Kingdom - Gristah

It has already been a month since I was sent on this mission by the council. I am supposed to help this kingdom's crown princess get back her throne. Her name is Gregoria and she is not making this easy for me. I have spent weeks training her and filling her in all the details and information that I have collected but it only seems to make the situation worse. Way worse.

Our plan was supposed to come into motion tonight but the girl is a shivering mess. Considering all that we have been through,this was not in any way encouraging.

If we miss our chance tonight everything we had worked for in the past month is going to go down the drain. I understood that what was to be done was 'gruesome' -according to her- but it had to be done.

The usurper who took Gregoria's throne was her own brother, Michael. And what makes it worse was that it happened on her twenty first birthday. Apparently due to the rules there one can only get into power only after turning twenty one and you had to be the older kid. She was older by three minutes. Yes, they are twins.

"Th...there has to b... be another way."

"No, there isn't princess and honestly, you crying is not going to make anything better. You have to understand that nothing in this life comes easily. It is either you kill your brother or keep running. The latter should not be an option since you can barely survive out here on your own. So take this knife and go take what is your." She did not take the knife let alone look at me.

Currently, we were just outside the capital of the kingdom. Tonight was Michael's wedding party and our only chance to eliminate the threat. But by the looks of it we might lose a pretty good chance.

"Can....can you do it f....for me? Please." She was on the verge of crying her eyes out. I really did not get it why she still cared for that jerk of a brother of hers. Despite being related by blood, Michael deserved to die.

"No, I will not do it." I think it was really obvious that I would respond that way. But I think she just wanted to confirm.

"This is your kingdom and your responsibility not mine. Do you really want your people to suffer under the talons of that evil predator? Your brother is a menace that needs to be stopped. And for this to work out for you, you need to do it yourself."

I don't know what changed but after a while, she stopped crying, looked up at me ,took the dagger and said, "By dawn, Michael will be history." She then walked away.

I watched her receding silhouette and let out a tired sigh. I really hated lying to her. But she lied first.

The capital was surrounded by a thick dense forest that separated it from all the other parts of the kingdom but a few trade routes has been established for accessibility. I told Gregoria that the best way to the palace was through the south of the capital and so I expected her to use the south west trade route. I was supposed to intercept her there. I was on my way.