Queen of Shattered Dreams

23 - Exile

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A knock at my door announces Mother's arrival. I glance at the clock, she's arrived on time, as summoned. I really should have done this before the funeral, but there was so much to do. A few more days hadn't mattered, but since burying Feodor yesterday I'm ready to remove the other obstacles in my way.

"Mila." She comes in smiling. That won't last long.

"Mother. Take a seat." I gesture toward the closest chair to her.

Her brow furrows but she sits.

"It should be no surprise to you, Mother, that I have called you here to inform you that you are no longer welcome at the castle. In fact, you are no longer welcome within the kingdom."

"Excuse me?" Her hand flies to her chest.

"I believe that you heard me correctly."

Her surprise quickly turns to anger. "Stop playing at this game, Mila. If you want me to leave the castle then fine, I will leave. Just know I've only ever wanted to help you. There's no need for these theatrics."

She begins to rise but with a flick of my wrist she drops back down. It's as though I've compelled her with magic but it seems I don't need magic to control her now. "These are hardly theatrics. In light of your recent behavior during my convalescence within my court, I think it is very generous that I am only striping you of your title and sentencing you to the colonies."

At this she jumps to her feet. "The colonies? Mila, I am your mother. You know I meant nothing when I sat in on court, I simply wanted to help."

I take a step closer to her. "You were never meant to be here, Mother. It's all I asked of Feodor and yet here you are, here you've been for months. I want you to remember, this is where your ambition has led you. You have destroyed my life. Now you can laugh it off and pretend you had nothing to do with all that has happened to me, but you have been the linchpin. I will take away everything that is important to you. Your home, your title, your prestige. You will go far away where you can never hurt me again."

She straightens her shoulders. "You can't do this." Her voice trembles, giving away her fear.

"I already have. My childhood home now belongs to the crown. Outside this room, my personal guard waits to escort you to your rooms to pack. Then he will take you to the ships leaving in the morning.

Her eyes are wide with terror now. This is the way I want to remember her, afraid of me, of what I have become. She will live out her life knowing what she turned me in to. Maybe she'll even regret pushing me toward an advantageous marriage and not showing me more love and affection. It won't matter what she thinks after this moment because she will not enter my thoughts again.

"Now if you will excuse me, I mustn't be late. And Mother, don't doubt for a second I won't act swiftly if you defy me."

She crumples back into the chair. Even from here I can see that she's shaking.

Vlad stands at the ready outside of my room. "She may need a moment," I say.

He reaches out a hand, as though he were about to stop me but quickly pulls it to his side. "My queen, are you sure about this?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "I've never been so sure in my life." I walk away before he can say anything more.

If I am to be queen, I must rid this place of those not loyal to me. Mother will go far away from here, unable to ever return.

Now it's time to deal with Lady Bryde. I take a deep breath. We haven't spent much time together since I discovered she was Feodor's mistress. Not through a lack of her trying though. Her attempts to see me after Alfrid's execution were denied and I've been able to claim I'm too busy now that Feodor is gone. In part it is because of the embarrassment. She was my closest friend and she betrayed me. But the larger reason I haven't wanted to see her is that I don't want her telling me about the baby. If I don't know, she can't use the baby to appeal her dismissal. And a very small part of me doesn't want her knowing I will be the cause of her losing her baby.