The Kings Mistress Chapter 176

[ … words ]

Agnes clenched her jaw as her hand curled into a fist. She got up from her seat, mumbled a few words, and left the table. Cassandra finished the last of her food and wiped her mouth with her napkin. She too got up from her seat.

“I have some matters to attend to, so I will take my leave as well, Your Highness,” Consort Cassandra said as she curtsied.

She gave Sierra a quick glance of acknowledgment before leaving with her maids. Roxine let out a sigh as she returned to her plate.

“My apologies, Your Highness. I seemed to have ruined morning tea,” Sierra sighed, feeling guilty over what had happened.

Roxine glanced over to Sierra. The look of defeat on her face was clear. But Roxine had never blamed her for anything.

“There’s nothing to apologize for, Sierra. Do you really think I enjoy their company more than yours?” The Queen mused as she took a bite of scrambled eggs.

“I’m thrilled we finally get to spend some time together, won’t you accompany me for the morning?” Roxine added with a smile.

Sierra nodded, “I would be more than happy to, my Queen”

After they finished their meal, the Queen and the Paramount took a walk around the gardens. Some of the flowers were still in bloom at that time of the year. The myriad of colors brightened up their day and their conversation.

Upon entering the orchard, Roxine asked for her entourage and Sierra’s to remain at the entrance. She and Sierra took a walk in the orchard alone. Not even Miss Marionne was allowed to follow.

“Are you sure about this, my Queen?” Sierra leaned in and whispered to her, worried.

Roxine chuckled, “Are you afraid that your abilities will be insufficient in protecting the queen?”

She gently tapped on Sierra’s twin swords, which were hanging on her belt. Sierra laughed. She had full confidence in her own abilities when it came to combat, what she feared more than anything was court decorum.

“Sierra, there’s something I need to tell you,” the Queen spoke as she looked up at the plump oranges hanging from the trees.

Sierra looked over to her, carefully studying the look on the Queen’s face. It must be something important.

“Remember the plan we spoke of?”

“Yes.”

“I think it’s time,” Roxine said as she let out a breath of air. It was as if she had put down a large boulder that had weighed heavily on her heart.

Sierra stopped in her tracks. She had only become Alistair’s Paramount for less than a month. And now, one of the few supports she had left in Drakin was preparing to leave. Though she was saddened by the news, Sierra could tell from Roxine’s expression that she was happy.

“If Your Highness is ready, then it’s time,” Sierra replied with a smile.

Roxine had expected Sierra to fight her on it. Perhaps protest that it was not the right time. Yet she didn’t do any of it.

“Are you so eager for me to go?” She joked.

“Not at all, your Highness! I apologize if my reply seemed to have insinuated that. I swear it was not my intention.”

“Calm down, Sierra,” Roxine chuckled as she placed her hand on Sierra’s, “I was merely jesting.”

She knew it was not the best time to go. After all, the naming ceremony had only just concluded a while ago. Furthermore, Sierra did not have as much authority and sway in court as she had hoped.

If her true identity had not been revealed, Sierra would likely have gotten a similar rank and title as Cassandra, perhaps even higher. Should anything happen to Roxine then, Sierra could easily be picked to be the next Queen. But now…

Things were a lot more complicated.

“Sierra, when I… when I go,” she said carefully, “I want you to become Queen.”

Sierra didn’t know what to say.

“I know that’s what Alistair is hoping for too,” Roxine confessed, “But with your current title…”

“It’s not possible,” Sierra finished her sentence for her.

She knew that already. Should either Cassandra or Agnes take the throne, there was no telling what her life was going to be like. Agnes’s dislike for her was clear for all to see.

As for Cassandra, she seemingly took a more neutral stance on the whole situation. But once she was in a position of greater power, who knew what she might do? She had said on multiple occasions in the past, that she had no love for Sierra. Especially when she stood in her way.

So there was no reason for her to want Sierra to stay around.

Alistair can protect her, and she could protect herself very well. But things could happen.

What if?

Roxine looked over to Sierra. The look of worry in her eyes was just what she had feared. She knew this was going to be hard on her, but she had to think of her own happiness and future too.

Since Diane proposed to her, she had been eager for their plans to come to fruition. It would be a lie if she said she didn’t want to go to her right then and there. Roxine was conflicted.

This was something she had looked towards for a long time now. But now that she was ready to do so, she was getting cold feet.

Sierra looked over to Roxine. Seeing the look of worry and doubt in her eyes pained her. The Queen deserved to be happy too. Though they had not known each other for very long, they’ve become close confidants.

She deserved her happiness too.

Sierra took Roxine’s hands into her own.

“Don’t worry about us, Roxine. Alistair and I… we’ll figure things out.”

“But…”

“You deserve to be happy too,” Sierra reminded her, “It’s time.”

With Sierra’s vote of confidence, Roxine eased up a little. But there was one crucial detail she would need Sierra’s help with. One, that she was worried she might not agree to.

“Alistair cannot know of the plan,” Roxine explained.

“What? Why?”

The reasoning was simple. They had to make it look realistic. Though Alistair already knew that Roxine would eventually leave, he didn’t know how it was going to happen. Catching him off guard would give the best genuine reaction to the court.

Him not knowing of the plan would also draw less suspicion to him. Faking her own death was not as easy as it sounded. First, she had to make it look natural. If they had staged something a murder or an unnatural death, it was likely that others would be suspicious.

Sierra would likely become a prime suspect too.

After all, it was known that the King loved his paramount deeply. After all, he created a new position in his harem just for her. To others, she had a motive. If Roxine was dead, she might see that she has a chance to become Queen.

Suspicion would be thrown onto the consorts too.

“It has to look like natural causes, to ward off any unnecessary suspicion from anyone,” Roxine explained.

But Sierra begged to differ.

“I think it would work best if it looked a little like an accident. Like a carriage rode off the cliff or something,” Sierra suggested.

Her reasoning was simple, if there was no ’body’ to be found, it would be a much easier escape for Roxine.

“Off a cliff? How am I supposed to survive that?” Roxine exclaimed.