Princess Of The Skulls - Chapter 84: Chapter 84

Three days after the battle, the first of many difficult conversations began.
King Magnus Blackthorne arrived at the castle with a full retinue, his face grim as he surveyed the dimensional damage that still scarred the ancient stones. Behind him rode King Aldric's father, King
Roderick Thornfield, who had arrived within hours of receiving word about his brother's death.
I watched them approach from the battlements, my enhanced senses picking up the tension in their body language, the way their hands stayed close to their weapons despite the truce flags flying from their banners. These were men who had spent decades as enemies, and recent events hadn't erased that history.
"Are you ready for this?" Kael asked, moving to stand beside me. His presence was a comfort, a reminder.
Whatever came next, I wouldn't face it alone.
"I have to be," I replied, adjusting the skull relics around my neck. They felt different now, lighter somehow, as if Mother's sacrifice had transformed them from tools of power into symbols of protection.
"The truth isn't going to be easy for them to accept."
"The truth rarely is," Father said, his voice weaker than it had been but still carrying the weight of centuries. "But it's necessary. These men need to understand what they've been fighting for all these years."
Master Dorian approached from the stairs, his formal robes replaced by practical clothing suited to the reconstruction efforts. "The great hall is ready. I've arranged for privacy wards and truth-binding spells, as you requested."
"Truth-binding?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing coercive," he assured me quickly. "Just spells that will make it impossible for anyone to lie during the negotiation. If we're going to rebuild the trust between these kingdoms, we need to start with absolute honesty."
An hour later, I sat at the head of a table that had been hastily repaired after the dimensional battle. To my right sat Aldric, his face carefully neutral as he prepared to hear the full truth about his father's death.
To my left sat Kael, his presence a deliberate statement about the new alliances that were forming.
Across from us, the two kings studied each other with decades of accumulated hostility, while Master
Dorian activated the truth-binding spells that would govern our discussion.
"Before we begin," I said, my voice carrying the authority I had earned through battle and sacrifice, "you need to understand that everything you think you know about recent events is wrong. The war between your kingdoms, the conflicts that have shaped the last decade, the very reasons for this marriage alliance —All of it was orchestrated by forces that wanted to see both our realms weakened and vulnerable."
"That's a serious accusation," King Magnus said, his eyes narrowing. "Do you have proof?"
"I have something better," I replied, reaching for the skull relics. "I have the testimony of the dead themselves."
The communion that followed was unlike any I had ever attempted. Instead of speaking to an individual spirits, I opened a channel to the collective memory of all those who had died in the conflicts between our kingdoms. Their voices rose like a chorus, telling the story of manipulated battles, assassinations disguised as military actions, and the slow, careful work of turning natural political tensions into open warfare.
Through their testimony, the pattern became clear. Lord Cassius had spent years positioning himself as a moderate voice in the Thornfield court while secretly funding extremist factions in both kingdoms. Every escalation, every breakdown in diplomatic relations, every incident that had pushed us closer to total war —All of it had been carefully orchestrated to create the conditions necessary for the otherworldly invasion.
"He needed us weak," I explained as the spirit voices faded. "Divided, exhausted, ready to accept any alliance that promised peace. The marriage treaty wasn't just about uniting our kingdoms—it was about creating the perfect conditions for the dimensional rifts to open."
King Roderick's face had gone pale as the full scope of his brother's betrayal became clear. "Cassius. He was my advisor for twenty years. He helped me plan our military strategies, our diplomatic initiatives.
You're telling me it was all ."
"Manipulation," Aldric finished grimly. "Everything he did was designed to serve his real masters. The
The question is, what do we do now?"
That question hung in the air like a challenge. Both kingdoms had been devastated by the recent conflicts, their resources strained and their people exhausted. The marriage alliance that had brought us together was no longer necessary for survival, but the practical needs for cooperation remained.
"We rebuild," I said finally. "But we do it differently this time. Not as subjects forced into alliance by political necessity, but as equals choosing to work together for mutual benefit."
"And the marriage?" King Magnus asked, his eyes studying the way I held myself, the changes in my bearing that marked my transformation from princess to queen.
"Will proceed as planned," I said, feeling Kael's slight tension beside me. "But with modifications. A war marriage, lasting one year, was designed to provide stability during the reconstruction period. After that, we'll reassess based on the needs of our people and our own choices."
"A year," King Roderick mused, his strategic mind working through the implications. "It's not traditional, but then, nothing about this situation is traditional. And you're certain the otherworldly threat is truly ended?"
"As certain as we can be," I replied. "The dimensional seals are holding, the invasion force has been destroyed, and the magical changes we've implemented should prevent any similar attempts in the future. But we'll need to remain vigilant. There are always other threats, other forces that would see our world weakened or destroyed."
"Then it's settled," King Magnus said, his voice carrying the weight of paternal authority. "The marriage will proceed in one week, with the modifications you've proposed. After that, we'll work together to rebuild what's been lost and prepare for whatever comes next."
As the formal negotiations continued, I found myself looking ahead to the year that would follow. Twelve months as Aldric's wife, twelve months of political alliance and shared responsibility, twelve months of keeping my desires in check while serving the greater good.
It wasn't the future I had imagined, but it was a future I could accept. And when the year ended, when my if obligations had been fulfilled and the kingdoms were stable, I would be free to choose my path.
The Queen of Bones would have her chance at happiness, earned through sacrifice and patience.