Prologue to Crystal Vengeance

Sitting on this huge throne makes me lonely.
I am the acting-queen.
Even though Mother and Father are dead, I will always be the acting-queen.
Why?
Because I refused to marry.
I refused to marry that old goat that asked for my hand.
I thought he was a bad choice to begin with, considering he was old enough to fall over dead at any moment.
Mother had even agreed.
But that night, as almost everyone was asleep, that old noble killed my parents.
I am lucky that the people loved the King and Queen.
Otherwise, that old fart would be king right now.
I am even luckier that the people like me over my brother.
I do not know how long this will last.
My brother is weak, but he has the anger far worse than a thousand enemies.
I love my brother, but for some reason, he hates me.
I wonder, why is brother not king right now?
He is nineteen.
I am only fifteen.
Why am I the one on this cold cushioned throne?
~
There are three thrones in the main hall of the castle. One with greenery and hard, squared stone steps and two backed with spades.
The one to the left is a spaded purple velvet. The one in the middle is hard, with only a single satin cover big enough for one King. The one to the right is mine, spaded ice blue, with light color stone steps, and plush velvet cushions.
I remember when I was much younger, I used to ask Mother why Brother didn't have a throne. Mother just shook her head sadly. When I asked Father, I was sent to my room, with no dinner, and had to promise to never speak of the matter again.
Now, there are three thrones, sad mementos of happier times. Of course, it was not very happy, but it was happier than it is today.
Today, I stand before the throne with the greenery and hard stone. Today, I stand before the late King's throne. My father's throne.
I am alone. What was once three and a secret fourth has been reduced to one in one night.
Mother is dead.
Father is dead.
The crown is covered in their dried blood. That blood covered crown that now rests one my head. It has been "cleaned" so they say, but the blood will always be there.
And my brother? My brother disappeared in the night. No one noticed, of course, because Edmund is invisible to the rest of the kingdom.
Why is it that the people have never seen their Crown Prince, who has been of age for quite some time?