Selfish [Vi from Arcane]

Chapter Twelve

     Chapter Twelve -

     I entered the room again but this time Vi and Caitlyn were speaking. "I apologize for interrupting." I spoke to them before taking my seat. Vi and I held eye contact before I crossed my legs and shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "No need to apologize, Queen Victoria. I was simply talking about the issues in the Undercity. My friend Vi here is from the Undercity." She paused.

    I looked at Vi and she looked at me.

  Have you chosen?

What?

Vi or the crown?

I want it all. The crown and her.

What are you willing to lose? In this world you have no one but yourself. She will always choose her sister over you so it's time your start choosing yourself over her. You cannot love someone from the Undercity.You knew this from the moment you kissed her lips. A queen cannot mingle with scum. You have to choose the crown or Vi.

"Present your case, Kiramman." I told her. She nodded. "The people from the Undercity are ravenged by shimmer-"

"Is this why you were in the Undercity? You pretend you are one of us but you still rather mingle with scum from the Undercity?" It asked her. She was taken back by my sudden accusation. "What- no they're not scum. I went down there to find out who was the person that was behind this. It's Silco. He is behind all of this." Caitlyn told me while stepping up. I took a quick look at Vi and she was staring right at me. Her eyebrows furrowed in anger. "We conducted investigations on Silco. He had no criminal activity." Bolbok spoke.

"Who led these investigations?" I asked him challenging the demon inside of me. He became quiet as he figured out what was going on. "What does this Silco even want from us?" Jayce asked Vi. "He believes the undercity should be independent. He calls it the nation of Zaun." Silence filled the room.

"What about these? Do you know who made them?" Jayce pulled a bomb out. It's Jinx's.

"No, well..."

I watched as Vi grabbed Caitlyn's hand. Anger boiled inside of me but I did not let it show. "Her name is Jinx." Vi spoke up. She stepped forward as Jayce asked her another question. "This Jinx has the gemstone?" Vi nodded and he stood up. "That could trigger war." I told him. "There are good people down there." Caitlyn spoke up.

"Yeah but not enough."

"Even if we wanted to invade, they have shimmer." I reminded them. I looked at Jayce and he looked at me. "We have hextech."

"What happened to you?" Caitlyn asked Jayce. I noticed that Vi didn't let go of Caitlyn's hand. It boiled inside of me and taunted me in my head. It told me things I didn't want to think about and showed me things I did not want to see. It didn't hurt- it burned my heart. The feeling of anger left and I was numb again. I felt like screaming out for help but was restrained with chains. On the outside I was unfazed but on the inside I was screaming trying to get them to notice I let it win. I let her win.

I was always in control. You never noticed when I wasn't. I killed your parents. I killed Augustine. I'm the one who told Mel to go after Jayce. I am the reason she is your friend now. I am the reason you have the crown. You didn't notice any of it.

"We have been talking about talking for weeks now. They're still cleaning the blood off the bridge. When do we say enough is enough." Jayce asked walking back to his seat. "You don't know war." I told him. We locked eyes and I stood up. "They're your people too. We do not use fear to force submission. If we do they will retaliate." I told him.

"I thought you would know better? Where did the Golden Boy go? Sucked up into all the corruption going on around him? Maybe someone whispered in his ear?"I giggled. By now I had made my way over to him and I looked up at him as he looked down at me. "Sit." I felt powerless in all of this.

He hesitated before sitting in his seat. "Councilor Madarda, what are your thoughts? If you believe war is the best path I will follow you as you have earned my trust." I walked back to my seat. "It must be our last resort. There may be a diplomatic solution." Jayce turned to look at all the councilors. They all agreed with her and he looked at me last. "She's right. Her mother knows war and how to win but Mel? Oh she knows how to win war with words."

"What? You wanna negotiate with him? Of all people I thought you would understand, Victoria." Vi told me while stepping forward. "It's the only way to avoid blood being spilled." I told her. "This is insane. Did you learn nothing from being in the undercity? You can't talk to him. He hates you and everything you stand for. He will never back down!" Vi told everyone. She walked to the center before walking in front of me.

"I thought you were different. I thought you wanted change and wanted to be with me. You're just another one of these corrupted people who sit on these chairs and order people around to do your dirty work for you." She leaned closer to my face. I didn't break eye contact with her and I flashed my eyes at her.

"You're trench scum who dares speak to me like this. The problem with you is that you don't know your place. You and I are oil and water. We aren't meant to be so whatever thoughts you had inside of your head about me and you...you better say goodbye to them because you were nothing and will be nothing to me ." I told her as I grabbed her face. "How could you do this..?" Vi asked as her eyes watered. I let go of her face harshly after a tear touched my hand. "Caitlyn, get her out of here." My eyes stayed red as I looked at Caitlyn. She nodded and there's was a split second where I was in control again so I went to grab Vi's hand but she dodged it. "I remember where your fancy door is." Vi mumbled before leaving. The moment was over and I couldn't move anymore. I was a puppet in my own body.

"What was that about?" Bolbok asked. "I used to sneak out to the undercity to see her. I loved her." I admitted. "I have news for all of you. Guards...leave." Everyone in the room other than the councilors left leaving the eight of us alone. "I have been sneaking to the undercity and have constructed my own organization. That's when I bumped into Vi. I have an organization of around a hundred skilled assassins and if the time arises...I plan on assigning them to wipe out the entire undercity." I told them.

"Think of them as spies. They are loyal to the crown and not only that but... also to all of you." I curtsied and smiled.

    I've never felt more like a slave to the throne.