Cost of the Crown (UNREVISED VERSION)

Brass

"What are you planning?" Maria asked Elise who was still in her cage.

"I'd never wanted to do this... One shake of a hand and you give me full control... You'll have everything back when you do this Maria." Elise persuaded.

"I can have my people back?" Maria asked as tears filled her eyes.

"So... We shake on it?" Elise smirked.

With a heavy heart, Maria shook hands with Elise and then slowly, the cage desintegrated and Elise turned into her real self. A woman of her early 30's, wearing a pearl crown on her head. She looked like Maria, but wearing white.

"Thank you... Now, sleep my darling..." Elise touched Maria's forehead then she fainted.

Finally, after millennia, she got full control. She felt alive again. "My lovely kingdom... I'm back."

"Take a good look at me and tell me who I am." Elise said through Maria as purple smoke engulfed the young lady.

The people went silent and when the smoke cleared, a woman in her thirties with brown hair styled with a braided side updo accessorised by obsidian crystals and a selenite crown was wearing a white mermaid style gown, it was apparent that Maria was not there.

A moment of silence commenced then everyone stared in shock. Clara on the other hand, only smiled. "The queen has come to retrieve the crown..." Clara whispered.

"Is this how my people greet me now?" Her red eyes glowed more vibrant by the second. "With deafening silence?!"

Everyone froze, but Clara. She knew it was coming. She believed that soon, the queen will unveil herself once more after millennia.

"You know, you should thank Maria!" Elise smirked. "She's the reason I'm back after millennia!"

"It can't be..." the house representative gasped.

"Oh it can be, Ofelea Vanderwood...." Elise side glanced at the jury. "How long has it been... Old friend of mine? Millennia?"

"What are you doing here?" Ofelea, the house representative asked.

"The same as you... Lady of immortality... In all honesty, I almost did not recognize you though you have not changed even a bit!" Elise mocked. "I am here to show you that you should give back the crown."

"I'm sorry, old friend of mine, but I can't let you do that... You killed the late king Eduard of Madara after peace was gained. How on this world could we trust you?" Ofelea asked.

"If you do not want to hand the crown back to its owner, then I'd have it by force..." Elise chuckled.

"What are you planning?" Clara asked.

"Not exactly brute force, for the crown can choose its queen after my reign but still... I can undo such blessing I bestowed. Since i knew this was going to happen eventually." Elise shrugged as she walked towards the queen's pedestal where the crown was laying.

"Clara! Reprimand her!" Cassandra ordered.

Elise stopped walking then she turned to Clara. "Clara... I've known you for years. The ace of the Wordsworth family and a faithful friend of Queen Victorina... You loved her, didn't you?"

Clara felt her face heat up as her tears were welling up her eyes. She felt vulnerable as she looked Elise right in her vibrant eyes.

"Come on, don't be shy, Clara... We won't judge..." Elise mocked.

"Yes, I did love her and it pained me to see her off during her wedding day. It even tortured me more being their advisor as I see how much they loved each other and I was left with no one to love. I even wanted to kill the prince once but he showed me that the best revenge I could do was to make sure that both Maria and Cedric got to the throne with my full supervision!" Clara cried.

"Exactly why you should join me, Clara... The princess sold her sanity to me for this day... Now tell me, are you with me or against me?" Elise reached out her hand to Clara.

"Clara, don't you dare defy me." Cassandra glared.

"If you have to choose... Will you be on the side of the righteous or the worthy?" Elise smiled, still reaching her hand out.

"Your honor!" Cassandra called.

"Proceed." The council said.

"What?!" Cassandra sweated bullets. She was getting really anxious and she was about to explode. Knowing that if the people voted for her, she'll lose everything and she'd start from square one.

"So, Clara?" Elise continued to smile.

Clara wiped her tears as she walked towards Elise. She knew that she needs to side with the real heir. She had nothing else to lose anyway so she took the risk.

"Clara, no!" Cassandra yelled.

"I'm... sorry Cassandra..." Clara cried as she continued walking. "But at the same time, I'm not... The Wordsworths are worthy of such crown and I will be fighting to give it back."

Clara took Elise's hand then she looked at Cassandra whose eyes were filled with resentment. The people whispered amongst themselves as they glanced at both Elise and Clara. Ofelea, the house representative, felt weakened and it made her sigh.

"Thank you, Clara... Wise choice." Elise smiled.

"Silence in this court!" the council ordered.

"Elise Cephas? Correct me if I'm wrong." Cassandra glared.

"It's Queen Victorina Detinos for you." Elise raised her chin.

"Anyway, why do you so much insist on taking back the crown?" Cassandra asked.

"It's because, my descendants are the rightful owners of it." She bluntly said.

"You may be the mythological queen, but it does not mean anything." Cassandra retorted.

"Mythological and Legendary might be the same but I tell you, I'd rather be called Legendary. Also, it does mean something Princess Sandra Cassiopeia Zephyra." Elise cracked her knuckles. "It means that no other person is worthy of such crown."

"Objection to that statement. The letter, written by the late king, was his last wish for the kingdom. You know what it says." Cassandra growled. "The late king chose me!"

"Cassandra, don't make me do this... I did this to Duke Henry and I wish not to do this to you too." Elise shook her head.

"Do what to me?" Cassandra changed her stance.

"Clara, I could feel that the people are troubled with only Hans protecting them. You need to go back to them... This will get a little bit messy. As for you, Cassandra, let me in." Elise said as he walked towards Cassandra.

"What are you doing?" Cassandra asked as she walked further with their steps synchronizing. "Your honor, the defendant is threatening me. You must stop this and hold her into contempt of court!"

"Oh dearie... This won't hurt... Unless we are talking about your ego, well, maybe it will sting a bit." Elise smirked.