*Mykhol*
"Not so big-mouthed, are we?" Mykhol whispered under his breath, enjoying the sight. But as good as it was to see Maddie dragged away, he couldn't help but be disappointed.
Was this it? No kicking or screaming? No last pleas for mercy? Mykhol thought she would at least try something. Use some excuse or story to save herself.
But no? Nothing? Maddie was dead silent. She didn't fight. She wouldn't even look at Ana.
Not that it would change anything. Mykhol knew the maid was good as gone now.
Her fate was sealed.
Speaking of which, Mykhol relished the moment with a secret smile.
It was time to finish the show.
"Her Empress has been a victim of her youthful naivety. But fear not." Mykhol paused to bow.
"We have rooted out the traitor, and our Empress is safe again."
Mykhol ended with one of his smiles. It instantly worked. The room lit up with blushes from the girls and cheers from the men.
"Good, good." One noble went to her maid and blushed.
"Thank god Lord Mykhol was here." A heavy-chested woman fanned herself.
"Yes, I heard he was the one to discover the maid."
"Nasty human." Another spat. "Can't trust them. Not one."
"Shh," Another cautioned, pointing to the lone human standing amongst them. His scar over his eye easy to identify.
"Admiral Nugen will hear."
"Oh, I forgot. He's still with us."
Admiral Nugen only lifted his good eye to have the servant bow his head, ashamed. But the man made no other reaction.
Instead, Admiral Nugen turned to watch Mykhol bow and smile.
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?"Admiral Nugen murmured, but his voice was lost over the crowd.
Thank god. Mykhol sighed under his breath, relieved. It was over. The maid was gone, and the court was singing his praises.
But for a second there, Mykhol couldn't help but steal a look over at Ana, still standing alone.
He had not expected such pushback.
How could she refuse an investigation? Mykhol did feel a bit sour. I thought I knew her better than that.
I was hoping to connect her to King Alexander and be done with them both. It would have been great.
It was like killing two birds with one stone, but it wasn't all bad.
Luckily, things still turned in their favor. Mykhol relaxed as he saw his parents draw near.
"Can it be done today?" His mother started.
"No, they'll need to build the scaffold first," his father said, pushing up his glasses.
"Eh? Can't we do something a bit quicker?"
"It's procedure." Father went, but his mother scuffed.
"Hangings can drag out unnecessarily long." She rolled her eyes, unaware of how loud she was or who could be listening.
"Hanging?" "
Anastasia," Mykhol turned with surprise, hearing the girl only now speak.
"What's hanging?"Ana's voice creeped out.
"Why, For the execution."
"The what?" Her words drew out slowly. "Who are we-" but then her eyes widened with realization.
"No." Ana choked, raising her voice. " not Maddie- I won't have Maddie-"
"Sweet cousin," Mykhol crouched down quickly. "Think about what you are saying."
Mykhol carefully scanned the room. He could see people lose interest in what was happening. Good. He didn't want any problems.
All save for one. Mykhol caught the eye of the scarred human.
Admiral Nugen. Mykhol thinned his smile. But the human was too far away to hear them.
He could do nothing even if he did.
He's just a has-been, past his prime, from my Aunt's court. Mykhol relaxed. He had no real power.
Admiral Nugen wasn't a problem. It was Ana.
Why was Ana still fighting him?
"Maddie is a traitor. Ana," Mykhol held a tone. "She is to be executed."
"No. We can hold her or-" Ana shook her head.
"We don't need to."
"You do." But Ana was already shaking her head again.
"Ana," If she keeps refusing, Mykhol would have to use that.
"Like you needed to punish Abina." As soon as Mikal spoke, he could see Anna shrink. Her eyes shifted to the floor.
"But. She committed a crime against Dawny. I had to, or else they would have-"
"You could have exiled her." Mykhol pressed on.
"You could have done a multitude of things. But no, you used the harshest punishment, Ana." Mykhol snaked his hand into her hair. He curled a strand around his finger in thought.
"Was that fair of you?"
Ana fell at his words.
"The punishment fits the crime. I was just." She defended, but Mykhol could hear her resolve start to diminish. Her eyes weighed down with guilt.
"I am trying to be a just empress."
Mykhol shook his head.
"Then how would it look if you go easy on a traitor, Ana?"
"But it's-"
Mykhol pressed her hair to his mouth to give a gentle kiss.
"Why does Maddie get your pity when one of our own was treated so harshly?"
"I-" Ana's voice dried out.
"That is not a just empress, Anastasia." Mykhol let the hair slip from his hand. It's silly texture taking his skin with a longing.
"No, but-" Ana looked down at her feet. Mykhol took this chance to admire her defeated look.
Adorable. Her misery was charming. It made her large eyes glisten, and her lip trembled.
But it's not over. There was still one last thing he needed to do.
"Anastasia," Mykhol lifted her chin with a finger. He felt his lip twitch as she looked up with full attention.
Finally, Mykhol quietly smiled.
"This is what it means to be an empress."
"To be Empress?" Ana barely whispered.
"Didn't I say before? Know who your people are. And trust no one." Mykhol stroked the soft skin under her chin.
"You…" a loose tear broke down her cheek with a shudder.
For a moment, there was an urge to lean down and lap it up. His tongue flicked behind his teeth, yearning for what would be a bittersweet taste. But he managed to restrain himself just enough.
It can come later. Mykhol, instead, moved to rub it away.
"You should just trust me," Mykhol rubbed her soft skin dry with his thumb.
"Cousin," Ana watched him intently. Her silent stare filled his chest with a thrill.
How long have I been waiting for this? How long have I waited for you to look at me?
Finally, Mykhol smiled with fangs.
"Now," Mykhol let go. He strolled to one of the open fire pits to dangle the letter out.
A silent laugh caught in his throat as he watched the letter slip from his fingers and fall in. The fire immediately found the paper and went to work. Hunger hands ate into the white envelope. The white quickly turned to a black charred mess and burning embers.
From here on, everything was going to go his way. The last threat to his happiness was burning away.
No, King Alexander. And no worthless prince. No outsiders would meddle from now on.
Mykhol could finally now relax.
Ana was finally in his hands.
"I think we've had enough of outsiders, don't you?"