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Chapter 20
Theresa's birthday was something the whole court talked about because today was the day that would ensure the succession to Marcus's throne. Whether it was through Theresa or someone else. Dressed in a green gown, Theresa made her way to the throne room. Her father was already there.
"Are you ready, Theresa?" Her father stepped forward. Only Lord Adam was in the room with them. "I really think that Adam is a good choice. I trust him and I trust you. Could you love him?"
"Father, if I didn't think I was ready to, I wouldn't go through with this." Theresa answered, looking at Adam. "Besides, you do not approve of any of the suitors I had. You deemed them unworthy of your throne. Do you think Lord Adam is such a man?"
"I just worry about you. You know that I hold your opinion in high regard." Marcus looked at Adam. "If you hurt her…"
"I will not, your majesty. I know better." Adam winked at Theresa. He had watched her grow up and he knew he was older than her by twenty years, but that didn't stop him. "I will care for your daughter as I cared for our late queen."
"I know, Adam." Marcus turned around. "Shall we go to the joust then? The people will be expecting this announcement."
"Of course." Theresa took his arm.
They walked in silence to the jousting field where everyone was on their feet. Theresa looked out and saw a knight she was unfamiliar with, hoping it was her brother. When Marcus arrived on the throne, he called for the joust to begin.
Throughout the joust, Theresa looked for her token and found it in the final round. The combatants poised to strike and the man with her token forced the knight off his horse. She gasped as the knight got off his horse and came forward to them.
Marcus gave her a look and spoke. "Who are you that can best my knights in single combat? Did you come from a faraway place?"
"No, my lord. I came from a place of great privilege. Your daughter gave me this token and told me it was her birthday. She wanted me to joust for her as her champion." The stranger said.
"Then reveal yourself so I might see who my daughter deems as a worthy champion." He answered back, ignoring all around him.
The stranger shrugged and slowly took off the helmet. Richard stood there, shocking his father and sister but for different reasons. Theresa didn't think he would show himself and Marcus didn't think it would be his son. He feared his son had run to another country.
"Richard?" Marcus responded.
"Yes, it is I. I feared you would not understand why I jousted had I come to you." He got on one knee and braced for death. "I know you are my father and in front of all of these people you put on a brave front. You killed King Kane for your own foolish glory and I didn't even get to see my mother for fear that I would have been killed. So finish your glory and kill your only son."
The crowd was kneeling with the prince. The situation was clearly private, but Richard was illustrating his tyranny for everyone to see. Instead of the shadow of Marcus over him, it was Theresa.
"How dare you?" Theresa spat. "Get up." Richard did as he was told only to receive a slap to the face. "I invite you here to my birthday and you have the gall to try and goad a grieving man into killing someone he loves? How dare you?"
"Sister, I…"
"I am the High Princess and you will address me as such." Theresa cut him off. "You are not worthy of the title of High Prince. You parade around thinking you are better because you didn't make the tough decisions my father did. He might have killed King Kane, but Kane never looked for his brother. Our father had to kidnap his own wife because he didn't have the access to be alone with her. Richard, you have no idea the pain it caused Father, which he had to be seen as a horrible man. So before you come in here with your mightier than thou speech, think before you speak to him that way."
"Theresa, enough." Marcus said. "He doesn't know his place."
"I don't know my place? My place is helping my people. Something you haven't done. You want to auction off Kane's daughters to the highest bidder. Maria the Scots and who knows what you will do with Vivian and Edward." Richard answered.
"Richard, you have no idea the things I've done. The things your sister has done in your absence."
"I know that your people starve."
"That may be, but we are aware of that. We are trying to help them. That is why we have decreed in celebration of the Princess Theresa's birthday, that anyone who is starving may come to the castle and eat." The crowd cheered.
"Richard, please come home. We have been worried sick about you. Father has been trying to find you since you took off." Theresa looked at him hard. "You need to be the stability this land needs."
"What about you? The peace needs to be kept." Richard answered quietly.
"Be that as it may, I trust you as I always have. You need men like you to lead our people. We need to be strong. Richard, you have to look around. All these people respect our king. It's time you did too. Take your rightful place and come home." Theresa pleaded.
"I refuse. Theresa, you are still pure and you can save these people. But I cannot submit to someone who tormented my mother. No matter who he is." Richard turned away from her.
"Then I shall decree: Anyone who is caught helping Richard will be imprisoned and tortured for information leading to his arrest. You have one day to leave this kingdom. You will be hunted and I wish you would reconsider." Marcus boomed. "Go Richard, on pain of death."
"Father!" Theresa cried.
"My word is law, Theresa. Do not question it."
"As you wish, my lord." Theresa curtsied and went back to her place.
"Come with me, Theresa."
"I cannot. You are a fugitive now. Go, Richard. Please."
"Of course, Your Highness." Richard mocked. He walked out but not before tossing the token she had given him to the ground. Adam gasped and Marcus remained silent. Theresa went to pick it up and Richard turned back to look at her.
"You're a good person, Theresa. Just like our mother." And with that, Richard was gone.