You can't be trusted

KARA'S POV

"So how do we know you're not playing a similar game with us, to satisfy your own sadistic urges? Or that you weren't sent by him to mislead us?"

Aldric just kept on pressing. He didn't trust me, which was understandable. I let out an exhale as I tried to remain calm.

"Whilst I don't know how to prove that I'm not a pawn of Viktor since I can only give you my words, I assure you I have nothing to gain from deceiving you three like this. Firstly, I hold more power than all of you, if I wanted to harm you I would have just done so already. And as for Viktor putting me up to this, I doubt he would use me in such a way either. He thinks I'm stupid the only thing he uses me for is to sleep with you three, he wouldn't trust me to handle anything else," I tried to explain.

For a moment they all seemed to consider my answer. I mean they knew Viktor saw me as nothing more than a tool who couldn't be taken seriously. Her duty was just to sexually traumatize them. Truly he wouldn't put Kara up to such a task.

"I'm not asking you to forgive me and I don't expect you to I'm just simply asking for us to temporarily work together to deal with this. I know what I'm saying sounds crazy and my reasons for wanting to join you aren't exactly noble either but you have to trust me on this. We've established and all know that if it comes to it Viktor we'll dispose of me. The same way he plans to dispose of you three as well," I truthfully told them.

"All I want is to survive and make it out of this alive. And I'm sure you three want that as well. We all want the same thing in the end. As for the unforgivable things I've done to you I'm asking you to put your anger aside and save it for later, you can deal with me after we've dealt with Viktor first,"

All three were silent as they considered my words. Aldric still looked unconvinced of course but the other two seemed a bit optimistic. 

"And what would you working with us change Your Highness? You say he's one step ahead of us already so how do you plan to change that? " Isaac then asked.

"Well for one, I can share with you what the King knows and tell you what he plans to do ahead of time, despite how he views me I am the closest person to him in the castle. That way we can reschedule an appropriate day to execute the coup. I can also help you cover up some of the things you do behind the King's back using my position as princess."

"I think she makes a good point she could help us," Isaac said to the other two convinced. 

"You can't be serious," Aldric asked him in disbelief. "I for one don't like this at all, not one bit," Aldric said to the two men then he turned and looked me directly in the eyes, "You can't be trusted," he spat the words out angrily.

I flinched at his words but I wasn't surprised by his reaction to be fair. So Isaac was fine with me joining in but Aldric was against it. The only person who had yet to express how they felt about me was Griffith. I turned to look at him and noticed his eyebrows were furrowed, he seemed to be deep in thought.

"And you, what do you think?" I then asked him.

I brought him out of his thoughts and he made eye contact with me. His blue eyes searched mine for a moment as if trying to figure me out before he finally spoke. 

"Like Aldric said you can't be trusted, you only think of yourself not to mention you've done beyond morally reprehensible things to us. That being said I don't think you would come down like this just to trick us. I've always feared that His Majesty knows what we are up to but I didn't know what do I or how could change our approach. Having someone to give us insight on what Viktor plans to do ahead of time would be advantageous to us which is why having you on our side would help a lot."

A small smile at his approval formed on my lips. 

" Griffith, not you too," Aldric said in disappointment. 

"Aldric, please," he responded in a dismissive tone. 

"So that makes two against one, sorry Aldric," Isaac said to Aldric with a smirk who in turn rolled his eyes and scoffed.

Aldric turned back to me. My lips pressed into a line as I waited for him to question something else.

"But what collateral can you give us? How do we know that you won't throw us under the carriage if we get found out? We need to know if we can trust you and that's only if you have something to lose like the rest of us," He said. 

"Aldric, I think that's eno-" Isaac tried to stop him.

"No, it's fine," I interrupted Isaac. "He's right you need to know you can trust me."

Unlike the Dukes who had their dukedoms and families on the line, Kara didn't have anything else to lose. The only motivation I could give them was my survival which wasn't enough since it could switch sides depending

"I don't have anything else to offer as collateral but I can prove my loyalty to our partnership as we work together,"

After another moment of silence

"So, what's your plan?" Griffith asked me as we all came to an agreement that we would work together.

*************

After a while of discussing some key details of what I planned to do our meeting was finally over. I was the first to leave the room and they stayed behind. They probably had a few things to discuss amongst themselves. I felt bad as left, though. Although I got them to agree to work together with me when I thought about I realized it's not like they had a choice.

I am a princess after all they wouldn't have been able to predict what I would do next if they refused.

Aldric is a different case of course since he was very transparent about wanting nothing to do with me. Regardless it's not like the other two accepted because they trusted me I could tell they were just being careful.

I guess the only thing I can do now is prove to them that they can trust me.