The Crown and the Throne

Chapter Two

I hear yelling, but I cannot understand it. All I am able to focus on is Mother screaming as Sebastian moves away from Father. I feel hands on my arms, hear a quiet hissing, see Asher shaking Father's shoulder.

Someone is pulling me out of my seat, away from the table. I let them, unable to think for myself. My eyes finally leave my father's dead body.

The Queen of Blood is gone. Her gown lies in a crumpled heap on the floor. In her place stands a different, dark skinned woman dressed in shimmery silver armor. She holds a sword in her hand. She looks unproblematic, her dark eyes reflecting no emotions.

"Imposter!" My mother yells. Her voice is strong despite the tears. "Murderer! Treason! Who are you?"

The woman laughs. "I cannot commit treason if I am not a part of this kingdom, can I?" She steps closer to the table, eyes darting between each of us, waiting or someone to make a move against her.

I look at Sebastian's hands gripping my arms, his knuckles white. It almost felt as though he was cutting off my circulation.

"Please, what can we do?" Serefina's voice is frail and small. My mother sets a hand on her shoulder, a way of telling her to stop, but my sister ignores her. "Please, please. You killed Father, you killed the King. Let us live!"

The woman laughs, a deep, haughty laugh. "That is not my decision to make."

"Then whose is it?" Serefina's voice cracks into a sob.

Behind her the doors open wide. Four people enter, faces hidden by their head armor. As they come inside, they break their square formation.

After them, a woman comes into the dining hall.

Her skin is grey, and her hair silver. She looks like the perfect women, beautiful lips, eyes, nose, her hips just the right width, shoulders rounded just right. She's tall, skinny, fingers long and graceful.

"No..." I hear behind me.

I start to turn around, but stop when the grey woman speaks.

"Ava, darling. How nice it is to see you." Her footsteps are heavy as she comes closer, eyes glittering with excitement. But she is not looking at me, no. She stares at my mother, hatred plain on her face. "It's been... Twenty, thirty years?"

"Thirty-four," my mother whispers.

"Thirty-four!" The woman clicks her tongue and shakes her head mockingly. "Long time no see, dear." She slides her fingertips across the table.

As her fingers move, the table behind it turns to marble. I feel a chill go down my spine. Sebastian pulls me closer.

"Na'ilah," the woman says, now standing very, very close to my mother. "Please, tell the Queen her charges." She spits my mother's title out like its poison.

The dark-skinned woman steps forward, sheathing her sword. From the leather bag hanging from her waist she pulls a scroll. She unrolls the aged paper carefully.

"Ava Belliona the First of the Bellioana Kingdom. You are charged with unjust banishment against The Stone Queen-"

"Unjust Banishment?" My mother screeches.

"-and have been sentenced-"

"You tried to kill my mother!"

The grey stoned woman's hand lashes forward, grabbing my mother's throat. She squeezes, but not enough to choke her. Mother begins to struggle against the woman's hand. Beneath the grey woman's fingertips, my mother's skin begins to turn a pale grey.