The Mad Queen

Chapter Ninety-Three: The Castle

I was lying in my cell. Watching and planning. Putting myself into the visions is easy now. I can think of what I want to see and I'll see it. Most of the time. Trying to see the future doesn't work very much because it is constantly changing. I think it has something to do with me seeing the future will cause me to change it. I'm not sure. It is just more answers I need to find out about the Fae Gift. All that seeing had given me a pounding headache. Not that I felt it over the pain already scolding my back. As I nodded off to sleep, I found myself thinking of my father. Of what had made him change his mind? When our grandfather arrived, father made it very clear he was not to hurt us. That didn't exactly last long. Thinking these things as I drifted off, made me fall into another vision. Despite my headache. Again, I will tell my vision, even though I write it a long time after, as though I am actually there at the time. It is the easiest way for me to record them accurately.

I am in the council chambers. My Grandfather talks with the council. My father is nowhere to be seen.

"The Princesses are arrogant," Councilman Drake says. "The king is doing nothing about it," he snaps. My grandfather takes a seat in the King's spot and leans forward, running his hand along his chin.

"My son," he sighs. "You still fail me now. After all my lessons."

"What are we going to do about them?" Another council member asks. My grandfather leans back.

"I think it is time me and my boy played an old game," he replies and stands. "Meet me back here in an hour."

The vision changes and I am standing in my father's room. His father walks in.

"Knock," father growls.

"You don't command me, boy," he snarls. My father raises an eyebrow.

"I am the King. I command everyone. Including you," he snarls as he stands up. "What do you want?"

"Your daughters. Put in their place," he tells him.

"My daughters, will not be touched by you. I brought you here to get the council off my back. Not for you to hurt my girls," he tells him.

"You really think that my presence alone will stop the council? They want results. They want their obedient princesses back. Not these arrogant whores they have become. It is revolting to see," he spits. "You should be ashamed." Father sighs and crosses his arms.

"My daughters are going to die," he snaps. "As soon as Illyana is brought home, the Queen's Trial will continue. I want their last months to be... happy," he says. Sebastian growls.

"You are a stupid boy," he snaps and slaps him around the head. "Why would you bring your eldest brat back?" he asks. "Give the Red Guard orders to kill her. That way, she can't cause any more problems." My father has Sebastian by the throat and pinned against the wall in a flash.

"No one is killing Illyana," he snarls. "Threaten her again and I'll have you executed for treason," he tells him, letting his father go. Sebastion coughs but then smiles.

"Always predictable," he replies. "Times where you think you are the strongest are always the moments you show me your weaknesses." Father doesn't say anything. He just clenches his fists.

"I'll give you a choice, son." I shudder, hearing those words again. Always knowing this game does not end well for my father.

"Seeing as you seem to want to protect Illyana, I'll give you an option. I get the council off her back. Stopping the relentless hunts and their schemes for her to accidentally be 'killed' and pin it on the Lupine," he begins. "And I get to discipline my grandaughters how I see fit. Or," he grins. "I let you discipline your daughters before I help the council track down Illyana. I will then have her take to a secret location of my choosing. At said location, I will let all my men have their fun with her before skinning the bitch alive." Father goes to attack, but Sebastian pins him to the ground. "Predictable," he snarls in his son's ear. "So, what's it going to be? Who is going to discipline your girls? You? or Me?" My father struggles and a lump forms in my throat. He is protecting Illyana. He is almost helping her. Of course, I know that she is already in Lupine territory and unreachable to any of Sebastian's men. But they don't know that.