The Second Princess [indefinite hiatus.]

Lost In History | 10

I don't own Fire Emblem.

After a major burnout with TSP, I think I'm rolling back in action now.

Also, I'm begging you guys not to read this all at once if you're in a rush. This chapter is 20k words. I can't cut it down more.

...

"Yes. Good gods, this man is a moron, but with protection from his precious court, nobody can touch him." Margaret shook her head. "How are we going to defeat him?"

"We don't have to," Diana reminded her. "After all, it's only the Book we're after. We can deal with him in the aftermath, and it's not going to be too hard after that."

Margaret's eyes gleamed. "Then we need to strike as soon as we can."

...

They didn't even get a chance. Everything fell apart the very next morning.

Bane struck faster than a viper, and the minute Diana heard the testimony, she knew that it was her fault. Her fault for making him terrified enough to turn his overdrive on and ruin their plans.

The gasps of the crowd around her were astounding, loudly echoing against the marble walls of the giant courtroom. She couldn't see all of their faces, but she just damn well knew that they had the expression of satisfaction and surprise, pleased that their lord and savior had done it again. The mutters, mixing among the horrified inhales and the laughter of some bold councilmen, were all senseless and vile, all too happy of the scene before them.

She had been so close. The letters that she had found the night before would be enough to clear her name in a second, and have Chrom send him off to be imprisoned. But she and Margaret had suffered through near dead exhaustion after their close call with Bane the night before, and both girls had decided to knock out after. Diana didn't even get time to wake Acadia up and talk to her before she had completely passed out in her cell.

Her second mistake was that she didn't act quickly enough.

What was wrong with her? Had her homesickness and her anger driven her mad? She had consistently been messing up over and over again ever since this reality started. She was losing her mind one by one, her sanity bleeding through her fingers and disappearing from her vision. She needed to stop, she needed to calm down, she needed to think clearly. She couldn't be too weak for this.

But it was too late.

Octavius was one step ahead of them the entire time, and she was fairly sure that she was the one who pushed him ahead.

She was a fool.

Up on the high platform behind her lady, Margaret looked as horrified and sick in the stomach as Diana felt. Her friend had her hands clasped over her stomach, her mouth open. She was speechless, it would seem.

The former heiress was half hidden by an enraged Chrom. Fists clenched and red cheeks, he looked ready to burst in anger. For once, Diana couldn't read his expression enough to figure out who he was directing his fury at. She prayed to the gods that it wasn't towards her, because oh gods, her father's anger would be her tipping point.

Beside him, Odelle looked nearly twice as shocked as Diana was. The beautiful woman had both hands clasped over her mouth, her face pale as a sheet. Her form had turned rigid in disgust, but her attention wasn't on Diana - it was on her father, who beamed with sadistic pride at his work.

The terrifying feeling of failure settled on her chest, and prickled deeper like a sword in her gut when she looked at the person beside her.

A young man no older than she was. Clearly a member of Anguis, from the snake dagger attached to his waist.