After her announcement, she quickly walked back to chambers to prevent anyone from bothering her but that didn’t stop her sons from following her. 


“Mum are you serious?” Why would you do that?” Derrick asked. 


“I’m the queen and my word is final”.


“And God’s word is not final”? He asked. 


“I doubt he actually gave that revelation”.


“This isn’t you mum. Fredrick has gotten to you”, Warrick said to her. 


“I need to rest. Kindly leave”, she said to them. 


“So what happens to Hope now?” Derrick asked. 


“I’ll send for her soon”, she said. 


“And what about her training and her throne?” He asked. 


“She will undergo her training and when she gets back, she’ll assist your brother. We’ll find a position to give her”, she said. 


“I can’t believe this mum. Do you know what you’re doing? You’re driving this country to its doom”, Warrick said. 


“I know what I’m doing and I need you two to leave now”.


“Mum you...”


“Now!!!” She yelled and they both left. 


When they left, she burst out crying. She knew what she was doing was wrong but she didn’t want Frederick to kill himself. 


She remembered how she had a lot of miscarriages before she was finally able to give birth. She remembered the complications she fought through to give birth to Fredrick. He brought her joy during his birth. 


She also remembered how he almost killed himself when he was a teenager. He was in love with a girl and wanted to get married to her when he was still 17. She and the King refused to let that happen and he threatened them with his death but they didn’t pay attention to him till they saw him trying to jump from the window of his room. That was a horrible sight to her and she didn’t want to ever experience it again. So that was how Fredrick got married to his wife. Although Fredrick was a grown man now, she knew that he could actually kill himself if he doesn’t get the throne. 


She stayed in her room all day crying and when the Lords, Dukes and Bishops tried to reach her, she turned them down. 


*


Kierra went to the sea side to clear her head. She sat at the seashore and thought about everything that was said and then she got scared. 


She enjoyed her normal life and wasn’t ready to be a queen to any country. She had already made friends and didn’t want to leave them behind or leave her family. 


“God why me? I’m just a regular girl and I am not even worthy of this. I hardly pray, I hardly read the Bible, I’m not even brave or strong and you still picked me?” She said to herself and she started throwing stones into the water. 


She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice when Darnley joined her. 


“Kierra”, he said, startling her. 


“Please don’t come near me”, she said, and got up quickly. 


“Why? What did I do?


“Just leave me alone you jerk”.


“Wow, I’m hurt. Wait”, he said observing her. 


“Were you in a fight? Your face looks so swollen and you’ve got bruises all over”.


“Are you asking me that? Don’t act like you know nothing about this”.


“Oh c’mon Kierra, why will I want to hurt you? I care about you, you know”.


“Care? You’re crazy. How can you say you care about me but you embarrassed me yesterday and made your girlfriend do this to me”, she said, angrily. 


“I wasn’t expecting her to be around at that time and when you came, I just came clean with her, that’s all. And you mean she did this to you?” He asked and Kierra looked away. 


“Just stay away from me”, she said, turning around to leave and he pulled her back.


“Let me make it up to you”, he said to her and she looked away. 


“Please, I promise I’m not a jerk”, he said to her. 


“Please Kierra”.


“Okay, fine. What do you suggest?” She knew that Delilah was going to be so mad but she didn’t care because she knew she was going to leave soon according to what her parents said. 


“Let’s hang out in one of my ships or boats”, he said. 


“No, I want the fresh air. We can just hang out here”, she said and he looked around. 


“I really don’t want people seeing us, you know how people gossip and I don’t want Delilah to hurt you anymore”, he said to her. 


“Alright”, she said and she followed him. 


When they got to his boat, he offered her a drink and when she took it, she quickly spat it out. 


“What’s this?” She asked him. 


“It’s just beer”, he said, smiling. 


“I don’t drink that”.


“My bad, what do you want?”


“I’m actually good”, she said. 


They started talking about random things and then he sat by her. 


“Do you like me?” He asked her. 


“What? Why would you ask me that?” she said, looking away. 


“Cos I really do like you”, he said, getting close to her. 


“Really?” She asked, smiling. 


“Yeah”.


“And you never showed it”, she said, shyly.


“Because I wasn’t sure if you liked me”, he said, staring into her eyes. 


“I like you Darnley.  I’ve always had a crush on you since I was little”, she said, beaming and then he kissed her. 


She didn’t know how to react or what to do because this was her first time. So she allowed him to kiss her and he started taking things too far, so she pushed him away. 


“No Darnley, we can’t do this. It’s going to be fornication”, she said to him. 


“Oh c’mon Kierra. I like you so much and I want to do this”, he said, pulling her and kissing her and she pushed him off again. 


“I want to do this with my husband first and you’re not my husband. Stop it”, she said, trying to get up and he pushed her to the floor and forced himself on her. 


She screamed and started struggling to get away but he was so strong.  


She looked around and saw a rod and as he was on top of her, she stretched her hands and grabbed it and then she used it to hit him. 


“Ouch”, he yelled in pain and she quickly pushed him off and hit him with it once again. 


“You’re an evil person. I hate you and I never want to see you again”, she yelled and she quickly ran off. 


“Come back here you wretch”, he yelled and went after her but she got away. 


As she stepped out of the boat, she bumped into her friends and they were all surprised to see her. 


Gwen observed her and saw that her dress buttons were open. 


“You whore!! So the rumors are true”, she said to Kierra. 


“I’m not in the mood Gwen, I just want to go home”, she yelled.


“What happened to you?” Miriam asked, observing her. 


“It’s a long story but I really need to get away from here”, she said and was interrupted when Darnley stepped out and he wasn’t expecting to find her with company. 


“What are you still doing here?!” He yelled and everyone’s attention came on them. 


“Don’t you dare speak to her like that, you jerk!” Louisa said to him. 


“Me a jerk? Your friend is a whore. She tried to seduce me”, he said and everyone turned to stare at her. 


“Kierra!?” Her friends exclaimed. 


“You see, the rumors are true. I heard that she tried to seduce him yesterday in front of Delilah and now she has the guts to try it again”, Gwen said, glaring at her. 


“It’s not true. He’s lying and all the rumors are not true”, she said, tearing up. 


“So what were you doing in his boat?” Gwen asked. 


“I was at the seashore, trying to clear my head and he came by and invited me and then the tried to rape me”, she said to them. 


“I don’t believe you. You’ve had all the men in this place at your feet and you knew that I had eyes for him and because he wasn’t at your feet, you tried to seduce him”, Gwen yelled. 


“Shut up Gwen, how can you say that?” Louisa said. 


“Why are you all letting her lie to you? Ask her where she was last night. You were here too, right?” She asked and Kierra looked away. 


“You see she can’t talk. You’re a whore and that’s it”, Gwen said and Kierra ran off, she couldn’t stand the embarrassment. 


“Kierra!!” Louisa and Miriam said, running after her but she was faster than them. 


She quickly ran to her house and burst in. Hopefully for her, her parents were still there. 


“I want to leave this city”, she said in tears. 


“What?” Mary asked. 


“I want to leave now. Call my people. I want to go. Everyone is just cruel”.


They were trying to understand what had happened when they heard knocks on the door. 


“It’s Miriam and Louisa. Please tell them to go away”, she said and she went into her room. 


Mary opened the door and she and her husband asked them what happened and they told her everything. 


“We just want to talk to her. Tell her that we believe her and just want to talk”, they said to her parents. 


“She’s not in a good mood now. Can you both come back later?” Mary asked and they nodded and left. 


*


The palace


The whole palace was still in an uproar. Everyone who heard the news didn’t understand why the Queen was trying to go against what the prophecy said. 


John went round, trying to convince the Lords and Dukes by feeding them with lies on how the prophecy wasn’t true. 


Fredrick was in his chambers with his wife also trying to process everything. He didn’t expect his mother to actually do that. 


“Fredrick, I’m really worried about all this. I do want you to be the king but I’m scared of the repercussions”, his wife said to him. 


“I know baby. I’m also scared but I really do believe that I’m the rightful heir. I don’t believe in their prophecies and neither should you. These bishops and priests just get up and say whatever they want and then we all follow them blindly. I believe this is the right thing to do”, he said to her. 


“Hmmm, I just hope you’re right”.


“I need you on my side for this”, he said pulling her towards him. 


“I’ll always be at your side forever”, she said, pecking him. 


*


John and Penelope were in his room, celebrating one of their victories. 


“Everything is working out for us baby”, he said, kissing her. 


“Yes. You’re such a genius”, she said and he smiled. 


“But what about me? How do I become his wife and the queen”?


“Just trust me. I know what to do, just keep sneaking into his room when his wife isn’t there”.


“I’m really sick of him trying to resist me and talking about his wife and blah blah”.


“Just continue, it’ll be for a short while. As soon as you’re Queen, you’ll be all mine”, he said, grinning and she giggled. 


“Queen Penelope”, she said, smiling. 


“Yes my beautiful queen”, he said to her and they both laughed and continued with their celebration. 


*


The queen was in her room when she received a message from her messenger. 


‘Your daughter isn’t safe anymore in the city. She needs to leave soon and start her training’.


When the queen read this message, she panicked and quickly sent her messenger and troops to pick her up. 


*


The small city


In the morning, Kierra was in her room, preparing to go to her Mum’s shop when her mother called her. 


She quickly ran off to answer her and was surprised when she saw a lot of people with swords and armor. 


“Mum what’s going on?” She asked her and her mum was in tears. 


“They’re here for you honey”, Maxwell said. 


“What? I don’t want to go anywhere. I was just sad yesterday and that’s why I said all that”, Kierra said. 


“No Kierra, you have to go with them. The city isn’t safe for you anymore”.


“Just because of Delilah and Darnley? I can handle them”, she said. 


“Kierra”, her dad said, approaching her. 


“This hurts us a lot but you have to go”, he said to her.


“No, no “, she yelled and she quickly opened the door and ran off.


Kierra ran straight to Louisa’s house. 


“Louisa!!” She said, knocking on her door. 


Louisa opened the door and was surprised to see Kierra. 


“Kierra”, she said, hugging her. 


“Come in”, she said to her and Kierra walked in.  


“How are you?” She asked Kierra. 


“My parents want to send me away”, she said to her. 


“Why? To where?”


“To be a queen to a country I don’t know of”, she said and Louisa looked at her and laughed. 


“Kierra be serious”.


“I’m serious”, she said to her and Louisa was confused. 


Kierra narrated the whole story to her according to what her parents told her. 


“Wow, I never knew you could tell wonderful stories like this”, Louisa said, laughing. 


“Louisa I’m serious. Some soldiers are at my house right now and they said they’re sending me away to get trained”.


“Kierra stop it. You’re freaking me out”.


“Louisa I’m serious and that’s why I ran to your house. I can’t leave. Can I hide in your house for some time”?


“I can’t believe this. You’re a queen” Louisa said, grinning. 


“No”.


“You’re a queen girl. I always knew there was something special about you”, Louisa said, smiling. 


“Girl please. There’s nothing special about me”.


Allow me to make your head big a bit”, she said and Kierra laughed. 


As they were talking, they heard a knock on the door and Kierra panicked. 


“It’s them. Don’t open”, she said, hiding. 


“Why will they come to my house? Am I supposed to be the duchess or something”, she said, wiggling her brows. 


“Louisa be serious”.


Louisa walked towards her door and Kierra ran into her room. 


When Louisa opened the door, it was Miriam. 


“Kierra come out. It’s just Miriam”, Louisa yelled, laughing. 


“Kierra is here?” Miriam asked, grinning. 


“Yeah and she’s a whole queen”, She said to Miriam and she didn’t take her serious. 


“Kierra”, Miriam said, hugging her. 


“I was worried about you. I’m glad you’re fine”, she said to her.


“She’s more than fine. She’s a queen. The queen of Navara”, Louisa said. 


“What?” Miriam asked and Kierra told her everything. 


“Wow. That’s huge”, Miriam said to her. 


“Told her the same thing and she’s here hiding.  Who doesn’t want to be a queen?” Louisa asked. 


“I don’t even understand why God will pick me for this task. Look at me, what can I do? He should have chosen you. You’re the one who is always serious about him”, Kierra said to Miriam. 


“You were chosen before you were born. He knew you before he made you and you don’t need to be qualified. Wasn’t Moses on his own, doing nothing proper but God chose him. You should be glad and grateful that you were chosen to help your people out”, Miriam said to her. 


“Hmm. I’m still scared. What if I let them down”?


“Seek God’s guidance. Pray to him and he’ll guide you”, Miriam said to her. 


“Okay. I really don’t want to leave you girls. You’re like my family and I don’t want to leave my parents. I’m scared”. 


“You’ll be fine Kierra. You’re the strongest person I know”, Louisa said to her. 


“I don’t want to go”, Kierra said, frowning. 


“You have to go girl and I’m coming with you”, Louisa said and Miriam glared at her. 


“And you think your parents will let you go”, Miriam said. 


“Wait till I tell them that I’m supposed to be the queen’s hand or a duchess”.


“You’re crazy”.


“Kierra you have no choice. You have to go”, Louisa said to her. 


“I’ll miss everyone”, Kierra said, tearing up. 


“We’ll miss you too”, Miriam said, hugging her. 


“Aww”, Louisa said and she hugged her too. 


They spoke for a while and then Kierra had to leave. 


They accompanied her to her house and were astonished when they saw the troops. 


“Wow, all these people just for you?” Louisa asked. 


“I have to go with you Kierra. Take me with you”, she said to Kierra and Miriam hit her on the head. 


“What? Don’t act like you don’t want to go too”, Louisa said, glaring at her. 


“Kierra you’re back”, her mum said, worried. 


She had mixed feelings. She didn’t want Kierra to go and she also wanted her to go for her safety and to do what she was born to do. 


“Yes mummy”.


“Your dad and I have packed your things”, she said to Kierra and burst out in tears.


Kierra also started crying and she hugged her mum. 


“I’ll be back for you mum”, she said, crying. 


“Dad”, she said, walking to him and she hugged him. 


“I will miss you so much Kierra. Be good and always remember to pray and seek the Lord first in all things. We love you so much and we’re always here if you ever need anything”, he said to her. 


“I’ll be back for you two. I can’t leave you both here”, she said to him. 


“No Kierra. We’ll be fine here and we promise to visit you”, he said to her. 


“I don’t want to go dad. What will I do without you two”?


“Sweetheart you’ll be fine and you’ve got your mother and brothers there”, he said, wiping her tears away. 


“I’ll miss you so much Louisa and Miriam”, she said, hugging her friends and they were also in tears. 


“We’ll miss you too”, they said to her. 


“Extend my greetings to Gwen and let her know that I didn’t do any of those things I’m being accused of”, she said. 


“Don’t worry about her. You’ve got bigger things ahead of you”, Louisa said. 


“She’s still my friend”.


“Alright alright. We’ll tell her”, Louisa said. 


“Make sure you come back for me”, Louisa said to her and Kierra smiled. 


“I will”.


“Promise”?


“Yeah and I’ll come back for all of you”, she said to them. 


“Just me. Miriam isn’t interested and Gwen is disloyal”, Louisa said and Miriam glared at her. 


They talked for a while till Kierra had to leave. 


Everyone was in tears as she left. 


She hugged everyone again and got into her chariot. 


As she was on her way, she looked around and started thinking of what her new life was going to be like. 


She was really terrified of what was ahead of her. 


“God please be with me throughout this journey”, she said and continued to look around. 


*


The palace


Queen Valerie and Fredrick were in the throne room conversing. 


“Mum, it’s been days since you announced that I was the next king but I’ve not heard anything about the coronation”, he said to his mum. 


“Because there are bigger matters at hand. We can’t spend our money on your coronation now”.


“But you could spend money on Hope’s training”.


“It’s important that she gets trained because she knows nothing about the land and nothing about being a queen...I mean a princess. It’s also required that she learns how to fight and defend herself just like you and your brothers”.


“I have to be crowned before she returns”, he said, folding his arms. 


“If you’re able to retrieve our lost lands, then we can go ahead with the coronation”.


“Okay. I will retrieve those lands and you’ll see that I’m the right person for that position”, he said and he left. 


******


Warrick was getting ready to leave the palace when his brother, Derrick caught up with him. 


“You’re leaving?” Derrick asked him. 


“Yeah, I don’t have anything doing here and I’ve got a lot of countries to explore”.


“So you won’t be here to welcome Hope?” He asked. 


“Her training takes months. I’ll be here before she arrives”, he said. 


“Okay. Be careful”, he said to him. 


“I will. Be careful too and take care of mum”.


“Sure, I will”, he said and Warrick got into his chariot and left. 


Derrick was about to walk back into the palace but he heard a certain noise coming from an inner room. 


He went in there and found John and Penelope making out. 


“Mmmmm”, he said, clearing his throat and they quickly broke apart. 


“Your grace”, they both said, bowing their heads. 


“Isn’t she supposed to be your sister?” He asked, confused. 


“Yeah. Uh it’s not what you think”.


“Oh don’t worry. I didn’t see anything, weirdos”, he said and he left. 


“You just ruined everything”, Penelope said, angrily. “I told you we should go to your room and you still made us do it here”, she said, folding her arms. 


“I’m sorry. I couldn’t keep my hands off you and the room thing has become boring”.


“Now you’ve ruined my chances of becoming the queen”.


“No no no. You’ll still be the queen”.


“How do I become the queen when Derrick has seen us doing this”?


“I have my ways. We’ll have to blackmail him”.


“With what?”


“I’ll think of something”, he said, giving an evil grin and Penelope smiled. 


“What will I do without you”? She said, hugging him. 


*


The training center


Kierra finally arrived at the training center and she was escorted inside. 


There were quite a number of people there and it made her really nervous. 


“Who are all these people”? She asked the messenger. 


“They’re also future kings, queens, Lords and people from higher places”. 


“Oh I see”.


“Be careful not to mention your country. One of the rules here is to keep your country a secret”, he said to her. 


“Okay”.


“You’re welcome Hope”, a woman who looked quite old said to them. 


“Hope?” She asked. 


“That’s your real name”, the messenger whispered in her ears. 


“Ohh. But I don’t like Hope. I want my name, Kierra”, she said, whispering in his ear. 


“Okay. Please call her Kierra”, he said to the woman. 


“Sure. Welcome Kierra. Follow me”, she said to her and Kierra looked at the messenger. 


“It’s okay, go. We’ll be back for you when you’re done with your training”, he said and he turned around to leave. 


“Wait”, she said but he was already gone. 


Kierra followed the woman and was taken to a room. 


“This is your room”, she said to her. “I’ll be back to get you a change of clothes”, the woman said and she left. 


Kierra looked around and was in awe. The room was really big and was lovely. She had never seen anything as lovely as this in her life. 


As she walked around the room, checking things out, someone covered her mouth and grabbed her.


“Not again”, she said to herself.