The King's Mistress

Chapter 180: Safe And Sound

"But Your Majesty, these accusations..."

"Are unfounded. Cedric was but a general and yet he is now King?" Alistair reminded.

He turned to Tarrick, "You will not be taking Paramount Sierra with you. She is no longer part of Cair. She is a citizen of Drakin and is under my protection." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

He released Sierra’s hand and walked up to Tarrick.

"If she loses so much as a strand of hair and I find you accountable for it, you will not live to see the sunrise," he warned.

Tarrick gulped. For a moment, he did not know what to say. After all, he was not trained in diplomacy between Kingdoms. But one thing he knew for certain, he was not about to take this.

He was a proud soldier, always had been. His prideful ways were one of the reasons why he and Cedric got along well after all.

"Your Majesty, I implore you to reconsider your options. We would never prosecute the innocent."

"Is that so?"

"Of course."

Alistair straightened his back as he folded his arms, "Well then, prove it."

"Prove it?" Tarrick looked at Alistair with a look of confusion.

"Prove she’s guilty of treason. Show me your evidence," Alistair said as he took another step closer to the lord from Cair.

Tarrick gulped as he began to stutter. He did not know what else to say.

"Your Majesty, if you don’t allow me to take Sierra Bancroft back to Cair, this... this would mean..."

"Mean what? Spit out your words, Lord Tarrick. We don’t have all day," Alistair seethed in annoyance.

His patience was wearing thin.

Tarrick gulped, "It would spell the end of peaceful ties with the Kingdom of Cair."

Sierra could not believe her ears. Was Cedric so dead set on getting her back that he was willing to risk war? Their kingdom would never be able to win a war against Drakin. They simply did not have the resources.

Alistair could not help but laugh. When he did so, his court laughed along with him. This caused an unease to spread throughout the members of Tarrick’s entourage. Even he did not know how to respond.

"Was that a threat?" Alistair mused, "Choose your next words carefully, Lord Tarrick. For if I am displeased, we could have your head on a spike by sundown."

Sierra had never seen this side of Alistair. Was this the side that his enemies saw? The one they feared the most. Had he been hiding this side of himself from her, in fear of how she would see him?

"I...I..." Tarrick had completely lost his foothold in the conversation. Anything he said could be used against him.

Just as King Alistair had said, one wrong move on his end and he would not have long to live.

"No words? Good. Thank you for visiting our glorious Kingdom, Lord Tarrick. Guards," The royal guards from outside the throne room entered immediately and knelt down before Alistair, awaiting his command, "Send our guests from Cair off. They won’t be staying."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The royal guard rose to their feet and began ushering Lord Tarrick and his entourage out of the Throne Room. The royal chancellor was already advising Alistair against doing so. But it had already been done.

"With what has just transpired, this court session is concluded. I need to speak to Paramount Sierra in private."

"But my King..."

"Enough, Chancellor," Alistair stopped him from speaking any further, "My decision has been made."

Alistair turned to Sierra, "Follow me."

Sierra did as he asked, not knowing what else to say. She couldn’t even begin to wrap her head around what had happened and what she should do next. Things she once thought were within her control had spun out of control.

Alistair brought Sierra back to his quarters. He brought her into his bedroom and instructed that no one was allowed to enter or disturb them. As soon as he closed the doors behind him, Alistair walked over to her.

He placed his hands on her arms, "Are you alright, sweetling? Did they hurt you?"

The genuine look of concern melted her worries away. She had so many questions to ask him, so many things to say to him but at that moment, her mind went blank. Sierra wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest.

She didn’t say a word.

Alistair was stunned by her response, but he didn’t move away or say anything either. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. He too didn’t know what was happening, but whatever it was, he was certain they could figure it out.

"Did you receive anything from General Leon about what happened?" He whispered to her softly sometime later, while stroking her hair.

Sierra shook her head, "No, his previous letters didn’t mention anything about it. I know the situation wasn’t great but... how could this have happened?"

"In any case, your life is in danger, Sierra," Alistair reminded her, "I will keep you safe."

"What do you mean?" She asked as she released her arms around him, with a look of confusion on her face.

"I’ll increase the number of guards watching your estate, and until we can..."

"My darling, your plan is for me to remain here?" She asked.

Alistair could tell from the look on her face that this was not the answer she was hoping for.

"You’ll be safer here, in Drakin. In Vargos Castle. We can figure-"

"No, I have to go. I have to go to Cair," Sierra said sternly.

"You can’t be serious," Alistair said, with half a laugh.

But Sierra’s expression did not change, she meant what she said.

"Alistair, my father could be in danger. I have to go, I need to know."

He clenched his jaw as he shook his head, "But you could be in danger. I can’t lose you, sweetling, I can’t."

His words triggered recent memories. She brushed his hands off her arms.

"If you can’t lose me, then why haven’t you come to see me? It’s been weeks since I last saw you. I waited for you, night after night but you stood me up. Every time," the hurt in her voice was obvious to him.

"Is it really so hard for you to spend a little time with me?"