Tolfin's shocking plan

Before Sarine could walk away, Tolfin placed a gentle, yet firm, hand on her shoulder, halting her progress. The regent then turned to the crowd with a wide grin. “Honored nobles, my niece could not have chosen her words better. The times Falbrein faces are not normal, to this day we are still rebuilding our kingdom from the destruction caused by the long-gone war that always split our people into two minds,” he paused and scanned the people’s expressions. “What I am prepared to offer you is, as Sarine said, a break of tradition. To see all the people of Falbrein working together towards the common goal of finally restoring the greatness of our land, I must ask you Sarine Crowslaw, soon-to-be queen, my dear niece, daughter of my brother, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Sarine’s blue eyes almost popped out of her skull as a round of heated, outraged and curious whispers broke amongst the nobles, servants and knights around them.

“That’s preposterous!”

“That’s a sin!”

“Can they do that?”

“Now that’s what I call a ball!”

Reiline turned to Lacos with a shocked look on her face. “Shit! Lacos, can he do that?”

“I don’t know, you are the ones who worship Alxer, what does the Temple says about it?” the Draconoid retorted.

“I’m not sure, never had any reason to find out about this,” the maid replied. “That’s disgusting, she’s his niece, his brother’s daughter.”

Lacos sighed. “Be it as it may, it’s also a masterful move by Tolfin, if you think about it. He knows Sarine just played the safe card. Since he has no wife and heirs, the power would just go to Sarine by default when he died, and she could do as she pleases,” the medic explained. “On the other hand, by marrying the princess, he ties her up to him, and when he makes an heir in her, his lineage and beliefs will continue with the child after he dies, provided he doesn’t die before this kid comes of age and Sarine has time to influence him or her.”

“That’s cruel,” Reiline commented.

The regent turned to his niece with a wide, mocking grin. “What is your answer, Sarine?”

The princess recovered from the initial shock and glared at her uncle. “What sort of joke are you trying to pull, Regent?” she heatedly whispered.

Tolfin leaned in. “It is no joke, I assure you, my niece. I made an inquiry to the Temple and they replied to me that there are no laws against my idea,” he whispered back before turning to the crowd and raising his chalice. “As rulers, we have to make sure our people stay united to make the best Falbrein we can!”

Influenced by Tolfin’s positivity, the previously outraged people got washed over by the prospect of seeing the two royal figures working together for the kingdom and started clapping and cheering.

“Tolfin! Sarine! Tolfin! Sarine!”

Sarine was sickened by her uncle’s proposal, even if she got past the fact that he was the man who betrayed her parents, they were related by blood. It made her skin crawl, but the redheaded princess knew she had no way out of this, Tolfin had cornered her spectacularly by taking the choice of refusing away from her. If she refused, the people would see her as someone who wasn’t willing to do everything she could for them and the kingdom. “Very well, uncle,” she sighed, a single tear falling from her left eye. “I accept your proposal.”

“Excellent, I knew you would be reasonable, my dear Sarine, this is what it means to be a good ruler,” Tolfin put down his chalice and clapped his hands. “Gather your advisors, we need to set a date for our wedding.”

The crowd cheered even louder and there were parties all over Falbrein that night.