And Then There Were Four

Chapter 172

Chapter 172: The Heir Apparent

To say the dress looked amazing on me would be an understatement. I fucking rocked this damn dress, and I knew it. "Damn... I look sexy as fuck."

The high slits on the side of the navy blue dress did wonders for my legs, and the way the bust perked up my boobs made them look like I had a five-thousand dollar boob job which made me smile. Even with me being young, my boobs didn't honestly sit perky like most would think. I was heavy-chested, and these girls-though they sat nicely-weren't porn star tits.

Turning from side to side in the mirror, I smiled at my reflection. "What do you think?"

Ansley stood beside me, quiet as always, her eyes gazing over my figure before a smile played across her lips, and she shrugged her shoulders. "I think it looks like perfection. You definitely fit in with the royals around here."

"Royals?" I laughed, shaking my head. "I don't know if you want to call us royals, by all means. I'm just as normal as you or anybody else. I don't sit on a high pedestal like some of these people may do, but I do plan to try and make everybody proud in the position I'm being given."

At that, Ansley got quiet and stared at the floor once more. She let out a small sigh. "I know it's out of place of me, but could I give you a piece of advice?"

Considering how she was when she first walked in here and started dealing with me freaking out over the smallest of incidences, I was honestly shocked she wanted to give me advice, but I was more than happy to receive it.

"By all means, anything that you can tell me that I might need to use would be wonderful."

Taking a moment, she seemed to ponder over whatever it was that she had to say before her eyes met mine, and she let out another heavy breath. "Be careful of Solina and her brother. They're pretty upset that you're being called the heir apparent when they think that it should have been them."

I wasn't all that surprised she said they would be upset. In all honesty, I expected there to be a few people who weren't happy, considering I was new, had just arrived, haven't really earned my way around this place, and now I was being cast ahead of all of them and supposed to rule over everybody. Or that was the idea I had in mind for being an heir apparent.

"Thank you for letting me know, but you don't need to worry about them. You're with me now, and you're safe. And if for any reason they give you any kind of trouble, make sure you let me know, I'll handle them accordingly."

Reassuring her the best I could that I would take care of her was a step I didn't think I would ever take for anybody else. Granted, I had a big heart, and I was always there for my friends, but dealing with the levels of hierarchy in this place wasn't something I was exactly comfortable with yet.

I was a rebel at one point in time, a badass with a name that people made sure they knew, however, coming here, I was just like anybody else. I was a nobody. My name was big now. After Odin, my grandfather, proclaimed me the heir apparent,

I hadn't shown anybody what I could really do.

At least not in a normal sense.

Giving myself another glance over into the mirror, I nodded my head in approval, ready to go meet whoever it was I was supposed to be meeting in the Grand Hall with Odin.

Leaving my room, I made haste as I headed down the hallway toward where I was supposed to be meeting everyone. I would have expected someone to come get me, but according to Ansley, she was

informed I was supposed to be arriving there on my own.

Not that I cared, but it would have been nice had someone told me what I needed to do.

The moment I got close to the Grand Hall doors, I could hear the murmured sounds of voices and laughter coming from the other side. No one waited outside the doors to greet me, and for the first time, I felt the nerves about what I was about to do flow through me.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed on the massive wooden doors with gold ornate handles and set my eyes on the hall and everyone in it. There were various people before me I didn't recognize, but some that I did. Freya, Frigg, and, Odin were all present.

Yet, as I stepped forth into the hall with everyone's eyes on me, I felt like I was the outsider among them all. Even the ones I knew.

"There she is!" Odin bellowed with a smile on his face as he stood from his throne in furs and with a horn in his hand.

"Everyone, this is Castor, the heir to my reign."

The announcement he made caused whispers to flow around me as he gestured for me to come forth toward him. There was no way I would reject such an offer, and stepping forward towards the throne, my stomach fluttered from the anxiety flowing through me.

"You asked for me to come," I replied softly as I held my head high, taking my grandfather's hand as he helped me up to the last of the steps to stand at his side.

The moment I turned at his side to face the people in front of me, uneasiness washed over my body that kicked in my flight response, urging me to escape. There had to have been at least one hundred

people in front of me of all sizes and races. The colored eyes of creatures watching me as if they were looking for me to make some sort of mistake.

"Yes, Cassie..." he chuckled before turning back to the crowd. "Today, I have gathered you all hear to introduce Castor, or Cassie as she prefers to be called, to talk about the upcoming Solstice games that will happen in a few week's time. As per tradition, Cassie will be required to take a suitor and select those who will be part of her reign..."

My heart dropped into my stomach as I turned to him trying to understand why he was telling these people this. Of course, I was told about finding a mate or two...but I didn't think the games were honestly about that.

"I know your sons will make fine warriors in the games, and the winner will win the right to marry my granddaughter as tradition dictates."

The crowd cheered as smiles crossed their faces. I didn't know what tradition he was talking about because the last I checked in the history books back home, Odin had always been in charge. Then again, the human history books did have his entire persona completely wrong.

"What do you mean the winner will marry me?" I asked as I turned to him with confusion, trying to understand why he hadn't thoroughly explained the games to me before throwing me to the wolves in this room. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

"It's not that big of a deal. Didn't you learn any of that while you were at the school?"

Opening and closing my mouth, I stared at him wide-eyed. "No... I literally have been here a few weeks. How was that supposed to have been taught to me?"

Odin seemed a bit lost for words at my comment, and after a moment, he slightly narrowed his gaze and leaned in. "Don't make this difficult, Cassie. You agreed to this, don't forget that."

I hadn't forgotten that, and in fact, I had thought about it multiple times since I had allowed my brother to agree to giving me his powers. It was because of what he did I was allowed to reside where I was instead of being in limbo, but at the same time, limbo sounded better than before forced to marry someone I didn't want to be married to.

-As Odin cast his gaze to approaching figures, seemingly satisfied with my silence, I decided to play along, even if deep inside me I was angrier than a viper whose nest had been disturbed.

"Odin, its good to see you again," a young man not much older than me said as he approached.

His blonde hair and blue eyes were style to perfection in loose waves down to his shoulders. While his bare, unmarked chest glistened in the light, highlighting each and ever curve of his well defined muscles. Something about him didn't set right with me, and the woman at his side made the feeling even worse.

She was just as beautiful as he was with long blonde hair braided in sections going straight down her back, while the white, tight-fitting dress hugged her small breasts and flowed down over her body towards the floor.

"It's good to see you as well Mani, and Solina...my you grow more beautiful every time I see you," Oldin replied with so much confidence I almost forgot he once had normal conversation with me. Right now, he wasn't a grandfather showing off his grandaughter. He was a god showing off his reign.

When Mani's gaze turned towards me, he seemed pleased to be in my presence yet, behind that warm gaze was nothing but irritation. I could almost feel it pouring off his entire.

persona.

"Cassie, you're as beautiful as I dreamed you would be."

"You dreamed of me?" I asked with a small smirk on the corner of my lips. "I didn't think I was that well known yet as this is my coming out party."

Odin laughed at my comment while Mani's happy gaze quickly narrowed and his sister stepped forward trying to obvious diffuse the growing issue. "I think that what my brother means is we look forward to being the best of friends...especially since we will end up being family."

Family...this man was bold. I will give him that.

"I didn't realize we were going to be that close...I take it you're entering the contest?" I asked with sarcasm.

"Enter?" he replied with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes, "I plan to win, Cassie. I mean, the reign needs a male to sit upon the throne, and I have plenty of knowledge to help you lead in ruling the kingdom as needed."

Again, the man was confident in his thoughts of winning the battle for my hand and the games hadn't even started yet. "I guess we shall see if you're really up to the standards I expect in my match. The games won't be easy for you to accomplish."

"What are you talking about?" he scoffed as he stood just a bit taller.

"I mean, if the games are going to be for my hand then I want to help in their creation. It's only right that with new generations coming along, I get a say in certain things. Is that right... grandfather?"

My comments seemed to surprise Odin as he stared at me for a moment, as if contemplating what he wanted to say. I'd expected him to say no and that it wasn't how things work, but instead he smiled at me. "If you'd like to help design the games, by all means you can. I'm actually intrigued to see what you come up with."

Mani didn't seem very happy that my grandfather had agreed, and though he wasn't happy, he couldn't say anything. This was Odin. When Odin said something, it was final and his word was law, or at least that was what I had learned since being here.

With Solina and Mani put in their place, there was nothing else for them to say. They casually nodded their head, bowing their respects before turning away, whispering to each other as they walked to the far side of the room.

The event was in full swing and as more people approached, I found myself slightly overwhelmed with it all, but if I was going to end up being the heir apparent, it was something I was going to have to get over.

Through all of it, though, I knew one thing was for sure. Mani and Solina were people I would going to have to watch out for, especially since Ansley had explained to me what Solina had done to her