DISCLAIMERS: All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except for the characters I create for the storyline. This story will have NSFW or explicit material in later chapters but I will make sure to give warnings at the beginning.
Summary: Regina is has a confrontation with an old nemesis. Madeleine talks with her special guest. Plans are put together to uncover long-hidden truths. Who will win, and who will fall.
The sound of heels clicking down the hallway was all that could be heard late into the night. Madeleine has finally made her way down to the south-east in the of the Palace were Josi was being kept. She enters the room without knocking. She looks at the woman who claims to be Siryah’s aunt but she cannot see a family resemblance or familiar scent.
“This is the woman that is supposed to be related to Lady Siryah?” Madeleine asks looking at Neville.
“Lady, Si, is no Lady. She is an ungrateful little whore.” Josi spits back. “Why am I being kept is such filth. You’re supposed to be some kind of Royalty and this is how you treat a guest?”
“No, this is how I treat someone of your stature.” Madeleine is glaring at Josi. “Make no mistake, I am here for information only, and what you have to tell me, will determine if you live or die.”
Josi swallows hard. “If I tell you anything, what is in it for me, I don’t care what you do to Si, I just want the inheritance that I deserve. Si’s mother ran off to school and came back with some guy and a baby. I was her father’s favorite, I was the one always there, me and my mother, and you know what he left me, Nothing. He gave it all to her. I was there she wasn’t it should have been all mine. “
“Oh you poor woman, you sacrifice so much and what thanks did you get?” Neville says, “See that is why Tariq and I brought you here. Lady Siryah, well she is standing between Countess Madeleine and her rightful place a Queen, we need to get Lady Siryah out of the way. If you help, I am sure that Countess Madeleine will make sure that you get everything that you desire.”
“She threatened to kill me.” Josi hisses.
“Oh, my dear Josi, she didn’t mean it, she is just stressed. She and King Liam have been that have been going round and round about their eventual wedding. And now Lady Siryah has become another distraction.” Tariq smiles at Josi, taking her hand in his, while Neville kisses her other hand.
“Yeah, my darling niece has that problem, she always leads men away from the ones that they know they should choose. What do you want to know?”
“So what can you tell me about, Lady Siryah?” Madeleine asks, “What do you know of her parents?”
“Her parents are dead, her mother was my stepfather only child. He left her everything. I think he found out about my mother’s affair, but that was not a reason to cut me out of his will. I just want I am due and that woman stole it from me, so I vowed that I would get it all, but I had to get rid of my darling sister and her family.”
“So, why is Lady Siryah, still alive?” asks Madeleine.
“She had the flu, and stayed home that morning, they were all supposed to go to the lake house, but they decided to wait until she felt better. Anyway, they went to the farmer’s market and they died in a car accident, somehow they breaks did not work and they had just had their car repaired.”
“Is that all?” Neville asks.
“Not much more, dropped the brat off when she was seventeen and left her alone, I thought she would crack and I would find her dead,” Josi says flippantly.
Madeleine looks at Tariq and nods, he put the 3 drops of the liquid inside of a wine glass and fills it with champagne, and hands to Josi. He pours three more glasses and then hands them to Madeleine and Neville.
“I say we make a toast.” Tariq says, “to the women who will get what is coming to them!”
“I drink to that!” Josi exclaims, then she drains her glass. “That was actually pretty good.” Within fifteen minutes, Si became the last in her family. Fifteen minutes is all Madeleine needs to get rid of the biggest obstacle on the way to the throne.
“Have someone take out the trash,” Madeleine says as she leaves the room.
Regina is sitting in her chair, a familiar face glares with disdain at her. She knew her secret, she knew her shame. What would happen if she told them? Regina knew that she could lose everything she worked so hard to obtain. Her secret has been kept for fifty-seven years, it would make her a target, it will make her look weak. It would make her vulnerable. Regina takes a sip of tea to calm herself.
“You are losing your edge, Regina,” the belligerent voice says to her, “Where the hell did you lose the contracts and the letter. Do you know what can happen if the boy finds them? I told you to just get rid of him and his brother when you had the chance, but no you had to have Madeleine wed and bed one of them. She could have been declared your heir and ruled of her own right. You stupid, weak, Bitch!”
“I did what I needed to do? I did things the right way, I was not about to kill two boys when they were young enough to be controlled.” Regina hisses, “You were the one who didn’t put enough poison in Constantine cup when you had the chance. You only succeeded in killing the weak whore he said was his true mate. After she died he became more and more paranoid. He even moved me into my own suite.”
“Sure, that is the reason he put you out of his bed. She was his true mate and you know it, he married you to save face, he only did enough to consummate the marriage, but please, he never touched you again!” grating voice replies, “You wouldn’t have gotten this for if it was not for me, I got us here, all you had to do was follow my plan, but NO, you had your own bullshit plan and now look at the mess we are in, do you really think that prude of a niece will get that boy to marry her? Did you not see the way that Liam watched Lady Siryah all night. Did you not see that her dress made Madeleine look like she was dressed in a burlap sack? Did you not see how he danced her onto the secluded balcony to have a private moment with Lady Siryah? For fuck sake, Regina, she won the private dinner! Liam looked had her just as Constantine looked at his mother. What happens if he has claimed her? What happens if she gets pregnant? How will that waste of a niece get rid of her now? HOW REGINA?” the voice mockingly questions.
“STOP IT!” Regina screams, throwing her teacup at the voice. Her teacup hit s the mirror in front of her, the mirror of her vanity splinters, her reflection looks back at her with disdain. “You are losing it, Regina,” it says.
An abrupt knock on the door pulls Regina out of her trance. She blinks and sees the broken mirror. Not again. Regina smooths her appearance and gets up and answers her door.
“Ah, James, just the person I needed to see,” Regina says, having regained her composure. She tells her maid to get some refreshments and bring them to her study. James follows the Queen Mother to her private study.
“James, I have asked you here because I am concerned for His Majesty. It is not like Liam to brush off his commitments. He has an image to protect. Do you have any idea where he is?” Regina inquires.
“Your Majesty, I all know is what I was told to pass on to you, King Liam called to say that he was approached by a Duke of one of the northern clans to come and resolve a land issue. Unfortunately, it is going to take longer than expected to get some clarity on the issues. He will return by week’s end, resolution or not to continue the social season, but he asked that they Regatta happens as plan, he also request that you will represent him in his absence. Shall I tell him that you have accepted his request?” James asks.
“Of course, I will represent my stepson.” Regina smiles. “I take it you are to send word to Duchess Olivia and Lady Siryah to return to the Palace?”
“Yes, ma’am, I have already sent word to Lykois for the Duchess, to have Lady Siryah return with her,” James says.
“Please notify me as soon as they arrive. You are dismissed.” Regina ushers James out of the room.
James is about to turn down the hallway when he stops, he sees Neville dragging the lifeless body of Si’s Aunt Josi, he quickly ducks into a darkened hallway so that Neville would not see him. After a moment he looks to see that the hallway is clear and heads towards Liam’s office. He was about to dial the number that Drake gave him to call in case of an emergency, the sound of heels could be heard coming in his direction, he knew it was Madeleine, he hides the phone just as Madeleine enters the office without knocking.
“Forgotten your manners have we, Countess?” James says, “I am sorry to inform you that His Majesty has not returned and no one but myself is permitted in this office, I must ask for you to leave.” He sits down and pretends to prepare for the Regatta.
“James, don’t be cute, I came for information,” Madeleine smiles, “Where has my darling King gone to?”
“That is privileged information Countess, and we both know you do not have that privilege.”
“We both know that I will be Queen, and I reward loyalty. I need to get a private message to him. I need to know where to send it, he is not answering his cell.”
“Well that is because he only answers my calls, and I only call when I know it is not in a meeting. I will let him know that you need to speak with him and have him call you when he is free. Good day, Countess.” James walks into Liam’s office and locks the door. He waits until he hears Madeleine growl and slams the door on her way out of the office. James opens the door, taking out the phone that Liam had given and presses the button.
“Hello,” they say.
“We need to meet with him.” James states.
“Meet me at the bakery at 9 pm, will leave from there, I would pick up a couple dozen cronuts if I were you.” they hang up.
Madeleine head to her suite, once inside she is startled by Regina in her sitting room.
Madeleine can see that she has gone through the file the that she had left on her desk.
“What have you learned about your little problem?” Regina inquires.
“The Aunt was useless, she knows absolutely nothing of her life, after the age of seventeen. She was just here to make sure she gets Lady Siryah’s inheritance. The fool doesn’t even know the amount of which she would sell her soul for. How about you, Aunt Regina, did you destroy the betrothal decree?”
“Yes, it made a very fine fire,” Regina says, Madeleine could not tell that she has been lying to her for ages. What a fool Madeleine is. Regina thinks.
“Good, now Lady Siryah and Lady Olivia, just need to come back to the palace, for the Regatta in two days. Lady Siryah’s boat and crew have arrived. They have their instructions.” Madeleine sighs. “Well, since you are here, you might as well join me for dinner.”
It was 8:55 pm when James arrived at the bakery, it was a slow night at there were very few customers in the store. He walks up to the counter and orders 2 dozen cronuts and 2 lbs of the King’s blend of coffee. He hands the bakery owner a blue card, the bakery owner slips him a silver card back.
“It will be about 5 to 10 minutes for the cronuts to be baked fresh, why don’t you go ahead and grind the coffee while I close up the shop.” the owner says. He walk around the counter and goes to the front door and locks it. closing the blinds and turning off the neon signs in the window. He goes back to finish making the cronuts, as James grinds the coffee.
“Here you go,” the owner hands James the boxes of cronuts and tell him to use the card in the card reader on the left of the back door. He points him in the direction he needs her to go. “Be careful, I think someone followed you here.”
“No doubt one of the Queen Mother or Madeleine’s flunkies.” James says.
“Well, they will be sorely disappointed as I have an apartment upstairs. Anyway, I put some doughnuts filled with cream in the mix as well. Here is a few pieces of Baklava for his Majesty. Bastien is waiting.”
James quickly gets in the car and they drive to where Liam and the others were staying.
“how is it going in there James, why are did you call this meeting?” Bastien inquires.
“Madeleine has killed the Aunt. I saw Neville dragging the body out. Three more suitors have dropped out of social season. Two have actually left the Palace. “
“Do you think anymore will drop out? “
“No, Madeleine has managed to persuade a few to stay. The Regatta will go on as planned on Friday, but I think that something will go wrong with Duchess Olivia and Lady Siryah’s boat or the crew. I sent word to Lykos but the Ladies are not there.”
“Do they know that?”
“No, they do not. Madeleine came wanting to get a message to Liam before I called you. She has been trying to reach him on his cell. I knew that she was power hungry, but this is madness. Regina has been frantically looking for something in the old King’s study. She paces and is talking to herself more frequently, she is coming unhinged.”
“Well, at least they do not have any idea were the women are. When I called Liam he says that there are some changes of plans, but he will explain it all to you. “
It was the middle of the night when Bastien and James arrived at the safehouse. They decided to stay in the front facade just in case the hyenas followed. Bastien told James to take the bedroom and he would stay on the couch.
Very early in the morning, Liam slides out of bed trying not to wake up Si, he needed to go for a run. He shifted into his lion and met Drake and Daniel in their animals and they all went for a run. After a couple of hours, Liam returns to their oasis, he enters their bedroom, he looks over Si’s sleeping form, she has never looked more beautiful. He wanted nothing more than to ravish her again, but he decided she needed her sleep, they had made love many times throughout the night. He quickly showers and heads to meet with James.
“Good morning your Majesty, you look well rested.” James politely greets Liam.
“James, you don’t have to be formal here. It’s a good thing that his bedroom is the furthest from everyone. That is why his Majesty, looks relaxed.” Drake winks.
“I not the only one.” Liam says, “Have you looked in the mirror there is something on your neck.”
“Your Majesty,” James interrupts, “Sexcapades aside, I came to you tell you that Madeleine has poisoned Si’s, Aunt Josi. It seems that they were hiding her in the wing under renovation. Neville and Tariq were sent by Madeleine to keep an eye on you. My guess is that they were to find anything she could use to make sure you choose her as your Queen.”
“Well, if they killed her, then she must have not been any use to them.” Drake points out. “Where is her body?”
“They dragged her body out of the Palace, literally. I have never seen such contempt in my life. To think, that is the way that Regina and Madeleine want to rule. Some of the servants have said that they have been talking often of your demise.” James says quietly.
“Well, I now know that Regina is the one who murdered my parents, so I would be the next logical step. James, I am sorry that I had to leave you there with them. Lady Siryah is my mate, and I have to make sure of her safety.” Liam states.
“Drake, Bastien, I think it is time for us to go and visit my stepmother. Leo will be arriving later tomorrow, as he wants to be apart of the first Regatta without father. Any suggestions?” Liam
“Yes, your Majesty, I suggest we take care of Regina, first. As she will be charged with treason. You will not need council approval, as her crimes cannot be swept away by her friends. I think that they will be most amenable to distancing themselves from her.” Bastien declares, “once her power backing is gone, she will not put up much of a fight. Leo could bring the charges against her.”
“James, what time will Leo arrive?” the King asks.
“He will be in at 10 am, I have already arranged for his transportation to the Palace. Will you be back from your meeting to welcome him?” James
“Yes, I will be back early tomorrow. Bastien, I will need two cars here in the morning, I will enter in front doors, Drake, I will need you to take Si to my chambers, I want it to appear that she and Olivia will arrive and go directly to the Regatta.”Liam instructs.
“James, I want to announce my finding my mate at the Regatta, and that the rest of the social season will be to celebrate our new Queen. I will need you to schedule for us to meet a wedding planner as I plane to wed Si in a few months time. I don’t have to tell you but be mind full of Madeleine. I don’t want her knowing anything, until after the Regatta.”
“Your Majesty, what about the Queen’s guards, shall I start making a list for you of potential candidates?” question Bastien.
“Bastien, do you remember a guard named, Daryn Taylor?”
“Yes, I do, he was second right after Jackson, they taught me everything I know. He was assigned to the House of Dainelis of Valtoria”
“Bastien, how are you?”
“Taylor, good to see you old friend.” Bastien hugs his old mentor. “I take it you have met Jackson’s son, he took my place at the King’s Guard.”
“Yeah, I have, and this is my son, Daniel and my daughter, Julie. Daniel has taken my place as Royal Guard for House of Dainelis.”
“I thought that house was lost.” Bastien quips. “How?”
Just then Si emerges with Olivia and Em in tow, they have spent the morning at the secret natural pool on the hidden compound. Liam extends his hand to her.
“Bastien, I like you to meet Duchess Siryah Clair Nelson-Dainelis. Heir of Valtoria, my betrothed, my mate.” Liam beams.
“Your Grace, it is an honor to formally meet you,” Bastien says as he bows. “So I take it that Daniel will be Captain of her Grace’s guard and Julie will be his second.”
“Yes, he will be,” Liam affirms.
“Very well, when all is announced, I will have a list of potentials for him to consider.” Bastien states. “Would there be anything else that I should prepare for your arrival?”
“I want to arrive at the Palace at 9:30am, bring Leo straight to my office when he arrives. I would also like you to inform Regina, that we will be having a late lunch with her at 1:30pm.”
“Very well, your Majesty. I think it is time for James and me to head back. Your Majesty, everything will be ready for your arrival. “
“Thank you, Bastien, for everything.”
“It has been my pleasure to watch both you and Drake, grow into the men you are now.” Bastien bows and he and James exit the building and head back to the Palace.
Liam feels Si arms snake around his waist as she hugs him from behind. He revels in the feel of her softness against his body. He turns so that he is enveloping her in his arms kisses her head, inhaling the scent of her Jasmine and apple shampoo. He could hold her for forever.
“Love, are you hungry?” he inquires.
“No, I don’t have much of an appetite right now.” Si says, “well I don’t have an appetite for food that is.” as a coy smile stretches across her beautiful face, and her eyes filled with desire. Before she could say another word, Liam throws her over his shoulder and hurries to their bedroom. All Si can do is laugh. God, she loves this man.