her legal age and hasn’t achieved great things yet, it was great damage losing the ones who are guiding her. She felt someone hugged her from behind, but right now, she doesn’t care for anything. She is in deep sorrow and she doesn’t know if she will get out of it. A soothing female voice speaks up, “Come on… Let her grieve.” This was her daily routine in her parent’s wake. Waking up early and just grieving. She rarely eats a lot and avoids places where her parents mostly on when they are alive. In this problem, she was being supported by her uncles and aunts. She can’t even go to court to discuss the death of her parents. The whole kingdom was with her sorrow since they just lost the two great rulers of Eshecaea, the land where Desiree grew. After a week, it’s the burial. She was still devastated by her parent’s death. But every day as she absorbs what situation she is in right now, she started to accept it and tries to rise from the ocean of sorrow she is drowning in for days since the things she has never expected would happen happened. The two coffins of the late king and queen were marched throughout the big kingdom. Desiree decided to walk it all the way, sometimes boarding the carriage for her fragile body. It lessens her sadness just a little as she had a stroll around the kingdom. In the night, the close people to the royal couple gave their eulogies, Desiree came to last. “I am the daughter of the late King Marcus and Queen Jasmine of Eshecaea. Of all the people who stood in front of you, they had the greatest impact on me. With that, this death will be the worst thing that ever happened to my life. I never expected this to happen, not even a single bit. No one is sick among them, and I never anticipated someone will kill them. Sometimes, I blame it on myself, but it’s there, I can’t take it back anymore. Tomorrow… I will initiate furthermore the investigation of their deaths. Tomorrow, we must stand on our trembling feet, since we can’t do anything crawling in sadness. I, Princess Desiree of Eshecaea, will serve the justice my parents deserve and do everything I can. Now, it’s time to bid farewell to the great royal couple, and let’s stop whining and accept the fate the god, Alvi, has put on us.” They started to throw flowers to the coffins as they were buried in the private cemetery dedicated to the leaders of Eshecaea. It was an elevated ground to symbolize pride and remind people who take their eternal rest here. Desiree shed her last tears she will dedicate to her parents and left as soon her parents are buried. Every day is like a long day for her, and everything seems empty. After this, everything will be different. She rested her weary mind and soul. It has been a rough week for her, and she doesn’t expect it will end anytime soon. She woke up with a lot of responsibilities on her head. She ate breakfast while being read about the things she will do today, which kinda tires her out before she even does anything. After that, she prepared and went to a court session she will attend today. Her uncles and aunts attended with her and the investigation unit starts to explain what they found. “So, as what we reported before, they were killed by the failure in the vehicle. Apparently, the coachman survived. We were interrogating him just yesterday and he said he doesn’t remember he drove for the king and queen.” It made everyone confused, “We concluded he may have some memory loss due to the crash, we can’t extract any information from him.” The judge thinks, “But he is still responsible for this, we don’t even know that he is really losing some memories.” Desiree was suspicious with this, her parent’s coachmen were the best and ensured safety when driving. She was even sure that he will not hold any grudges against his parents because he doesn't have a reason to. Her parents treat him right and she witnessed the entire work life of the coachman under her parents. The court decided to delay the case ‘till the coachman remembers something. She was disappointed with the decision but kept her poise. She stayed in the court for a session, not about her parents’ deaths, but reading her parent’s will and declaration of the ruler. The judge read the will of her parent, all of the riches they have will be given to her and even the position of that was left by them. She was not really in the mood she requires to be in right now. But, her emotions can't stop a legal ceremony because she isn't in the mood. After all of the formal speeches and things, she was declared the queen under the law and legality. All of the people inside the room clapped with the majestic declaration and congratulated her. After that, she left the court, but as she exits the building, she noticed that her uncle, Duke Dougal was left alone on the premises. He seems doesn't have a plan to leave yet. She ignores his business and comes back to her home. It was a long day for her, she was visited by her Uncle Bermin to check if she’s okay. He and his wife accompanied her for the rest of the day. “Thank you for being with me.” She said as they ate their dinner. “You are very welcome, Dess. I know you have been through a lot, a company might help you.” Lady Naia, her aunt, smiles sweetly. “I know you are used to having someone with you, and we don’t want you to suffer much.” His uncle Bermin said, kissing her forehead. "You don't have to be obligated about that, after all, it's the time for me to be emotionally independent." The archduke shakes his head, "You are right about that but a sudden transition will shock your mind and just make you lazier with things. You are not used to it and as the people who left who are willing to guide you, we will help you with this sudden event. All of us didn't expect this and you are the one who is most affected by it. You need and deserve it, Desiree." She sighs as she finishes her food, it was not even finished at all. She just stopped and stood, before her aunt and uncle say something about it, she talked, "I need to finish something." She left and in the late night, she finishes the unfinished businesses her parents left.  She slept after her work. Even she is tired, she was half awake. The door of her room opens, she didn’t mind it at first. But she felt it was not right and woke up. Her in shock, she saw one of her servants holding a knife as she screams and tries to go out of the room. She received a stab in the shoulder and she fell. Before the servant can stab her one more time to finish her off, her uncle arrived in her room and immediately tackles the servant. “Naia! Get Desiree!” Her aunt helped Desiree with her situation as her uncle took care of the servant who is struggling. She ran to the castle clinic and seek help from the guards too. Desiree was rushed and tended by the private castle doctor. “Desiree, please fight this, don’t sleep, my dear!” She said as she was getting more nervous, Desiree was bleeding too much. On the other hand, the servant was captured and sent into the dungeons. The knife was confiscated and never used again. After that day, she was visited by her Uncle Dougal and Aunt Laila. “Sweetie! I hope you are fine!” She said as she pecks her cheek. Desiree smiled, “I am fine, just a wound…” She said as she shows them the cloth around her right shoulder. “Oh my! I hope you are okay…” Her aunt said as his uncle joined their conversation. “I will take care of the servant, she is too brave that she can just stab you in your room.” “Thank you, uncle.” He smiled as he left the room.  She was just sitting on the bed in the castle clinic all day. It was announced too that her coronation will be done in a few days. “Are you up to that, sweetie?” Her aunt said as she replaces the bandage with a cleaner one. She just nods, “It’s just a little scratch, I won’t lift something anyways.” Lady Laila gets a cup of tea and gives it to her. She accepted it and drinks it, it was refreshing. Her aunt took care of her the rest of the day. At her coronation, she wasn’t feeling really well. “Are you sure you can carry on?” Her aunt Naia asked her, she just nod. “Just say if something’s wrong, okay?” She nods again, she was weak and disappointed by the recent events. The court just decided to imprison the coachman with the evidence they got, not investigating any further. She was too weak to even say anything. She looks at the mirror, she wore her smile. She went out of her room as a servant called her, she sighs as she went to the throne room. She stopped at the throne room as she heard a vague shout, the door opens and there were a lot of people in the room. She slowly walks her way to the throne, not because she was savoring her moment, she was weak. The doctor said that she just needs to rest since she lost a lot of blood, but she can’t, she needs to do things here and there. She reached the elevated floor where the throne is as she was crowned and held the scepter. She looks at the crowd and everyone can see how tired she was and how weak she is. “I—” She coughs and looks at the crowd again, “Desiree of Eshecaea, will be your leader from now on. I promise to be the great leader you will ever have, will adhere to the Eshecaean Law, will be fair and just in my decisions, and most of all will do everything for our kingdom. I am here to serve, may god Alvi be with me.” Everyone cheered as she goes down the elevated floor and walks to the balcony of the throne room, where every citizen that can’t go to the throne room are there. They cheered as they saw her and waves at them. She still wearing her smile but her condition gets worse. She just stopped as she coughs, which made everyone stop too. She coughed blood, she was shocked. She keeps coughing as she faints. She almost fell on the balcony but her servants save her. On that day, same as Queen Desiree’s coronation, was her death anniversary. But it was not the end of her, she will even start a new life to finish the work she left. She will come back to help her people and do what she desires.