Outlaw Princess

"Cecilia! Cecilia!" her younger sister called out as Cecilia was leaving the room. Her sister ran towards her and hugged her. Cecilia returned the hug, glad that her younger sister was at her side.

"Mary, how I am glad to see you."

Mary giggled and smiled, even though she was worried for her sister. Out of the three girls, Mary was the prettiest, with her auburn hair, green eyes, a round face and a slim figure. She was wearing a pale blue dress today, which contrasted with her sister's navy blue dress.

"I come to you bearing good news!" Mary said. "That knight you saved is one of Ella's favorites. She thinks she loves him."

"And you don't think she actually loves him?" Cecilia observed. Mary was two years younger than Cecilia, and Ella was three years younger. Cecilia used to be very close to her two sisters, while the age gap that was between Ella and Mary kept them apart. Cecilia didn't know why, to her it didn't seem that long of a gap.

Mary shook her head. "She can't marry a knight, Cecilia. She has to marry a king or a prince. The knight should be left to the youngest sister. I know that I'm not going anywhere."

"Wait, so you love this knight too?" Cecilia asked. Cecilia was trying to think about the young man that she saved, Henry. "He might be nice looking when he isn't covered in wounds," she thought to herself.

Mary blushed, "Well not love, just strongly attracted to."

Cecilia accepted the answer, "But be careful Mary, our dear sister is a sore loser."

Mary just laughed and kissed Cecilia goodbye.
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Cecilia entered the grand hall to find the hall crowded with petitioners, member's of her sister's privy council, and peasants who just come to watch and offer refreshments, but above them all was her sister, sitting on a throne that was above everyone's head.

As she approached her sister, Ella's features came more into focus. She was wearing a gold and red gown, colors of the family. Her thin black hair was just tied in a knot. Her dark eyes squinted at Cecilia, her face resting in it's usual sneer. Where Mary had beauty, Ella had none.

Cecilia bowed deeply.

"Cecilia, Princess of Lane, Duchess of the Marsh, you have been charged with treason, what say you?"

Cecilia bowed my head. Mary's obvious joy was for nothing. "Guilty," she said softly, knowing that there was now way around it.

"The punishment for treason is death," Ella's voice came out, strong and stern, "However, instead of trying to escape when the wolves attacked, Cecilia assisted a knight back to my castle. I would like to have her sentence different."

Muttering broke the silence of the large room, Cecilia looked up.

"It has come to my attention that there is a certain precious stone that I would like to have in my possession," Ella continued. "If you can find this stone, then I will have all charges dropped, and you can return to my court, with your children. If you do not return with this stone, I will have my men hunt you down to be executed, and your children will be disgraced. Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes, your majesty," Cecilia answered shocked.

"Good, you are dismissed. My man of treasuries will meet with you soon. You leave tomorrow."

Cecilia walked backwards from the room. Her eyes filled with tears. When she finally left the room she ran down the hall to her chambers, excited to know that she has a chance of seeing and living with her children again.