[Story 3]
Ten days since Lynne killed Cedric. Five days ago Lidia and defected Midnight Riders infiltrated Bess’s castle and took it over. Bess and Lynne are now on the run, while Lidia takes over, claiming that Bess is dead.
Lidia:
Finally, I’m at the top. Not everything went as planned, but I’m here. Finally.
Bess:
“Lynne? Do we need to move again?” Lynne was standing a little ways away, nearly blocked by the trees. It had been four days. Four days since I’d been kicked out of my own castle. My own guards had abandoned me. So many of them were working with her. Lynne turned towards me. I wasn’t used to seeing Lynne like this. So… broken. She’d been this way for the last four days. “Yes. Let’s go,” Lynne replied. We’d managed to make a small camp, small enough so that they could move around in case the new queen’s troops were searching for us. We wandered through the woods, looking for a new place to stay for the night. “Do you think they killed him?” Lynne’s voice cut through the silence. I knew who she was talking about. “I don’t know, Lynne, I just don’t know,” I murmured to her.
“We’re going to have to fight back. At some point. I can’t just stand by while that… that monster takes over!” She growls. I shook my head slowly.
“Lynne. We don’t stand a chance right now,” I remind her. Lynne nodded.
“I know. I’m going to raise an army,” Her eyes blazed.
“And I’m going to rescue Will,” She adds softly. When the attack first started Lynne had gotten me out of the castle, but Will hadn’t made it out. We have no way of knowing what happened to him. Soon the sun set. We took turns staying up and watching for danger, Lynne always insisting she had a bigger shift. I slept first, while Lynne’s sharp eyes swept over the camp. At some point I woke up. “Lynne. I’ll take a turn now,” I told her. Lynne nodded wordlessly. She fell asleep immediately. Hours dragged by and nothing happened. Nothing-
A hand clamped around my mouth. “Don’t scream. We’re here to help,” A voice told me. My eyes snapped to where Lynne was still asleep. “We’re not going to hurt you,” He said, taking his hand away from my mouth. I screamed. “Dammit!” The voice yelled as Lynne jumped up. Lynne was on top of whoever it was before I could blink. “Bess! Are you okay?” Lynne asked, holding down the person.
“I’m good,” I whispered. Lynne glared at the man.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now,” She snapped, her hand already at her belt. “We’re here to help!” They said,
“Don’t hurt him,” A new voice said. A very, very familiar voice. Lynne turned white.
“What the-” She gaped as a new figure emerged from the shadows. I squinted through the darkness. It’s not him. It’s not him. It’s not him. I thought over and over again, But it was him. Cedric.
Lidia:
It’s your fault. You killed him. The voice in my head is relentless. I rub my temples. “Are you okay?” Rico asked. After the mission had failed Rico had stuck with me to infiltrate the palace. “Fine,” I replied. Finally I was at the top. Malaik citizens had no idea that the castle had been overtaken, they all thought that Queen Bess had died of natural causes. Your fault. The whispers hissed. Ever since I’d learned that Cedric had died the whispers had been relentless. If only the whispers were wrong. I thought. My original plan hadn’t gone exactly right. From the start I had different intentions then the rest of the Midnight Riders. I was the reason Han saved Bess in the first place. Because I needed both Bess and Han dead. I’m Han’s twin sister and if both Bess and Han were to die I would be next in the line of succession. (since Bess has no family left on her side and I’m eldest Reos sibling next to Han). But of course, Bess survived and in the days after her death Rico and I gathered up soldiers and planted them in her army, then we turned against her and dethroned her. We’d told the citizens of Malaik that Bess had died, and so they immediately accepted me as their queen. This is what I’d wanted. To be at the top. Away from my brother’s shadow and my father’s disgusted looks. Here I was the most important person in the kingdom. You forget that your plan didn’t work completely. The whispers taunted. They were right. The whispers are always right. Two things didn’t go according to plan. Lynne and Bess escaped, I’ve had soldiers crawling everywhere looking for her, but there’s been no luck so far. And also Cedric was supposed to live. Bess was supposed to already be dead so that Cedric could be my king. But he’s gone, because you wanted power. The whispers mocked me. I closed my eyes trying to block them out. “Hello, Lidia,” I jumped at the sound of a voice. I opened my eyes and immediately my stomach twisted. “Hello, father,” I shot back, not even trying to keep the disdain from my voice. Suddenly my father was right in my face. I yelled for the guards. “I know what you did. I know you killed Han!” My father spat as the guards hauled him away. I know what you did. I know you killed Han. The words echoed through my head. I swallowed, trying to force down my guilt. That’s when I realized. All I felt was guilt. There was no regret.
Bess:
“Cedric?” My voice was barely a whisper. Cedric didn’t look at me.
“Hello Elizabeth,” He muttered back. I stiffened. He hadn’t ever called me Elizabeth. That’s fine. You tried to kill me, you don’t deserve to think we’ll ever be the same. I thought angrily. Suddenly Lynne was in front of me, between Cedric and I. “Take one more step and I’ll-” She started but Cedric cut her off.
“Lynne, I’m not here to hurt you. Or Elizabeth,” Lynne’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t believe you,” She said evenly.
“He’s here with me,” The figure on the ground wheezed, “Who are you?” I asked him skeptically.
“I’m Silas Khan. I’m with the Midnight Riders,” Silas hesitated, then admitted.
“And I planned the mission that Cedric was sent on. To kill you,” He added after a moment, looking anywhere but me.
I scrambled away from him, my eyes wide.
“But now I realize you were never the threat, my Queen. It was always Lidia, I was just too blind to see it,” Silas closed his eyes, letting out a sad sigh.
“What do you want with us?” Lynne snapped. Stepping closer to me, her hand ever resting on her gun. “We want to help you,” Silas said, standing up and wincing as he did. “Lidia on the throne could be dangerous, we want to help restore Bess to the throne,” Silas explained. Lynne’s eyes went to Cedric then back to Silas
“Oh really? You? A week and a half ago both of you were trying to murder Bess,” Lynne lowered her voice. “A week and a half ago you let me think I killed you,” Lynne added softly to Cedric, guilt flashing on her face. Cedric looked at me. “I can explain,” He said, looking at me. I found myself shaking my head. I didn’t want his explanation. “Save it. You made your choice, you explaining won’t change that,”
Cedric looked away and Lynne smirked in satisfaction. Silas cleared his throat. “Please, let’s focus on the reason we’re here,”Silas pleaded. Cedric nodded.
“I have no problem with Lidia on the throne, unlike Silas, but I’ve heard rumors about attacks being planned against her. Planned by her own men. I want to get her out of there,” Cedric said calmly. Lynne barked a sharp laugh.
“And we’re supposed to trust you? How is your only motivation to help the person that could have killed Will?!” Cedric paled.
“Lidia wouldn’t hurt Will, Lynne,” Cedric replied confidently. Lynne crossed her arms. “You don’t know that. She would have gladly hurt Bess or me. Why would she care about my fiance?” Cedric said nothing. I spoke up.
“The only reason you’re helping us is because you think your friend might be in danger?” I raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Cedric tore a hand through his hair. “Look, Bess-” Cedric started but Silas interrupted him.
“Queen Bess, whatever his motivations may be, he is willing to help. I believe that Lidia is power hungry and that could be dangerous for all of Malaik,” Silas’s eyes flicked to Cedric. “He might think otherwise, but despite that we are here to help,” Cedric nodded along.
“But two weeks ago you were trying to kill me,” I reminded Silas and Cedric. Silas sighed, running a hand through his hair. “And two weeks ago I was selfish. The whole plot to kill you was to put a Reos’ brother on the throne. We were allies with them. Lidia never told anyone in the Midnight Riders that she was part of the Reos’ family. What I’m doing now is a attempt to save Malaik, and right a wrong,” Silas explained.
“I don’t trust either one of you,” Lynne spat.
“You both tried to have Bess killed!” Lynne coutined. Silas sighed.
“Miss Lynne I’ve just explain-”
Lynne cut him off “Yes, I know! And yet you still think I should trust you,” Lynne stood straighter.
“I am charged with the task of protecting Bess, and if either one of you harms a hair on her head I will not hesitate to kill you,” She spoke calmly and her gaze landed on Cedric as she added, “Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” Silas muttered. Cedric gave a short nod. All three of them looked at me.
“You can stay,”
Lidia:
“Your majesty,” Rico stopped in front of my throne. I held my head in my hands, the whispers never ceasing. “What?” I groaned. Your fault, your fault, your fault. The whispers taunted. “We have received news that one of the prisoners you captured when you took over the palace is Lynne Morgan’s fiance. Will Thomas,” Rico told me. I slowly sat up. “Her fiance?” I asked, needing to make sure. Rico nodded.
“Bring him in here,” I commanded. Rico nodded quickly. Minutes later. Will Thomas was escorted into the throne room by four guards. I leaned forward. “Are you or are you not the fiance of Lynne Morgan?” I asked. He met my eyes without the slightest look of fear. “No,” He said simply.
“So if I were to kill her. You wouldn’t mind?” I pressed. His look didn’t so much as waver. “I’ve never heard of Lynne Morgan,” He said it so simply, like it was the most absurd thing he’d ever heard. I tilted my head. Something was off. “You’ve never heard of her?” I asked again. Will shook his head.
“No, I have never heard of Lynne Morgan,” I smiled to myself. The way he said her name. So easily and comfortable, like he said her name everyday. “I want my message broadcasted to every TV, JumboTron, whatever. Tell them this: I have Will Thomas as my captive and his executions is in four days,”
Bess:
The message was broadcasted on everything. Lynne and Silas saw it when they were scouting out the palace, trying to see just how many guards we were up against. Cedric was aghast. Lynne yelled at him. “I told you! I knew we couldn’t trust your so-called friend!”
I knew that we had to save Will. We had no other choice. Because if we didn’t it would break Lynne. Will is my friend, but we’d never been very close. It would hurt me if Will died, but it would destroy Lynne. “We have to go as soon as possible,” I said. Cedric shook his head when I said this.
“It’s what she wants,” Cedric countered. Lynne’s eyes narrowed.
“Are you saying that you’re not going to try and save Will!?” Her voice was dangerously low.
“Of course not. I’m saying that this is her plan. She wants to lure both of you to the castle. You’re the only one threatening her reign, Bess,” It made sense. Lynne shook her head.
“I don’t care. I don’t care if that’s her plan, we still have to try and save Will. And if none of you are willing to help, I’ll do it alone,” She said angrily. Silas shook his head. “No, we’re still going to save Will. Actually I think we should go ahead and take Lidia out while we’re there,” Cedric frowned.
“What?” He asked.
“I think we should confront Lidia when we go for Will. Our goal is not to hurt her, just to restore the throne,” Silas rephrased. Bess nodded.
“Yes it makes sense,” I mumbled in agreement. Lynne shrugged. I took that as a yes. Cedric nodded.
“Let’s do it,”
Two Days Later:
Lidia:
Only two days left before you kill Will Thomas. Your plan isn’t going to work. It’s going to fail, just like your last plan. I wanted to bash my head against the wall, anything to stop the whispers in my head. That’s when Rico rushed in. “They’re here!” He gasped. I stood. Finally.
Bess:
The guards saw Lynne, Cedric, and me immediately. That was the plan. Silas had already left in search of Will. We three took off into the castle. Cedric swiftly knocked out any guards that had gotten in our way. We made it to the throne room. Lidia’s voice rang out. “Rico, stop. Let them in,” The door to the throne room swung open. We stepped inside. My stomach churned at the sight of this girl sitting on my throne. She sat frozen, her eyes glued to Cedric. Apparently she hadn’t heard he was alive. “They said you were dead,” She murmured. Cedric gave her a light smile. “I have a way of deceiving death,” Suddenly Lynne’s gun was out of her belt and she shot. Right at Lidia. Someone screamed. Blood was everywhere. It took me a second to realize it wasn’t Lidia’s though. Lynne’s eyes widened. I let out a choked gasp. All that red. Cedric. He’d blocked it. He’d saved Lidia.
To Be Continued…