Sierra arrived at the Queen’s quarters soti later. She slipped past the guards and t Miss Marionne at their pre-agreed eting point. Upon seeing Sierra, Marionne threw a hooded cloak over her shoulders.
"A gift from the Queen," she whispered to her, "Hopefully it helps to keep your identity safe. Even if it’s just for a few extra monts."
Through a hidden passageway, Miss Marionne led Sierra into a Drawing room. The fireplace was lit in the background, while Queen Roxine was at a table with a cup of hot tea and so light supper snacks.
"Ah, you’ve arrived. Take a seat, Sierra," the Queen called her over, "Spare the formalities."
Sierra did as she was told, taking a seat on the cushioned chair opposite the Queen. Miss Marionne quickly poured her a cup of hot tea from the sa pot Roxine was drinking from.
"It’s a chilly night out there, isn’t it?" the Queen comnted as she tugged on the shawl she had draped over her shoulders.
"It is. It might rain soon," Sierra comnted. She had observed the rain heavy clouds above her on her way over.
"Is there sothing you need from , Your Highness?" she asked, knowing from the nature of the visit was unusual.
If the Queen had no special urgent need for her, they would not have needed to et like this. Roxine was a little surprised by how straightforward Sierra was on the matter.
"Alright, I will cut to the chase," she let out a sigh as she pushed a plate of snacks towards Sierra, offering them to her, "There are two reasons, actually. There’s soone I have with that I think you would like to et. The other... we can discuss that later."
At that mont, the door to the drawing room opened. Sierra was a little startled as she turned to see who it was. She did not even realize Miss Marionne had left them as she was now standing outside of the room. In front of her, was a familiar figure, standing in the shadows.
As he stepped out into the light, Sierra gasped in shock. She imdiately got out of her seat and rushed forward and embraced the elder man in a warm hug.
"Father, I missed you," she said as her heart swelled with indescribable emotions.
General Leon was stunned. He could not find the right words to say. This was one of the rare tis his adopted daughter had so outwardly expressed her emotions. In front of strangers no less. It was clear that her recent experiences in the Kingdom of Drakin had reshaped her.
No, that wasn’t right. They did not reshape her, they simply drew out the real Sierra.
"I miss you too, my daughter," he whispered to her.
It took Sierra a mont to realize what she had done. She imdiately released her father from her embrace and got down to one knee.
"My apologies for my... lack of control, father. I was just... just... too overwheld with emotions when I saw you," Sierra said in response.
Queen Roxine and Miss Marionne were stunned. The shift in Sierra’s behavior was shocking. One mont she was informal, the next it sounded like she was reported to her superior officer. The Queen could not help but wonder if this was all due to Sierra’s upbringing.
General Leon placed a hand on Sierra’s shoulder. His eyes were filled with pride and swirling emotions. It had been quite so ti since they last t. This was also the longest ti they had been apart.
At first, the general assud there would be no difference in his life. However, with each passing day, he missed his daughter a little more. He missed her presence, he missed having her by his side.
"I’m glad you’re well, Sierra."
Sierra could not help but smile. She could feel a warm fuzzy feeling spreading through her body. But seeing him here confused her.
"What are you doing here, in Drakin?" she could not help but ask.
She tried to fit the pieces of the puzzle together, hoping to make sense of it but it was useless. No matter how hard she tried, nothing seed to make sense. Sierra glanced over to the Queen, hoping for answers.
Queen Roxine got up from her seat and walked over to them. General Leon imdiately got down to his knees.
"Thank you, Queen Roxine, for this opportunity. You do not know how much this ans to ."
Sierra noticed her father was struggling a little as he got down on his knees. This brought back fresh painful mories of what had happened prior. She rembered what had happened that brought them to this mont.
She could not help herself as she curled her hands into fists. Clenching her jaw, the monts from that day replayed in her mind. Over and over again.
"It was no trouble at all, General. I should be the one thanking you, for putting your faith in ."
Hearing the Queen’s reply, Sierra softened a little as she shifted her focus to them. What did the Queen an by all that?
"Can soone enlighten on what’s going on?" she asked.
After a pot of tea and a lot of explanation, Sierra’s mind was still whirling from what had happened. Monts ago she received a secret ssage from Queen Roxine, asking to et in her personal quarters.
Now, she was with the Queen, but her father General Leon was here too. She had not expected to see him, if not, ever. As it turned out, Queen Roxine had specially invited the general to Drakin so that the father and daughter could et.
After hearing how things played out for Sierra that led to her arrival in Drakin, Queen Roxine was sympathetic. Hence, she decided to orchestrate this eting. But Sierra was not buying it. She did not doubt the Queen’s kindness but she knew for certain that there was sothing more than ets the eye.
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