The King's Mistress

Chapter 211: What If?

"Paco!" Sierra gasped in surprise as she reached out her hand.

She’d heard the call of a silverwing and looked up into the sky only to see the messenger bird circling above her. Paco flew down immediately, perched on Sierra’s hand. She gave the bird a gentle pet on the head, feeling its feathers beneath her finger.

"You’ve come a long way, haven’t you? Thank you for your hard work," she whispered to the silverwing as she took the letter that was in its possession before releasing it back into the air.

"Return to Alistair," she whispered, knowing Paco knew where to go.

As she continued her stroll in the royal garden, she read the contents of the letter while humming a tune. A wide smile formed on her face. This was the last letter Alistair had sent out, informing Sierra of his impending arrival.

Little did she know, things have changed.

"Good news, Your Majesty?" Ida asked out of curiosity.

"He says he’ll arrive on time for the ceremony. There might be slight delays but he’ll be here for certain."

Sierra folded the letter and kept it in her pocket. Looking back up at the sky, she noticed more cloud cover than before.

’Is it going to rain soon?’ She wondered to herself.

"Your Majesty!" A messenger came running up to Sierra.

"What is it?"

"A guest has arrived. Lady Diane of Laroche is here to see you."

"Diane?" Sierra perked up at the name.

She had the messenger lead her to meet her guest at once. Sierra was still in disbelief when she heard the name until she saw her in person. She was even happier to see the companion Lady Diane had brought with her. Sierra quickly dismissed everyone else in the room, though Ida remained.

"Your Majesty, it’s been a while," Lady Diane greeted Sierra.

She and the hooded woman she was with were about to kneel before her when she stopped them.

"Spare the formalities. I’m not even properly crowned yet. There’s no need for any of that."

Sierra walked over to take a closer look at the hooded figure. She had a good idea of who it was but she just had to be sure.

"Would you like to introduce your companion to me, Lady Diane?" Sierra mused.

Diane grinned as she nodded, "Of course," she placed her hand on the young woman’s lower back and beckoned her forward, "As you might have heard, I recently married the love of my life. This is Lady Rochelle. She’s wearing a mask as she’s a little shy, I hope you don’t mind,"

The hooded figure elbowed Diane, causing laughter to erupt amongst the young women. Roxine removed her hood, she looked as great as ever, with a wide smile across her face.

She wore a mask similar to the one Alistair usually wore. Roxine had changed her name after her supposed death. She now lived under the name Rochelle.

"It’s been a while, Your Majesty," Rochelle curtsied respectfully.

"Oh come on Rox- ah I mean Rochelle! Don’t tease me," Sierra chuckled as she pulled the young woman into an embrace.

It had been quite some time since they last met, and there were lots to catch up on. Sierra had received surprises at every turn. She did not expect so many of her friends to turn up for her special occasion.

Even Princess Myra and Princess Taita, despite opposition from their family, arrived some time ago. They were all eager to witness her coronation and union with Alistair, bearing gifts and congratulatory messages.

Sierra kept herself busy for the time being, making sure all final preparations were in order. But as time went on, something felt off. She nervously waited for news of Alistair’s arrival. She checked in with the Royal guards consistently between then and the day of the coronation.

As Ida dressed her in her coronation outfit, Sierra glanced anxiously at the clock. She let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes as she did.

"Another sleepless night, Your Majesty?" Ida asked worriedly as she fixed the necklace around Sierra’s neck.

Sierra let out a sigh as she nodded.

"Just an unsettling hunch," she confessed as she curled her hands into fists.

She looked up at the mirror, gazing at her own reflection. She pursed her lips as she glanced beyond herself and to the empty space beside her. Alistair had always been known to surprise her every so often. She looked over to the open balcony, wondering if he would surprise her at any moment.

"Your Majesty, Miss Vyrena Blackfire is here to see you," a guard’s voice that rang from beyond her room door cut her train of thought.

"Send her in," Sierra called out as she readjusted her outfit before turning around as the door opened.

"Sierra, you look stunning!" Vy exclaimed as she entered.

The two women shared a warm embrace. Sierra was always more than happy to see a familiar face. Furthermore, seeing Vy helped her nerves a little.

"He’s going to love how you look, I doubt he’d be able to take his eyes off you now!" Vy mused as she nudged Sierra.

She had expected the future Queen to be a little more excited, but Vy quickly sensed her unease. Vy held onto Sierra’s hands, hoping she could help reassure her. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"Still no news yet?" Vy asked quietly, her eyes filled with concern as she noticed the change in expression on Sierra’s face.

Sierra shook her head as she forced a smile. She did not want her friends to worry for her. There were lots to be excited about and she was not about to let one thing dampen her spirits.

But despite it all, Sierra could not hide her disappointment and worries.

"You’re just like me," Vy added, "You wear all your emotions on your sleeve."

"What if..." Sierra stopped herself from saying the things that had been swirling in her mind for the past few days.

What if Alistair did not turn up? ƒгeewebnovёl.com

What would all of that mean?

It was not that Sierra had no faith in him. But a feeling in her gut kept all the positivity she previously had at bay. She could not find it in herself to be hopeful for what was to come.

"Regardless of what happens," Vy reminded her, "This is still a joyous occasion."

She readjusted Sierra’s outfit as she continued to speak, "You’re about to be crowned Queen of the Kingdom of Cair. That in itself is an achievement worth celebrating. Some things are simply beyond our control, Your Majesty. Do you know what we do in the face of that?"

"What do we do?" Sierra echoed her question.

Vy grinned, "We face it head on and let the wind take us to where we should go."