"You will sit here until the earth eats away at your bones, and for you, my dear sister, that will be a very long time indeed ..."
*
After the use of dark magic, Liro is outcast from the sisterhood, stripped of her immortal grace and lifespan. Lef...
The throne room had been an obvious choice. She had rarely seen the Queen outside of it, and Liro was willing to bet that if it had all come down to this, there was no better place.
A dead Queen, falling upon her own throne.
Liro had to force the smile from her lips as she prepared to enter.
The wood of the door creaked as she pushed, adjusting her grip on her weapon.
Liro had encountered few guards on her way to the throne room, and those she had, she disposed of easily. None were dead, that she knew of - just a sharp blow to the side of the head had them crumbling like sacks of flour.
She wouldn't be surprised if some of them hadn't made it. It seemed that Death liked following her along her path. Liro was growing sick of such a morbid companion.
Steeling herself, she stepped into the throne room, closing the door firmly behind her.
The tapestries had not changed, and light filtered in through the many windows. Two thrones, side by side, were the focal point of the room, and the mere sight of them nearly took her breath away.
For it was not the Queen who sat on her throne, nor the King who rested on his.
Yasri and Emina sat placidly, each lounging across a throne. The Queen was crumpled between them, her body limp and bony.
Liro gripped Kier's sword more tightly, this time with both hands. She held it in front of her, as if that could protect her from the wrath of her sisters. It was a foolish attempt at appearing braver than she felt, and she could only hope that it was working.
"Ah, sister, you finally show yourself!" Yasri said, her head lifting in interest. "I was beginning to wonder if she had killed you after all."
Liro didn't reply, only stepped closer to the end of the room, sword still raised in front of her. Her palms were slippery, and she was vividly reminded of her time in a cell. No training, hardly any food. She must look like a hollow shell of herself. It was no wonder that they were so relaxed.
Perhaps burning them once hadn't been enough. Liro itched to do it again, though she could hardly ignore the odds that were tipped precariously out of her favour.
"Why so serious, darling?" Emina chimed in, swinging her legs over the arm of the throne so she sat facing her sister. "This is a time of celebration!"
Liro fought the racing of her heart. She let out a laugh, eyeing both of her sisters unceremoniously. "A celebration! Of what?"
Emina stood, rising to her full height. She was bathed in light, and Liro found herself staring in awe. It was incredible to think that she once aspired to be them, and that now she only aspired to destroy them.
"Of your victory, of course!" Emina's voice cut across the throne room, echoing with certainty. "You have fought long and hard to get here, dear sister."
Liro felt something inside of her break. "I have done none of this for you." Her gaze cut to Yasri, who was smirking unpleasantly. "For either of you." Yasri's face fell.
Emina's face contorted. "You mean to scoff at our generosity?"
"I mean to scoff at your foolishness," Liro shot back. "What would make you think that anything you have ever done has warranted my support now? What have you done to show me that you deserve me?"
Yasri snarled. "The life breathing its way through you in this moment. Death would have been what you deserved, yet life was what we granted you. Have you no shame?"
"And have you no contemplation?" Liro yelled, her cheeks growing red in anger. "Can neither of you bear to look inside yourselves and see what a wretched core you have?"
Yasri rose from the throne. "This is the last time you make such threats to us. We have granted you a glorious second chance - a rebirth." She extended her palm towards the fallen Queen, though no one rose to take it. "Slay the Queen, and find yourself in our company once more."
The Queen.
It was an offer that Liro had never considered them making, and her heart sang with the want to agree. She wanted to put an end to all in this room, and they were handing her the head of one on a silver platter. If it weren't so twisted, Liro would have laughed at the perfection of it all.
"Slay her?" Liro asked, her eyes rising uncertainly towards those of her sisters. She held her breath, praying they would believe they could buy her so quickly.
"With your own hand," Emina said calmly.
Liro let her sword fall to her side, the sound of it grazing the floor echoing throughout the hall. Her blood pulsed rapidly, and it was the only thing she could hear. The hotels of her breath came quick and sharp, and she stood to her full height.
The slickness of her palms told her this was a trick. Yet the heat coursing through her veins told her that if it were, she was well protected. It had been longer than she would have liked since she had used her gift - perhaps it did not obey her call any longer.
Liro found herself despite to find out.
Slowly, she stepped towards the dais, her footsteps falling softly against the floor. If the scene had unfolded in her dreams, Liro would not have found them to be more perfect than this.
The fear inside of Liro's heart had been quelled, and inside it roared only acceptance. Her hands had ceased to shake, and she found that she was more than willing to put her neck on the line, even for a murderous Queen.
They had cast her aside, too. Perhaps she was more like the Queen than she cared to admit.
Liro gripped her sword in her hand, feeling the weight of it like one might wear a chain. In an instant, her mind had been made up. She rose the sword high above her head, could already see the arc of it in her minds eye ...
"Stop!"
Yasri and Emina hissed, Liro turning belatedly to see whom they saw. Kier, holding a sword of his own, stood at the entrance to the throne room. Liro nearly snorted at his predictability. At least he had been bestowed with common sense - the door was shut firmly behind him.
"Mortal boy, what is it you seek?" Yasri crooned. "Longevity stands on the other side of the door."
Kier didn't look at her. His gaze was solely on Liro.
"Put the sword on the ground, and stand down," Kier bit out.
Liro shook her head.
"I will not let you murder a monarch!" he yelled.
Liro cracked a hollow grin, her smile fading mere seconds after it had graced her lips. "Whoever said that was the plan?"
She whirled, swinging her sword wildly in the direction of her sisters. The time had come.
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