The Princess and The Bandit

FORTY SEVEN

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Air was knocked harshly out of her lungs but she was breathing fine. A rib or two may have cracked, but there's nothing else she won't endure to do what needs to be done.

When Simona caught up to Lauren after getting away from the barrage of Astorians going at them in the sky, she and the rest of the gang finds the empress defending herself against Camila, who was clear as a bright sunny day that she wasn't truly conscious of what she was doing. Her eyes were cloudy gray, unblinking, and empty.

But Lauren's orders for everyone were much more clear. Go grab the golden staff from Alejandro instead and leave the two of them alone . . .

The three other lionhearts were reluctant; Shawn was very reluctant, barely understanding that Camila was under some sort of trance just like every other Astorians in their ranks. But they followed what Lauren asked them to do anyway.

They all tried to take the Asclepius rod from Alejandro. Hailee, Shawn and the lionhearts all tried and struggled very hard . . .

Simona gets up in time to see Alejandro's blade slice through Normani and Ally. Her heart almost stopped right there, the imminent death of two of her children as a consequence of getting hit by a poisoned weapon. Her first priority may be Lauren, but that doesn't mean she would just allow death take any of her girls, her lion-hearted girls.

However, the old woman has anticipated this, well aware of the potency of the lord of serpents' poison and the ways he might inflict them. So, for this instance, she had prepared and brought along a good old bottle of whiskey for them to share.

Yep. That's right. A bottle of whiskey . . .

She has always admired the first empress' work in the field of medicine ever since she was young, back to the time when she was still lord Simon of Yellow River. She learned a great deal from the articles written by Graciela herself. Equipped with all Simona learned from her studies and the things her lost love, Yvette, taught her, as well as her natural talent in healing, she created a very strong brew that will immediately counter the effects of Alejandro's poison.

She had been working on this particular potion over the years ever since knowing who Camila is, and for a while she has had it, kept it in an old whiskey bottle. Only, it hasn't been tested yet. But there is no better option for her than to make use of it now. Because it is either have Normani and Ally chug her 'special whiskey' or watch them die.

Better options really did ran out for the old woman when she sees Alejandro stab Dinah right through her armor. It was an incredible display of strength, it was as if it was pointless to wear that golden Arcadian armor.

Simona beckons the closest centaurs to have a go at Alejandro, just as Shawn goes to strike at him. Hailee freaks out momentarily, seeing her half-sister get stabbed with a poisoned sword, catch her before she falls to the ground, fumbling to stop the bleeding.

Simona rushes to Normani and Ally first, both significantly grown weak caused by their wounds.

"Quickly! Drink, you idiots!"

She shoves the open bottle on Ally's mouth first.

"Gahd, that is disgusting," the short one splutters after choking a little bit on a mouthful of Simona's 'special whiskey'.

"Just hope you'll get to drink better liquor after this,"

The old woman then quickly shoves the bottle in Normani's mouth, who can't even speak or move as she cried silently and weakly, as if all the fight in her was taken. Drooping, defeated eyes focused on Dinah who was about to lose her own life in the arms of her half-sister.