Divided Throne

Lily knew that Alec and the Council were worried about what would happen if King Hamilton didn't agree to help them. But he had a significantly better equipped army and Elbis was a flourishing country that had had to hold its own against other greedy countries who has tried to invade and take over the land.

King Hamilton would make a powerful ally, and even if Elbis and Aegaera had been on neutral terms before now, Lily was confident that they could convince Hamilton to help them now. And if he didn't, Lily had every intention of carrying out her earlier threats and finding a way to kill Rufus herself. She made a regular habit of making sure her knives were sharpened and she got back into the swing of practicing with them nearly every day. She hadn't lost her touch, and couldn't decide if Alec was more impressed by her aim, or alarmed.

"Remind me never to upset you when you have a sharp object in your hands, even if you're across the room," he said one day. Lily smirked, hurling her knife into the center of the target yet again.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't want to damage your pretty face, my liege."

"Well that's a relief. Both to know that you wouldn't throw a knife at me and also to know that you think I'm pretty."

Lily laughed, tugging him down by the front of his shirt to kiss him. Alec slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, his other hand tangling in her hair.

"Alec, the maids are going to catch us. Again," Lily said, pulling back slightly.

"Don't care," Alec grumbled, tugging her back.

"Ah, it's always nice to see two young people so in love."

Lily and Alec sprang apart, her face flaming as they stared sheepishly at an older, slightly rotund man with twinkling eyes and a bushy white beard.

"King Hamilton!" Lily exclaimed, noticing his crown and fine clothes. "I'm so, so sorry! We didn't realize you were coming; I was expecting a messenger or-"

"Oh that's quite all right, my dear," Hamilton said cheerfully. He strode forward and shook a dazed Alec's hand. "It's good to see you, Alec. Glad to see you're treating your pretty wife right."

Alec turned scarlet as Hamilton let out a booming laugh. "Don't look so embarrassed, boy. No one can blame you." He smiled and winked at Lily, who smiled shyly back even though her ears were on fire.

"We're so honored that you've taken the time to come speak with us," she said graciously, trying to cover the awkward moment.

"When I received your message I admit I was quite shocked," King Hamilton said. "It seems you two have gotten yourself into some deep trouble."

"So it seems," Alec said with a grimace.

"Well my wife and personal guard are waiting inside the throne room. Let's all go sit and talk this through, eh?"

Lily and Alec followed Hamilton inside, finding themselves greeted enthusiastically by his wife, Queen Gloria.

"Oh Hamilton, look how young and precious they are!" She clucked in an almost motherly way.

"Your Majesty, we hate to bring you into this, but Aegaera is in desperate need of an ally," Alec said. Hamilton stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"I appreciate your dire situation," he said finally. "But you realize going to war with Jalecia is suicide, don't you?"

"We have no other choice," Lily said, frustrated. "Would you have us surrender control to Rufus?"

"That man shouldn't be in charge of anything," Hamilton admitted. "But you're asking a lofty thing from my kingdom and my army."

"We understand. And we wouldn't have asked for your help if we didn't need it," Alec said. The door of the throne room opened and Belle and Tobias entered, Lucian in tow. He squirmed free of Belle and toddled toward Lily.

"Is this the little princeling himself?" Hamilton leaned over to study Lucian as Lily scooped him into her arms. "So, young sir, you're the one who's started all this hullabaloo, are you? You're certainly a handsome little fellow."

Lucian stared up into Hamilton's ruddy face with fascination before reaching out to yank on his beard.

"Lucian!" Lily hissed, horrified. But Hamilton just roared with laughter.

"Spunky thing, isn't he? May I hold him?"

Lily reluctantly handed Lucian to him and Lucian smiled delightedly as he continued to play with the king's beard. Hamilton seemed equally as enthralled with the baby, sitting his girth on the floor of the throne room and tickling Lucian's sides while he wriggled and shrieked with laughter. Lily and Alec exchanged a look. Queen Gloria and the small parcel of Elbrian guards seemed completely nonplussed by this display of their king's inner child.

"King Hamilton," Lily said, sitting down in the floor herself and facing him. "Rufus is not just a threat to Alec and myself. He's a threat to Lucian, and to all of Aegaera. Which in turn makes him a potential threat to your own kingdom. He must be stopped. If he wins the throne of Aegaera, he will kill Alec and force me to be his queen, and he would surely kill Lucian merely because he could. Would it not be in the best interest of Elbis and its allies to defeat him before he grows too powerful?"

Hamilton seemed to ponder her words as he continued to play with Lucian. Lily noticed Dominic and Samuel in the corner, waiting with bated breath for the Elbian king's answer. He shook his head and heaved a sigh and Lily's heart sank, certain he was about to tell them no.

"You make a convincing argument, Lily. And I think this child and I have become good friends already." He turned to one of his guards. "Get word to Gwendolyn, and tell her to get here as fast as she can. Alert General Rigorsky to start preparing the troops."

The guard nodded, clicked his heels together smartly as he bowed, and quickly left the throne room. Lily blinked.

"So...you're going to help us?"

"I think we should go over some plans and draw up an agreement, but yes, Your Grace. Elbis will come to your aid."

Lily broke into a smile and hugged him. She didn't care if it wasn't the appropriate protocol for dealing with allies. Most nobles likely didn't forge alliances on the floor playing with babies.

"Samuel, Dominic," Alec called brusquely. "You're in charge of getting our remaining army fit for battle."

"Who's Gwendolyn?" Belle asked. "You sent that man to get a woman named Gwendolyn."

"Ah, yes. She's a Seer who has been of great help to my family in the past. Lovely woman. A bit odd, but I think you'll all like her. I want to have her here, along with some of my advisors and top military strategists."

"Of course. We'll want as many heads in on this as we can get," Alec said. Lily could tell he was excited and relieved by this turn of events. Maybe Aegaera would stand a chance against Rufus, after all. She left Lucian under the eyes of Tobias, Belle and Hamilton and gestured at Alec to follow her into the hall.

"I can't believe it!" she exclaimed, fighting to keep her voice down. "Was that a dream? Did he really just agree to ally with us?"

"He did." Alec nodded, his smile matching her own. "Your persuasiveness and our son's irresistible cuteness just earned us an ally, Queen Lily."

It was the first time since becoming queen that Lily felt like she'd done something right. She yanked Alec into a deep kiss.

"You should go help Dominic and Samuel with talking to the army," she said. "What's left of it."

Alec nodded, looking a little dazed. He hugged her tightly and kissed her again before heading out toward the barracks. Lily stood in the hall for a moment longer, finding herself staring at the portrait of Alec's mother. Her elation dimmed slightly. She always felt a pang of longing when she passed the portrait, wishing that she had had a mother to guide her. Most of the time she feared that she was mothering Lucian all wrong, and was on the brink of somehow ruining him forever.

She heard Lucian laugh from inside the throne room and shook herself. There were more important things to think about right now. She turned away from the portrait and hurried back to her son.