Of Blood & Power

NIGHT

"SO WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE WE DO TO REPAIR THE SITUATION?"

They were all gathered in the advisory room. Royce was lounging at one of the tables, pretending to be bored. Reythe was present as well. It seemed like the two had grown attached overnight, Erienne observed.

"We travel to Samaria and explain what happened to Queen Lilibet."

"Your solution is tell my mother that I killed her husband?" Adrian asked incredulously.

"We explain a different truth. Obviously. We tell her that one of your nobles was determined to have me killed. In order to do that, they decided to kill my father and implicate my guilt, then poison me too. But, of course, their murder attempt failed. You managed to get the antidote to me before it was too late--"

"Speaking of antidotes, Adrian interrupted, how did you get one?"

"Hm?" Erienne asked, pretending she didn't fully grasp the question.

"How did you find an antidote?" Adrian chimed in. Poisons are an incredibly popular way to kill royals. Coupled with the fact that I live in a place where I'm surrounded by people who want to kill me, is it honestly hard to believe that I wouldn't have antidotes on hand?"

"It wasn't a popular poison," Reythe chimed in. "Potions like that are expensive and hard to find." Erienne turned to her and flashed a cold smile.

"My god, are you the one who picked it out? You were, weren't you? You must've thought you were so clever, picking out something you knew would make me suffer. Picking out something you were certain I couldn't find a cure for. It must be embarrassing to see me here," Erienne said. Reythe grit her teeth, but she said nothing.

"Watch the way you speak to her," Adrian said in a low voice.

"I'm the Empress-Queen of Weiss, Princess of Samaria, firstborn daughter of King Holt. And she is your princess-whore. Rein in your bitch," Erienne said coolly. She tucked a stray coil behind her ear, paying no mind to the venom rising in Adrian's eyes. "Anyway, as I was saying, you need to blame a member of your court for my father's murder. I think it goes without saying that whoever you choose to put the blame on you'd be condemning to death. You'd have to take them with us to Samaria, of course, and deliver them to the government." Erienne looked directly into Adrian's eyes. "They killed a king. They aren't going to die very prettily."

"You'd have me condemn one of the nobles of my court to a treasonous death when they did nothing to deserve it?" Adrian asked.

Erienne rolled her eyes. "You did this Adrian. This is your  fault. The alternative is to admit to your mother the truth, in which case, you risk war with Samaria."

"Not necessarily," Royce said.

Everyone turned his way.

"Queen Lilibet abandoned her son when he was nine years old. He was left motherless, and had to endure a father who inflicted his own emotional pain into physical and mental abuse upon his son. He grew up hating the man who took his mother away from him. The hate festered, and finally, when knew he had the opportunity to face that man after so many years, the hate broke loose."

"You propose we tell a tragedy straight out of some fairy tale?" Erienne asked.

Royce shrugged. "Why not? After everything she did, I know she must feel guilty."

"This woman left her son, her own flesh and blood, so she could marry her affair. That woman right now is bereaved, she's angry. What do you think will win out in the end? Guilt for neglecting her son or avenging the love of her life?"