(James)

I was pacing my room, Kiro was with me, sat on the bench by the window. Father was with the twins, mother with Ly at her preparation and I had no idea where Lana had wound up. I hadn't heard anything about whether or not the Queen was dead yet but if they kept that as quiet as they did with the king I might not hear for days.
Give it a few hours and both my sisters would be married women, and we'd return home and Ly's roses would be dead and wilted, the weapons she didn't use would be left unpolished in her cabinet, because she was the only one with the key.

And she would be the Queen, my sister, the Queen. And gods, father said that she and Kiro were bedfellows, was this true? Would it continue? Gosh what would her husband do? Would he even care? Affairs didn't seem to be a problem with Queen Sara.

"James." Kiro snapped. He pointed at the window.

I walled quickly over and saw two Blueguards practically dragging a girl in a silk dress between them. No one but Milana would wear silk in La Fer.

"Shit." I murmured.

I stalked towards the door, beckoning Kiro to come with me. At my hand the door flew open and we thundered down the stairs and through the corridors towards the audience Hall.

There was already a hubbub in there by the time we got in, and I had to elbow through fur coated courtiers to get to a point where I could see.

Prince Edward was seated on the ornate chair left of the throne on the raised platform, Queen Sara standing in front of the throne herself, looking thunderous, the chair to the right of the throne empty.

Two Blueguards threw Milana down at the bottom steps of the raised platform, she was crying. I pushed out of the crowd to her side and I could've sworn that in that split second she looked at me, she shook her head.

"What the hell is going on?" I demanded, looking up at the Queen. It wasn't her who answered, it was her son, my soon to be brother in law.

"Your sister stands accused of treason." He spoke so coolly it made me want to punch his teeth out.

"On what charges?" I roared, fully aware of the things people were whispering behind my back.

The Queen settled onto her throne and I knew then and there that Milana was doomed. I swore to fight for her nonetheless.

"Your sister tried to poison me." Sara spoke with even more eloquence than her son. "By slipping Virnsel into my tea."

A Blueguard stepped forwards, holding a dainty teacup in which I knew there was a deathly remedy.

"I didn't! I swear!" Milana cried out into the hall, which fell silent. A Blueguard kicked her in the stomach and she keeled over. I made over to the Blueguard but was pulled back by two more. I didn't fight them, I needed to keep my head. Milana pulled herself to her knees.

"I swear, your majesty, I would never intend to harm you. You have been so generous and -"

Lana was interrupted as a side door on the raised platform opened and Ly was pushed through. My littlest sister froze for a second, even I could see her stormy eyes surveying the situation, then she walked slowly over to take the seat to the left of the throne.

"Why is my sister begging at your feet?"  Lycho asked the Queen in a tone which froze me from spine to toe.