The Execution

"Mother..." Lila's eyes welling up with tears as she shakes her mother gently. "Mother, please wake up... mother..." Lila's voice trembles, on the verge of tears, as she realizes her beloved mother is unresponsive.

To her astonishment, the guards swiftly seize Lila's arms from each side. "W-What are you doing!?" Lila exclaims in panic. "Let go of me! My mother has fainted!" Lila cries out, her panic escalating, but the guards remain firm.

Two guards firmly grasp Lila, while another carries Elizabeth's body out of the forest.

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Lila is thrown into the prison of the underground castle by the guards.

"What's going on!? Why am I in here!?" Lila questions frantically, rising to her feet, but the guards shut the cage and lock it before departing, leaving Lila even more bewildered than before.

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In Claude's office, he sits in his desk chair, scanning a paper before glancing up at the knight.

"I understand now... so my wife, Elizabeth, died because of that frail girl?" Claude's tone carries a hint of anger. "That woman simply had to heal her; she could have left her to perish, for all we cared!" Claude rises from his seat, his frustration evident.

Meanwhile, as Felix approaches his father's office to discuss Lila's imprisonment, he inadvertently overhears his father's conversation, causing his eyes to widen in disbelief. How could his own father speak about Lila, his own flesh and blood, the princess and his daughter, in such a manner?

"Summon her to the throne room in four days; I can't bear to see her right now," Claude instructs with a mix of anguish and anger in his eyes.

The knight acknowledges with a nod and exits the room, coincidentally avoiding a meeting with Felix who had already left.

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Four days later,

Lila is roughly escorted to the throne room by two knights. Her dress is now dirty and torn, with dirt smudges on her face and hair. The knights push her in front of the king, who sits on his throne, forcing her to kneel.

As she glances up, she notices the king's expression, which seems to convey a desire to harm her on the spot, though he settles for a fierce glare.

Standing by the king's side is Lucas, while Felix stands on the other side, feeling a sense of pity for his younger sister. It's difficult for him to witness such harsh treatment towards Lila, especially considering her young age of only ten.

"Lila Evercrest..." Claude's voice is cold, matched by his expressionless face, causing Lila to fearfully stare at the ground in front of her own father.

Claude sighs and returns his gaze to Lila. "I didn't wish for your death due to your engagement to Cedric Valemont, as it could have been advantageous for this kingdom," he states, his voice turning icy as he glares at Lila, causing her to tremble.  

"I hereby sentence you to execution for your involvement in the queen's death," Claude states coldly, causing Lila, Lucas, and Felix to flinch in shock.

"What!? Father, please reconsider!" Lucas pleads desperately. "Yes, Father. She's our little sister, your daughter, and she's only ten! She's Lucas' cherished twin sister," Felix adds, also pleading for mercy.

Claude disregards the plea. "Take her away." he commands coldly, and the knights nod, seizing her arms with one on each side, attempting to pull her away even as Lila resists.

Claude sighs, rising as if to depart, but then... "NO!!!" Lila screams, a burst of light emanating from her, causing the knights to stumble back and Claude, Lucas, and Felix to stare in astonishment.

"What?" Lila utters to herself, confusion evident in her tone as she gazes at her hands emitting light. The assembled people and nobles in the throne room begin murmuring amongst themselves.

"You... You possess the saint's power..." Claude exclaims in surprise.

As Claude then moves towards Lila, she becomes frightened and flees from the throne room.

"After her!" Claude shouts in panic, prompting all the knights to chase after her. Meanwhile, Lucas and Felix remain behind, still in shock from the unfolding events.

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Lila shoves aside servants and even knights in her desperate attempt to flee, determined to escape before facing swift execution. However, to her astonishment, she doesn't feel out of breath; in fact, her body feels lighter than ever. Could this be due to the holy power she now possesses?

She dashes towards the gardens, aiming to make her escape as swiftly as possible, rushing through the main entrance of the castle and onto the streets.

"Capture her!" a knight shouts. "Seize the princess!" another yells.

Lila nearly stumbles, but someone catches her just in time. When she looks up, she sees Cedric.

"Princess!?" Cedric exclaims in shock, having arrived not long ago, having heard rumors about Lila's imprisonment and was preparing to rescue her.

"Hey! Stop her!" a knight shouts, prompting Cedric to glance in that direction.

"C-Cedric, please..." Lila pleads, clinging to his shirt, her eyes brimming with tears, after regaining her footing.

Cedric's eyes widen with concern as he quickly reaches out and firmly grasps Lila's hand, propelling them forward in a swift sprint. Despite the chaos around them, Cedric's agility and quick reflexes allow them to navigate through the crowded corridors and evading the pursuing knights.

Known for his fleet-footedness, Cedric maintains a steady pace, making it challenging for the knights to keep up. Lila, caught up in the whirlwind of events, struggles to match Cedric's pace, her heart racing with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

Finally reaching the waiting carriage, Cedric swiftly ushers Lila inside, his urgency evident in his every movement. As he commands the knights to depart to the north once again, their nods of compliance echo in the tense atmosphere.

With Lila safely settled inside, Cedric takes a seat across from her, their eyes meeting in silent understanding amidst the turmoil. The carriage lurches forward, picking up speed as they leave the castle grounds behind, and escaping.

To be continued.

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