Chapter 12 Rianna & Michail

King Marion's perspective

"Now you!" I said infuriated, walking over to Michail; "You come here!" I grabbed him by the ear. I'm sure my voice was loud enough for Malachi and Lilianna to at least hear that sentence.

"How dare you behave so brazenly! I did not raise you like this." I said. "Ouch, ouch, ouch. Dad!" Michail yelled. I scowled. "Don't "Dad" me!" I replied; "Just because you're my son doesn't mean I will tolerate such behavior. It's a disgrace to have my son behaving like this. No, it's a disgrace for a prince to be behaving like this."

"Marion-" Rianna protested. "Rianna, don't you dare interfere. It's because of you-" I said; "No, that's wrong. it's because of the way that I let you raise this boy that he became like this. Arrogant, cold and brazen for everyone except his younger siblings and parents."

"Boy, look at me." I lightly grabbed Michail's chin. "If you could you would kill me too wouldn't you. At least if your mother wanted so."

"No! I..." Michail protested then paused; "Father I... I..."

I rose my brow. "What's wrong?" I said; "Just now you had so much confidence! So much confidence you had shamelessly flirting with your sister-in-law. Where is it now?" I stood on the verge of snarling but held back. Michail looked down. "Look up!" I demanded. "How far do you want to go? Was Malachi's mother's death not enough? What more do you want? Have I raised an insatiable beast?" I closed my eyes. In my heart I wished not to say such harsh words. However this has to be done

"Marion-" Rianna said; "How could you say that? You never were this harsh before."

"Well, Rianna. My. dear. queen." I said menacingly towards the end. "My concubine wasn't killed before." I chuckled darkly. "Don't think that I don't know you have something to do with her death, Rianna."

I saw Rianna's shoulder's visibly tense. "Marion, I didn't have anything to do with her death. Sure we weren't on good terms but-" I held up my hand. "Rianna, Rianna. I am only tolerating you and giving you the attention you wanted for the sake of the children and the kingdom." I said; "And because of Summeria's last wish. Remember that. So if you touch even a hair of Malachi I will no longer tolerate you. The killing of a crown prince is treason even if you're the queen."

"And Michail!" I called. I suppose he'd been watching us this whole time for his gaze was already on me. "I've tolerated your ill-manners because you do it out of love for your mother." I said; "However if you hurt Malachi in anyway then don't blame me for my coldness."

Rianna's perspective

'Summeria...' I thought and clenched my fist; "I hate you so much. Even when you're dead you're interfering with in the royal family's affairs. Why! He never loved me, even as his queen. All he ever looked at was a lowly, lowly concubine. Just disappear! Disappear. Disappear...'

"Marion, why Malachi. Why give him the throne?" I said then looked at Michail; "Is Michail not good enough?"

I heard Marion sigh. "Well, Malachi is first born next to Serenity. It's his birth right according to the law." Marion said; "But perhaps if you'd raised Michail into someone fit to pass the throne to I could have had reconsidered. But my hope for you and that boy is close to too far gone. If only you were half what your parents were Rianna. If you were I would have never had to be this harsh." Marion walked towards the door then stopped in his tracks. "Oh, yeah. Tomorrow afternoon I'll be out with king Skye. I warn you not to attack Malachi for your own sake. That princess seems pretty smitten with him. I have not heard good things about those who she deems as enemies."

When Marion left I broke down. Almost... almost I fell down. However Michail caught me in time. "Mom!" He said; "Are you okay? Don't listen to what dad said. He's blind." I smiled as I sniffed. "Michail..." I replied; "What a filial son you are. In this world I only have you and your siblings left... Your father.... has never loved me in his lifetime... Nothing I do could win over his love.... Nothing..." A tear rolled down my tears.

"Mom..." Michail said. "It's fine... It's not your fault it's hers. That Summeria. Even when she's no longer alive she haunts my life. She's was just a lowly concubine. No status, no riches. Yet..." I said, gritting my teeth. My voice was laced with nothing but hatred; "Everything... Everything went to her. To her and her children. Malachi... Malachi doesn't deserve the throne. You, Michail. You should be getting it." Michail rubbed my back. "Mom, It's okay. Maybe we should stop. I don't need that. Just be happy." Michail said.

I laughed. There was a bitter taste in my mouth. "Absolutely not." I said; "I'll make sure you inherit the throne. You like that princess, don't you? I'll give her to you as well. We can't kill her since we can't offend the air kingdom after all." I gritted my teeth. "Screw the rules, I make my own rules."

"Mom, didn't dad just warn us." Michail protested. I laughed. "Your father?" I said; "He won't do anything to you. He loves you despite being my son. That I know."

"Then what about that black cat? It's the same level as Malachi. And princess Lilianna seems to really favor Malachi while she dislikes us. We can't just commit open murder. There's no way to kill Malachi like concubine Summeria either." Michail said.

"Good point. We'll have to make it seem natural. A perfect accident... perhaps... Something where there is no evidence that it is us..." I said. I searched my brains for options. "Assasination, poisoning or other closed murder is off limits... So it has to be something done in the open... A feast?" I thought out loud. "No. Summeria just passed away. Marion would never allow that. What would he allow?" "Well... He's allowed Lilianna to be married into the family for his protection and succesion to the throne. He is also going out on kingdom affairs..." Michail said.

"Kingdom affairs..." Kingdom affairs... the throne..." I mumbled, closing my eyes. Suddenly I thought of something. "The throne! That's..."