A/N: So, uh... this might be the crappiest thing I've ever written... PLEASE TAKE MY TRASH awesomesos63. So this one's with MCD!Ivy bc MyStreet Ivy was too nice and I could write about anything nice right now, so, sorry!
"You're doing well, Teltalla." The Queen's voice rang out through the throne room, occupied by only three people. The queen had dismissed the guards, saying that if she caught any one of them eavesdropping their head would be rolling on the ground in the execution room tomorrow.
Teony didn't know whether to be afraid or not. Such praise from the Queen herself was rare, indeed, but why on earth did she dismiss those guards?
Beside her was Ivy the Venom scythe, General of the Army. The only one who had more power than her over all the soldiers and guards in all of Rialla was the Queen. Her features were indifferent, as if this whole thing was a blur to her. Her focus was elsewhere, though, which was a good thing. Technically, as a captain over unit 441, Ivy could tell her to do anything, even stick a knife in her own heart, and she would have to oblige.
It was all Teony had to stop from shaking as Ivy palmed a knife and started spinning it in her hand. It was a simple movement, but she could see the meaning behind when Ivy threw her a quick, cold, glance. All she did was start spinning a knife in her hand, but the message was clear: Try anything funny and I'll gut you.
Teony gulped.
She almost jumped when the Queen spoke again. "Perhaps I might have to promote you in the future, if you keep it up." Ivy's attention suddenly snapped to the Queen, eyes wide in surprise. Slowly, her gaze crawled its way to Teony, Ivy's eyes boring into hers, and Teony could not help but think, This is it, I'm going to die here. What else could she feel? She was prey alone in a room full of hungry predators.
"Ivy." the Queen's tone was chiding, like a mother scolding her child.
The General scowled, but relented. Ivy went back to being indifferent.
Teony almost sighed in relief. Almost. Prey shouldn't openly show their fear to predators. That was the first thing she learned in this palace as a soldier.
"You're dismissed." the Queen waved a hand toward the door, and like a puppet on strings, she left the throne room.
Ivy got down from her seat at the Queen's right hand and sauntered at a leisurely pace toward a shaking Teony, who was already thinking of her last regrets: why did she never apologize? Why did she have to say all of those things? Why did she-
Ivy leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Meet me at midnight in the kitchens. That's an order." she hissed that last part. When she sat back down, the Queen cast her a chastising look, but the Venom Scythe did not waver. She was still looking at Teony with that rapacious look in her eyes.
Teony had to remind herself to move out of the throne room, step by agonizing step, Ivy's predatory eyes piercing the back of her head.
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"You're late." Ivy's voice reverberated through the darkness. Teony cringed, thinking the cooks would hear her and come see what was going on before she realized that they were all at home.
"I-I'm sorry." Damn it, don't stutter! Truth be told, she didn't really have an excuse for being late except for the fact that she fell asleep, but she didn't say that to Ivy, mostly because she didn't have a death wish.
Ivy took a match and lit a candle, illuminating the room. The light fell against her face in an eerie glow, one that made the general look even scarier than before. She seemed to realize this, because her lips twisted into a high and mighty grin.
"Scared, Teltalla? You should be. I am your general."
How childish, Teony thought silently. But still terrifying.
Teony lowered her head.
Ivy's eyes narrowed. "I asked you a question."
"Yes, general," Teony decided to come clean. "I'm terrified."
The strawberry-haired general let out a wicked laugh. "Well that's no fun, if you just admit it."
Teony got a little angry. "I'm sorry, general,"
"Well, whatever. I guess I'll just have to have you executed."
Her eyes widened as she gasped and looked into Ivy's cruel turquoise eyes.
Ivy giggled. "Just kidding,"
The little angry flame inside the soldier grew into a fire, burning and burning and burning.
How could anyone ever play with someone like that? How can anyone casually joke about sending another person to their death?
Teony met her eyes and dared to glare at Ivy.
"I'm not some toy you can play with. No one is!" She even raised her tone a little, feeling brave.
The general was unfazed. "Says who? I have full authority over every aspect of your life. I can play with you and anyone of lower status than me as I please."
She smirked a little. "And while we're at it, can I tell you something?" It wasn't a question.
Ivy didn't wait for an answer, either. "If you take my job, I'll slit your throat."
Teony was shocked. Why in Alda did the general think Teony was going to take her job?
"The queen has been paying attention to you," she continued, "It's obvious she's considering replacing me."
Ivy leaned in and whispered in the other girl's ear, "But the moment you say yes to that job, you'll be signing your own death certificate."
Teony's heart raced, beating a mile a minute. I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die.
As her life flashed before her eyes, she remember something her father said to her.
"No one is going to push you down. Don't let them."
So Teony raised her chin and spoke in the ultimate act of defiance. "That would, of course, require skill to kill me."
The general appeared taken aback. Good. "What?"
"If the queen is thinking about replacing you with me, then that must mean she thinks I'm superior to you in some way, right?"
"Wha-"
"I've had more experience than you on the battlefield. I was the one leading the troops in the war five years ago, not you."
Teony held her chin high. "If I was a general, I would not treat people the same way you do."
"And how do I treat people?"
"Like toys."
Ivy sneered. "You don't have the job yet-"
Teony just winked and walked away.
She also caught the knife spinning toward her back as she sauntered out of the room, closing the door and going back to bed.
Dad, are you proud of me? I didn't let her push me down.
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Three days later, Teony got the job as general.
And Ivy was sentenced to prison for murder attempts on the Queen's right-hand woman.
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