In the throne room:
"Your Majesty, we need you to authorize the use of force." The Earl of Yellow Flame stared at Jullia with his mouth set into a stubborn, flat line. "Either that, or you must allow us to evacuate you."
Jullia stared back at her cousin, her own mouth set into an identical, stubborn, flat line. "No. We will neither use force against our subjects nor be driven out of our palace by them."
"Jullie, stop coddling that rabble. Force is the only thing they understand," snapped the Earl of Black Crag.
Her uncle had sent so many messages pleading to be allowed to return to the capital that she'd relented. He was her father's only brother, after all, and he'd been her favorite uncle when she was growing up. But she already regretted her leniency. Just because you had fond memories of someone teaching you how to climb a tree or ride a horse bareback did not mean he was a good advisor in a crisis. Or a good presence in the room in a crisis, period.
"Be firm with the rioters, and they'll back down," seconded her cousin, in accord with her uncle for once in their lives – and when she least wanted them to be. Normally she could count on them to argue polar opposite points of view on principle and distract the court while she chose the path she deemed best, but not this time. "Your Majesty, we're not suggesting a massacre, but they will overwhelm the guards by sheer numbers soon. We must disperse them before it goes too far."
Jullia's fingers had clenched on the armrests of her throne, and she had to force herself to relax them. "No. They are our subjects and our vassals. We are responsible for their wellbeing. We will not authorize using force against them."
"No, just throwing them down the gullets of demons." The murmur reached her ears from somewhere among the courtiers who milled before her throne like panicky koi.
Jullia's head snapped up. "Who said that?"
The courtiers traded sidelong glances and shuffled their feet, but no one pointed out the culprit.
Hand on the hilt of his sword, her uncle leaped off the dais, landing in a crouch at the base and glaring around the room. "Your QUEEN asked you a question!"
"Oh, Your Grace, surely that isn't necessary," objected her cousin, although Jullia noted that he didn't budge an inch from his (safe) position at her side.
Steel rang and flashed. Her uncle spun back, sword drawn. "Not necessary! Not necessary?! The palace is under siege, your liege is under attack, a traitor in our midst stands ready to throw open the gates so the mob can murder THE QUEEN – and you say it's NOT NECESSARY?!"
Their own swords drawn, Jullia's Household Guards flung themselves in front of her, while the courtiers squealed and jumped back and tripped over their own hems. Jade Emperor in Heaven, never mind the rioters storming her throne room and attacking her nobles – her uncle was going to do it for them.
"Uncle! Sheathe your sword!"
Instead of obeying her command, he advanced a step up the dais, sword raised, eyes fixed on her cousin. "The biggest traitor has been right there at your side the whole time."
Safe behind the Household Guards, her cousin laughed contemptuously. "I – the biggest traitor? Who was it that attacked one of Her Majesty's most powerful vassals – against her express wishes? Who was it that was spared only by Her Majesty's mercy and exiled rather than executed? Who was it that was permitted to return to the capital only by Her Majesty's compassion?"
With a growl, her uncle charged up the remaining steps.
"Your Grace! Halt!" shouted the Guard captain.
YOU ARE READING
The True Confessions of a Nine-Tailed Fox
FantasyAfter Piri the nine-tailed fox follows an order from Heaven to destroy a dynasty, she finds herself on trial in Heaven for that very act. Executed by the gods for the "crime," she is cast into the cycle of reincarnation, starting at the very bottom...
