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Dishonorable discharge. That was how her father had thought to treat the man who'd saved countless lives with his desertion. Olenna tried to remind herself to be grateful. He hadn't ordered both Mal and Alina's public executions for defying his orders. They yet lived, and Alina was appointed General. It was lenient, but it was still unjust. It didn't matter why they defied The King, only that they had. These were the only moments she found herself vying for the throne and the power it would grant her.
Olenna clenched her teeth so hard to keep from scoffing that she felt the beginning of a migraine bloom behind her eyes. Her blood boiled as the courtiers shuffled out of the throne room like an ostentation of brightly feathered peacocks. When the King finally dismissed them, Alina stormed from the throne room, and if Olenna hadn't known better, she'd have thought the light shining through the domed skylight grew clouded with darkness.
Alina already had a small court of her own with the addition of Tamar, Tolya, and Mal, who followed her blazed trail almost as swiftly. Olenna stood as still as the marble statues lining the throne room. The Queen sighed heavily, her shoulders sinking beneath her draped gown.
"Your Father must rest now. It's been quite the morning. We will see you all at Nikolai's banquet tonight. I expect you to be on your very best behavior." She eyed each one of them sharply. "We must convince the Nobles that we are as united as ever." Even if they were anything but.
Nikolai stepped forward to place a tender kiss on his mother's forehead. Tatiana smiled and caressed her son's cheek with the palm of her hand before turning to help The King from his throne.
Vasily turned on his heels and tipped his head sharply to his siblings. "Welcome back, little brother." There was no mistaking the emphasis on little. Vasily didn't wait for a response before he absconded from the throne room with two servants scurrying behind.
Let the games begin.
Olenna and Nikolai stood to the side as their parents made a slow procession back towards the doors of the king's private quarters. When the doors closed behind the last of their kin, Nikolai sighed deeply and turned to his sister. His dashing grin remade into one as dazzling as the Lantsov emeralds.
