The Exiled Princess

Fate

Astrid felt ice cold and scorching hot all at once. She had taken diplomacy lessons for as long as she could remember, but nothing in her life prepared her to look into the face of her king.

Raiden saved her from trying to come up with a response. "I think you'll find her side of the story very interesting," he told King Lazarus evenly. His eyes flicked to the right side of the throne where, yet unseen by Astrid, stood Caleb. The new Lord of Starfell studied his younger sister, dark eyes cold and calculating. His gaze met Raiden's and he smiled slightly.

Lazarus leaned forward, a note of eagerness shining in his eyes now. Raiden hid a smirk. The king had never been able to resist a good story. "Tell me," Lazarus said.

Raiden gave Astrid an encouraging nod. "Go ahead," he murmured. "It's okay."

Her hand tightened on his arm, but nothing else hinted at her anxiety as she met the king's gaze. "Starfell has been taken by Fiends," she said. Her voice rang clearly through the throne room. She explained what General Meridia had done to save both her and the Seal, then how she met Raiden. She refrained from telling the king about Raiden's abilities and the magical link they now shared, which he appreciated. As Astrid spoke, Raiden didn't take his gaze from Caleb's now expressionless face.

When she had finished, the king held out a hand. "May I see the Seal?"

Astrid glanced at Raiden, who nodded, then pulled the Seal's chain over her head. Her hand shook as she gave it to the king.

Lazarus didn't bother with the chain, grasping the Seal itself as he turned it this way and that, studying its glittering facets. "How long has this been in your possession?" he asked quietly.

"Almost a week, your majesty," Astrid answered. "I was trying to get it here before it could bind with me."

"You don't want the power for yourself?" Lazarus asked, eyes flicking from the Seal to her face.

Astrid shook her head. "My only goal was to get it out of the castle and to the Shadow Guard." She pulled her hand free of Raiden's arm and rummaged in the satchel, pulling out a folded piece of paper. She held it out to the king. "This is the letter from General Meridia."

King Lazarus scanned the letter, a small smile on his face. When he was done reading, he gave Astrid a wry smile. "General Meridia always was a strong-willed woman," he said. "We were close friends once."

Astrid's eyes widened slightly. "I would love to hear more about that sometime," she said. "Last I saw her, she was badly wounded and running off to find Caleb. I don't know if either of them survived."

Lazarus sat back, studying her. "You are either an accomplished liar or genuinely believe that stealing the Seal was the right thing to do," he said at last. "You are dismissed, Lady Astrid. The Court will have a decision regarding your fate by this evening." He nodded to a guard. "Please take her to the holding area."

"I can take her there," Raiden said. Astrid was looking pale, and he didn't want to leave her alone with her anxieties. He trusted Myron to handle the Court without him.

But Lazarus shook his head and Raiden knew there was no chance of changing his mind. He gave Astrid what he hoped was an encouraging smile, watching as she was taken from the room. The other nobles began to move from the room as well, leaving only a dozen or so people in the throne room.

"What do you think of her?" a deep voice asked from Raiden's right. He turned to see his captain, a tall man with tanned skin and a massive scar down the left side of his face.

"I think she's genuine," Raiden said. As happy as he was to see Myron, he couldn't bring himself to smile. "She said Ewan kept her locked inside the castle for years, and it shows." He turned to his captain. "But there's more than that, Myron. There's a...feeling about her. I don't know what it is exactly, but I don't think she's completely human."

Mason didn't reply for a long moment, golden eyes thoughtful. "She isn't Fiendish," he said at last. "Any Shadow Guard could sense that. Even so...you're right. There's something odd about her."

Raiden nodded. "We were attacked by a witch on the way here," he said abruptly, remembering the encounter. Astrid hadn't mentioned it to the king due to time constraints, but Raiden felt it was important to inform Myron. "She wanted the Seal."

"Hm, we may need to send the Strikers out," Myron mused. "I don't like their methods, but they are effective, especially when we have such few numbers."

"Gather." The king's voice rang through the room, interrupting Raiden's response. "The time has come to decide Astrid's fate."

*****

Astrid sat ashen-faced in a small stone room, head in her hands. It seemed obvious that the king would believe her innocent of treachery, but she couldn't bring herself to hope for such an outcome. She stared down at her hands and swallowed hard, trying to keep the tears at bay. She didn't want to be a sobbing mess when someone finally came for her.

As if summoned by her thoughts, the door opened with a thud. She looked up and immediately relaxed when she saw Raiden step through. "How'd it go?" she asked hesitantly.

He sighed, face grim. "Brace yourself," was all he said before leading her from the room.

Astrid's heart plummeted at his words. She was shaking by the time they arrived back at the throne room. Raiden remained at her side when the king summoned her to the center of the room.

"Astrid," the king said gently. "While you may have been acting in the way you felt was correct at the time, you still committed a grievous crime by taking a Seal from the protection of a keep. For that, there is only one punishment."

Astrid's mouth was dry, but she nodded. She had gotten the Seal to the Shadow Guard. She hadn't failed Meridia, and that thought was enough for her to accept whatever fate came her way.

"Astrid Cypher of Starfell, you are scheduled for execution tomorrow morning at dawn."