Lady Dhampir
Chapter 151

Following the news, things became quite hectic in the Royal Castle.

There wasn't much time given for them to cry. Both Princes had to take care of all the formalities that followed their father's death, as members of the Royal Family. Once the death had been confirmed by two more Royal Doctors, a lot of paperwork had to be done. Not only for Silverius' death, but also because both Princes had to agree to co-regent the Kingdom until an official Crowning Ceremony could be held. Meanwhile, Philomenie and Milena had to control how the news was spread to the people. In most cases, a funerary procession would have been held the same evening, to allow the people to come together and pray in the Castle's court and its surroundings, holding candles and singing for King Silverius' passing. Unfortunately, the snow that was still falling from the previous night would have made this event very dangerous. Hence, both Princesses agreed to spread the word that people should pray from the safety of their homes for the Monarch, and an alternate ceremony would be held later.

Neither of them had any time to rest until it was finally time for the Council to be held later that same morning, the only event that couldn't be pushed back.

Milena knew this would be hard. She and Rayan had barely eaten since the previous day, and only changed into new clothes because they had been reminded by their servants to do so. They were both tired and sad, and knew another fight was coming. They didn't exchange a single word about this, and slowly made their way to the Council Room.

As expected, despite the Snow, all the Council Members were there for once. The news about the death of the King had traveled fast enough to convince them all to come as fast as possible, aware that the Council would have historic repercussions on the future of the Kingdom.

There was a heavy silence as both Princes sat down, followed by their wives.

"Our deepest condolences about His Majesty's passing, Your Highnesses," said one of the Senators.

"Your Father was a great King to our people. We will pray he rests in peace."

For a little while, the four of them received countless sentences like these in silence. Milena wanted to take Rayan's hand, but for now, she was keeping them on her lap, shoulders strong and her eyes full of determination. Despite the King's final wish, she knew there would be a fight over the succession.

However, none of the Senators were impolite enough to mention it right away. There was a period of mourning that would follow the death of any Monarch, and meanwhile, the brothers would have to reign side by side for a couple of days until the question of the succession was finalized. Hence, it was most likely, as usual, that the biggest topic would be held until the end of the Council.

For a little while, it felt strange to listen to lesser issues after such a long night. It gave a strange sense of normality that just didn't belong to the moment.

Rayan and Ellias barely needed to intervene, as the Senators were more inclined to listen to each other and the smaller matters were settled quickly. They were more respectful of the twins' silence, although it was probably not for the reasons they thought. Milena could almost feel the storm coming. It wouldn't be an icy blizzard like the one raging outside, but a real, hot and raging one.

"Dear Senators, may we continue on the matter of the Primogeniture Amendment?" Suddenly asked the young Duke De Winter, standing up from his seat.

Milena frowned, but to her surprise, Philomenie suddenly seemed very interested as well.

"Senators," said Ellias. "You have all received the young Duke's proposal. Shall we vote now?"

Milena was intrigued by Philomenie's sudden interest in that peculiar change in the Laws of the Kingdom. Hence, she decided to get involved a bit earlier than she had planned to.

"Young Duke," she said. "I wonder about the odd timing of your sudden interest in the succession of the Noble Families. Would you care to elaborate?"

Her voice resonated clearly in the Council Chamber, and many people turned to her, as it was the first time Milena had spoken that day. The young Duke, baffled for a second, frowned and nodded.

"Y-yes, Your Highness," he said, sparing a glance towards Ellias' way. "The current situation of the Kingdom will ask for many young men of our country to partake in the upcoming War. I fear that will mean many sacrifices and some families broken up by the loss of loved ones. Additionally, many of our noble families have already lost a lot and been reduced to a single line of descendants. So far, the Solaris law only allowed for the illegitimate children to be... acknowledged as such, but no rights were given. In the name of all of us afraid they might end up heirless in the upcoming war, I wish for the Noble Families to be able to include their illegitimate sons to the family registry, for them to be recognized as proper heirs, on par with the official descendants." "Would you recommend those illegitimate children to be able to take the family's head?" Asked a vampire Senator.

"If none of the... most legitimate descendants are able to, yes, Marquess," answered Arseus. "I feel it is particularly shameful, in this day and age, that we still hide illegitimate children instead of letting them give everything they have to offer."

"So you want them to have the same rights as legitimate children with regards to the family's inheritance?" Asked someone else, visibly unhappy with that. "That will give room for more assassinations within the families, if we let our bastards overtake the real heirs!"

"There will be blood regardless," theatrically sighed Arseus. "Aren't we all about to send our most treasured sons and brothers to war? We need more young men to be able to help this Kingdom for those who won't return. Would you rather let your line of heirs stop in this generation, or give it a chance by recognizing a bastard son or two?"

His words created a lot of stir among the Senators. Milena's eyes circled the room, analyzing the reactions. Many were scandalized, and would never agree to this. It was shameful enough to create bastard children, but now, they would be putting these children in the same rank as their legitimate ones. For many, it was too much.

"I hear you talk a lot about the male descendants, young Duke," said Milena. "What of the girls? Do those families only care for their male offspring?"

Her words added fuel to the fire. About a fourth of the Council was made of women, and they were quick to shout back at the young Duke, making him shrink in his seat.

"O-of course, the young ladies shall be offered the same opportunity," he said.

"Your Highnesses," protested one of the younger Senators. "You can't possibly allow this!"

"This is such an amazing opportunity!" Philomenie said, suddenly beaming from her seat. "We can't allow some of the poor children Noble families have been hiding in the shadows to be belittled anymore. Some of them are cast aside as children and suffer poor ends, while some are raised in the shadows with no future. We shall use this opportunity to consider their rights too!"

"Your Highness, this is putting the State's nose into private matters!" Protested an old Senator with a mustache. "Families should deal with their shame on their own! If the Duke De Winter's amendment is adopted, it won't be long before any woman comes forward claiming to carry some bastard!"

"Which is why," said Milena. "This amendment should be put to the Lady of the Houses' decision."

Her announcement sent a wave of whispers inside the room. Milena's proposal meant only the female members of the said families with the most power would be able to agree to the bastard children to be added to their families' registries. If a man had an illegitimate child, his wife would be the one to decide if his child was recognized or not. In cases where there was no wife, it would be up to his eldest daughter or an older woman in the family.

"...It's a brilliant idea, Your Highness," Immediately remarked a woman in the assembly. "If my husband wants to bring his bastards into our house, I'd much rather decide for myself if he can or not!"

A lot of ladies loudly agreed, but De Winter went white, his eyes sliding off to his sister.

"T-This won't do! This makes my amendment completely useless if all the Ladies refuse to take in their men's children!"

"Call us heartless out loud while you're at it!" Retorted his neighbor, a young Countess. "A Lady should know what kind of scoundrel she weds, but now you want us to swallow their misdeeds without blinking too! Don't we already have enough to suffer with that patriarchy that still primes!"

"I agree, Countess De Camellia," continued Milena, smiling like a cat about to devour her prey. "Which is why, to the Young Duke's Amendment, I will add mine, a request for our Kingdom to switch it's current succession system to that of an absolute primogeniture if the illegitimate children are to be recognized."

Following her words, a wave of loud voices, protests and cheers alike, rose in the assembly. Milena knew there would be strong reactions all around and she had been prepared for it. Rayan was silent, but his red eyes were cold as ice and analyzing every move in the

room.

"Enough!" Yelled Ellias, standing up to call for order. "Everyone sit down and silence!"

The Council obeyed, but Milena's words had spread like a bomb in the middle of the room. Ellias turned to her.

"Lady Milena, would you care to explain what this has to do with the Young Duke's amendment?"

"Of course. Young Duke De Winter, didn't you mention your main reason was the succession of the Noble Houses? As you said, with the War at our doors, we cannot ignore there will be painful losses among the male successors. If you worry about this so much, before even talking about the illegitimate children, why not legitimate our daughters' rights to succeed in their Houses?"

"This is ridiculous," protested the Duke De Boreal. "We already have countless examples of women taking the head of Noble Houses..."

"Only in special circumstances," retorted Milena.

Her purple eyes on the Duke made him shut his mouth right away.

"My peers, despite their value, have had to prove twice more than their siblings that they deserve to inherit their father's titles. How many times has it been that the birth of a younger brother has pushed their older sisters away from a chance to inherit the title?" "It can't be helped," said a Senator. "Once a woman marries, she takes her husband's name..."

"Once again, not necessarily true. Most women enter political marriages because they are not considered as successors for their families to begin with. What if, on the contrary, a girl's birth as first in order guaranteed her the title? She wouldn't have to obey a wedding decided by her father and be sent away."

"This is ridiculous," grimaced Arseus De Winter. "We are here to discuss the future of illegitimate sons because of the War, Princess Milena! It's not like we will suddenly send our sisters to fight battles for us!"

"But you will gladly send your illegitimate brothers?"

Milena's words caused an icy silence in the room. Arseus' expression fell, exactly what Milena wanted to see. She saw his eyes go to his sister, who was just as dumbfounded. Philomenie slowly rose from her seat, her blue eyes fixated on her brother as if she had just been slapped in the face. Milena knew she had been right; Philomenie had wrongly understood her brother's intentions. She could see the Princess' fists clenched, and next to her, Ellias was careful not to say a word either. "P-Princess Philomenie? Would you like to... express your idea on the matter?"

The fact that she was standing up had started to intrigue people, as they were expecting her to say something. Still Philomenie took a deep breath, her eyes still on her brother.

"...Yes," she finally said. "I'll happily support my older brother's proposal."

Arseus' expression went up, but he was clearly not prepared for what came next.

"...As long as it includes Princess Milena's motion. The illegitimate children, and all of their rights, including those to partake in the upcoming war, shall only be granted with the consent of Lady of the House." Milena smiled, very satisfied.

The Lady of the House De Winter was no other than Philomenie herself, since she had become Princess and thus, overcame her own mother's rank within their family.

Arseus fell back in his seat and seemed extremely disturbed for a long time.

"...Shall we vote, then?" Asked Rayan, as no one dared to speak.

"N-no, please," quickly retorted the Young Duke. "I-I'll admit to a foresight on my part. If you'll allow, I... I will make a change in my proposal, and..."

"No need," said Princess Philomenie, more determined than ever. "We all heard Princess Milena's motion, we can vote on your proposal right now, brother."

Indeed, with both Princesses agreeing on that motion, it was almost set in stone that the young Duke would never be able to change it. Neither Ellias or Rayan would challenge their wives, and besides, if he insisted on changing it now, it would make obvious his intent to send his younger brother to war in his stead.

Hence, the young Duke had no choice but to slowly nod. The new amendment was adopted right away, with seventy-nine votes out of a hundred. Milena particularly enjoyed seeing Senators congratulate Arseus for his brilliant suggestion; he had dug his own grave. Philomenie, too, had been particularly impressive, and she was still sending daggers her brother's way when they changed subjects.

"Princess Milena, if you don't mind, we will re-discuss the matter of Absolute Primogeniture at the next Council. It would feel a little... complex to add this today."

"I understand," said Milena with a nod.

In any case, the seed was planted and she would have time to prepare her arguments for the next battle, which wouldn't be as easy.

Now, the only matter left, unfortunately, was the question of the succession that inevitably followed the King's Death. First, a full report was given to the Council about the King's passing, to which they all listened in a respectful silence. There wasn't much to be said. All the Royal Doctors agreed the Monarch had been taken away by the disease he had been inflicted with for several years already. There was a full description of the symptoms, the state of the King almost every hour until his actual death. However, when the Royal Butler came to the part where the King had officially appointed his successor, and each Prince's status, there was a heavy silence in the room.

Milena watched the reactions and realized that there were many of them concealing their emotions. Something was definitely going to be brought up...

"Hence, there has been an official Royal Decree that His Highness, Prince Rayan, is appointed by His Highness, our regretted King Silverius, as the heir to the throne, Crown Prince of the Kingdom, and..."

"Royal Butler, are you sure this can be taken as... an official Royal Decree?"

Milena immediately glared at the Young Duke De Winter. So it began. She grabbed her skirt between her fingers, trying to remain very calm. The Butler, a bit baffled, glanced towards the Princes with a hesitation before answering.

"W-well, it certainly came from our King himself, and was recorded by the Royal Butlers... The Princes and Princesses themselves were present..."

"...Our Father was sick with a terrible fever," suddenly said Ellias.

"It didn't mean he was crazy, or unable to speak," retorted Rayan.

"The fever reported by the Royal Doctors was quite high, and it is already difficult to think our Father lasted this long in his state. He obviously wasn't in a sane state, Brother. If his decision had been so set in stone, wouldn't it have been better for him to make an official statement days before? Why wait for his death bed to suddenly blurt out a decision without proper discussion with the Council, or even a Royal Secretary to record this?" "Our Father couldn't predict the time of his death."

"Our Father knew he was sick. It seems strange for him to take a last-minute decision while suffering such an intense fever!"

Ellias suddenly stood up, and Milena felt her heart sink as he spoke to the Council.

"I officially ask for the Council to invalidate our Father's decision regarding the succession. This wasn't our father's decision, but a sick man pressured by time, without a clear foresight of the situation. I say the Council shall decide who, between my brother and I, will be Crown Prince."

"Prince Ellias! You can't possibly ask us to re-vote over His Majesty's decision!"

"I will, and I shall," retorted Ellias. "It wasn't..."

Before he finished his sentence, Philomenie suddenly emitted a strange sound. All eyes turned to her, as the Princess suddenly stood up and stumbled to get behind her throne. A silence followed, and just then, they all very clearly heard her vomit on the marbled floor.