Princess Felicity looked up, her eyes were still filled with crocodile tears. A wide grin appeared across her face. Cedric and she were truly made for one another. Even their evil grins were identical.
"Now that you know... there's no point for us to continue this ruse," she revealed her hand.
Felicity snapped her fingers together. On cue, the soldier who stood next to General Leon held a dagger to his neck. Sierra widened her eyes in shock.
"What do you think you're doing?!" she yelled anxiously.
It took three soldiers to hold Leon down, while one of them continued to hold the dagger at his neck. Any closer and the sharpened blade would slice his neck like butter.
Cedric walked down the steps, coming face to face with Sierra. He roughly cupped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. The man she had once loved was now her enemy. She did not know what she saw in him, to begin with.
"Sierra, my sweet Sierra," he caressed her cheek while calling her name so sweetly it made her nauseous.
He forced her to look over to General Leon. The general was trying to struggle out of the grasp of the soldiers but he was powerless to do so.
"If you want your father to live," he whispered into her ear, "obey me."
"Sierra! You don't have to do anything he says!" Leon yelled out to her.
With a roar, Leon pushed back the soldiers who held him down. He lunged towards Cedric. But the young man was nimble. Cedric drew his sword and plunged it into Leon's stomach.
"No!!!" Sierra reached out her hand as she cried.
Her vision was beginning to blur. Still, she refused to let her tears fall. Cedric pulled out the sword emotionlessly and turned his attention back to Sierra. He was happy to see that he had finally broken her. Even if it was just a little.
The soldiers regained control of Leon. Blood pooled around the gaping wound, dying his tunic red. He was flickering in and out of consciousness, calling Sierra's name.
"Look at what you made me do," Cedric said as he roughly forced Sierra to face him.
"If you want your precious father to live, I suggest you do as I ask, Sierra," he warned.
"What do you want from me," she asked through gritted teeth.
"Now there's the good little girl I remember," he praised while gently tapping her cheek.
He wanted her to take Felicity's place to join King Alistair's court and join the concubine selection. If she refused, the Bancroft family will fall and General Leon would be executed by first light.
Sierra looked over to her father. His eyes were growing heavy. Time was not on her side and there was no escape.
She only had one choice left to make.
"I will do as you ask," she muttered.
But Cedric was enjoying this too much. He shook his head as he ordered Sierra to beg him.
"You might want to be quick about it," he reminded her, "We don't know how long more your old man has. You wouldn't want him to die, now would you?"
Sierra was on her knees. She bowed her head low, her forehead touching the ground.
Through gritted teeth, she begged, "Please Cedric. I beg of you. I will do as you ask."
***
She did not even have the chance to say her final goodbyes. Sierra was dragged out of the Throne Room. That was the last she saw of her father, the man she once foolishly loved, and the devious princess.
Sierra was pushed into a horse carriage with some belongings and sent on her way. Looking out of the window, she watched as the castle and the Kingdom of Cair disappeared from her line of sight.
Despite the circumstances she was in, she refused to cry. At the very least, her sacrifice was worth it. Her father's life was saved and the Bancroft family lived to see another day. She knew she would never be able to repay General Leon for taking her in and sheltering her
But hopefully, her actions could convey a fraction of her gratitude.
"Maybe I should escape now," she muttered to herself while looking all around the carriage.
She quickly dismissed that idea as she recalled Cedric's final word of warning before she left. If she attempted to escape, he would ensure she would never have a home to return to.
Sierra curled her hands into fists. If only she was stronger, perhaps then she would be able to turn the tides. Now, all she could do was to focus on the journey ahead. Just as she thought she was all alone, Opal slithered out of her arm to look up at her.
She lit up immediately, bringing the snake close to her face to nuzzle.
"At least I'll have you by my side, Opal," she whispered to her companion.