Queens & Liars-Sequel to Three Broken Kingdoms (Completed)

Chapter Four: Her Mother's Heir

Above is a drawing of Lysandra (the same one from Three Broken Kingdoms), by the brilliant @JaxCreation

When Lysandra had ended her life five years previously, she had expected Medea to trust her. Especially with her dying words written on a torn-out page of a book, declaring her love for her and her brother.

The one thing she had never expected her mother to do was to care about her.

Apparently, the death of her daughter had been what it took to help her mother realise that she loved her.

Over the past five years, Medea had proved again and again her love for Lysandra, making up for the first nineteen years of her life. In her mother's mind, they had become inseparable. Every move she made she talked over with her daughter first, and her daughter had come up with various schemes for the empire. Medea trusted her enough that she didn't notice the seeds planted within each one, and the way that they either aided the princess or quite accidentally and unnoticeably, the rebellion. She didn't notice that her daughter constantly defended the thought-to-be traitor Jasper Merson, or the Elfin Lady, Vivienne Silverian.

Gods, what they had done this morning-did they have any idea what they were risking? And they acted like she was a spoiled child.

"Merson raised a point about the God-Born," her mother mused. The three of them were seated at lunch: Lysandra on one side of her mother, Aaron on the other. "The rebellion is beginning to...get out of hand."  Sister and brother's eyes met in surprise; Medea had been carefully denying the presence of insurgents in the empire for the past five years.

"Not about giving them a reprieve," the Empress added quickly. "But the rebellion is certainly becoming an issue. The unity between the human, valkyrie and elfin factions was surprising I had expected them to turn against one another." Lysandra nodded along. There was another unity that her mother hadn't anticipated; the unity between a Crimsith and the insurgents.

"The elves and valkyries should have split off long ago; the humans should have feared them too much ever to join with them. It's a disturbing turn of events.

"I have a plan, however. We will tour Miras and Asriel, and we will remind them of what they may face in standing against us."

"Touring the countries won't help-" Lysandra protested.

"Of course, it won't. That's why I have another idea. Should the people of Asriel and Miras decide to hand in some of the insurgents, they will be given a lifetime pardon from their mining quotas, or from the Draining. Along with the rest of their families." Lysandra reluctantly nodded along. A reminder-this was a reminder. Medea knew how to play the game just as well as they did.

"Clever. Who's coming on the tour, then?"

"You and I."

"Excellent," Lysandra said faintly.

"Jasper Merson, Vivienne and Aaron will remain to 'hold the fort'."

"When do we leave?" She asked, uncertain of how to breathe.

"In two days," Medea smiled. "Pack your bags."

They ate in silence for the next ten minutes, before she gathered her breath and put on a smile.

"About what Torus said," she suggested slowly.

"Which bit? I try to tune out." Medea smirked.

"The bit about Layla Swallow. Really, about her and Myra. You know how effective Vivienne is a traitorous Elfin Lady-yet she is nothing compared to the Elfin Queen and the Dragon."

"What are you suggesting?"

"Rebellion can be quashed by fear," Lysandra said smoothly. "But it can also be quashed-or raised-by symbols. With Vivienne's...talents, we could use Myra and Layla to bring an end to the rebellion."

"I do not trust the Silverian. Especially when Layla is involved. However, there would be another way to do what you're suggesting."

"What?"

"Oh, you don't mean-" Aaron breathed.

"Slivers. We use them on the army-within their armour, I keep them to ensure control. With the rebellion around, you can never be sure of the loyalties of the conscripted, so it's good to have a gateway to their minds. Why not give Myra and Layla some-crowns, maybe?" Her mother huffed out a laugh. "How ironic. Crowns are a symbol of power-yet they will show their powerlessness."

"You would crush their spirits," she continued. "Even now, the rebels gather in the name of their Elfin Queen. In the name of the legendary Dragon. Their other symbols-Rose and Kestra-would be tarnished by their 'betrayal'. One was trained by the Dragon; the other was adopted by her."

"There would be so much you could do with them," Medea smiled smugly. "Imagine it...beyond Myra's ability and Layla's powers, their symbolism. They could publicly denounce the rebellion. They could fight the rebellion. How many would march into battle knowing their heroes marched against them? I wonder what would happen if we had Myra Isidore murder her own people. If Layla Swallow, the Elfin Queen, turned against her subjects. Not to mention what we could do if Layla participated in the Draining..."

Aaron shot his sister a worried look. She knew he hated it when she and her mother got like this. It was an unfortunate reminder of how ruthless his family were.

How did Aaron do it? Hold on to his conscience and morals whilst loving them, and watching them condemn thousands? He seemed to be putting a smokescreen over his mother and sister at all times, blurring murder and torture and focusing on...what? What did her brother find redeemable about the two of them?

"An excellent idea," Lysandra agreed, forcing her smile back onto her face.

Well, Layla and Myra were getting out of Dorgon. Just...not in the way Nala and the other had intended.