3rd Person POV
“You are beautiful, mother,” Harlin said with a smile as his mother stepped out of her room. Irvette smiled at her son. It was still surreal that she could see her son and hear his voice. There was a time she had given up all hope that she could ever be free or see the face of her son.
“Thank you, son,” she replied with a warm smile.
Harlin held her hand and walked her to the courtroom. The throne was empty today. Alison was not sitting on it but she was instead standing a step down from the throne.
“I present Queen Irvette and Prince Harlin,” the man who stood by the door said as the duo entered the long hall. On both sides, the ministers dipped their heads in a bow.
Irvette walked up to the throne. She stopped when she reached the front of the throne. She still had doubts about this. She did not think that she deserved to sit on this throne after everything.
“It's yours, mother. You deserve this,” Harlin, who still stood by her side, said.
At Harlin's words, she sat down. It was not until she sat down that the ministers were relieved from their bows. Alison too raised her head up and together she and Harlin took their seats on either side of Queen Irvette.
After Irvette's return to the pack, the Council of Elders arrived at the palace. At this time, Harlin had been at the Shadowclaw pack and was not aware of this visit. A meeting with Alison and Irvette had been scheduled immediately.
“If the Queen has returned, she should be installed with immediate effect,” said Elder Davis. Irvette had known it would be a discussion someday but she had not expected it to be so immediate. Besides, she had no desire for power at the moment. She was just grateful she had been reconciled with her family.
“I am fine with the way things are,” Irvette had told them. She trusted that Alison had been doing a wonderful job all this time.
“We cannot have two Queens. The line of authority has to be very clear. Moreover, Alison was only filling in for you, she was never installed as queen,” said Elder Thaddeus.
“Never installed? It has been long enough, she should have…”
“She continuously refused the position saying that you were coming home to take your place. It does not seem like your sanity has been compromised so it is only natural that you return to your place,” said Elder Walker.
“Ali should be installed as…”
“No sister, I want you to remain queen. I want to take time off and do other things. Being queen is exhausting,” said Alison. She had not assumed the role because she had wanted to but because it had been necessary. At first, she and Irene had shared the responsibilities but since Irene had fallen ill, it had been just her and Harlin. This was her chance to live her own life. She had never liked being responsible for so much.
“Are you sure?” Irvette had asked.
“I am certain,” said Alison.
“All hail the Queen!” said Lord Augustine and the other ministers chorused,
“Your Majesty!”
“Thank you all for having me back. Every day as I sat in my cell I wondered if I would ever make it back alive and it killed me to know that I had left my people so prematurely. I was confident however that my sisters were more than capable of handling the affairs of the pack and I was not proven wrong. I will forever be indebted to Her Highness, Alison and the late Princess Irene. Please, a moment of silence for the deceased princess.” At Irvette's command, the hall went quiet except for the soft sobbing of Harlin who could not control himself as he remembered the times he had spent growing up with Irene. Alison and Irene had been his parents growing up. Irene had taught him how to read and write and she had been the one to stir his interest in history. She had been responsible for his education. The reminder that she no longer existed in the same world that he did brought hot tears to his eyes. He tried in vain to stop the tears but he could not help himself.
“May the goddess grant her a peaceful afterlife,” said Irvette when the moment of silence was up.
“The agenda for today, please?” Queen Irvette looked at her son who was still sobbing for the agenda. Her heart broke for her son but they were in court and she could not wrap her arms around him to comfort him.
“I will now excuse the prince for a few minutes to pull himself together,” she said instead.
The attendants present escorted Harlin outside so he could wipe his tears. When he was much calmer he returned to his place.
“Prince Harlin?” urged Queen Irvette.
“The first thing to discuss concerns the execution of Lord Lowell on charges of treason.”
“Treason? He never tried to kill the royal family, why do you keep insisting he committed treason,” the senior Lord Lowell had had his suspension removed on account of the Queen returning to the throne.
Irvette's eyes narrowed at the words of the man who was speaking.
“There will be order in my throne room. If I do not permit you to speak, you will shut up, do you understand?” spat Irvette, her eyes burning with fire. The older Lowell had quite forgotten that this was Queen Irvette and she was not one to be trifled with at all. He quickly retreated to his place after profusely apologising.
“My investigation into the death of my sister has revealed that she died after using hazardous products that your son brought into the werewolf realm with his black market which he ran with Major Drieden under the instructions of Prince Ashton. Tell me, Lord Lowell, how is this not treason? If there is any other explanation for it, I am willing to listen,” Queen Irvette's tone was harsh and firm.