Chapter 2: Chapter 2 - Choices
Silence fell upon the throne room once again as the nobles waited for Cassian to make his next move.
Would they be slaughtered, or was Cassian only here for the Beauforts?
Cassian’s men filled the throne room, outnumbering George’s guards.
"Protect the crown prince!" George gave the order. "This is treason," he said, keeping a close eye on Cassian. "I sent you to defeat my enemies. Did you side with them?"
"Your enemies are dead," Cassian replied.
Lilith looked back at the door, watching as more of the duke’s men entered the throne room. She couldn’t win this fight.
Even with the secret passages in the castle, she would not survive fighting her way out of the throne room.
Lilith faced Cassian again, trying to place what his motives were.
Was Cassian going to kill all the royals, or was his fight only with her father?
Lilith thought back to her interactions with Cassian in the past. She was never close to Cassian since he was used as her father’s sword in war.
"Escort the nobles outside," Cassian ordered his soldiers.
"Princess," Solomon, Lilith’s guard, whispered. "I mustn’t leave your side."
"Unless you want to be the next head he severs, I suggest you leave. I can take care of myself," Lilith said, not taking her eyes off Cassian.
Under the sleeve of her dress was a dagger hidden.
Lilith prepared herself for the worst. She knew the fate of captured princesses and would not go down without a fight.
George was forced to watch as his loyal subjects hurried out of the throne room, leaving only his family.
Some of the nobles looked at George, offering a look of support, while others avoided his gaze as they were already switching sides to save themselves.
George gritted his teeth. He wanted Cassian’s head to be the third one to roll, but there wasn’t anyone at his side to do the attack.
"Kneel," Cassian’s order shook the royals in the room. "Bow before your king."
George’s eyes widened, filled with horror. "A king doesn’t bow for a duke."
"Kneel... or die. Choose," Cassian gave George a choice.
George felt a lump in his throat.
Not long ago, he had been the one giving this order.
George slowly turned around, a conclusion coming to his mind. He faced Lilith, the source of his misfortune. "You betrayed us. You plotted with Duke Mortimer," he accused Lilith.
Lilith ignored her father’s accusation.
The castle had turned its back on her, so her father was in no position to question her.
Lilith had more important questions she needed answers to. What was Cassian’s motive for cutting free from her father?
Lilith’s silence confirmed George’s assumption.
Lilith truly was the black sheep in the family. The one destined to ruin them.
"Princess Lilith didn’t plot with me. Do you not see the confusion written across her face? You should focus on providing me with an answer. Will you kneel, or die?" Cassian asked, taking his sword from Eric.
Cassian wanted George to choose the latter.
After all, it was George’s order which started the clock ticking faster towards Lilith’s death.
"Father," the crown prince, Arthur Beaufort, tried to approach George.
Cassian raised his hand, commanding the soldiers to block Arthur’s path.
Thalia held her breath as though it would make her invisible. Tears stained her cheeks, her hands clutching the sides of her dress, and her body on the verge of peeing against her will.
"Not my son!" George yelled, fearing his legacy could be gone in the blink of an eye.
George closed his eyes, accepting the position he was now in.
George bit his lips; he held his head down in shame.
Lilith’s eyes narrowed in on her father’s figure as he lowered himself to kneel before Cassian.
Her proud father was admitting defeat.
Lilith touched the dagger she had hidden.
Now would be a good time to attack her father, avenging her mother.
Lilith took one step back as Cassian stood up from the throne, taking the sword with him. His eyes met her own, as though he needed to confirm she was watching.
George looked up at the sound of footsteps approaching him. His eyes widened upon seeing the sword lifted in the air.
Thalia gasped, her hands covering her mouth. She turned away to not witness the horror of Cassian slaying her father.
As George’s head rolled, Cassian stared at Lilith.
Lilith was angry.
Not for the loss of her father, but over the mere fact that Cassian had stolen her wish to kill her father.
"You murderer!" Arthur spat, trying to push his way through Cassian’s soldiers to reach his father, but his attempt was futile.
Cassian dropped his sword. He spared Arthur a glance.
He was always a murderer. He was always the one called upon to go out to war.
Cassian stepped over George, humiliating the royal even in death. "Only Princess Lilith is to remain."
Arthur stopped his fight to look at his half-sister. Did Lilith truly have a role to play in this?
Thalia rushed to her brother’s side, avoiding looking at her father’s state. She grabbed Arthur by his arm, leaning onto him. "Arthur," she cried.
Arthur peered down at Thalia.
"Move!" A soldier pushed Arthur back with his sword.
Arhtur had no other choice but to hold onto Thalia and leave the throne room with the soldiers.
Lilith kept her gaze fixed on Cassian just as he did with her.
Cassian stalked closer to Lilith, taking a moment to calm down.
Lilith allowed Cassian to approach her. He towered over her, as he always did.
"Satisfied?" Cassian asked, desperate to hear her voice.
Lilith glared at the man before her. He spoiled her plans and claimed the throne she longed to sit on.
Even more upsetting, Cassian wouldn’t stop smiling.
"Lilith-"
Cassian was silenced by a dagger coming out of thin air, pressing against his throat.
"You can’t kill me," Cassian said, placing his arms behind his back. Her fingers brushing against his throat were enough to calm him.
Lilith pressed the dagger further against Cassian’s throat. "Enjoy your moment on the throne. I will take it back."
