The Legend of The Lightning Girl: A Red Queen Fanfiction

Chapter 10: The Lakelands

It's been a week since the wedding. The Alliance has officially declared war on the Lakelands after they refused to reform their government. Cal and I are being sent to the frontlines, leading the war effort.

We have the whole team- Farley, Bree, Ada, Kilorn, Ella, Rafe, Tyton, Davidson, Evangeline, Elane, Ptolemeus, Arezzo, Cameron, and the Colonel.

We sat around, Ada flying the plane. She could probably do it in her sleep, but luckily for us, she is awake. With her in the seat, I'm sure the plane is operating at maximum efficiency.

This plane only had two years left when we found her, almost five years ago. Fortunately, we had the money and manpower to replace its battery. Liberating Red techie towns has its benefits.

I am lying on Cal. He is mine. He's asleep, but he still has a massive arm around me. I am his.

"You look comfortable." Bree said. I looked at him.

"I am. I'm going to savor this. With where we're going... Well, I don't have to tell you, do I?"

"No." Bree agreed. "I'm happy for you, Mare. You're not perfect, but you deserve to be happy."

"And what are my flaws?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You can have a ego sometimes." Cameron answered for him. "You have an exhibit in a museum you advocated for."

"No, no! That is not my fault, thats thanks to this man." I said, pointing at Cal.

"Huh?" Cal uttered, waking up.

"Tell Cameron whose idea it was to make an exhibit about me." I told him. He started to laugh.

"Oh yeah, that. That was me." He said.

"Still, you can get a big head sometimes. I guess its natural. Spend years of your life on display, beloved by millions, and you might learn to love yourself the way they do. And as far as that goes, you've probably earned the right to an ego." Cameron said.

"I can admit to that." I said. I laid my head back on Cal's chest. "Oh, I wish I could stay like this forever." As if on queue, Ada called out.

"Landing in five minutes. Strap in." She said. We all got up and got strapped into our seats. Cal and I held hands as we landed.

We got off the plane and went into the bunker. Distant gunfire and explosions rang through the air. Skirmishes and firefights being won and lost.

We found the Command Room. Ella, Rafe, Bree, Elane, and Ptolemeus spread out through the base while the rest of us began to discuss.

"Its the same as it was last time. We're all dug in. Neither side can win a push. We need something new." Cal said. I looked at Ada.

"If you could make anything, what would you make to get troops past their lines?" I asked. She thought for a moment.

"A mobile bunker with artillery on it. Guns, too." She answered.

"Draw schemetics. Cameron, how much do you remember about mechanics?"

"Enough."

"Help Ada. She knows a lot, but experience is a different kind of knowledge. Ada, take magnetrons into account. It needs to be non-magnetic or shielded against abilities." They nodded and left.

"I guess we're going to wait on them?" Cal asked.

"Yeah. Could take an hour or a week. Maybe longer." Farley said.

"We can't do nothing. Colonel, send a message to Command. Let them know what we're doing. Kilorn, Cal, do the same through your own channels. And for fuck's sake, do not let it leak. Don't detail any of what I just told those two. Call it... Project War Wheel over the lines. We can send a messenger with details. Our loud part of our approach. The rest of us will plan the quiet part." The Colonel, Kilorn, and Cal all did as they were told.

That left me in a room with Farley, Tyton, Evangeline, and Arezzo.

"Quiet part?" Evangeline asked.

"Iris Cygnet is trained as a solider. Tiora is trained as a queen. If we remove Tiora, Iris will be forced into a position she is not ready for. Her country will weaken even more than it already is. Hell, we're occupying an ex-Lakelander bunker that was taken by the Guard alone on a backburner operation. The Lakelands are not as mighty as they act." I said.

"You want to assassinate Tiora Cygnet?" Farley asked.

"Didn't think you had it in you, Bar-" She stopped herself. "Mare." She correcged. I fought back a smile.

"Not the time, Mare." I thought to myself. "Its time to stop pulling our punches. I've played nice with the Cygnet girls for far too long. I certainly won't wait for Tiora or Iris to marry and pop out heirs to the throne."

"No, I agree. It just... Doesn't sound like a Mare kind of plan. I'd expect it from Farley, not you." Evangeline said.

"I want to end this war without spilling an ocean's worth of blood."

"I agree." Farley said, nodding.

"The four of you are the best team for it." I said.

"Wait... You had the meeting planned out? Even with Ada and Cameron?" Farley asked.

"I planned it with Ada. She came up with the War Wheel idea." I said with a shrug.

"You're full of surprises today, Mare. I didn't realize how much those vows change a girl." Farley said.

"I had a good teacher."

"I'm an amazing teacher." Farley agreed, smiling.

"So... The plan?" Evangeline asked.

"Right. As you all know Tiora is almost always holed up in the impenetrable Lakelander Royal Palace. Getting an assassin in there would be impossible. But, she has a weakness in her schedule. She is in the open, in broad daylight, every morning. She travels on foot to and from prayers. The Lakelanders never drive or ride to worship, they think its disrespectful. Getting an assassin along her route? Much easier. And we have the four sneakiest operatives in the Alliance in this room."

They looked among each other.

"Arezzo, you are the Alliance's best kiving teleporter, second only to my late brother. Farley, you are the sneakiest regular woman I have ever met. Tyton, you can kill someone with a glance. And you, Evangeline, are as sneaky as a cat when you want to be. Also, you have Elane. Perfect cover. Best part? No whispers. They can't find you without seeing you. No Ardents, which means you know what powers belong to who.

"I am assigning you all to Spear Team."

"Spear. Because we reach deep into our enemy?" Evangeline asked.

"I'm running out of creative nicknames." I bite out. She smirks. "You will be allowed to come up with your own plan. I trust you all completely. I would put my life in any of your hands. Even, Evangeline."

"Oh, have I never told you to just call me Eve?" She asked. I looked at her for a moment.

"It took you four years to tell me this?"

She smirked.

"Apparently, yeah." I shook my head.

"Go. I've prepared transport into the Lakelander capital. Remember how I was made up to look Silver a few years ago? Welcome to my world, you three. Thats what you'll all get on your way there. Reds aren't allowed in the Royal sector of the city, thanks to our own reputation."

Farley moaned, annoyed. "Damn it, Mare. I hate makeup." She complained.

"Which do you want more- Tiora Cygnet dead, or no makeup?"

"Tough call." She joked, but she got up. The four left the room. That left me alone.

I went to my room.