Queen Yavara Ch. 55

Part Sixteen: Checkmate

Chapter Fifty-Five

LEVERIA

I awoke to an explosion. Metal screeched, then banged, and I was suddenly hurled from my bed, and smashed into a wall. My head smacked against the stones, my teeth clicked, and whatever sleepiness remained left in my brain was shot out with a concussive thud. My blurred vision made out a pair of orange eyes, each of them bulging and trembling with wrath.

"Good morning, Yavara." I groaned.

"What did you do?!" She snarled.

I blinked, trying to focus my vision. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"YOU KNOW WHAT I FUCKING MEAN!" She roared.

My eyelids fluttered, and my lenses finally focused to clarity. It was barely past darkness outside, five in the morning, if my estimation of the moon's positioning was correct. I glanced around the cell. There was Zander, of course, with Titus beside him, and an orc woman between them. All of them were pallid with shock. They looked right through the Dark Queen, and stared at me. For a moment, I was as confused as they were. Then, it dawned on me. It had happened. The knight had finally moved upon the proverbial chessboard, and had laid the final blow upon the trapped Dark Queen. Checkmate.

I smiled, then I giggled, then I burst into uproarious laughter. When I saw the realization of what I'd done dawning across each of their faces, I only laughed harder. I'd been betrayed, dethroned, raped, tortured, and subjected to the worst humiliations and perversions, but it had all been worth it. I would've done it all over again without hesitation just to see that look on their faces when they knew I had WON. I looked down at Yavara, and choked on my hysterical mirth when I saw the expression of utter disbelief upon her face. I wish I could've had it painted. I wanted it tattooed to my eyeballs so that I could see it for every waking moment of my life.

"Leveria?!" She snarled, trying to sound angry, but I could hear the terror in her voice. Oh, it was so sweet to finally hear it, and to hear it directed at me, but it was even sweeter to see it in her eyes, to know that she finally beheld me for what I truly was. It was the look I deserved, the look I was owed from her! Now she knew. Now she realized. All her power, and all her strength meant nothing to me. She never had a chance.

When I caught my breath, I managed to utter between spasmatic inhales, "I take it... the horde... didn't... arrive... tonight?!"

"WHAT DID YOU FUCKING DO?!" She screamed. The walls tremored with her voice, and her orange eyes blazed with power.

"Oh, Yavara." I croaked, "Do you see it now? How the pieces aligned so perfectly? Shall I recite my moves to you? They were as follows: Adrianna, Zander, Prince Matthew, King Arthur, and then the knight. My plan never changed; even when I knew my reign was over, I still moved my knight to checkmate you. When Ternias's watchmen were charging up the stairs, I gave my last official order to Cavalry Commander Krakis. I told him I only needed his loyalty for one more day, and he gave me one more day. For one day, he waited, and waited. He waited for the horde to cross the marshlands along those narrow land-bridges you set up—those twenty-mile boards that are barely wide enough to pull a cart through. He waited until the horde would be at the halfway mark, then he rode out of South Fort with ten-thousand horsemen, and he skirted the old military path to catch up, and then he smashed into the rear of your precious horde, and it didn't matter that they outnumbered him ten to one because you exiled your cavalry like the stupid cunt you are, and the rows of infantrymen that crossed the marshlands were BUT ROWS OF DOMINOES, AND HE KNOCKED DOWN EVERY, SINGLE, LAST, FUCKING ONE OF THEM!" I was shrieking the last words, my voice rising higher and higher until it was throttling in my gullet, splitting my voice-box so that I tasted iron. I panted into Yavara's stunned face, and croaked, "Three days ago, Krakis told Field Marshal Shordian that he'd massacred the horde, and the entire Highland army turned around to amass at South Fort. They'll be here tomorrow, right around when the Lowland fleet arrives. You thought the war was over, dearest sister? You thought you had won? Do you remember what I told you so many months ago while you were on that pirate ship? I know you do, because you recited those words verbatim just four days ago. I would like you to recite them to me once more."

Her lower lip quivered. She mouthed something, but words wouldn't come out.

"Your Highness?" Zander said cautiously, "The Lowland fleet will be here tomorrow. What are your orders?"

"What orders can she give?" I giggled, "Evacuate the city? Make your people homeless tribesmen of the Great Forest once more while Arthur burns Alkandra to ash? Perhaps you should conscript your citizens to fight so that they can be massacred? Or maybe you should just pretend it's not happening, and torture me for one more day to get a few cheap laughs and an applause from the mob you love so much!" I spit into her blank face, and laughed uproariously when she blinked, the rivulets of spittle running down her eyes and cheeks.

"My queen?" Zander asked again.

Yavara's eyes suddenly focused, and flitted with panic. She looked this way and that, frantically searching the cell as if there would be an answer upon the walls. Finally, her eyes rested on me. I knew in that moment, that I had uttered my last words. Yavara cocked her fist back, and infernal energy burst from her flesh. She reared back her arm, and hurled her flaming fist into my face. It stopped an inch short. I could see nothing but the yellow fire, and feel nothing but the scorching heat. My nose began to blister with it, the pain began to crawl into my nerves, and my mouth opened to scream. Then, the fist was pulled back. My vision darkened with spots, but I barely made out the blurred image of Zander Fredeon struggling with all his might to hold Yavara's arm back. She seemed confused for a moment, unsure of why I wasn't a burnt splatter on the wall. Then she whirled on the man behind her, and with nothing but a backhanded slap, she hurled him against the bars. He crashed with a sickening thud, and landed in a heap on the floor. Titus and the orc woman rushed to his side, and turned him over. He coughed, and brushed them off him, his arcane shield fractured like glass from where her telekinetic swipe had struck him. He struggled to his feet, and faced Yavara.

"Why did you do that?" She hissed at him.

"Because you need her now." Zander said, "A confession from her lips is the only thing that will stop Arthur's fleet from raining hell on this city."

"He won't believe it; he'll think it's coerced." Yavara growled, "Our only chance is if I go out there and attack the fleet before it gets into the bay."

"You'll die." Zander said.

"But I might take enough of them with me for the city to survive."

"Ah, no." I interrupted, "Aren't you forgetting about the vengeful Highland army? Forty-thousand strong? Without you there, who will save your people?" I giggled at her dismayed face, "But you can go ahead and destroy Bentius if it'll make you feel better." I yawned, "I don't really give a shit. I never did. By all means, burn Ternias alive, and see if I shed a single fucking tear."

Yavara ran her hand through her hair, staring ahead, but seeing nothing but the thoughts that ran behind her eyes, every scenario that I'd already ruminated over meticulously a hundred times now playing out in brutal detail. And with every passing moment, it became clearer and clearer to her that there was no way out. She had already lost. Either Arthur would burn her city from the sea, or Ternias would do it from the land. It was inevitable. Finally, she looked up at me.

"What would you do if you were me, Leveria?" She asked softly.

I raised my brows. "I'd start by eating a breath mint."

"Please," she whispered, "you must know a way out."

"Yavara, are you actually asking for my advice?" I asked disbelievingly.

"Yes."

I burst into fit of hysteric giggles. "Oh my god, this is precious! You want my advice?! How about you fucking kill yourself, you pathetic cunt!" My voice was shrill once again, "How about you just go to the top of the tower, climb onto the balcony, and jump off so that you can die just like Elena did?!"

"Enough!" Zander roared before Yavara could be bated to anger, "Enough, Your Highness. Listening to her will do you no good."

"Then I should kill her now!"

"Sending her to Arthur might buy you a few days, and a few days might be all you need." Zander said, extending a calming hand, "There is a way out of this, but we have to keep our wits."

Yavara nodded, staring past Zander's outstretched hand, and at the floor. She sighed, suddenly looking very tired. "You're right, of course, Zander. There is a way out of this. We just need to consult with the hybrids and see what they come up with." Yavara glanced up at the orc woman, "Certiok, I'm putting you in charge of organizing the city's defense. Work with Faltia to get the most able-bodied fighters we can."

"Yes, Your Highness." Certiok grumbled.

Yavara noted Certiok's dismissive attitude, but didn't bother reacting to it. She just ran her hands through her hair, and yawned. "I expect to see you all at your posts in two hours," she mumbled, "I'll leave you all to your tasks, whatever they may be."

She walked out of the cell door with her shoulders drooping, her back bowed, and her head hung low. Titus, Zander and Certiok watched her go, then turned to me.

"You could've told me what you had planned." Zander growled.

"Why the fuck would I do that? Because I'm the Dark Queen?" I asked mockingly, "I'm not your fucking girlfriend, you crazy old bastard. I'm your worst enemy."

"I am going to kill this Highland cunt." Certiok hissed.

"Then fucking do it, you orc dyke." I sneered, "All talk and no action. Your whole race has the testicular fortitude of a post-operation transvestite." I spat at her, "I massacred your men. I killed them like dogs! Now the Highland army is coming to gut your sniveling pups and rape your howling bitches!"

Certiok exchanged a look with Zander. "Yeah," she sighed, "you're right about her. She's definitely the real one."

"For all that matters now." Titus sighed, "Little queen, you do realize you've just played yourself completely, right? Any chance you had of surviving is now gone."

"What are you, my fucking rescue party?"

"That's exactly what we are." Zander growled.

I laughed again. "What was the plan, boy-genius? To get Yavara to hate-fuck me into being the Dark Queen? Even if it is possible—which it's not—do you know how asinine that plan is?"

Zander tapped his staff, and my flesh was suddenly a rich bronze, my body was tattooed in various symbols and cartoons—most of them crude—and my tits had gone up a size. "I'm... Brianna?" I asked with a voice that wasn't mine.

"Yavara doesn't know Brianna as well as the others. For one, Brianna doesn't have a cock, which makes her instantly less interesting to Yavara, and two, Brianna has a blithe attitude that doesn't really mesh with Yavara's personality." Zander explained, then turned to Certiok. "You know them best; is Brianna really the right choice?"

Certiok shrugged. "I guess. From what I can tell, the Highland cunt is most like Eva, but Yavara and Eva are too close, and you said you couldn't simulate a dick very well with a spell."

"I can simulate a dick just fine, but Yavara would instantly know Leveria was an imposter when she tried to use it."

"Good point."

"Hey!" I snapped, "Why are you all acting like this is going to happen? I didn't agree to this shit!"

Certiok smirked cruelly at me. "Because you fucked it all up, so now it's your responsibility. Yavara obviously doesn't have any fucking answers."

"She's a god! What am I?"

Titus snorted. "She's exceptionally powerful, but she's no god. If Zander could hold back her strike, then she doesn't stand a chance against five-hundred Lowland mages."

"Besides, that kind of power does us little good now." Zander said gravely, "With an army behind her, she is mighty, but one woman cannot defend an entire city by herself. We need a different kind of power."

I looked from Zander, to Titus, then to Certiok. The other two regarded me with something akin to respect, but I could see the hatred in Certiok's eyes, and I was still hoping for a quick exit. "I killed Brock and Trenok," I sneered at her, "they're dead in the marshlands right now, sinking into the muck and shit where they belong."

"Brock and Trenok died weeks ago." Certiok replied coldly, "They died because they were led by a weak woman who had too much sympathy for her enemy." Certiok shook her head, studying me with mild disbelief, "We were fighting the Dark Queen the whole time; no wonder it was so hard. If we had you from the beginning, the Ten would've been brought to heel immediately, the rangers would've been ignored as a nuisance, and we would've crushed the Highland army before they even crossed the marshlands. We would've broken the Rift without hesitation, and we would've invaded the Highlands before the winter snows arrived." She laughed bitterly, "If we'd had you, Brock and Trenok would still be alive, and we'd all be dining in the halls of Bentius right now."

"You're not getting out of this, Leveria." Zander said with an amused smile, "You said that you were my worst enemy? Now you are your own worst enemy. You got us all into this situation, so now you must navigate us out."

"Or what? You'll torture me? Rape me? Kill me?" I laughed, "What more can you do to me, Zander?!"

"We can leave you alone." Titus said, "We can put you in a high tower in some ancient long-forgotten castle deep within the Great Forest, and we can give you three square meals, some water, and a pot to piss in. I know of such places. Places no one will ever find you. You will live a very long life, little queen."

"Sounds like a vacation." I sneered.

Certiok shrugged. "I'm still all for killing the bitch, if no one as any other ideas."

Zander stepped toward me. "I know you, Leveria."

"You know nothing, you crazy old bastard."

"I've seen you behind dozens of faces. It's funny how you all look the same to me." He pointed to his eyes, "It's here. Not in the eyes, but in the spaces around them. You can't see the similarities unless you really look, but once you notice them, they're uncanny."

I rolled my eyes. "Someone shut this sappy geriatric up. He's clearly in the late stages of dementia."

Zander stopped at the side of my bed, and looked down at me with something akin to fondness. "You are a spiteful, vengeful, merciless little bitch. You always were. It was never enough for you to win; you had to destroy your opponent completely. When you raised the first Alkandra, you didn't do it to found a great new nation; you did it out of hatred. You tore the Highland empire in half and built a kingdom that was the antithesis of everything the Highlands stood for, and you rained terror upon your neighbors for five-hundred years. Why? Because you were once a scorned high-elf woman, and you wanted those who rejected to you to pay. You told me two days ago that people aren't complicated; find out what they want, and you'll find out who they are. Well, I know what you want, Leveria."

"What?" I hissed.

Zander planted one foot on the bed, and stooped low until his face loomed an inch from mine. "You want to take everything from Yavara. It's not enough that you've stolen the love of her life, killed her mother, murdered her friends, massacred her army, and destroyed her kingdom. There's still one more thing you can take." Zander took my chin under his thumb, and raised my face until our eyes were level, "You can steal Alkandi from her. All that power, all those abilities, and all that strength; but it's not just that, oh no. Yavara has lived with Alkandi all her life. It was Alkandi that gave Yavara her daring nature, her adventurous spirit, and her charisma. Everything your father adored in her was given to her by Alkandi, and that's what this is all really about, isn't it, Leveria?" He drew his thumb along my jaw, and snaked his fingers into my hair, "There was one time in Yavara's life when she was without Alkandi. She separated from her in the astral plane, and when she returned to her body, she was only herself. She was just like your mother. Weak, fragile, sensitive, and cowardly. It was so easy for Alkandi to take her then. She just grabbed her by the hips, and raped her into submission!" Zander took a firm grip of my hair, and tugged it hard, "Don't you want to see her like that?" Zander growled, "Don't you want to see who your sister really is when you rip out her very soul?"

"Yes!" I gasped.

Zander pressed me into a vile kiss. His lips opened mine, his tongue snaked into my mouth, and he tasted me with avarice and a gluttony. I indulged in it for a moment, enjoying the rawness of it, the bitterness, the regret and the pain. Oh, I knew this man. I knew this man to the core. Perhaps he had loved me across lifetimes and centuries, perhaps he'd kissed my mouth in a dozen different bodies, but when my tongue slid across his gums and teeth, I only knew that he kissed me exactly like my father had. It was a love that tasted so very much like hatred. I knotted my knuckles in his hair, and ripped his face away, my breath panting from my gaping lips.

He looked right into my eyes, seeing me all the way down. "It really is you," he muttered.

"That was disgusting." I snarled.

"That's just how you like it." He snarled back.

I grinned then, and he grinned back, and our mouths moved to devour each other once more. I fished into his robe, and found his hard weapon. I aimed it between my legs, and he thrusted all the way inside, splitting my gripping cunt down the middle until he hit my bottom. I gasped in pain and pleasure, and he growled like an animal, and mounted me. I didn't even notice when Certiok and Titus left the room. I couldn't hear them leaving over the cries of ecstasy that sounded from my gaping lips.

ELENA

Leveria stood before me. She was backlit by the full moon, painting her heavenly body in cold, pale luminance. I couldn't see much of her; only the profile that I recognized so easily. The rest was obscured in shadow. I walked toward her. My bare feet crunched in the cold snow. She raised her head, and I could make out the bow of her cheek, the point of her nose, and the curve of her lips quirked in her signature smirk. I smiled back, and pulled off my scarf. For whatever reason, it was the only garment I wore. The cold didn't seem to bother me, nor her, though she was standing in at least six-inches of snow. She shifted alluringly when I approached her, putting her hands on her hips, and her weight on one leg. I changed my walk to a strut, and sauntered through the snow to her, my erection growing between my legs. She tilted her head, letting her hair cascade from her face, and the moon illuminated her portrait entirely. Her eyes were gouged out. Her teeth were rent from their gums. She reached out for me, and her hands were void of fingers. She stepped from the snow to reveal that her feet had only stumps instead of toes.

"Do you like my gift?" Yavara asked from behind me, "I did it for you."

I awoke with a jolt, my heart beating him my throat, a scream poised on my lips. The room was dark, only the sounds of soft snores and sighs filling it. I looked to my left to see my mother. I looked to my right to see Catherine Jonias. They were both naked, their heaving breasts tangled in the sheets, their blonde hair tossed in a careless disarray about their heads. My breathing eased slowly, and my heartrate decelerated. My blood pounded in my ears for a few more seconds, then quieted. I took a deep breath, and shifted myself forward on the bed until I reached the foot. I hopped off, and steadied myself on my feet. It was still difficult for me to achieve states of balance, and I swayed back and forth for a while before feeling comfortable enough to walk. I didn't know how I was going to fight in a battle in only a few hours, but I'd manage. I was a ranger, after all, and I'd been trained by the very best teacher to fight at every disadvantage.