Priscilla continued, wiping the sweat off her brow. "O-one of us must die. That's what her prophecy said. That's why I began a search in secrecy for all the dancers in the realm, and I found that witch Vivia Mariel..! I heard her reputation. She was able to do many complex dance performances t-that even I couldn't! Only she stood out among all the dancers who could be a threat to me!"
"Wait…could be? You weren't sure if she could do the blessed's dance or not?"
"I-I mean watching her dance performances and reputation…"
Shock was an understatement for Sierra. "You killed a woman you didn't even know for sure could do the blessed dance or not?"
"It was her! I'm not wrong! She…She was different. I sensed it when I saw her dance once. I-I knew that…"
A slow, wry smile then gradually laced Sierra's lips.
"But you were not sure. It makes sense to me now. God's blessing…is only meant to fortify your body with the strength and will to perform the dance. The blessed still have to learn the dance of seasons, which is nothing but painful and excruciating. Only the blessed's body can take the stress of its energy, but you…you never bothered to learn, so you never received that epiphany of what a Harbinger of Seasons' Dance looks like. You actually didn't know if Vivia Mariel could perform that dance or not."
Priscilla stiffened.
"The blessing…It's a blessing that the Great Three Families have always hungrily eyed upon because the status alone gives so much power. Isn't it why Elvin married me? To have the blessed family's influence and with the hope to…" her gaze flickered in the distance, "bear a child from me who could be the next blessed? Even knowing fully well that the blessed would never be born into a royal family."
The momentary haziness from her eyes dissipated as her focus returned to her sister.
"Yet for you to be born with such privilege, you remained lax in your duties and responsibilities. You killed a woman on mere guesswork. I truly wonder who's the real imposter here."
Priscilla broke down, collapsing on her knees. "Please don't say that sister…! It-It's not my fault. The dance was too difficult to learn! It's not like I didn't try, but I thought it would break my body into pieces…! I couldn't take it anymore!"
"If that epiphany was child's play to achieve, then there'd be no point in calling it God's blessing, now would there?"
She chuckled. "So first you don't bother to carry out your duty, then you kill a woman you think could be this "fictional other person in the realm to be the blessed" and on top of everything, you had the audacity to disguise as Clairette and drag her in this mess to pin the blame upon her?"
"I just thought that I-I'd hit two birds with one stone! Kill that witch and make Clairette bear the punishment for that crime," she gritted her teeth. "Clairette always acts so arrogantly about being the royal princess! She always looked down upon me! I'm the most important person in the realm, yet she has always disrespected me!"
Sierra's silent, impassive gaze flooded an unsaid frost in her heart. "Si-sister…?"
"You truly are one very greedy woman, Priscilla. You want everything, don't you? The status of the blessed and royal princess. To be adored everywhere you go. That's why you were so fixated on hijacking Clairette's chamber."
She grabbed her hands in a desperate plea. "Pl-please help me, sister. You've to stop the investigation of that witch's death anyhow! Her friend..w-what was her name? Audreya? She must be silenced!"
Sierra shook off her hand in disgust. "Silence!"
"You've to help me, sister! What should I do? O-on one side is Audreya and then Clairette just did some complicated dance similar to Vivia! What if she is also…"
"I said silence!" With the thread of her patience that finally snapped, Sierra's slap resonated across her face.
"Do you want to now foolishly imply that Clairette is also the blessed? So there are three blessed in the realm? Try to at least think before you insinuate something so ridiculous!"
"But-"
"Leave my chamber right now. Get your face out of my sight this instant."
"You must help me, sister, or I'll tell Mother and Father! You always listen to them, don't you?"
Priscilla's words deepened the chill in her dark eyes, and a layer of an unreadable fog cast her face in a grey hue.
Sierra smiled, one that didn't reach her eyes. "Yes, indeed. I always listen to Mother and Father because you're their…precious blessed daughter. They dote upon you so much. You mustn't face any grievances."
Priscilla nodded hard. "Yes, they always stand by my side, and they made you promise that you'd look after me in the palace! S-So you have to help me, sister! I cannot be exposed because of that witch!"
"Lady Sierra, I'm back to give you a head massage!"
Erissa's son, Leon, barged in her room with shining eyes, eagerly carrying a tray of some vials of oil. His sudden entrance almost made her jump in horror.
"You brat!" She glared. "How dare you enter without permission and interrupt us!"
Leon's eyes widened, and he stumbled back, his expression rapidly falling. "A-Apologies. I didn't know-"
"Shut up!"
"That's enough, Priscilla."
An aura, as dark and cold as a winter night, now emanated from her. "It was I who called him, so don't shout."
"But we were talking-"
She raised her palm. "We're done talking. Leave for now. I'll look into your matter…" the smile returned to her lips, "just like Mother and Father would want."
Priscilla wasn't the least bit satisfied being made to depart so abruptly, but at the very least, she had secured her sister's promise. Throwing another nasty glare at Leon, her heels tapped away. But she tripped and fell flat on her face at the doorway.
"My lady!" Two knights from outside rushed to her side.
"Priscilla!" Sierra scolded. "Walk slowly."
"What the hell did I even trip on!?" Her jaw gnashed, humiliated to see two knights witnessing her fall. Red-faced, she left in a huff.
Sierra closed the doors, a dreary breath escaping her quivering lips.
"La-Lady Sierra, should I come later…?"
Leon's tearful eyes glimmered mistily as he trembled. She knelt and hugged him. "No, it's fine now. Don't take her aggression to heart."
"My la-lady mustn't hug a servant's son!"
"It has nothing to do with you being a maid's son, so let me adore you," she ruffled his hair, a warm glint flickering in her irises.
Leon pursed his lips. "Did my lady fight with her sister?"
She momentarily paused. "No, Leon. We don't fight, not in the way siblings do. Let's just say…I serve her like your mother serves Clairette."
"My lady is not a servant!" He gasped, horrified.
Her closed eyes softly opened at that, and she simply chuckled.
"I see you've brought some new oil concoctions with you. Will you give me a nice head massage?"
Leon brightened. "Yes! I'll give you the best head massage ever!"
His small hands were already reaching for the oil. Sierra leaned back and closed her eyes, letting the scent of lavender fill the room. But as his fingers began their work, her mind wasn't on the tension in her muscles. It was on the sister who had just confessed her darkest sin - one that she would have to bury deep underground.