AN: No edits from Cabina this time. I wrote this in one sitting for the bae to cheer her up. Is a bit rough for it.
Rumors in the kingdom claimed that, despite the Warrior Queen's fierceness, it was in fact her wife, that held all the power. As the nobleman knelt before the throne, he could see the truth. Though the Warrior Queen sat on the throne, it was Eryn, the Queen of Whispers, who held his attention. She sat on the throne's arm, running her fingers through her wife's hair. The mighty and terrible Queen Skylar looked for all the world like a content cat. He was sure that any moment she would start to purr from the attention. He did not look the Whisper Queen in her face, afraid she'd kill him if he dared.
"Darling?" Queen Eryn didn't stop the motions of her hand, nor did she look away from him.
"Yes my love?"
"Have you met our guest? This is Lord Robert of house Drayton." Queen Eryn lazily gestured at him to rise. He did so gratefully, knees aching from the hard floor. He bowed to the Queens.
"Your Graces,-" he started but he was interrupted by the Whisper Queen.
"Did I say you could speak Lord Robert?" she turned to finally face her wife, and he near sighed with relief to have her sharp eyes off of him. "Did you know, my Queen, what my little birdies whisper to me?" Queen Skylar just shook her head. She was gazing at the nobleman now that her wife had stopped petting her. He could feel the weight of her eyes on him as he carefully gazed at the floor. "My little birdies whisper to me that this man plans to sell our secrets to our enemies. He has been carefully befriending the head of your guard, so that he may steal our war plans." His heart sank at these words. How had she found out his plans? He had been so careful, guarding all his tracks. He dared glance up at the Queens for only a second but what he saw chilled him to his core. Queen Eryn was still gazing at her wife but he knew she knew the effect her words had on him. It was the Warrior Queen who scared him most at that moment. She was smiling at him, like she found this all amusing. He knew if she reached for the great sword that leaned up against her throne, he would fall in no time at all.
"Lord Robert, do you deny these claims?" Queen Skylar leaned forward as she spoke, smiling all the while.
"My liege, I know not who has been whispering in her Grace's ear, but I can assure you that I remain as loyal as ever. The House Drayton remains sworn to this kingdom, and to you, your Grace." He forced some of his desperation into his voice, hoping it would convince them he was innocent. His blood ran cold as the Warrior Queen just laughed at him. Queen Eryn was looking at him again, and while she smiled with her mouth, it didn't quite touch the coldness of her eyes.
"I know what the rumors say about me, Lord Robert. I know how they say I bewitched my wife to get her to marry me, how they say I am the true power behind the throne. They say that there's a darkness in me. But I am not so evil as all this. I could give you what you want most." She waved her hand and a swirl of purple magic darkened the air in front of her. As it cleared he could just make out a human form in the smoke.
"Emily!" he cried out. His wife, 2 years dead, stood in front of him. She looked exactly like she had looked on that day, the day an assassin took her from him.
"Oh my beloved Robert. I've missed you terribly." She sounded exactly like he remembered though there was an echo to her voice, like she spoke from a long way away. With a shock, he realized that the darkest rumors, the ones only whispered behind closed doors, the ones that said Queen Eryn was in fact Queen of the Underworld, they were all right.
"I could give you back your happiness Robert. I could give you back the one you love most. But that is an honor reserved for our mostly loyal lords. You, however" and here the Queen's smile turned cruel, "you schemed to hurt me and mine. And so you must pay."
All of a sudden Emily burst into purple flame. All he could hear was her screaming, screaming in agony as the Queens watched. The Warrior Queen gazed into the fire, smiling, and for a second he could see the rumored madness in her eyes before the flames blazed higher and it disappeared. The Whisper Queen was watching him, one hand pointed at Emily, controlling the blaze.
"Please! I'm innocent" he shouted. As he lied, the flames burned brighter and her screams grew louder. All he could hear was her screaming for him, screaming to save him. "Please, your grace, she is innocent!"
"Now we start to hear the truth" the flames faded, just slightly. The purple flames lit up the Queen's face strangely and for a second he thought he saw a skeleton instead of the Queen's face. Emily's screaming hadn't stopped and it was driving him insane.
"Fine! It's true, it's all true. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please let her go. She's innocent. Please I beg of you." Somehow he was on his knees, crying, reaching for Emily though the flames threatened to burn him too. At these words, the flames swirled brighter than ever, wrapping around her for a second, and disappeared. Emily was on her knees, unburnt but crying. She had felt all the pain, but the Queen's magic had prevented her from actually burning up. He almost sobbed with relief to see her whole. Emily looked up at him and reached for him. He reached for her, but the Whisper Queen laughed at them, vanishing Emily back to the underworld.
"Please. What do you want. Please don't hurt her." he begged, not caring how he looked. The Warrior Queen smirked as she leaned back in her throne.
"You dare to try and hurt my family, then beg me to spare your's?" Queen Eryn laughed at this. "Remember this Robert. You ever try to scheme against this kingdom again, and I will find you a special spot in my kingdom. One where you can hear her scream for the rest of eternity. Now get out. I will be keeping tabs on you." She waved a hand to dismiss him as she turned back to her wife. He almost tripped over himself as he stood, bowed, and left the room at a near run. Laughing at him, Queen Sky pulled her wife into her lap, kissing her.
"I adore you my Queen of Whispers."
"And I, you my love."