ONYX

Chapter Fourteen

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                    Fourteen
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Nothing is impossible, the word itself says “I'm possible”!

          —Audrey Hepburn
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“Mama, no.”

Elizabeth smiled.

Alessandra hadn’t called her ‘mama’ in a long time. She used to call her that all the time when she was a little girl. Now, it’d pleased Elizabeth to hear her daughter mutter the word for the last time. She held her daughter one final time as Thomas waited patiently at the cell’s entrance. He cast his gaze downward as to give them some semblance of privacy because he knew this wasn’t easy.

Mother and daughter had to part forever.

Elizabeth held her daughter close, burying her nose in her hair to inhale her scent once more. She smelled the same as when she was born. Elizabeth would miss running her fingers through her hair and she placed a kiss on either side of her cheeks and then her forehead. She loved her daughter so much and didn’t regret any time they’d spent together.

It was worth it.

“Be strong, my precious one. Everything will be okay.” Elizabeth whispered before she let her go.

“No . . .” Alessandra cried. She wanted to fight for her, she didn’t like that her mother was being taken away. She wanted her back.

“Princess,” Thomas bowed before he led the way back to the surface with Elizabeth behind him.

“Princess Alessandra,” Prince Daniel said when he made a surprising appearance in the cell after Elizabeth was escorted away.

The Queen wanted to turn around right then to punish the boy for even thinking that he could own her daughter, but she was subdued by the Lord and the guards that’d formed a tight circle around her.

She hated to admit it, but at least he wouldn’t be alive much longer to hassle her daughter. She almost felt bad for even thinking that about the Prince.

“What are you doing here?” Alessandra asked Prince Daniel, her palm was still twitching from before when she slapped him. She wanted to do it again, but in public where someone would likely see this, she couldn’t.

“I came to check on my fiancés wellbeing.”

“I am fine, thank you. If you will excuse me,” She fully intended to see that her mother got on the carriage and was sent away safely, but Daniel hooked his hand around her elbow to stop her.

“Don’t think I won’t repay you for hitting me.” He growled in her ear. Daniel noted that there were two guards posted right outside of the prison ward. One scream from the Princess then they’d come running. “You will do better to remember your place.”

“Let go of me.” Alessandra twisted her arm, but he wouldn’t let go.

“Oh, Alessandra, when I am done with you.” His eyes lit up with desire, his gazing dipping to admire the fineness of the grown woman that would be his in due time. He’d already begun to image all of the fun he’d have with her on their wedding night.

Alessandra saw it. She could see the hunger in his eyes and she was revolted. Yanking her arm one time, she broke free of his grasp and quickly began her way out of the prison ward.

“You can run, but you can’t hide.” Daniel called behind her.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, how could she not see it? Daniel was a monster that she was happy to get rid of. For once, she was happy to be cursed because it’d actually done some good. Life was too precious for someone as demented and sick as the Prince.

She counted down his final hours.

“Your Majesty,”

“Your Majesty,”

“Your Majesty,”

On and on Elizabeth listened to the people who stood by as she made her way to the carriage that would ultimately transport her to her death. Walking had been hard for her because she knew that what was to come would be mean the end of her existence. Nonetheless the carried herself with pride.

She was proud to have lived the life she had because it was rare. Not everyone is born into royalty and she’d known only the best in her life. And for that, she couldn’t stop smiling.

With the door held open for her, she took Lord Gaylen’s hand and he helped her into the carriage. Once she fit her skirts inside the two-seat compartment, the door was closed behind her.

She wondered where Alessandra was. Her daughter was following her, but she was held back by the Prince. Elizabeth knew he was going to die, but still his final moments alive made her want to slip poison in his drink too.

With a signal to the horse, the carriage began to move. Elizabeth looked at all of the people present and the councilmen as the carriage descended towards the gates.

“Mother!” Alessandra shouted, finally making an appearance.

Elizabeth gasped, pushing towards the window to see Alessandra one more time before it was too late. She was so beautiful. Elizabeth was proud. It wasn’t easy, but it was definitely worth it.

“My Lady,” Theresa said. She’d been one of the many that’d been present while Elizabeth was about to be transported. She saw the Princess and immediately rushed to her side; Greer was standing next to her father when she’d come to Alessandra.

Both of the ladies stood on either side of the Princess. “My Lady, I am sorry.”

“She’s . . .” Alessandra felt so many emotions in that moment that she didn’t know which one to express first. “I need to be alone.”

“Yes, of course. Shall we accompany you to your room?” Theresa asked. She was supposed to be somewhere else for lunch, but she’d gladly cancel those plans to be with the Princess.

“Yes, I would like that.” Alessandra didn’t need to be alone now especially with Prince Daniel roaming the castle. She needed an alibi for when his body would be discovered in the morning. She didn’t need to draw any attention to herself.

Now that she was on her own, she had to think smart.

They’d walked together in silence; neither Greer nor Theresa spoke out of respect for the Princess who’d tried everything to keep it together at that point. She decided that she didn’t want to cry in front of her ladies, not when she needed to be strong.

The castle felt emptier now. She didn’t’ like to be in her bedchambers because it reminded her of her mother. Elizabeth had spent so much time in her room growing up that people could’ve mistaken it for hers at one point. Everything reminded Alessandra of her mother and she wanted to be rid of it all.

“Did you hear about what happened to Priscilla?” Greer asked, stirring the conversation with a different topic and one that could take Alessandra’s mind off the series of unfortunate events that she was enduring.

This caught Alessandra’s attention as she tuned in with Theresa. “No, what?”

“Duke Trescot hired someone to deform his daughter. That way, she doesn’t sleep with any more men.” Greer said. “It’s her punishment. I even heard something about a convent.”

Alessandra gasped, but Theresa snorted, shrugging off the news. “Figures he’d hire someone else to do that to his daughter and not himself.”

“Have you seen her?” Alessandra asked.

“No. Duke Trescot sent her to Morton for recovery.” Greer answered.

“She got what was coming to her, that’s all I can say.” Theresa said, lying back in the chair she chose in Alessandra’s sitting room.

“Poor thing,” Greer said.

“Yes,” Alessandra said. She was mindlessly fiddling with the pendant around her neck, watching the fire burning in the fireplace. “Poor thing.”