Sienna Du’for's Arc

Chapter 24 of 30

Sienna held her horse still on the bridge. Cecilia had not moved from the courtyard. The twins had not lowered their halberds. Two hundred people waited behind her, watching a sister who would not cross ten feet of stone. Sienna raised her voice so it carried past the arch, past the towers, past the ivory gates. "Hear me," she called. "I am Sienna Du'for. Daughter of the king of Lorimar. The crown princess has returned." The words hit the courtyard like a stone in still water. A murmur ran through the crowd behind her. Caspian's pen moved fast across his page. Clementine turned her head to look at Sienna, then back at Cecilia. Cecilia's smile broke. It was small. A twitch at the corner of her mouth. Her hands, still open at her sides, closed. The nearest twin's helm turned a fraction toward her, waiting for a signal. "You left," Cecilia said. Her voice was tight now, not warm. "You ran. A crown is not a coat you pick up when you feel like wearing it again." "Father named me first," Sienna said. "He has not unnamed me. Has he?" Cecilia did not answer. "Has he?" Sienna said again. Louder. The court voice. "Father is dying." Cecilia stepped forward one pace. Only one. "He cannot speak. I have been steward. I have held this kingdom while you played dyer's girl in a mill." "You raised the taxes," Sienna said. "You took their husbands. They are standing behind me." Cecilia looked past her then. At the two hundred. Sienna watched her sister's eyes move across the faces and stop on the woman with three children. She watched Cecilia understand what the road had brought to her gate. "Come inside," Cecilia said. Quieter. "We will speak as sisters. Not like this." "No." "Sienna." "I will not enter under that arch until you step off that stone and greet me on this bridge. In front of them. As you would greet your crown princess." Cecilia's jaw set. She did not move. Behind her, one of the twins shifted his weight. The other did not. "Then we are done here today," Sienna said. She turned her horse a second time. "Write it down," she told Caspian, loud enough for the towers to hear. "The princess of Lorimar came home. Her sister would not cross ten feet to meet her