Candied Secrets- A. Morozova

Black mail material or none, that's the real question

Never in my life had I seen a more ostentatiously decorated study. 

The only thing that could surpass the sense of revulsion I felt for this wasteful arrangement was the fact that it was inhabitated by this obnoxious, insignificant, little cockroach.

Was I behaving like a brat, cussing out people in my mind? Yes.

Did I care? Not particularly.

Desperate times called for desperate measures, after all.

The perfunctory smile on my face was starting to smart my cheeks, wheras my hands longed to take the drawstring from the drapery and strangle the breath out of the despicable creature in front of me. 

"-could become a complication. A noble woman being send to accompany the prince on battle field is unreasonnable enough with such feeble constitution of both mind and might. If harm were to come upon her under the care of the crown it would reflect descredit upon the Lantsov dynasty. Irresposable boy. Ever since that peasant child appeared-" 

I swear, if I had to bear any more of this autocratic nonsense, I would commit treason and call it the liberation of Ravkans from the tyranny of a limp-cock-faced, waste of space, child wanker. He was so full of shite, it literally came pouring out of his mouth.

My more agreeable fantasies of regicide were abruptly cut off.

"Prince Nikolai Lantsov." The guard at the door briskly announced, interrupting the Tsar. 

My life is a bloody comedy.

"Beloved father, " Comedy, alright.

"General Kirigan... and Miss Endellienta."  I didn't gain much enjoyment from the dark surprise that crossed the princes face as I was still pondering the speed at which the rumor mill would work to circulate the ruin of my plans. Would they reach shore? I hoped not, but the Darkling tended to stir the pot like no other.

"Prince Nikolai." I curtsied as he bowed over my hand and laid his kiss upon it.

"I was just about to request of you that Miss Endellion attend combat and arms training to sufficiently prepare for her stay at the royal army, father." He didn't release my hand as he addressed the Tsar, who seemed little impressed by the princes words.

"But I see that you have already taken the wind from out of my sails, Miss Endellienta." 

And now the water was rising without any way out. But I would have been a fool to believe the water wouldn't have risen anyways.

Between my ambition to attain power in order to live autonomically and the desire of the General and the prince to gain control over me respectively, the conflicting interests were bound to culminate in a confrontation sooner or later, for not one of our party was willing to surrender their interests.

I had just catalysed the process.

"You left me with little choice when you didn't even consult me about this matter, your Highness."  I whispered with barely supressed scorn in my voice.

He didn't get an opportunity to answer, though, as his majesty believed his opinion was required at this moment. Falsely, might I add.

"It's one thing that you entertain this frivolous idea of joining the peasant we employed as your whipping boy at the front lines like a commoner, son." The Tsar raised his voice, interrupting the staring contest between the prince and I.

"But it's quite another thing to drag another member of the nobility into your reckless trouble making business. This is all going to fall back on our reputation, boy!"