The Princess And The Guard

Clarabella - The Truth

I felt pretty guilty for sending Nicolas to prison but it is the second test. If he break out, there will be only one more test.

Getting a guard wasn't my idea. It was actually Stefan's. Because my coronation is coming up, he want me to be more protected. It's not a bad idea after what happen . . .

I rubbed my temple as I tried not to remember. I never want to think about it again.

There was a light knocking at the door. My maid, Lucy, entered carrying a plate of sandwiches. She set it on the table, then curtsied and left without a word.

I wasn't hungry so I let it be.

I had send Stefan to 'encourage' Nicolas to escape. I'm not sitting around while he makes up his mind. If Stefan was successful . . .

Just then I heard the windows behind open with a bam!

Without turning around, I knew it is Nicholas.

"Took you quicker than I thought." I said, turning around.

"Why you! Why did you send me to prison when I didn't do anything!" He snapped in annoyance.

"It was a test to see if you could escape from a high security prison cell." I replied, calmly.

"That was all! You let me starve for a trivial reason like that!" He demanded.

"If you're hungry, then eat this." I pushed the plate of sandwiches toward him.

"Is this another test?" he look at it suspiciously. "Poison?"

"No. Your next test is tomorrow.  You get to defend a mannequin while people tried to kill it. If the mannequin suffers fatal wounds, then you fail. That should be the easiest test." I snapped, rubbing my temple. I felt a small headache coming.

"Stefan!" I commanded.

Stefan came immediately and did a double-take when he saw Nicholas.

"How did you get here?!" Stefan asked.

"Through the window." Nicolas replied, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at it while chewing on a sandwich.

"Will you gave Nicolas a weapon?" I asked. "He needs it for tomorrow."

Stefan left the room with a nod.

"Now what?" Nicolas asked.

"I don't know, just go and rest -"

There was another bam behind us. We whirled around just in time to see a hooded man standing by the window hurled a dagger at us.

"Assassin." I whispered, frozen. Why?

Nicolas yanked me out of the way. The dagger whizzed by my face.

At that moment, Stefan arrived. "Nicolas, do you prefer a rapier, or a katana, or a -"

"I'll take them!" Nicolas shouted as he snatched them and attacked the assassin, who had drawn his own sword.

I remained rooted to my position as I suddenly have a flashback. The one I had tried to forget.

We were having dinner that night. Elisabella was sick so she wasn't there. My maid was serving the food. We were smiling and laughing at something. No one noticed when my maid slipped a knife out.

She slit my brother's throat. I never really liked my brother. By the time we realized, father had gotten stabbed too.
My mother screamed and we ran. But the door was locked. We banged on it but no one came. The maid stabbed my mother and I was sprayed in her blood. Then she turn toward me and raised the knife.

I screamed and subconsciously activated my other royal power. It had been dormant in my blood. I called upon the power of earth and it answered my call.