Summary: Returning to the palace, Gideon and Eva give a press conference about the attack and Cordonia’s future and to announce their engagement as Eva tries to come to terms with losing Drake.
Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters or the dialogue. They are owned by Pixelberry. I’m just borrowing them 🙂 the only characters I own are the ones created by me 🙂
Just then, Gideon’s phone buzzes from his pocket. “It’s Bastien”. Eva’s heart quickened. Maybe he had been wrong about Drake, maybe he had survived after all. She was barely paying attention to what Gideon was saying to Bastien. Their call seemed to be very brief. “Bastien has given us the all clear to return to the palace. The police are finished with the investigation of the crime scene and security have cleared the palace. A motorcade is on its way to bring us home” he advised, putting his phone back in his pocket. Her heart sank. “I don’t want to go back to the palace. I want to go and see Drake. I need to see for myself”. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Eva. It might not be safe for you to do so” Gideon said. “I don’t care. I want to see him. I need to say goodbye”. “We need to head back to the palace. Give a statement about the attack last night. Cordonia needs us right now. We need to show the monarchy is stable” Gideon explained. Bertrand clears his throat. “I agree with Gideon, Duchess Eva”. “And what about what I want? I lost Drake and I just want to say goodbye. I don’t want to have to stand in front of a bunch of reporters and have to give a statement about last night” she yelled. “Eva….” Bertrand began. “No, Bertrand. Just don’t say anything. Let’s just go” she barks, walking out of the safe house and into the waiting car. Gideon slides in after her, Hana, Maxwell and Bertrand getting into the second car. Once everyone is in the vehicles, the cars rumble to life and the royal guards make their way back to the palace. Before they arrive at the palace, Gideon slips his engagement ring on to her finger. A lone tear trails down her face as he does so. She knew this was wrong. She already regretted her decision to accept his proposal. Turning her head away from him, she wipes her face and focuses her attention on the scenery flashing by the window as they make the journey back through Cordonia.
Arriving back at the palace, she sees the press gathered round the entrance, no doubt waiting for Gideon’s statement. “Here we go” she mumbles under her breath. “Are you ready for this Eva?” he asked. She shook her head. “No, I’m not. Let’s just get through this”. Gideon exited the car, walking round to her side and opened her door. He offered her his arm. She ignored his outstretched arm and walked past him toward the front of the palace. “Duchess Eva” she heard. Various reporters began shouting her name and shouting questions at her. “Are we safe?” “Have the culprits been found?” “Do you know who was behind the attacks?” Gideon trailed behind her, stepping up to the podium to speak to the reporters.
“Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining me here today. In light of recent events, I believe it’s more important than ever to remember the ties that bring us together. Thus, in that same spirit of unity, I’ve invited Duchess Eva to share some news with you all”. Gideon smiled at her as she stepped to the front of the podium. “Thank you, King Gideon. It is my pleasure to announce that King Gideon and I are getting married. We will be visiting each of Cordonia’s noble houses on our engagement tour, to personally invite them to the ceremony”. One of the reporters she knows as Donnie speaks up. “This is exciting news, Duchess Eva. I’m sure we’ve all got questions about the tour”. “Agreed, Donnie” Ana, another reporter, pipes up. “But first, I’d like to start with the question that’s on all our readers minds. Just how safe is Cordonia in the wake of the attack on the palace”. “Safe?” Eva asks. “We will be. I understand how worried everyone is, believe me. But these things take time. King Gideon and the Royal Guard are taking every possible precaution against another attack”.
“I feel a little safer knowing that. Thank you, Duchess Eva” Donnie said. “Do you have any idea who was behind the attack in the first place?” Ana asks her. “The Royal Guard is still searching for the attackers but I promise we’ll get to the bottom of this. I’m sure we all want an answer to that question, but I trust that King Gideon won’t rest until the people responsible are in custody.” “A touching show of support from Duchess Eva. Did you catch all of that?” Ana said, turning to Donnie. “I sure did” he replied. “I meant every word” Eva said. “Now about this tour you mentioned, Duchess Eva. I’m curious what—huh?” Donnie questioned. He stopped mid sentence as his phone began to buzz. They heard more phones ringing out among the crowd. “Oh no. What now?” Eva asked. One by one, people pulled out their phones. She quickly found links to the same video plastered across every news outlet in Cordonia.
Beneath the crackling of the recording, a man in tactical gear stood in a starkly-lit hallway. Her heart sped up as she recognised the mask he was wearing. “People of Cordonia, your new king is weak and unfit to rule. This scion of tyranny cannot protect those in his privileged circle. He cannot be trusted with an entire kingdom. For too long, we’ve lived under the yoke of this corrupt family. They do not deserve to hold power over us. It is we, the citizens, who deserve the right to control our own lives. We demand that King Gideon of Cordonia abdicate the throne. Or else the palace halls will flow with the blood of tyrants”. With that, the video abruptly cut off.
Chaos broke out all around Eva and Gideon. Various reporters were on their phones while some people were shouting and others huddled together in frightened whispers. “Everyone, please, remain calm—“ Gideon began but no-one seemed to hear his words. Eva could see the panic spreading through the crowd like a shockwave. “That’s enough” she shouts, her voice carrying across the crowd, and one by one, everyone falls silent. “Thank you, Eva” Gideon said. “Go ahead, Gideon”. “This video is deeply troubling. I guarantee that we will gather all the evidence we can and find the people behind it”. “And what about their demands, King Gideon?” Donnie asked. “Given everything that’s happened over the past few days, are you thinking of stepping down?” Ana chimed in. “I…” Gideon began, pausing to gather his thoughts, giving Eva a look of fierce encouragement.
“Listen up, no true king would give into their demands. They want to call King Gideon weak? Weakness would be listening to enemies who are afraid to show their faces. The people behind that video threatened dozens of lives, mine included. King Gideon would never leave his people in the hands of such a dangerous group. And you shouldn’t ask him to.” “She’s right. I have no intention of giving in to their demands” he informed the crowd of reporters.
“I apologise, Your Majesty. Consider the question withdrawn. Thank you for those stirring words, King Gideon and Duchess Eva. Despite everything that’s happened today… I think I can reassure our viewers that the Crown will deal with this threat” Ana responded. “I agree. Cordonia’s in capable hands” Donnie chimes in. As Eva steps off the podium resounding cheers sound and as she and Gideon wave farewell and make their way to the palace entrance, the crowd applauds.
Entering the palace after speaking to the press and announcing their engagement, Gideon turns to her. “I’m sorry, my love, but I must take my leave of you. I have some business to attend too”. She nods and he walks up the staircase towards his office. Bertrand hurries across the hall towards her. “Eva! Was that the king?” he asks. “Yes, Bertrand. Did you need him for something?”. “A non urgent matter. I’ll discuss it with him later” he says, turning on his heel and striding away from her. She had a feeling she knew what that was about. He probably wanted to discuss something related to House Beaumont with Gideon.
Eva makes her way up the stairs, heading towards her room. Passing by Gideon’s office, she hears him speaking to someone. “Thank you for the update. Remember Eva can’t find out about this. This has to stay between us” she hears him say. ‘I can’t find out about what?’ she thinks. ‘Engaged for less than a day and he’s already keeping things from me’. She turns and heads down the hall to her room. Upon entering she locks the door behind her to have a moment to herself. Looking around her room, her memories of the last time she was in here come flooding back, threatening to overwhelm her. She slides down to the floor, sobs racking her body, as she remembers how it felt the last time she was in here, knowing she will never feel like that again. He made her feel safe and now he was gone.