Blessings and a Vow for the Future

**Blessings and a Vow for the Future** (祝福と未来の契, *Shukufuku to Mirai no Chigiri*) is the twelfth episode of the *Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts* anime series.

## Summary

While Queen Calra continues to delay the rite of blessing, Sariphi finds herself at the mercy of the young Princess Tetra. The haughty girl has a long list of demands, but what does she really want?

## Plot

After Calra says that she will find someone who will guide Sariphi throughout the Castle, Tetra comes and says that she will do the tour of the Castle to Calra's confusion then Calra introduces Sariphi to her daughter, Tetra.

Some while after Tetra tells Sariphi to catch the stone that she throws, afterwards she tells Sariphi that it is her mother's treasure to which Sariphi catches and gives it back and tell her not to throw such valuable things. Tetra then tells Sariphi and Clops & Cy to bring her tonights desserts from the kitchen. Tetra then tells Sariphi to be her horse to Clops & Cy's disagreement who tells Tetra that Sariphi isn't a horse, afterwards Sariphi picks up Tetra on her back and runs across the garden much to Tetra's enjoyment.

After they're done, Tetra jumps off and tells Sariphi that her mother only cares about her little brother since he is the heir they're parents wanted and that her three older sisters were married off. Sariphi then tells Tetra that her mother loves her she just doesn't know how. Tetra then jumps on pillars to the highest tower in the Castle.

In Calra and Teto's bedroom, Calra is looking at Calcara and that he is her hope as an heir, suddenly two guards show up much to Calra's annoyance and tells them to be quiet as they will wake Calcara, the guards then tells Calra that its about Tetra much to Calra's horrified look.

After Sariphi runs up to the tower where Tetra jumped off to. Tetra tells Sariphi to not move or else she would jump. Clops & Cy then says that she would only get one life and that she shouldn't waste it, Tetra says that even if she does someone else is born everyday. Sariphi then says that she would love to play with Tetra.

In a flashback Tetra is comforting her mother when she sees her cry, but after Calcara was born she stopped crying, Tetra then says that her birth didn't make one person happy then Tetra looks behind Sariphi and sees her mom come. Sariphi says that she would jump off the tower just to make her mom happy, but in reality she just wanted to make her mom smile.

Just then Tetra stumbles and accidently falls of Sariphi jumps after to save her, then Leonhart summons Gwiber. Sariphi asks Tetra if she was scared, she then lifts Tetra up and says the blessing to Tetra and after she said that she was happy that she was born since she wouldn't have met a girl as kind as her, Tetra starts to cry after hearing those words. Calra is regretful of her distant behavior of ignoring Tetra instead of embracing her after Calcara was born.

After they land Calra comes and Tetra apologizing for what she did, but instead of being angry, Calra apologized for being ignorant and distancing herself towards her. And Tetra starts to tear up while hugging her mother. Afterwards Calra thanks Sariphi for aiding her daughter when she wasn't able to then she asks Sariphi if she is able to perform the blessing again. Sariphi performs the blessing then Calra and Teto look over at Tetra who smiles at her parents.

At night Sariphi and Clops & Cy are allowed to sleep in Tetra's bedroom for the night as they're leaving the next day. Tetra then tells them that the chancellor is just her type, then Tetra tells Sariphi if they were married her Felidian blood would loose out and that it would all be jackalians then Sariphi asks if they won't be half and half, Clops & Cy then tells her that children takes after the parent with the strongest bloodline. Then Tetra tells Sariphi if she is going to be queen she would have to have an heir, which makes Sariphi blush and the others too after Sariphi agreed to it.

When Tetra and Clops and Cy are sleeping, Sariphi is still awake wondering what kind of challenges they would face, she then wonders how he would feel about the legacy their relationship might leave, she then wonders if he wants that to happen. She then sees a feather and looks out of the window to where Leonhart and Gwiber are. Leonhart then tells Sariphi that he has something he has to tell her.

They then fly off to somewhere so that no one would listen and see their conversation. Leonhart tell Sariphi that he is bound to have an heir someday. He then says that the bloodline of Ozmargo is only full blood beastkind and that remained unchanged to the children, that's why they have continued to reign over Ozmargo and its people.

He then says to Sariphi that he isn't certain if he would love a child born like him, he then recalls that his parents didn't love him either. He then recalls his past and says that he had no mother or siblings and that the previous King of Ozmargo was his only relative. After Leonhart tells his father that he learned all the ancient beast runes, his father then says that all royals learn to be scholars and warriors and that he shouldn't boast every achievement he did. He then tells her that his father would often lock him in a small cage at night so that others wouldn't see his human form.

After his father fell ill and when he went closer he suddenly grabbed Leonhart and told him that he was mortified to leave his throne to him and his mixed blood then he spilled blood and passed away. When they were on their way to bury the king, Anubis says that he would catch a cold. Then Leonhart wonders why he hate humans if he laid with one, he cursed his own blood.

After Leonhart finishes telling the story of where his father was ignorant and disgusted of the blood he had in his veins. He looks at Sariphi who cried a little, Leonhart then apologizes for saying it to her but Sariphi tells him not to apologize. Then Sariphi says that she doesn't understand that Leonhart sees his human side as weak or inferior but to him it was a curse, then Leonhart reaches his arm towards Sariphi and tells her not to look so downwards. Leonhart says that another one of his fears became the past, then he says that he couldn't choose the blood and status that he was born with but that he was able to choose her and that her presence is a true blessing to him.

He then says that no matter what predicament his blood places to his heir, then he says that if its children in their union that he swore on his name that he would defend them with all of his body and soul afterwards after Sariphi heard those words she starts to tear up then Leonhart carries her up and he tells her that when he becomes a true king as he promised he would to her that he wants her beside him as his queen. They then kiss and then Sariphi agreet, Sariphi then thinks that this curse will someday become a blessing.

The next day they are getting ready to leave for Ozmargo, Sariphi says goodbye to Tetra and then apologizes and says your higness but Tetra says its fine to say her name then she asks to play with her another time, Calra then asks if Sariphi will continue to be Tetra's friend which she agrees to then Teto kneels down to let Tetra and Sariphi look at Calcara, Tetra says that she is his big sister then Calcara says his first word "Big sister" much to Tetra and Sariphi's enjoyment, Tetra asks Calcara to say it again. When they are leaving Tetra is holding Calcara walking near the carriage while Sariphi waves goodbye.

Inside the carriage, Sariphi is half asleep then Leonhart comes and sits down and puts his tail around her and tells her that she finished her first duty then Leonhart tells her not to push herself too hard then he tells her to rest. After that Sariphi says that they got a step forward.

## Characters

* Sariphi
* Calra
* Calcara
* Tetra
* Clops & Cy
* Retainers
* Calra's Father *(flashback)*
* Calra's Mother *(flashback)*
* Teto
* Leonhart
* Anubis
* Gwiber
* Leonhart's Father *(flashback)*