My Princess

Chapter 22

Cronus, Clara, and I start to saddle up our horses. The sun has just started to peek through the trees.
"Myra, don't go. You're still healing." My grandmother tells me.
"I will be fine. Besides, I have a promise to keep." I show her the dagger that was used to kill my father. The dagger I promised to plunge into the king's chest.
She pulls me into a hug and I hold her right back.
"Kill that king. But most importantly, be safe. Can't-lose you too." My grandfather says. I nod in response.
I mount my horse and Clara hops up behind me, while Cronus gets on his horse. I look and my grandparents one more time, I wave to them.
We finally arrive at the outskirts of the palace, but we are still hidden in the trees. We all get off the horses and continue on foot.
We follow Cronus to a secluded back entrance into the main hall of the castle. Once we enter, we all draw our weapons. Cronus and I with our blades and Clara have her bow and a quiver of arrows.
Slowly, we sneak around the castle. We are moving well, we have seemed to go by undetected by anyone. Only one more flight of stairs before we reach the kings quarters.
Cronus stops by the door and grabs the handle. He then slowly pushes the door open. We all then shuffle into the room.
We greeted by the sight of the king sitting in a chair facing the window, his back towards us.
"I knew you guys would come for me. Clara, Cronus. So what has become of Myra, has she killed herself yet?" The king asks.
Cronus pushes me out of the room and shuts the door. "Yes, shortly after we knocked her out, she woke up and stabs herself with her sword."
What the hell are you doing, Cronus? Then I realize that if the king thinks I'm dead then I can catch by surprise, making him an easier target. I'm the secret weapon.
"She never had her mothers looks, but she had that untamed spirit. Well, that is until I broke like a twig. She was easier to control than her father." Laughs the king.
"You are a monster!" Exclaims Clara.
"Come on. We are not that different. Like father like daughter." Claims the king.
"I am nothing like you." She spats.
"Well, you did fall in love with Myra, as I, fell in love with her mother." The king says.
"But what about my mother," Clara asks. "You loved her right?"
"My love died in the arms of another man. Your mother, Clara, was just a body to keep the bed warm and a pretty face to show off to the kingdom. I felt no grieve getting rid of her."
"What do you mean getting rid of her?" Clara says, confused. "She was killed by your enemy. The kingdom in the north."
"You poor, ignorant fool." Patronizes the king. "That was all a set up to get rid of you and your mother. I made them a deal. That they 'took care' of your mother and you never set foot in this kingdom again, they could do what they wanted with you."
"Then why go through the trouble of trying to have her rescued?" Cronus chimes in.
"That's because some people were wondering why I hadn't put in any effort into finding her at all. So I gave the knights, I could stand to lose an impossible mission of finding a princess that I was sure, was dead. But that little bitch, Myra, managed to escape me and save you."
"So you never wanted me back?" Clara asks.
"Not for a second. Neither did I want your mom back." The king says nonchalantly.
"And you sent me on a mission that would condemn me to death?" Asks Cronus.
"Yes, you are a good knight. But nothing like your father. He was ruthless. You are weak, and you also have feelings of love towards someone. Probably the reason you told me Myra is dead when I asked for her, huh?"
I remember that I was still at the tavern with Althea when Cronus told me that the king wanted me to be his new toy. He had also told Clara was alive, but he would not get out of my way so I... stabbed him. And even after all that he still came back to help me. Because he loves me?
"Wait. Something still doesn't make sense. If you knew that we had returned to the palace. Then why haven't you arrested us?" Clara puts two and two together. "You aren't going to imprison us. You are going to kill us."
I look through the keyhole on the door and see that some knights have sprung from various wardrobes and even under the bed.
Cronus fights of as many as he can and Clara tries to make a couple shots but all to soon they were captured and held down.
"Do you guys have any last words before I kill you?"
"Do you?" I burst through the door. The king looks at me, terrified. "What's wrong? Looks like you've seen a ghost."
I sprint quickly past the guard and grab the king and hold the dagger to his neck.
"Let them go, or I will kill the king," I command the guards.
"Myra, what are you doing? Just kill him." Pleads Clara.
"No, you guys get to go free. That's all I care about." I tell them.
"But you made a promise." She says. "To your grandparents."
"But I made a promise a long time before that. That one is my sole duty to keep." Clara looks at me with questioning eyes. "I will give my life for you, My Princess."
"Safely escort those two out. If you even touch them, you will have condemned me to death, so lead them out safely." Says the king.
I see Clara and Cronus pulled from the ground and pulled out of the room. They struggle and yell in protest but they are safely lead away.
"You are brave Myra. Stupid, but brave." The king tells me.
I tighten the blade against his throat.
"Kill me and Clara will die soon after. And there will be nothing pretty about it."
I release him. He commands other guards to restrain me.
"Lock her away. And get the executioner ready. He will be needed tomorrow." Says the king.
"Yes, your highness. In the dungeon, she goes."
"No lock her in the cell that near my throne. Put her display for those who think about testing me." Commands the king. He walks up to me and grabs my chin, forcing me to look at him. "You really are a mystery. You had a perfect chance to kill me but yet you chose your friend's freedom and gave up your own life. Why?"
"Because that's what you do for the people you love. You sacrifice everything for them. But I'm sure that's something you will never understand." I say and that earns me a punch to the jaw. I spit my blood back into his face.
"Before you lock her away, beat her blue and bloody."
With that, I am then dragged away to my imminent doom.