Divided Throne

"I heard you made an impressive speech to the army yesterday," Lily said, half-heartedly trying to wrestle her hair into a chignon.

"To be honest, I just opened my mouth and some words fell out and apparently it bolstered their motivation."

Lily was glaring at her reflection, making a small growling noise and letting her hair fall back down when it refused to cooperate.

"Why are you so concerned with having your hair up like that?" Alec asked.

"I've told you before, I'm trying my best to look like a queen. Maybe then people will actually believe I can be one."

"Lily. No one has any doubts about your capabilities."

Lily snorted. "That's sweet Alec, but we both know you're lying."

"If it makes you feel any better, they don't have much faith in me, either."

"According to Dominic, they may now. He said your speech put the fear of God into those pompous lilacs from Elbis, and impressed our Aegaeran soldiers in training too."

"I suppose. I was mostly just fed up with everyone's attitudes. They didn't seem to be taking this seriously enough."

Lily rose from in front of her vanity and went to sit on the bed beside him. She wrapped her arms around Alec and kissed him softly.

"Well I have no doubts about your kingliness," she murmured. The corner of Alec's lips lifted.

"None at all?" he asked hopefully.

Lily smirked, kissing his cheek. "None at all. In fact, I think you're a great king." She trailed kisses along his jaw. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

"We're supposed to take over Lucian duty from Belle," she said, laughing quietly.

"It's his nap time," Alec mumbled, nuzzling her neck. "Belle can handle him a little longer."

Nearly an hour later, they finally arrived in the garden where a slightly irate Belle was waiting with a hyperactive Lucian, who was trying to dash around catching butterflies while Belle chased him down and kept him from falling on his face.

"There you two are!" she said, scowling as they tried to stop smiling and Lily tried to inconspicuously fix her tangled hair. Belle crossed her arms and glared at them.

"I'm glad to see you two are still madly in love and ravishing each other, but can you maybe not do it in the middle of the day? Lucian woke up and he's a handful."

"Sorry," Lily said. She swooped Lucian up into her arms as he ran by. He shrieked with laughter as she twirled him in a circle and tickled his sides.

"Mama," he chirped.

"Are you giving your Aunt Belle trouble?" Lily cooed. "Don't run her too ragged, we need her around."

"I'm supposed to be a princess not a babysitter," Belle grumbled, but she was smiling at Lucian as he played with Lily's earrings. "You're lucky he's so cute."

"Your Highnesses!" One of the castle stewards came hurrying up the garden path, puffing with exertion from running. "I've been looking all over for you."

"What's the matter, Raymond?" Lily asked. He stumbled to a halt and Alec caught his shoulder to keep him from falling right on his face.

"The soldiers have arrested a few men. They were trying to steal from the treasury and very nearly succeeded. They got a hold of Elbian uniforms and walked right in." Raymond rung his hands, seeming quite distressed. "Fortunately those boys, the ones from Elbis that always seem to be quarreling with Rhett-"

"Lance and Christopher," Alec said.

"Yes, them. They didn't recognize them and felt that something suspicious was going on. The two of them and Rhett made the initial capture before the men could flee the castle. I was sent to find you immediately, in light of our present predicament ."

"Are they in the dungeon?" Alec asked.

"No, Your Majesty. They're heavily guarded and being checked for weapons and questioned this very moment by Generals Wither and Denholm."

"Bring them to the throne room," Alec said. "Lily, take Lucian-"

"Absolutely not. I'm going with you. I'm tired of letting you men be in charge of all the war and discipline talk."

Lily marched ahead, Alec and Belle hurrying to catch up with her. The throne room was full of soldiers, who were quick to snap to attention and bow with hurried declarations of, "Your Majesty" and "My Queen."

At the head of the room, bound and on their knees in front of the thrones, were four men dressed in tattered Elbian uniforms. They lifted their heads at her approach and her heart screeched to a halt in her chest.

"My Lady Queen, these men were found trying to steal from the treasury-"

"Yes, I know," Lily said, interrupting the soldier who had stepped forward to speak. The men on the floor were staring back at Lily with wide eyes. One of them nudged the man next to him and broke into a wide grin.

"Lily!" he said cheerfully. "Look boys, it's little Lily, all grown up. You look good enough to eat, Lily."

"Shut your dumb face, Dugan."

"Wait a minute. You know these men?" Alec gaped at her.

"Unfortunately," Lily replied. She crossed her arms and shook her head in disgust. "Myron Briggs, Paul Dugan, and brothers Frederick and Zachary Norton. I assume Myron was the mastermind behind this latest stunt. When are you going to figure out that you're not as smart as you think you are, Myron?"

"It's good to see you too, Lily." A tall, lanky man with sandy hair in need of a trim shot her a crooked grin.

"The Wildcat now queen of all Aegaera. I'll be damned." Frederick snickered. "Moving up in the world, Lily."

"Don't call me that," Lily snapped.

"I mean it as a compliment." Frederick winked. "Being queen suits you. That dress was an excellent choice to showcase your royal-"

He jumped as a knife whistled through the air, nicking his ear. Lily had snatched it from the belt of the soldier next to her. The throne room was hushed. Frederick recovered from his shock quickly though, chuckling again.

"Glad to see this new life hasn't dulled your claws, kitten."

"You dare to speak to your queen like this?" Dominic looked appalled. Lily scoffed.

"This? They're actually being relatively tame today." She stalked slowly forward, standing over the four of them with her hands on her hips.

"You know Lily, I always liked you," Zachary; the younger of the Norton brothers; spoke up with an innocent smile. "You were always the prettiest girl in town."

"Oh, Zachary," Lily said sweetly. "You couldn't handle me as a teenager, and you certainly couldn't handle me now." She patted his cheek, hard, making him wince.

"So you snagged yourself a pretty king," Dugan remarked. "So is that the kind that does it for you? Because I think you need someone rougher around the edges." He made a kissing face at her.

"Why are they still here?" Alec snapped. If looks could kill, his glare would have cleaved Dugan in half. "They should be locked up in the dungeon immediately."

"No." Lily held up a hand. "That's too good for them. They tried to steal from the crown, so now they're going to serve the crown."

No one in the room looked thrilled with this idea. Then Dugan perked up.

"Does that mean we're going to be your personal courtesans, Queen Lily?"

She heard Alec curse behind her and was fairly sure Dominic was keeping him from flying across the room and punching Dugan square in the face.

"Dugan." Lily shook her head. "How many times do I have to break your nose before you learn to keep your big mouth shut?"

Her foot flew out and connected with his face, snapping his head back. He cursed a blue streak as blood ran down his face. Myron, Zachary and Frederick snickered.

"Haven't lost your touch," Myron remarked. He had been an almost sort-of friend to her when they were in the orphanage together. At least he wasn't as thoughtless and leering as the others.

"Get them cleaned up," Lily ordered. "I want them looking clean and presentable before I beat them all to a pulp. And boys, if I were you I'd be on my best behavior. Because you have two options. Serve dutifully until such time as I release you, or you can kiss your ugly hides goodbye as you're lead to the gallows. Your choice."

Reluctantly, the soldiers began doing as she said, yanking the four of them up roughly and dragging them from the throne room.

"You want to keep those men on as servants?" Alec asked incredulously. "They could be dangerous, we shouldn't have them-"

"At least I'm not taking a notorious criminal and making him part of the war council," Lily said, shooting Alec a cool look. Rhett, who was still in the room with Holden, Lance and Christopher, blushed and looked down at his feet.

"Well," Alec said, flustered. "I just thought that...Rhett is different."

"I'm not keeping them here out of kindness," Lily said. "This is punishment."

"But-"

"Gentlemen, good work on capturing the thieves," Lily said to Rhett and the others, ignoring Alec. "That was very impressive and I'm glad to see you all working together."

The four of them stood a little straighter, beaming.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Lance said, bowing slightly. "And if I may be so bold, My Lady, I didn't know you were so skilled with knife throwing."

"You're all dismissed. Go have dinner and brag to your friends."

They bowed and left, still looking pleased as punch with themselves.

"What are you even going to have them do?" Alec asked, still looking disgruntled.

"I'm sure I can think of something to keep them occupied." Lily grinned wickedly.