Amity and Enmity

Chapter 18

Princess Alfreda waved her hand slightly and conjured up her own seating, a lavish cushioned divan, and she lounged on it casually, pretending to be more focused on the state of her nails than her sister.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise," Alfreda cooed, barely giving her sister a second glance. She snapped her paper fan open. "You want to talk now after so long?"

"Yes, it has been over half a year," replied Queen Corinna IX in her usual flat tone.

"And you are still hiding behind that mask?"

"Still hiding in that tent?"

Alfreda attempted to cover her scowl at that comment, remembering to be a closed book, especially as if she were to let her guard down; her sister could easily read her thoughts in her mind. She wafted her fan, almost breaking the handle from her vice-like grip. "What is it you want, Little Cori? Have you come to steal the rest of my servants?" she spat. "How are Daina and Pearl? Do you find them amusing? I suppose you enjoyed taking them away from me?"

Queen Corinna IX shifted in her throne. "It was not Our plan to persuade them to betray you. It was-"

"Yes, yes, that Sector Director's plan," Alfreda grumbled, disappointed that she did not receive as much of a response. "But I imagine you were thrilled, Your Majesty, that they chose you over me."

The queen was silent for a moment before finally replying, "We came here to discuss something else."

"What?"

"Our cousin," the queen began. "She is proving a nuisance and knows that the 'Princess Alfreda' is a fake."

Alfreda chuckled, hiding her smile with her paper fan. She vowed not to underestimate Sophia again. "Of course, she worked it out. You obviously cannot replicate perfection."

"We are considering how to proceed and resolve this issue," said Queen Corinna. "If Sophia were to reveal the truth to anyone, it would potentially jeopardise Our reign."

"And what? You want my help!" Alfreda cackled. "Why would you think I would help you? How foolish can you be, dear sister? You can sort it yourself."

The queen straightened herself on her throne. "We already have a plan, two plans to be exact. Which one We choose is up to your response."

"Again, I am not assisting you in fooling my cousin-"

"That is not what We are asking." The queen paused. "It has been almost four years; that is enough time for things to change, for you to have changed."

Princess Alfreda paused, fanning herself, the paper fan resting on her lips.

"We would not need to fool Sophia if you were actually here," the queen continued. "You could be free, and Sophia would no longer have anything to expose. All you have to do is apologise, and you will be free. Of course, We can tell how sincere your apology will be-"

"No," hissed Alfreda, her fan snapping in her grip. "I will not apologise! It is not I who is the one to apologise! I will never beg! Do you hear me, Little Cori!"

"The alternative is to stage your death," said Queen Corinna, her voice surprisingly calm. "Which would mean that your return will be difficult to explain; it may mean that you may never return."

Alfreda bit her lip, her face still scrunched up, yet there was something in her mind warning her to surrender, beg, plead, and leave the Eternal Abyss. Surely her pride was not worth this?