The princess blinked baffled. "I'm sorry. What did you say?" she said.
"I can't sleep peacefully as long as I know that scoundrels like this have all the power," she said pointing to the king.
The king scowled, sizing her up, "Who are you calling a scoundrel!" he yelled, offended.
"You, oh king!" the fairy-like creature yelled back blunt. "Don't think I will ignore that you were so selfish, you were willing to sacrifice not one, but two women in your family. And for what? A stupid pile of stones!"
"Now hold on for a minute! He would not have done such a thing if you-" the queen intervened.
"You're no better either! You are as arrogant as he is. And these two!" Viniria said, pointing to the senior prince and his wife. "They're just... weak."
"Hey!" said prince Mark.
"Shut up," his wife muttered, keeping them and their children as far away as she could.
"You can complain all you want, but I believe that young Zora here is the only one capable of ruling the land my forest is in. She is smart, well-mannered, keeps her word and, most importantly, solves problems peacefully," the guardian stated, continuing with confidence. "For these reasons, I proclaim her the queen of this kingdom!"
"What!" the king's eyes gawped from their sockets.
"Me?" Zora stammered.
"Yes, you dear," Viniria said softly. "Do you accept?"
The princess thought for a moment. She glanced at Aidan, who looked back at her. Still, when the creature frowned, she quickly nodded.
Her in-laws were shocked.
"You traitor!" king Nathaniel yelled.
Zora ran to her husband, embracing him from fear.
Nathaniel sneered, on the verge of a mental breakdown. "How dare you! On what grounds can you rule over my lands!" he shouted at her like a madman.
"On the basis of 'I will destroy you and your entire army with my powers if you oppose me'!" Viniria said, giving him a cold stare.
Weeds began to grow slowly under his feet. Swiftly, they reached his knees, making the large man tremble. His guards struggled with a similar problem. The stems grew around them, squeezing them like snakes do.
He mumbled angrily, glancing at his trapped feet. Not able to find a way out of this trap, he clenched his teeth.
The guardian hissed. "Let me make this clear. If anything! And I mean anything, happens to this kind girl. I will unleash my fury on you."
"That is not necessary," Zora's voice trembled. "You do not have to do that now. We are all aware just how powerful you are."
The forest guardian turned to her. "Very well."
The weeds, which had grown to his waist at this point, immediately disappeared, leaving only an unbearable itch.
"Now tell me about your adventures. I'm eager to hear them," the guardian said nonchalantly. "The rest can go. They should begin preparing your coronation."
Before they could say anything, Zora whispered to the confused Aidan: "Take them to the castle. Don't discuss anything until I get back. Please!"
Ne nodded. The royal family went home silent, with their soldiers slouched and itchy.
The king nervously paced all night. Queen Olivia and prince Mark were standing, not sure what to say. Aidan observed him cautiously, painfully aware of just how serious this was. The senior princess took the children to sleep, relieved to escape the tense atmosphere.
By the time Zora returned, it was morning.
"Where were you! Don't you realize we had been waiting," the queen said, almost hissing.
"Why, no need to answer that question. She is now our queen, and divine ruler," king Nathaniel declared sarcastically. "After all, with her devil-spawn friend, she can do anything she wants, can she?"
The princess looked down, on the verge of tears. "If I may, your Majesty. I think I have an idea of how to settle things."
"So, you are already barking orders, are you!" the king yelled, making Aidan mad.
"Do not talk to her in that way! This was not her fault!" he stated, instinctively grabbing the handle of his sword.
"You two. Settle down," their middle brother said quietly. "Remember the promise you gave to our departed mother? You would not kill each other, no matter the reason."
Still, the two locked eyes, as if ready to tear each other apart.
Zora's lips started to quiver. "About Viniria's words. Please, understand, she acted abruptly. You see, she told me that she did it only because she feared for me. Now that I can turn into a wolf, she thought that you might hurt me."
"And?" the king added coldly.
"But I understand that is not the truth. You would never hurt me, as I would never hurt you. Wolf or no wolf. I am part of your family," she said. "That is why, I suggest, that I only pretend to be the queen. And only in her presence."
The others looked at her in silence.
Aidan came closer. "Are you certain this is what you want?"
She looked down unsure.
"Well, of course it is!" the queen said, delighted. "Even the girl is aware that this is all a whim of that creature. And besides, an uneducated little thing that came here a month ago. Ha! Who would want to take orders from her?"
The queen's mocking tone, made Zora lower her head even more.
Aidan held in his rage. "My love, I will do anything you wish. But please tell me, what that is."
The princess looked away. "What I wish. What I wish the most is for you to be happy. And how can I be happy, if I turn your family against you?"
The king hummed, relieved. "Wise words. Now how will we proceed? Do I give you one of my old crown each time you go and visit that creature?"
The princess sighed, timid once again. Her hands clenched, holding the magical object that got her into this mess. Aidan touched her face, observing it carefully. "No," he said, determined.
"What?" the king said abruptly.
Aidan turned to face his older brother. "I said, no," he stated.