Princess Reasons With Guard

[IsabellaRose]

You take a slow step back, lifting your hands in a show of surrender. Fighting is pointless, as is running, you can see that clearly. This man is stronger, faster, trained in ways you are not. But brute strength isn't the only weapon in the world. Your mind races, grasping for anything that might shift the balance in your favor. If you are truly a princess in this world, then you still have power. If not in steel, then in words.

"I see," you say, schooling your features into something composed, something regal. "House Valoryn has fallen." You say it as if the words don’t hollow out your chest. "And what now? Do you mean to kill me?"

The knight pauses, his sneer flickering with something else... curiosity, perhaps. "That depends," he says, spinning his sword in one hand as if for emphasis. "On you."

You keep your posture poised, lifting your chin. "If I am the last of my house, then I am more valuable alive than dead. The king you serve will need me for legitimacy. A ruler is only as strong as the alliances he holds." You let the words hang between you, letting him weigh them.

The knight's eyes darken with consideration. He doesn't deny it. Good. You might be on to something.

"Go on," he says, shifting his stance.

Your heart pounds, but you push forward. "Killing me ends a war. Keeping me wins the future." You meet his gaze unflinchingly. "Let me speak to your king. I can make him an offer no battlefield victory can match."

He watches you for a moment, his lips curling into something that isn't quite a smile. It's something else, something assessing.

"Interesting," he muses, stepping closer, his presence looming over you. "You think you're in a position to bargain?" He tilts his head, considering you like a puzzle he intends to solve.

"Perhaps," he says at last, his voice low, unreadable. "Or perhaps you’re simply trying to buy time." His fingers brush against the dagger at his belt. "Shall we find out?" His intent is uncertain, but it doesn't seem good. He might be ready to kill you, rape you, or just capture you for some worse fate later.

What do you do?

• If you double down on your current strategy, reinforcing your argument, click here.
• If you bluff harder, raising the stakes with new falsehoods that could be more threatening or could be exposed, click here.
• If you shift tactics before it’s too late, click here.

Edited February 11 by IsabellaRose