Bleeding Heart [a Red Queen fanfic]

chapter three.

I'm distracted for the rest of the day, my mind far away. One thing fills my head, refusing to leave, chanting over and over again: Queenstrial. Queenstrial. Queenstrial. Queenstrial. I can't stop thinking about it.
I always knew I would go to Queenstrial when the crown prince, Alexander, became of age. He's only two years older than me, after all. My parents had officially told me a few months earlier, saying that this year was the year Prince Alexander would finally choose his future queen and that I was old enough to participate in the competition, but it seemed so far away I hadn't given much thought to it. Now, it feels immediate and imminent and impossible to ignore.

In a few short weeks, I'll be in the arena, in front of all the High Houses- including the royal family. I'll show them my talents and showcase my ability, and at the end, the prince will select one girl to be his wife.

A sudden blow to my shoulder yanks me out of my tangle of thoughts, and I stagger backwards. Standing in front of me, Lyra quirks an eyebrow. We are in the little training center off the side of my family's mansion, where we've been dueling for the past half hour, practicing our abilities. The sunlight coming through the wide windows streams onto Lyra's face, illuminating the hard, rocky texture of her skin. Like the rest of her house, Lyra is a stoneskin -the most unnattractive ability there is, according to her. But she doesn't seem to mind the sheer power that comes along with it. It's nearly impossible to attack Lyra once she's got that stony shield over her skin, but after years of practice battles, I've managed to find her weaknesses. Usually, I can break through her shield.
Usually.

"What's with you today?" she asks, crossing her arms and tapping her foot on the floor. "You're usually good at this."

Letting out a huff of breath, I gather my powers and send a swirl of snow in her direction, aiming for her face. "I'll show you good at this."

She laughs as she ducks out of the way, the snowflakes flurrying harmlessly past her. "That's more like it. Penny for your thoughts, though."

I shrug, my smooth blonde braid slipping over my shoulder with the action. "I was just thinking about Queenstrial."

"Oh, Brenna." Lyra shakes her head, then in a lightning-quick movement I don't expect, darts at me. I react just in time, calling up a small storm of hail to push her back. "Don't tell me you're becoming one of those girls. The ones that dedicate and sacrifice their whole lives to Queenstrial."

"The ones who are absolutely destroyed when they lose and spend the rest of their time plotting ways to assassinate the new princess?" I chuckle, taking another step forward and aiming a second hail storm at her. The round, icy drops bounce off Lyra's protected skin, and I move to the side, directing them lower, towards her stomach. "Not to worry, my friend. I'm not planning on becoming a murderer anytime soon. I was only thinking about what it's going to be like."

"Ah, well that's a relief," she says, ducking lithely away from my attack. "You know I can't stand those girls. And since most of the High House daughters will start acting like that, I would like my only ally to remain untainted."

"Untainted Brenna Nolle, at your service." I spare a second to bend into a playful bow before she rushes at me and I'm on my feet again, running around the room as I dodge her. "In a way, it's rather amusing seeing their pure desperation. As well as their reactions when they aren't chosen. Serves them right for being bitches."

"I know, right?" Lyra scoffs as she races after me, trying to pin me into a corner. "You'd think that their lives depended on becoming the next queen. There's more to life than that."

"Is there?" I arch an eyebrow at her as I lift my hands, surrounding her in a thick cloud of fog that blocks me from view. "Becoming the crown prince's wife is landing the jackpot, isn't it?"

"Ruling a country isn't all happiness and smiles," she points out. Then she whines, hands batting at my mist. "Brenna, this isn't fair! The fog's a dirty move and you know it."

I laugh, stepping back and letting it evaporate away. "Only trying to prepare you, Ly. The Queenstrial girls won't play fair, you know."

"Oh, shut up." Her teasing grin flashes at me as she leaps forward and knocks me onto the ground in one swift movement. Her hand rests on my throat, and I can feel the roughness of her skin against mine. I batter her with a barrage of hail, but she doesn't release me. Instead, she presses against me harder, and trying to breathe is suddenly a struggle.

"Lyra, you're going to kill me!"

"That's the point," she jokes. "Yield?"

"Fine," I grumble. "Yield."

She moves away, and the stone melts away from her skin, leaving it smooth and flawless once more. "Macanthos, 1; Nolle, 0," she crows.

"Shut up, Macanthos. I'll be beating your ass before you know it."

"Oh, Bren. That's not very ladylike language, is it?"

"You're the one who got drunk last night," I shoot back at her, smiling as I dust myself off and saunter to her side.

"Touché. Just don't swear in front of the prince."

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hope you enjoyed this chapter :)

the next one will probably be a bit more exciting cause the plot will finally start to progress a little more.

also -i just added in an edit i made of brenna and lyra, just so you guys have an idea of what they look like. i'm on the hunt for a new faceclaim for brenna, but for now hers is stella maxwell. and lyra's is barbara palvin. the edit's on the side (: i might make a cast list later in the story, i'm not sure yet.

lurv you guys

♥