King's Guard Series

A Meeting of Minds

Amon Amarth - Shapeshifter

Philipe

My brother is losing the plot finally. Ha, it's poetic justice in my opinion. He gets every thing he deserves, and more besides. I hate him so much, it makes me seethe every time I'm within twenty feet of him. Everyone thought he was the only horse in the race, and now see what's happened? He's broken down, shown his colours, lost his bottle, what ever you like to call it. Just a useless show pony, and queer. That's no Alpha I want to follow. What a waste of potential, but not my problem. I have been working hard, gaining support, and outside aid to make a legitimate claim on the throne. It's mine by right because I'm the next in line after Walker. A little more and he'll crack right open. I just have to figure out how to crack him without being implicated.

Mother, Father, that vampire bitch and her creepy crew are all on his side. I need someone to back me with that sort of presence. The whole problem is that I don't know anyone with that sort of ability. I can't risk too many people knowing what I want, and how I mean to get it. That would be foolish, and it would mean that Mother could counter any legitimate challenge I make for the title. She will have her weakling son take over, just because he'll do everything that she tells him to do. She will never give up the reins unless by force, from the looks of things. It means that I have to find some way to discredit them both in front of the Pack. With enough loss of face, I am certain that she will leave here for good, and return to France. With the void opened up, it will simply be a matter of being in the right place, at the right time and things will be where I need them to be.
It makes me angry, so very, very angry, knowing that I'm meant to be the second in line, yet I'm treated like some sort of dirty secret that no one wants to admit exists. I hate them all, and I'll find a way to bring them down, at least a peg or two. Walker is already a lame duck, so he should be no trouble to bring undone. Mother on the other hand, is very much a powerful player on the board. She is the queen after all, and my father about as useless as a king piece on the board. With her out of the way, he should not be that difficult to discredit.

Finding my way to the cafeteria, I sit by the window, preferring to be alone for lunch. It helps me keep my thoughts. Glaring at anyone who dares to sit too close to me, I keep them at bay without much trouble. Picking at the meat on my plate, I'm distracted enough that her stink eludes me initially. It's not until it overwhelms the smell of my food that I look up at her.

"Oh, it's you, what do you want?"

She studies me for a moment, taking my measure with care. She can stare all she likes, I keep my secrets. She sniffs, her nose in the air as she speaks to me. Part of me wants to rip that smirk off her pretty face. I really don't have time for useless sluts like her. Mind, I'm in need of a warm bed tonight, so she might have to do. No real figure to speak of though, which is boring. I want a rack I can wrap around my mini me for some real fun, but she has pin cushions at best. Still, I suppose if I work it from behind, it won't really matter what she does with her rack.

"You have no manners, but I should expect that from you I think."

Guess she sees me assessing tits and ass, her expression indicative enough. Guess I'll have to gag this one before I get any action. Growling at her with malice in my tone, I turn back to my book. 

"I'm not my idiot older brother. I'm not some little pussy who falls apart because he didn't get his happily ever after."

She smirks again, watching me intently.

"But you do want a happily ever after, yes?"

"I want what's rightfully mine, because he's too weak and incompetent to take it. There's nothing fairy tale about that. It's just good business sense, because I'm the best for the task."

"We are..........not so different in our power struggles, you know. There could be some benefit in us working together."

"Why should I trust you? I don't know you, your motives, or your plans."

"Trust that I want what should be mine, as much as you want what's yours. Besides, I have much greater awareness of how to do this than you do. I'm much older than I seem, and dirty politics is nothing new to me."

"What do you propose then?"

"How do your people feel about political assassination?"

"You really want me to consider killing my brother? I say him, because Mother is out of my league. She's a de Clairemont and she has vampire body guards."

"You don't have to kill him, just.........give him a little.........nudge, as it were. There are no others old enough to to challenge you, right?"

"Not for a few more years, no."

"You consolidate, control, and command. Be the iron fist in the velvet glove. I can see it in your eyes, that you are capable of that.

"I don't have much opportunity to get close to him, you know. His beta and posse do not let me close to him."

"I never said the plan would be a swift one. I would suggest you try making amends to him, at least in a fashion. You need only lower his guard, not break it down fully. Once you do that, then your strike will be more effective."

"You don't think I've contemplated all of this about a thousand times before? He's Mother's pet, the golden child, so he can do no wrong."

"Submit then, surrender and accept that you will never have the throne. I will find someone else to strike a bargain with me."

I glance at her, offer a small shrug, and let her go. I know she's not going to get anyone to step up to the plate, if she wants to commit regicide.
I watch her get up and leave the table, smirking to myself. Good luck trying to find anyone who will support you Princess. No one will want to be part of your dirty little scheme, not when you have the attitude that you have. I hope you rot in hell like the rest of them. Walker is not going to last much longer before he has a meltdown and ends up in the nut ward, or he ends up rogue.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen, hmmm? Everyone's golden boy a drooling idiot in a mental asylum. It would break Mother, that's for certain, and I will laugh in her face. She chose the weaker son to put her money on and now she has lost everything. She worked so hard on him, to groom him and prepare him to take over, when she should have afforded me the same treatment. Did she want to assist me? Not once did she ever show any interest in having me take over. I know what they all whisper behind my back, that I am cold, ruthless, power hungry. This is a hard land, and it needs people who are willing to make the tough decisions and stick with them. That's the thing that no one can see about my older brother. He has no spine, no ability to make a difficult decision and live with the consequences of his actions. I, on the other hand, have had plenty of experience at that, and would make a much better leader. So what if I don't coddle the weak and unworthy? Is that such a bad thing? It makes the blood lines stronger, if natural selection is allowed to take its course. The worthless fall by the wayside, making room from the healthier specimens to flourish.