Alcingeria

Chapter Fifty Six: Princess Estaire: Young But Wise

Chapter Fifty Six Princess Estaire: Young But Wise:

Wednesday July 7th 1690

"E-Estaire!" Francella exclaimed nervously.

Her light violet eyes were cast to the ground in shame.

"I-I'm sorry I eavesdropped on you..." She trailed off, momentarily stunned as she scrambled to pick up a brown book she'd dropped.

"How much did you hear?" Ceberus asked, all business, fear touching his voice.

"I heard everything." Estaire answered, bringing her eyes to meet his. "You were serious, weren't you?"

No one knew quite what to say to that. If she was telling the truth, then we were as good as dead. She would tell her mother and we'd all be hung.

"Estaire, please don't tell your mother!" Raymond pleaded. "Of course we weren't serious."

"We were just ranting, is all." Edward said convincingly. "It's just... Gerald is dead, and..."

Estaire quietly chuckled, shaking her head.

"We both know that's not true, Edward," she said lightly. "In truth, everything that was said has merit."

No one knew quite what to say to that.

"What?" I asked. "Estaire, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you're right. This war needs to be stopped."

We were stunned once again at this turn of events. We looked to each other, Francella and Raymond no longer had pleading looks about them, but curious ones. It was a look we all shared.

"I want to help you," she clarified, her confidence growing. "As the Princess and future Queen of Vulrock, it is my duty to ensure peace and prosperity comes to not only my own province, but the others as well."

"You're serious?" Robert asked.

She just nodded.

"With all due respect, princess, I don't think you're aware of the connotations of what you're about to agree to," Edwin told her gently. "If this fails, which it might, you'll be implicating yourself for treason."

"With all due respect, Edwin," she quipped sharply, "don't speak to me like I'm a child. I know what I'm getting myself into."

He regarded her for a second, then yielded.

"Okay, so you heard everything and you understand the consequences. What are you going to do?"

We all looked at her, shocked that she would say something the things she did. She may have been young, but she was honorable and very wise.

"I'll prepare you however I can. You already have a plan, I'm just going to help it along."

"You... You'd go against your mother for this?" I asked. "You're sure?"

"I love my mother very much, but I cannot deny my responsibility in this matter. I have been too timid to object to her ways thus far when I was the only one who could. Now that there are others, now that I have my chance, I can't allow myself to be silent any longer."

"We appreciate that immensely, princess." Francella smiled. "Thank you, really."

"To business, then," Robert said after a nod of acknowledgement. "Do you know where your mother's weapon storage and research facilities are?"