To Court a Queen.pdf

“I have my Cluster to run and an important investigation to lead. Honestly, Nastya, I don’t have time forthis,” Ta’a Chume retorted.Nastya’s dark, piercing eyes fixated coldly onto the acting Queen mother’s face, and said, “Funny thatyou would say that so easily.”“Say what?”“Your Cluster to run,” Nastya replied, in a sing-song way.“Yes, my Cluster…oh don’t even tell me that THAT is why you are here? Trust me, the last thing youwant is to try to usurp power in the middle of a crisis,” Ta’a Chume said, condescendingly.Narrowing her eyes, Nastya’s thin lips curled into a vicious smile. Coldly she replied, “I am here forwhat is rightfully mine, Ta’a Chume.”Ta’a Chume chuckled, “Rightfully yours...right. As if the people would choose the child of a bastardroyal offspring over me to rule the Cluster.”Unbelievably, Nastya paled further. Fury boiled in her veins and her face then burned fiery red. Sheseethed, “I am tired of your constantly belittling my family and my rightful claim to the Throne.”Whipping a datacard out of a pocket she activated it and read off, “Section 1084, subsection 283 of theroyal codes of succession reads In the event that a current Queen Mother is removed, or killed, or diesduring her term without having produced a legitimate heir, the next viable female in the family shallbecome the next Queen, regardless of how distantly related she may be. ” Before Ta’a Chume couldcomment, Nastya quickly added, “Subsection 473 reads Any Queen once replaced through thecoronation of a subsequent Queen, shall not be allowed to regain the throne of Hapes.”A satisfied smirk lined Nastya’s face as she placed the datacard protectively back into her pocket.Folding her arms across her chest, Ta’a Chume’s teeth ground in her head. She sarcastically replied,“Congratulations, I see you’ve learned how to read.”Calmly approaching Ta’a Chume, Nastya replied, “Oh, that’s not all that I can do, my dear Aunt. Evennow as we speak, invitations are being sent out across the Cluster for my Coronation. Given howvehemently you like to adhere to the laws of the Cluster, I expect you to comply with the rites ofsuccession.”“I would place Teneneil Djo in charge before I allow you to take the throne in this Cluster,” Ta’aChume growled.“Pity, she is not a blood relative,” Nastya remarked. Lips curling into a wicked smirk, she added,“Really, I am not the one to blame here, Ta’a Chume. Had you done your duty and produced a femaleheir yourself, we would not be having this discussion right now, would we? I guess it’s a good thingyour father had an affair, is it not? Otherwise, you would have left this Cluster with nobody to run it.”Turning her back to the fuming, former Queen Mother, Nastya called over her shoulder, “You have twoweeks. After that I will take the crown in this Cluster. Make sure that you compile a complete report ofeverything you’ve found out about former Tenel Ka’s assassination, and anything else important thatyou or she may have been working on. I will have a lot of work to do once I assume power.”