Evil Queen (Ruby Rose fan fic)

TWENTY-SIX (Iselen POV)

"Everything goes as planned: we've reinforced the walls, built new defence towers, warehouses at the port are full of weapons and the ones located in the upper part of the city are full of food in case we have to endure an extended siege, big ships from businessmen are now war ships with cannons..." Ruby lists the achievements of her defence plan while we walk across one of the fortress yards and vampires bow respectfully, they've always been kind to me but I feel we've established a new friendly relationship after living with them in the palace for three days playing the regent role... as if the fact of eating with them at the same table, talking to them, listening to their requests in the queen's office and sleeping under the same roof had turned me into a member of this family despite I'm still human.

"I know, my uncle and his friends aren't happy at all... they trade with products that arrive to Sala on foreign ships but they're losing money because you don't allow them to sail with their own ships... Restrictions can't last longer or you'll face a riot if businessmen start firing employees and people lose their legal salaries... Shar... leave that poor squirrel alone..." The young lion is almost an adult but he still behaves as a cub when he finds something he can chase.

"I understand that, my queen, that's why I've hired a lot of people to work at the port and they've earned a nice salary. I've also made a massive purchase in the market, things that we didn't need actually like more fabrics, furniture, jewels and handicrafts, but now part of the golden coins of my treasury is used through the city and we'll keep the economy running for a few weeks... I don't think we're going to wait much longer, I can feel the tension in the atmosphere... Whoever is going to attack us, he must do it soon, he won't wait for the dead of winter to arrive... it'd be crazy. And that's why we're here, you and me..."

"Here, where?" I ask confused while the Queen of the Vampires opens the door of a building I've never seen before.

"The armoury... my private armoury, actually. The Royal Guard has one of their own. I keep here all the weapons I've used in my long life."

"Wow..." Ruby points around and I can't help staring at the walls in awe with my mouth wide open: spears, all kinds of swords, cudgels and canes, bows and arrows, axes and knives... Some of them look pretty old and some others are obviously farming tools, like a scythe, that have been used as combat weapons. Some armours are displayed on wooden mannequins, some of them are plain leather doublets, but there're also chain mails, cuirasses and plate armours. All weapons sparkle under the light that comes through the windows like they're new, sharpened and ready to use, and they obviously belong to a queen because they're embellished with gold and silver and blades are acid engraved with lions and other heraldic symbols. "I don't understand what we're doing here."

"You need to learn how to handle these," I look at her in disbelief tilting my head to one side and she smiles amused. "Not all of them but I want you to choose something small and easy to use, something you can wear on your belt and I'll show you how to fight and where to stab... You'll always be protected by my vampires and Shar and Suan but..." The Queen crosses her arms over her chest and bites her bottom lip nervously. "Every precaution must be taken around you and I want to know that you'd be able to fight just in case... I wish I could lock you up in my vault with my treasure and free you when this is over."

"You're not going to lock me up..." I point at her face with my index and she nods reluctantly.

"I know..." she whispers sadly. "Do you realize that some months ago I wouldn't have asked you your opinion? I would've locked you up and punish you if you dared to complain. What the hell has happened? I used to be authoritarian and scary..."

"It happened that you got married to the woman you love..." I answer amused and move closer to the vampire, hugging her waist and kissing her soft lips till she sighs against my mouth.