"What is this I hear?" Meredith barked. "What is this I hear that you plan on executing your guest and fighting the peasants when they have done nothing to provoke you?"

Meredith was standing in the king's chamber. She had barged in without knocking, an offense punishable by death. But she cared no longer.

Her heart still felt something for the man in the dungeon even after discovering she had been lied to all along. The news of his imminent execution and the bloodshed that would follow an impending clash with the peasants filled her with dread. It was something she wished, very much to avoid.

"You barge into my chambers without permission!" Harodin screamed.

In that instant, Meredith saw their father in him. He looked so much like him with his golden hair and the madness that now resided in his eyes.

The way he barked and screamed rather than speak. The memories were all coming back. The only thing missing was the evil Sheer standing by his side and egging him on.

"You have to stop this madness. Sheer wants a battle with the peasants. The peasants are your subjects. Listen to their pleas. The fights would put your name in the mud, a king that went to war with his own people."

"And who are you to tell me what to do?"

Meredith fell on her knees. It was a complete transformation from the fiery-spirited girl that had barged into the room. She was soft, pleading with tears in her eyes and her hands raised in supplication.

"I beg you, brother. Do not do this. It makes no sense. You cannot fight your own people."

"What of the impostor? The boy knight."

"You know how the people feel about him. You could banish him from the kingdom. We must not shed blood."

"Oh, sister. You know nothing about ruling men," Harodin said and got up from his table. Surprisingly, there was no wine on his table today. He was clearheaded and that was frightening.

If there was wine on his table, Meredith could conveniently blame the wine for intoxicating him and messing with his thinking. She watched him walk to the balcony from where he could see the whole of Mora and the outlands where the peasants farmed.

"Come here, sister," Harodin called.

Meredith got up from her knees and walked towards him. He waved his hand at all the land and stared at her.

"All of that? Do you see it?"

Meredith nodded. Her brother looked like a mad man, calm, calculating, evil. It was almost like Sheer had taken a lodging in his body, and his body had gone missing.

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There was none of the gentility, none of the compassion. It was as if he had been looking for an excuse to launch an attack on peasants and be justified. Tum had given him that.

"Father used to bring me to this place. He would point out the land. As far as your eyes can see, little sister. As far as your eyes can see. The lands, trees, crops, peasants, and all. They belong to the crown. All of them. There is no exception. That is why the crown protects them, and that is why they pay taxes."

"You don't have to declare war on them."

"What would you have me give you? Peace or the miserable impostor languishing away in the dungeon?"

"Brother..."

"I would give you none. There is no peace when there is rebellion. It will simply stay under the calm sea, and when it will rear its ugly head, we may not be ready for it."

"Brother, think. You were not always like this. Sheer has your mind bent on war."

"Sheer is my faithful advisor. He was father's advisor, and he has been nothing more than serving the royal house even when we do not deserve him."

"He really has you now firmly around his fingers."

"He has nothing, but the truth, the bitter truth. Leave me. Your man dies tomorrow, and the rebellious peasants with him. The ones who repent will be spared."

"Brother..."

"Leave!"

The guards moved towards Meredith and she quickly turned towards the door. She would not have the guards treat her like she was a slave. Slowly, she walked towards the door, heaviness faltering each step.

She was out in the hallway the same way she had come. There was one last thing that she could do. The captain, Aris. She was a woman. She might listen to her, especially if she told him that Sheer acted without the king's knowledge and wanted the sword for himself. If she could free Tum, the peasants would not have much reason to fight.

She ran to her room and spilled the ornaments from her body. Leaving her body plain with only the expensive robe still clinging to it, she wrapped a cloak over her head and hurried towards the dungeon. She wanted to see Tum one last time before she made the plan to get him out of there.

Her heartbeat as she walked down the stairs towards the dungeon.

The guards who were there quickly recognized her.

"My princess," they muttered, bowing. She looked around for Erin, the offensive Alphonso's second in command. He was not there.

"Where is the newest prisoner kept?" she asked.

They directed her to the far side of the dungeon. A guard led the way with a torch in his hand. The flame burned like the one that would soon be quenched in Kora.

"Impostor," the soldier called.

From inside the prison, the light hurt Tum's eyes, but he managed to see the princess standing there. She was still beautiful, but he did not think he could forgive her, not after what she had done. Buckle was dead because of her.

"Have you come to betray me again?" Tum asked. His voice showed his weariness.

"You can go," the princess told the guard who was still standing there. She took the torch from him and watched him leave. Then she turned to Tum. "I have to get you out of this place."

"You can't keep deceiving me," Tum said. "My friend died because of you."

"I did not kill your friend."

"You came with the soldiers."

"The plan was not mine, you fool! Now, listen to me. I'll get Aris to let you out of here. You will have to flee the kingdom."

"I will never trust you again," Tum said.

"You forget that I trusted you first and you failed me."

"It was nothing like what you did."

"Do you want to die?"

"I would rather die than accept any help from you."

The princess' mouth was set. She still felt crossed by Tum's actions

"Have it your way then," she said.

She walked away with the light, leaving Tum behind.

Tum listened to her footfalls. It felt like the world walking away from him. He had gotten the news that he would be killed tomorrow. The king wanted his execution as quickly as possible. He sighed.