Chapter 421

421 The Beginning Of Her End

***CONTENT WARNING: LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE***

Magnus could feel the migraine coming on as soon as he heard Karena’s voice from the inside the halls. The servant lad who had informed Skye and Tidas of what was happening had quickly found the King with the Crowned Prince and the King of Ruscovic. The lad thought that it was a good thing that the foreign king was involved, but he couldn’t have been more wrong....

Marco didn’t seem fazed at all by the intrusion, and followed after everyone without issue. They were finishing off writing out the final treaty when the lad had burst in. Lawrence had been trying to talk about the wedding with his father all morning, but he kept telling him to wait until all of their work was done.

When the young servant had told them what happened, they rushed from the room, and down the halls. Guards ran ahead to clear a path for them, which let them arrive just in time to see Karena try to slap Skye, and then actually hit Tidas when he had stopped her.

To be honest: Magnus wanted to chuckle when Skye had slapped Karena. She was a spoiled brat that got her way far too often, and had needed a good reality check for quite some time. When she ordered her guard to kill Skye: that was Too far..

Only Karena had glimpsed the hellfire that she had sparked within her husband over her order. If Draco hadn’t been under strict orders not to allow Skye to be hurt under any circumstances in his presence, then he would’ve followed Karena’s orders. Marco simmered with his rage, but the Ruscovic King wore his like a bright-orange warning sign..

Lawrence’s main concern was for Shasta, and her state infuriated him. She had obviously been fighting, or rather defending herself, in a dress with no weapon. And Draco’s blade was drawn when they had arrived.

It didn’t take a scientist to deduce what had happened, and Lawrence’s anger rose with every scratch, tear, and blood smear he saw. Draco had nicked Shasta on her arm and leg, albeit very shallowly, but he’d still injured her. His rage spiked as Magnus talked with Karena, and Shasta literally bent her ears back at every other thing she had said.

Furious at the situation, Lawrence looked towards the spectators, and yelled; “Everyone that isn’t my family: Get Away NOW! Guards! Seal the room! Keep everyone away until my Father calls for you!”

.....

The couple of guards now near the doorway looked towards their king, who nodded in agreement with his son. Magnus rarely got to see or hear Lawrence use such an assertive manner, and felt a wave of pride towards him for a moment. However, the feeling passed when the doors were sealed, and Lawrence unleashed his fury at both Karena and his father..

He narrowed his eyes on Karena; “Our wedding is not some random party or event that You have complete control over! Shasta is my bride, Not You! And if she wants a milk fountain at Our wedding, then she’ll have it! You are to only Help with our wedding from here on out!”

Lawrence didn’t give Karena time to reply as he turned to face his father; “If you had just spoken to Shasta instead of listening to Karena in the first place, then none of this would’ve happened!”

Magnus’ demeanor shifted defensively as he nearly yelled back; “Don’t you take that tone with me, laddie! King or not: I’m still your Father! I listened to Karena because she said that she and Shasta had reconciled. How was I supposed to know-”

“That she was blatantly lying to you? If you would’ve accepted Any of my requests for an audience, then you would’ve known!” Shasta screamed, interrupting him.

Magnus grimaced in confusion; “I did no such thing. I wasn’t even aware that you had requested one!”

“That would be because of me,” Marco volunteered.

Everyone stared at the Crowned Prince, flabbergasted by his audacity. Lawrence looked ready to hit his brother, and Tidas was in nearly the same state now. Karena thought for a moment that her husband was going to come to her rescue, but she couldn’t have been more wrong..

Marco kept his ever-present blank expression as he explained; “I assumed that her requests pertained to inane things about to the wedding. I had even asked Karena about it, but she told me the same things that she had told Father..”

For the first time that anyone could recall, Marco’s face looked apologetic as he added; “I sincerely apologize to you all. I took my wife’s words as truth even though I know she doesn’t like the Fae: particularly Shasta.”

Everyone’s jaws dropped, but none so low as Karena’s. She wanted to scream that he was a liar, and that he had told her to sabotage the wedding. Karena had destroyed Shasta’s wedding dress of her own accord, but Marco had specifically ordered her to make his brother’s wedding as atrocious as possible.

Still dazed from his sudden and swift betrayal, Karena barely heard Magnus begin to yell. His voice was so loud that her ears were literally ringing. He screamed at her about how striking a member of the royal family was punishable with death: even for a spouse. As he ranted at her, Magnus brought up the fact that Skye was also a military officer, and that striking her had it’s own set of rules.

Hearing Magnus go off about how crucial Skye was to their military power had made something within Karena snap. She had been ridiculed by the few nobles that knew of her brother’s disloyalty, had to deal with Shasta for the past few months, and now her King was admonishing her over a commoner.

As Magnus went on about how the future Queen should have decorum and respect for others, Karena lost herself in her emotions..

“I Cannot believe that you’re yelling at Me! They should All be punished for how they’ve treated me! Do you have any idea what I’ve had to deal with?! She is a fucking Monster that has argued and insulted me at every turn! I know class and culture! What does she know?! Nothing! She’s nothing but a fucking beast! She doesn’t Deserve to wear a crown! She should be whipped and caged for her Impudence!”

As Karena fumed, Skye could feel herself turning red-hot from anger. Shasta’s ears were bent back and she looked ready to cry, which infuriated her. Before Skye could stop herself, she was up and in Karena’s face; unleashing years of pent-up emotions at her..

“You Dare ta call Her the monster?! Take a look in the mirror, ya bloody bampot! YOU are the one nobody likes! That everyone avoids like a bloody plague! Not her! Shasta is kind, and generous, and is a hundred times better of a person than you will Ever be. She will make an outstandin’ Queen for Ruscovic when her time comes. I canna say the same thing about you fer Alcon!”

Karena’s face had contorted with building fury with every word that Skye had said. When she had declared Shasta the better Queen, Karena could feel the last bit of her self-control slip away. As Skye finished speaking and turned to smile at a relieved Shasta: Karena launched herself at Skye.

Everyone stood in shock as Karena grabbed ahold of Skye’s hair, and yanked. She reached around with her other hand, and scratched the side of Skye’s face next to her eye. If the bitch had extended her arm an inch more, she would’ve gouged her eye out.

Karena wasn’t strong by any standard, but her nails were as sharp as a daggers. As a drop of blood built and slid down the side of her face, Skye’s body moved without thought. She put her hand on top of Karena’s, twisted around, released her grip, then kicked Karena in the gut.

Skye didn’t use her magic at all; just her basic body strength. Even while they had been in the Highlands, the RMC kept to a daily PT routine. It was made vastly easier by the equipment provided by the Highlanders, but every member still had a five-day workout every week: including Skye.

The muscle that she had built up honing her Tank magic combined with her near-daily workouts had made Skye’s body strong without the use of her trait. When her foot made contact with Karena’s gut, she had instantly lost her grip on Skye’s hair, and flew back a couple feet.

Gasping for air, Karena gripped her stomach for a few seconds before puking up the little food that she had left in it. Everyone scrunched their noses and looked away as she coughed and sputtered, feeling no sympathy towards her for bringing the situation onto herself. As Karena finished embarrassing herself, her rage kicked into overdrive.

She stared at Skye with daggers in her eyes and screamed in a shrill voice; “How! Dare! You! I Am The Queen! HOW DARE YOU! Kill her NOW, Draco! I want her Dead for what she has done to me!”

“KARENA! Control yourself!” Marco yelled over her screeching, his tone carrying more emotion in those few words than he had shown in years.

As Karena clammed up instantly at the anger in her husband’s voice, Magnus glanced over at her in disgust, then looked to her guard and said; “Take her to her quarters, and have a few servants help her get cleaned up. Do Not let her leave her quarters for Any reason until I call for her.”

Magnus didn’t realize it, but Draco had looked over at Marco for confirmation of the order. Tidas and Skye had both caught it, but said nothing; just shared a look that they would discuss it together later. As Karena started to cry from the state she was in, she refused to walk out of the ballroom as she was.

“I refuse to fuel the gossip about me! I am the Future Queen of Alcon: I still have a reputation to uphold,” Karena stated as she started to drag her feet.

Fed up with her antics, Marco walked over to one of the tables that lined the walls, and yanked the tablecloth out perfectly. He then walked over to his wife, and flung it over her head as he whispered something. Only Skye and Tidas had heard what he’d said, and actually felt a twinge of sympathy for Karena..

As the sheet fluttered down around her, Marco spoke in a dark tone that sent a wave of fear crashing down upon Karena; “Your punishment will be severe for this..”

Taking her by the shoulders, Draco escorted Karena from the room. As the door latched behind them, Marco turned back to the five still in the room, and said; “I apologize for Karena’s behavior. I don’t know what has gotten into her lately, but I will have a lengthy discussion with her later.”

Magnus narrowed his eyes on his oldest son; “It had better be a life-changing discussion for her.. I’m done with her attitude and antics, Marco. If Karena does one more thing that disgraces our name and crown, I will have her status demoted, and ship her back to her brother! A wife like her is easily replaced by someone better..”

Marco kept his placid expression, but his eyes shimmered as he looked at Skye, and said; “Aye, Father.. There are much better candidates for Queen out there..”