Regicide

12. A King's Order

Marcelina tells me the full plan of how I will be eliminating the guards and Lawrence.

My first targets will be the brothers, Marshall and Marvin. They go out into the village and search for any crimes or just pick any person to be the next victim of execution. They are easy targets, since they will be in the open, but they're shifts are very early in the morning, so nobody will have to see any blood that my bow will cause. No one has to see that.

Next will be Andrew. He goes outside and guards the castle doors. On my first day of training, I must have encountered him on his shift. This time I have to look out for him. And when he comes out of the castle, I immediately take the shot. Then I go inside the castle and look out for any other staff. But since I'm killing the only guards in the castle, I'll have to look out for the other maids. But I'm hoping Rose will direct everyone away from where I will be.

Peter and William will be next. They are the ones who will guard his door on the day that I will assassinate Lawrence. Marcelina calls them both "cowards"— but I think William is just too old for a job like that. This means they won't put up a fight. I'll easily take both shots quickly.

Getting Lawrence out of his room will be the difficult part. Marcy tells me to knock on his door continuously, until he gives in and opens the door. Then I'll take the close shot and the King will be dead.

That last part seems like a work–in–progress.

Marcelina says it's a good solid plan, but I think that's all she can come up with. Although she is confident that this one will work.

A week passes and I heard that an execution has happened in town. His execution rates are growing apart. That's a good thing, but it doesn't seem like him. Maybe it was the brothers that called the execution. Perhaps they were just bored. They can be that callous.

I have to end the King's life — and his guards — so that the executions will end.

"When will we begin the plan?" I ask as Marcelina puts the bow back in the case.

Today, I showed more improvement. I feel like I'm getting better throughout this week. At this rate, I should be beginning the plan soon enough.

"Soon enough." Marcelina echoes my thoughts. We walk through the cove and head towards the castle.

I'm getting impatient with Lawrence. "When is 'soon'? The point of this plan is so that Lawrence will be gone, and so will his ways of being King. I need to end this."

"You have to be patient. You also have to be prepared. When the time comes, I don't want you to hesitate when you're pulling the arrow."

"I won't hesitate." I say, trying to convince myself as well.

I don't care who I will be killing anymore. Lawrence isn't my father and his guards don't care about me. But what's bothering me is that I will be killing. Murdering is more like it. I'll be murdering people! Ever since Lawrence started executing people, I made a promise to myself that I would never be like him. What he did was all gruesome. Now, I have to be the one who is doing the killing. I broke the promise. I feel like a hypocrite, in a way.

I never wanted to see blood. It always made me sick.

Marcelina scoffs at what I say. "I know that you're lying to yourself. When the day comes, you'll be nervous. And you can't feel that way. Once you've reached Lawrence, show no mercy. Have no pity. Don't feel guilty. You have to take the shot."

I sigh. "I know."

We walk past people, it's nothing new. Just hateful stares thrown at me. Some of them even glance away from me. I should be used to this by now, but I'm not.

I see the castle ahead of us. But what surprises me is that there is a guard in front of the doors. I recognize the frightening face of Andrew. He seems to be protecting the doors as if it's in danger. He has a sharp spear in his hands. Before he can turn his head in our direction, Marcy grabs me by the arm and we hide behind a wall that belongs to a shop.

"Cecelia, what is he doing there?" Marcella asks, sounding a little worried.

He shouldn't be there. Why is he out here? It's not his shift. Not today. If I walk up to him, what will he say? What will I say?

Maybe I should just tell him the same thing Rose said to him—that she sent me outside. But that might not work. He knows when he has been fooled a second time. He would find out that Rose and I sneaked off very early in the mornings.

"I... I don't know. He doesn't work outside today." I said as Marcy peeks out from the corner to see Andrew.

She turns back at me and crosses her arms. "Well, what's your plan this time?"

I think for a moment. What if he knows that I'm not in the castle? Perhaps it doesn't matter if he sees me now. But what will I say?

"If he asks me why I'm out here, I'll just say to him that it's none of his business." I say casually.

"That's it?" Marcelina asks me, but I am already walking up to the castle without her.

"Cecelia!" Marcy calls behind me, but I ignore her.

I reach the castle doors while Andrew eyeing me. I was expecting him to question me, saying that he should have an explanation as to why I'm not inside the castle.

Testing to see if he really doesn't care where I was, I try to go inside the castle without any questioning. "Excuse me, but can I–"

"No! Stay away from the castle!" He warns me as he points the spear up to me, almost stabbing my face. I jump back from him.

Stay away from the castle? Why would he say that to me?

"Excuse me?" I say, confused at his words.

"You heard me. Get off the castle property. You're not allowed here anymore!" He says in a malicious tone.

I narrow my eyes at him. "What are you talking about?"

"By the King's order, you are not allowed to enter — or be even near —  the royal castle."

I'm not allowed to enter my own home?

"B-But... I am a royal. You can't do that! I'm the princess." I desperately say, trying to get inside the castle.

"By order of... the King." He steps forward and says it more menacing.

I lean backwards, scared of the tone that he uses for his words.

"You better leave now." He says.

"B-But I... You can't"

"Leave. Now." He says darkly.

Giving up, I turn around and walk away. Only to turn back around and see that Andrew has entered the castle. When he closes the doors, I was sure that I saw a smirk planted on his face.

A sudden realization has hit me. The King has kicked me out of my own home.

_________________________________________________________
Where will Cecelia go now? Will the plan to kill the king work?

Sorry for the long wait. I'm having a bit of writer's block...

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