Alice began to feel her heart fill with dread as they came to the throne room. She feared how her brother would face her uncle; even though he poisoned her, she didn't want any more people to die. Silently, Alice hoped that Richard would be able to contain himself and not go too far with Cedric like he had at Wallbridge with the soldier.
"This is the entrance to the throne room," Richard began, "Cedric is just ahead. He's quite skilled with his sword despite being such a coward as to poison his family. We mustn't take this fight easily; it'll likely be our toughest encounter."
Asbel nodded, "Let's finish this as quickly as possible." He proposed. Richard reached down for his sister's hand and the two walked halfway up the stairs then turned to see Asbel still standing at the bottom, staring at his feet.
"Asbel?" Richard began, walking down a few steps towards his friend, "Is everything alright?" He seemed worried about Asbel who rarely did such a thing as to be distracted.
The auburn-haired bow shook his head, "Sorry, it's nothing." He answered, "I just… Wanted you to know that I'm prepared to do anything for you and Alice." He informed softly afterwards, continuing up the stairs towards Alice and the others with Richard.
"Thank you…" Richard replied as they came up to the door. He took a deep breath and looked down at Alice, "Are you ready?" He asked, knowing that his sister was stressed about the entire situation. After all, she was still very young and had already been put through so much. When Alice nodded back to Richard without raising her head from the door, he pushed the door open to see Cedric standing before the throne.
Cedric was a blonde haired man dressed in silver adornments over aqua colored clothing. He definitely bore resemblance to Richard and Alice but not so much that one would put them together as family. The older man seemed enraged at the sight, "Richard!" He growled, "The nerve you have to show your face here before me! And bringing your sister as well, how horrid." He added, looking down at Alice who stood beside Richard quietly not reacting to Cedric's harsh words at all.
Richard drew his blade as Cedric pointed his out in front of himself, "It's all over, dear Uncle." He replied, "Give it up, the throne is as good as mine and you know it! My forces surround the entire capital, you have nowhere to run.
"Listen to you, Richard," Cedric chuckled, "Acting all high and mighty because you have toy soldiers placed around the castle…" The man licked his lips, "How stupid could you be? Does the throne mean so much to you that you endanger the lives of your companions, your sister, and even an entire city?"
Completely ignoring Cedric's tormenting words; Richard prepared himself and nudged Alice for her to draw her blade as well, "We've come to avenge our father who you murdered!" He growled, "I won't let you go unpunished."
Cedric stepped down from the throne's platform with a terrifying grin on his face, causing Alice to take a step back in an involuntary movement. Richard took a glance down at her and subtly took a step in front of her, "I am the rightful King of Windor and I'm not about to let you prove me otherwise!" Cedric shouted as he lunged forward with his blade at Richard.
The two clashed blades while Alice jumped back before she could get hurt by Cedric's slashes. He slammed his blade against Richard's again and again, trying to get his nephew to break form and give him an opening. Before Cedric had the chance to hurt Richard, "Sophie came around and went to punch Cedric but the man jumped from Richard and held his blade out to deflect Sophie's punch and she ricocheted away.
As Sophie bounced off the ground and back onto her feet, Pascal got ready to cast a spell while Asbel jumped forward, attempting to slash Cedric's hip. He managed a small wound but nothing too damaging and Cedric countered only to meet Asbel's blade in a flurry of sparks. Pascal's spell was now ready to cast but Asbel would be caught in the attack if she casted, "Asbel, get out of there!" She shouted.
He looked back momentarily to see Pascal waving for him to jump back and in one quick movement, he tilted his blade so Cedric's slid of as Asbel jumped back from him. Just as he got out of range, Pascal let her spell slam Cedric with a weak ice spell followed up by a beam from her shotstaff. Cheria added to the attack by casting Lightning Blast then Alice added to it by cutting through the kicked up dust to tackle Cedric away.
Cedric's feet grinded against the ground before he stopped and looked up with murderous intent at Richard and Alice. The man lashed out at his niece, aiming to pierce her stomach but she quickly cartwheeled around Cedric to avoid damage. Richard casted a strong spell called Sword Deluge which surrounded Cedric with phantasmal swords followed by one that pierced his body.
The uncle roared in anger and went for Richard but just as he went to slash, Sophie jumped in and guarded, causing Cedric to hit her gauntlets instead. While she had his attention, she raised her right leg to kick him square in the gut and sent him into the air.
Pascal did her best to whittle away at Cedric's life by shooting him occasionally with her weapon while casting a weak spell here and there. She knew that small spells were much faster than more powerful ones and she couldn't leave herself open for too long. Asbel jumped into the air and slashed at Cedric's back, causing him to plummet into the ground.
Cedric managed to land on his feet but the force of his impact sent shocks up his legs. He looked around for the closest target and found Alice with her sword prepared to guard. The man figured his niece didn't want to truly hurt him so he took advantage of that fact and ran at her. Alice deflected Cedric's attack but before she could react, her uncle grabbed hold of her wrist and twisted it roughly.
"Let go!" Alice cried out, flipping sideway to turn her arm the right way before her wrist had the chance to snap. Her brother looked over to see the scene and ran at Cedric, going for and downward slash but her brought his blade up with the other arm to deflect Richard. Again and again, the two clashed blades but when Cedric saw Asbel coming to help out, he focused on Alice and brought his leg up, kicking her in the hip harshly and she went skidded across the floor, stopping only once she slammed into the wall.
Richard looked back at Alice, "No!" He yelled, looking back at Cedric as Asbel clashed blades with him, "How dare you!" Richard raged, slashing down Cedric side as Asbel pushed him back. Pascal casted a stronger spell of fire called Bloodflame while Cheria threw a barrage of knives out at him. Sophie uppercut Cedric into the air and Richard followed suit, jumped up to meet his uncle and piercing the man's stomach.
His uncle shouted in pain as he dropped down to the ground, Richard landing in front of him. Now on his knees, Cedric coughed, holding his stomach as Pascal went to help Alice up to her feet, finding her balance after a few moments. The young girl approached her brother and Cedric carefully, wondering if the battle was truly over, "I'm… I'm so close! I can't lose now!" Cedric scolded himself in a raspy tone.
Alice noticed Richard's neutral expression as he took a step closer to his uncle, "They say that the throne chooses the true king to sit upon it," He began softly, speaking in a tone he usually used with Alice, "One cannot bargain for it or steal it from someone else." Richard bent down and placed a gentle hand on Cedric's shoulder who watched his nephew carefully, "I'm glad," His voice suddenly went dark, "You learned this before you died, dear uncle."
"Wait, no!" Alice screamed as Richard thrust his drawn blade into his own Uncle's chest, watching his eyes go wide in silent pain. As her brother stood, he let Cedric's limp body fall from his blade, Alice watching in absolute horror as she dropped to her knees, "No…" She cried, "This isn't happening."
Her brother grinned down at Cedric as he walked by the dead body, "And this is for our father!" Richard stabbed Cedric's body again, "And hurting my sister!" He roared, plunging the blade deeper into the body. Cheria and Pascal looked away while Alice couldn't rip her eyes away from the horrible nightmare in front of her.
Asbel looked from Cheria to Alice and took a step forward, "Richard, stop this! That's enough!" He yelled, "He's already dead." He added quietly.
Richard ripped his blade from Cedric and flicked the blood away before sheathing his sword, "I've done what I've come here for," Richard began, "My goal has been reached; to set my father's soul at rest." Everyone remain silent as Duke Dalen entered to congratulate Richard on accomplishing his goals, "Dalen, what is the status of the situation?" He asked.
"Our spies succeeded in opening the Barona gates to our troops and we manage to break into the city," He then added in a more pleased tone, "We've had no casualties in our invasion. Within the hour we shall eradicate the remaining few soldiers and take our victory."
Turning to the throne as he walked, Richard shook his head, "This isn't the end of this… It's only just the beginning of a much greater time for the kingdom of Windor." He looked back at Dalen with a genuine smile, "Right?"
Dalen nodded and bowed along with everyone else including Asbel and the others. However, Alice still didn't move, still in absolutely shock from everything that had just happened, "It's time for the people to know I have secured my throne; time for the coronation." He then dismissed everyone and as they left, Richard approached Alice, "Can you stand?" he held his hand out.
Alice gave her shaking hand to Richard as he pulled his sister up. When she was standing, he leaned forward and hugged her tightly, "You'll be reinstated as princess once again, Alice," He began, sounding happy, "I promise I won't let anyone ever hurt you again for the rest of your life." Richard pulled himself away, bringing his hands down Alice's arms to grab her hands gently, "Why don't you get ready for your reinstatement?"
It was early in the afternoon of the same day as the streets were crowded with thousands of people as two royal Turtlez carried the large platform that Richard and Alice stood on. Richard was dressed in red and white robes, his clothing underneath concealed. His sister Alice stood beside him in a beautiful red strapless dress that was hemmed along the skirt with black undertones. She wore black tights and snow white gloves that practically matched her skin tone. Her hair was done elegantly on the top of her head in a bun. Two flowers; a red rose, and a white rose, were weaved through her hair and made her look much older than she really was.
Richard was smiling out to the public while Alice's face was emotionless. Most people on the streets cheered with joy while others gossiped about how Alice looked extremely miserable on the platform standing next to her overjoyed brother. Richard looked down at Alice, "Smile, Alice." He urged through his own smile, "You looked stunning and so mature, a smile can make you gorgeous."
She looked up to Richard who now looked back out to his adoring public, waving occasionally. Alice's eyes darted across the crowds, searching desperately for Asbel and the others so she knew they were still there, "Don't worry," Richard whispered, "They're inside."
As they came to the castle, the guards let down the stairs for Richard and Alice. Richard took heavy steps while Alice's were softer and delicate as she looked around the inside of the building to find Asbel. She became saddened when she couldn't find her friend and instead focused on the ceremony as she followed her older brother down the aisle.
She eventually came to walk beside Richard, catching a glimpse of Pascal and Cheria as she walked by. Alice flashed a smile to her friends, unaware of whether or not they saw as the two siblings went up the steps to stand before the pope. Alice and Richard bent down onto one knee as the pope slowly placed the crown upon Richard's head.
The pope then turned to Alice and retrieved the tiara from a satin pillow and turned back to Alice. Normally, princesses weren't part of these types of gatherings but during his short rule, Cedric had removed Alice from her throne. The pope lowered the tiara onto her head and the two siblings stood up and faced the crowd, "Today I shall reclaim the throne of Windor! From this point forward, we shall enter an age of prosperity!"
Meanwhile in the crowd, Pascal and Cheria were bowing down along with the rest of the crowd, "Alice looks absolutely miserable!" Pascal whispered, "She could at least try to look happy…" She suggested.
"Well, in her defense," Cheria began in a hushed tone, "Richard hasn't exactly been acting himself. He's done some pretty horrible things to reach this moment. And to say that a reason he did this was for her sake, it must be killing her right now."
Asbel glanced to Cheria and Pascal for a quick moment before looking back up at the new King and Princess, "I hope he'll return to normal now that he's back on the throne…" He wondered aloud with high hopes. There was a sudden shout of Windor's motto before Richard sat on the throne with a wide smile. Alice took her seat on a small throne beside her brother's, looking over her kingdom with a terrified expression.
As people moved out of the throne room, Richard rested his cheek on his hand, "I'm going to invade Lhant."
