Free Almost Lovers by Cassidy Raindance

tall, ready to please.
     
    "No," said the Queen, "You played your part,
Lydia. And for that you will have what you were promised. You are
no longer banished. You will be given a title and you will be
reinstated as a functioning part of the Royal Court."
     
    "Thank you, my Queen," said Lydia, bowing
her head in gratitude, "You are kind and merciful,"
     
    "You will stay away from Prussia," said the
Queen.
     
    "My Queen?" said Lydia.
     
    "You will not harm Prussia or make any
attempts on her life. She is off limits. To disobey my order will
not be banishment this time," said the Queen, "It will be eternal
death,"
     
    Lydia was quiet. I could hear the slow
opening and closing of her mouth. She wanted to say something but
remained silent.
     
    "Sebastian, rise," said the Queen.
     
    I stood up, not pleased at all with what had
happened.
     
    "Your orders still stand," said the Queen,
"Should Lydia attack Prussia or attempt to harm her you will give
her the eternal death. That is my order as Queen,"
     
    I bowed my head, looking sideways at Lydia
so that she could see that I intended to take my orders as
seriously as she had hers. Lydia closed her mouth and looked like
she might cry.
     
    "My Queen, she is human," said Lydia, "Our
laws-"
     
    "My laws," said the Queen, "They are my
laws, Lydia, and if you remember that you might live at least as
long as the one that created you,"
     
    The Queen's words hung heavily in the room.
Lydia looked as if someone had just sucked all the oxygen out of
her lungs.
     
    "You have no right-" Lydia began, her anger
rumbling at the insult. Her creator had died to pay for Lydia's
sins in the Royal Court to lessen Lydia’s punishment to
banishment.
     
    "Lydia, shut up," I growled at her.
     
    For once she listened but I could see her
lip quiver and shake. She bit it several times, tears threatening
to spill. I could see her jaw set, she had found her anger. It’s
how Lydia stayed strong – she stayed mad. She barely held it
together. And I think she only managed because her self
preservation told her she might not walk out of this room if she
didn't bite her tongue.
     
    The Queen looked at me for a long moment. I
wanted to reach out to Lydia, hold her hand, comfort her, but the
Queen stood and kept us bound by duty and formality. We were not
given leave to move, simply to stand stiff, tall and silent. The
Queen waved her hand. Lydia turned and left as fast as she could
without running, her emotions threatening to give away her weakness
her deceased creator.
     
    I went to follow but the Queen's hand went
up and I stopped. She wasn't done with me. I went back to my
straight and tall stance, waiting to see what she wanted. What else
had I done wrong? What other games did she want to play with
me?
     
    Once the door to her chamber closed again
and we were alone she motioned her hand toward a chair. This wasn’t
something she had offered me in years, not since before Lydia was
banished. I had had to suffer the same formalities and rituals as
all other court members due to my involvement with Lydia. I took a
seat and tried not to look too relaxed. It had been a long night, a
trying morning, and a terrible afternoon so far.
     
    She didn't say anything. The Queen poured a
drink and came to sit in the adjacent chair. She swirled the amber
colored liquid around, more than likely whiskey, in the tumbler. No
ice, neat.
     
    "You had the Royal Guard standing by outside
of Prussia's building?" I asked.
     
    "Absolutely," said the Queen, "I told them
to kill Lydia first if she got anywhere near Prussia,"
     
    "First?" I asked.
     
    "Yes, First." said the Queen, swirling the
liquid around in her glass and then taking a sip, "I can't have
someone I don't trust on the Royal Guard, Prince or not,"
     
    I could believe that the Queen had ordered
it. I couldn't believe I hadn't suspected. If I didn't love Lydia I
would have killed her. I wouldn't have thought twice, I would have
simply followed