When the lords had gone, King Morrys called for the princess. When she appeared in the throne room, the king was seated on his high throne.

When he was meeting with his council, he sat amongst them, on the round table that was at one side in the throne room. But now he was on his throne, elevated above every other thing in the throne room.

Heaven only knows what thoughts were going through his mind as he waited. Did the princess actually free the beast? He shouldn’t ask directly. No, he would not.

Princess Daella announced herself as she appeared through the great doorway which was always open.

She walked slowly towards her father but when she saw the look on his face, she stopped.

“I heard you asked for me”, she said, while bowing.

“I did,” the king lifted up his gaze. “Our family have always been the heroes of these lands right since the time of Arnold in the days of Albane. We have always being the ones to restore peace and calm when there is turbulence.”

“Of course, your majesty”, she replied, face down to the ground.

“So why have you decided to taint our legacy?” the king asked now, his voice filled with audible rage.

“All I did was ask for my place, father. I do not think it is disgraceful”

What was she saying? Ask for her place? Who's talking about that?

The king wondered if she was acting innocent or she truly had no inclination to the meaning of his words.

“I do not question you about your rebellion, woman. For what reason did you free Zathryon?”

"Zathryon?" Her grace looked up at the king this time, “Who Is that?”

“The red fool prophesied to bring us trouble, why did you release him?”

“I did nothing of such nature. All I did was to humbly request for my place beside you on the royal throne, and you declined”.

Perhaps she was still acting innocent, but her face showed no sign of treachery, “So you did not go anywhere last night?"

“I have no memory of what took place last night, except that of your injustice”

The king felt satisfied now. Maybe it was a rumor after all and the Red King hadn’t been freed.

He had a little smile on his face now, “That was no injustice, my dear, I did what any king would have done to protect the future of his kingdom”

“And how am I a threat to Meredith’s future?” Daella screamed the question as she threw her hands in different directions, displaying her hurt. “I have always loved the land and the people, the young and the old. The history of our people I have learnt in my heart even before I knew to speak."

Her right hand finally came to rest on the left part of her chest. "Taking care of the nimble have always being my priority ever since I learnt to love. Since I learnt to care. My heart has always desired to stand for my people. So tell me father. Why? Why am I not fit to succeed you?”

“A woman has never sat on the throne of Meredith, nor of the other three lands,” the king declared, “So it has always been, and so shall it remain.”

“You speak of women as if they mean nothing, let me remind you father that the kingdom you rule is named after a woman”.

The king broke into laughter, “And that is where you get your inspiration from?”

“That is the origin of all inspirations father." She continued, desperate, "She was a warrior! Feared by her enemies, men and women." As she spoke, she walked towards her father "You fight with her sword, but yet you have no respect for what she was.”

“This sword has been passed down from king to king in Meredith ever since the separation of Albane. No woman has a right to it, as it is with the throne”

Then in fury and with bitterness in her voice, she pointed at her father’s sword, sheathed safely by his side, “You do not deserve to carry the ancient sword of Meredith, nor wear her ancient armor to battle. I have the armor and I shall take the sword as well and cleanse her legacy off your filth.” With this, Daella stormed her way out of the throne room.

Her last words brought the king back to his doubts. If Daella had truly taken the ancient armor of kings, then she could have freed the Red King the night before.

Seeing that she denied it, maybe she did not even know what she had done. His troubled state was resumed.

As he watched her walk out of his presence in fury, he wondered if she had any idea what havoc she had just wreaked on the four lands.

She claimed her heart was full of love for her people, how would she ever prove that to them again?

She had unleashed a great evil upon them that they might curse her name in times to come. And she wished to rule over them?

The odds against her were always as high as the mountains of the wizards' reach. But now, her mountains had no limit.

As the princess walked off in suppressed sadness, bitterness ruled her heart. She didn't cry out loud. But she cried in her heart.

She had always been wondering since she was a child. And now she still wondered why.

Why did the world look down on her? Why did her father not believe in her?

Just why?

She only wanted to be there for her kingdom, for her people. To be loved by them. It was her birthright and she deserved it.

But why?

Why was she being deprived?

Why was it that she always had to fight?