The Warrior Princess: The Coronation: Part Four

      King John was pacing back and forth. Queen Clarissa was very distressed. Clarity had asked Terrence to tell her parents what he had heard. They did not take the news well. Cole came in, but was angry with Terrence being there. Clarity ignored him for the time being. Cole was going to be difficult no matter what.

      King John said,” Clarity, we need to send you away. Cole’s coronation is in three weeks. We must figure something out to protect both of you. Maybe Elli can take you in.”

      Clarity shook her head. "I'm staying. I know who did it now and we can throw her in jail.”

      Queen Clarissa sat up and asked,” Who?”

      Even Terrence looked a little surprised that Clarity claimed to know who it was. Clarity added facts to her statement. "That black Zafara. She was very strange, but I figure she has something to do with it.”

      Terrence thought back to the Zafara he saw. She was a shadow Zafara with deep purple eyes and an awful scowl. Clarity must have met her before. Terrence added,” Also, Chef Roy has a part in this.”

      King John looked at Terrence and said,” Um…who are you?”

      Terrence groaned and Clarity explained once again who he was and why he was there. Terrence began to truly question his life choices as an underappreciated chef.

      Cole scowled at Terrence. Clarity was becoming friends with him. Terrence was nothing, but a jerk. Why had Clarity put trust in him? Cole kept scowling.

      Queen Clarissa said questioningly,” Cole, what are your thoughts on this predicament?”

      Cole replied,” I think Terrence is lying and Clarity is completely safe.”

      Cole knew he shouldn’t lie to his parents, but he needed to do something to keep Terrence out of his life, as well as Clarity’s.

      Terrence frowned, but Clarity said,” I trust him. Terrence has not given me any reason to doubt him so far.”

      King John nodded and sent Murphy, a burly Skeith guard, to retrieve Roy and a shadow Zafara that matched the description of the Zafara Clarity had seen.

      The guard returned with Roy, a brown Gelert, but no Zafara. Murphy said,” Sire, I couldn’t find the Zafara. This man here claims she left the castle earlier.”

      King John said,” Okay, that is it. Clarity, go to your room and I will lock you in. Murphy, check Roy for any weapons, then put him in the dungeons. Clarity, you will stay in your room until that Zafara is caught.”

      Clarity frowned, but said nothing. Murphy took Roy and led him away. King John followed Clarity to her room and closed the door to the throne room. Terrence said nothing and left. Cole frowned.

      Clarity sat on her bed. Her father locked the room from the outside and asked her to lock it from the inside as well. She did as she was told, but begrudgingly. She didn’t want to stay a prisoner in her own home. She realized this must have been what Cole felt when a Mara took over.

      Clarity sighed. All of a sudden, she heard a thump outside her balcony. She stood up hesitantly and walked out on the balcony with caution. Before she could look over the railing, Terrence flung himself over the side, knocking Clarity down with him.

      “Sorry, Princess. I wasn’t expecting you to be on the balcony. Seems like I keep knocking you down.”

      Clarity laughed as Terrence helped her to her feet. She dusted herself off and said,” What are you doing here?”

      “Keeping you from going bored out of your mind.”

      Clarity and Terrence played some of the board games she had in her room. Then they played some card games.

      After a while, Terrence said,” I better go. Samantha’s probably looking for me.”

      Clarity waved and Terrence left the same way he came in. Once again, she was alone. It was pretty boring, but she must bear with it until they found that crazy, shadow Zafara. A while later, a knock came at the door. Samantha, along with one of the most trusted guards, brought Clarity her dinner.

      Clarity took her food and sat at her desk. As she ate, she noticed a note on the tray. Clarity opened it. The note read:

      Clarity,

      I heard some talk about Roy and that Zafara. She claims her name is Delilah and she is an all-powerful mage. She has dark magic and wanted to know more about the war. I told the information to your parents. They weren’t quite sure if they could believe me. Cole didn’t back me up whatsoever, but that’s not important. I heard she was going out to the village to get some supplies, but she didn’t say what for. I’ll keep you updated. Talk to you when you get out.

      Terrence.

      Clarity thought more about the Zafara and how she had looked really familiar, but she couldn’t place it. Then, it hit her. Clarity ran to her closet, forgetting about her dinner. She changed into her village clothes that she had and walked to her balcony.

      Clarity climbed down the balcony and walked to Mason, one of the guards who watched the front door. He recognized Clarity and said,” I could have sworn your father said you were being kept in your room until a dangerous criminal was caught.”

      Clarity smiled sheepishly and replied,” I had an epiphany and needed to get to the dungeons to speak to Mara. I promise I’ll be safe.”

      Mason frowned, but let her by. Clarity walked up to the silent guard and told him what she was doing. He opened the door, and closed it roughly behind her. Clarity walked to the power nullifying cell. Mara was playing a game of chess with herself.

      “Mara, I need to talk to you.”

      Mara looked up.” About what, you’re Highness?”

      Clarity replied,” What is your daughter’s name again?”

      Mara smiled for a moment, remembering her daughter. Finally, she said,” Her name is Stephanie, but I do know she tried to get others to call her by her middle name. I don’t know if it worked. Her middle name is Delilah. Why?”

      Clarity replied,” She’s coming after me. I needed to hear more. Where does she live?”

      “She probably still lives in the village. She has dark magic like me, but not as much. I never thought she would turn on you. Catch her. She’s a white Zafara.”

      Clarity frowned.” Not anymore. She’s a shadow Zafara with deep purple eyes. I just needed to know more. I thought she looked familiar. I must go tell my parents. This is going to help considerably. Thank you, Mara.”

      Mara smiled and returned to her chess game. Clarity rushed up the stairs. The silent guard let her out and she ran to the dining hall, where her parents would be at the moment.

      Clarity entered, but her father yelled,” Clarity! What are you doing out of your room?”

      Clarity explained what had happened. She also explained the new information she had retrieved. King John’s temper lightened a little. He rushed out to tell the guards to go look in the village for the Zafara. Clarity smiled, hoping she could stay out of her room.

      When she turned to face her remaining family, Clarity saw Cole scowl at her. Clarity frowned and couldn’t understand his hostility. Clarity ignored him and turned to leave when King John returned.

      “They have located her and are bringing her back. I have never seen her before, so I will need to have everyone who has carried a conversation with her, even if it was only a few words.”

      Clarity rushed into the kitchen from the dining hall and said,” Attention! I have come to say that King John wants anyone who may have spoken to the shadow Zafara to come with us. The Zafara went by the name Delilah, but she might have used the name Stephanie as well. Please follow me and we will begin the interrogation.”

      Five kitchen staff came forward, including Terrence. They followed Clarity out and everyone was led to an interrogation room. The man in charge of interrogations was Keith Johnson. He was a middle-aged Ogrin with a very great skill at getting people to talk, even if they didn’t want to.

      Six chairs were set up and the people who had any interaction with Stephanie were asked to sit. Clarity’s family didn’t enter the room as they were not part of the investigation…yet.

      Mr. Johnson stood in front of everyone and said,” We are here to investigate what the shadow Zafara’s plans were. I will start with the almost victim. Clarity, please tell me of any conversation you’ve had with Delilah.”

      Clarity replied,” I was with my best friend, Ivy. We were walking down the corridor to get to the dining hall for a snack. A shadow Zafara approached us, claiming she was a messenger. She also claimed she was asked to deliver a message to me. I went to open it and she left as quickly as she appeared. The note basically said someone was coming for me.”

      Mr. Johnson rubbed his chin and said, “Intriguing. Tell me, Your Highness, where is your friend?”

      Clarity replied,” She didn’t speak to Delilah much. She only asked if she needed help. That was all she said.”

      Mr. Johnson began interrogating the kitchen staff. Then he got to Terrence. “Mr. Johnson, what conversation did you carry with Delilah?”

      Terrence replied,” I have had few conversations with her. First, she was introducing herself as the new kitchen intern. Then, she would talk about random things like the upcoming coronation or the weather. One morning, I heard some speculation of Delilah talking to Roy. I even heard some of the conversation myself. She was going after Princess Clarity.”

      Mr. Johnson allowed the information to sink in, then said,” You may all go now. I have to interrogate the two criminals.”

      Everyone left the room, returning to their tasks. Clarity was walking down the hall when Terrence ran up to her.

      “Princess, I left out a very significant detail, but I thought it would be best to not tell him.”

      Clarity replied hesitantly,” What detail?”

      Terrence sighed and looked like the real answer might painfully hurt him. Finally, he said,” I left out that Stephanie is my step-sister.”

      To be continued...