A/N: WARNING: Contains Violence, Language and Sexual Refrences (Half a Lemon)

A/N2 :A shout out to Becky1991, thanks so much for keeping with the story and taking the time to review.

Chapter 10 Riley's Downfall

Victoria was on the prowl. She paced like an agitated feline across the length of her chamber. As she did she thought over Jane's plan and her personal aspirations of domination. The Jane had filled her with a power she had never imagined, but she could not under estimate the princess, or the promised one. The Dark One had told her that they had great power and strength, even to equal her newfound strength, and she could not allow them to live. There was far too much at stake. Of course, eventually the rabble that followed the princess would learn of her fate.

Victoria knew that and she knew that they would not sit idle once they knew. The way her soldiers were, they would not stand up against a war-band of vengeful rebels. They were fat and idle, more than happy to spend their days drinking her mead and wine, eating her food, tumbling around with girls from the village, and terrorising local villagers.

The weaponry tactics and training was whenever they dragged the lazy carcasses out of the barracks and over to the training grounds. That would all change. If they want to eat, they have to train. Every day, dawn to dusk, they would train. She giggled in glee.

'It shall be so easy,' she thought.

She knew the princess had broken the astral seal she had placed over the castle and seen her father. Victoria felt ecstatic when she thought that the princess would be very ill, even close to death, after breaking the seal. She was thankful for whatever force had made her spare Charlie' life. She realised that he would be key to Isabella's downfall. Soon, soon the identity of the promised one would come into her knowledge, soon.

And then they would die, and the rebels would be crushed under her heel, like the roaches they were. She walked over to a half-rotted rope, which rang a bell. Fifteen minutes later, a short stumpy dwarf, with a lame leg and heavy manacles on his arms and legs, hobbled in. She turned on him immediately.

"It took thee long enough. What be the matter, be thy leg troubling thee. Well, walking up and down the stairwells will do it the world of good," she laughed cruelly.

"What dost thou wish of me, my lady?" he muttered.

"Have the troops assemble in the inner bailey immediately, in full armour, and be quick about it," Victoria said.

"Yes, my lady," the dwarf muttered again as he shuffled out of the chamber, closing the door behind him. He mumbled to himself in Dwarven as he made his way painfully down the stairs. He slowly made his way across the outer green over to the barracks, he was not a follower of Victoria. He had been the head cook in the castle kitchens of the original Empress, Renee, he smiled wistfully at the fond memories of the past. The Empress and her husband always took the time to congratulate them on the wonderful kitchens he kept and his food was famous throughout the city. The princess, Isabella, such a serious child, was always ready with a smile for him when he caught her sneaking through the kitchens. His thoughts then turned to the times soon after.

When Victoria took over and the soldiers raised the city of Baliee, the Empress ordered the servants to flee and save themselves. Many did so, and they fled to the protection of the forest. The slower ones were caught and killed, or rounded up like livestock, and driven back to the castle as slaves. Jessica and himself were amongst those caught. She refused to leave him, and helped him because of his lame leg.

Victoria's soldiers had caught them and Jessica was forced to show Victoria the Imperial Chambers. He heard later that that Victoria had slit the poor girl's throat; he blamed himself for her murder. Wiping away a tear with a callused finger he raised his fist and pounded on the heavy oaken door of the barracks. A half naked man with a scantily clad female hanging off one arm, and a large flagon of mead in the other opened the door. "What dost thou want, stumpy," he jeered drunkenly.

"Thy majesty has ordered that thee all assemble in the inner bailey in full armoury and packs," the dwarf said

"Piss off thou arrogant little runt," another soldier called returning to what they were doing, drinking heavily, wolfing down food, rolling on bunks with local women and generally behaving like a pack of savages. He shook his head. 'No,' he thought, 'Savages have some dignity.' Here he saw grown men behaving worse than the livestock in the farms further in the valleys. He allowed himself a smug smile.

"Aye very well, I shall relay thy message to thy Majesty. No doubt she will be very interested in thy answer to her order," he said, turning away. One man, with thick black hair and brown eyes, looked up from the sword he was polishing.

"Nay," he said, smiling at the dwarf, "We shall be there," the Dwarf gave him a grateful grin, and limped back to the kitchens to await Victoria's next order.

From her chambers Victoria could hear the chattering of chain mail and the muttering of the soldiers as they moved into the bailey. She smirked and walked slowly downstairs, knowing that in the full armoury and heavy packs, full of rocks a few minutes the soldiers would be unbearably hot. She planned on letting them stand out there for as long as possible.

The hot Forks summer sun beat down fiercely from the cloudless sky on the soldiers of Victoria's army. In their heavy armoury and chain mail, the soldier's stood and quiet, trying to ignore the sweat that beaded on their foreheads and ran down, stinging their eyes, soaking jerkins and attracted flies that none dared swat. The man who had spoken kindly to the dwarf earlier licked the sweat off his upper lip and whispered, "James, do thou know what her ladyship wants?"

"I do not know," James answered

"Silence in the ranks, scum," a man at the head of the ranks called out.

"Ahhh, Riley, he could not head an army if it attached itself to his arse," the first man said.

"Aye Jacob if thee took away his spear he would fall over," James snickered. Several others joined in.

"Silence insolent dogs," Riley shouted.

"Hail Empress," in unison they droned out her official title.

"Hail, Victoria Swan, Empress of the Great lands of Forks, Long live the Empress…" Victoria smiled insanely throughout the recital. As soon as they had finished the smile disappeared and her lips curled into a vicious snarl as she vented her rage on the startled troops

"Idiots, Simple minded fools. Thou had one task, one simple task. Find the Princess Isabella and bring her to me. Over a thousand fully trained men and the only ones who actually came across that bitch have ended up dead. She is just a girl, a stupid simpering girl! One girl that has eluded capture, for 10 FUCKING YEARS! Ten years, thou lazy pathetic cretins have hunted for her and have thou dragged her back here, be she dead, be her mutilated corpse rotting in the forest somewhere? NAY! She has gone beyond the mist in search of the Promised One.

"I am fortunate that the Dark One has taken an interest in our predicament and has granted me the strength and power to rid myself of the little bitch once and for all. Her rebel followers however cause another problem. How dost thee expect to defeat them? By drinking and whoring with the local peasant girls? No more! If thou wish to eat, thou shall drag thy lazy idle carcasses out to the training grounds and train, dawn till dusk. Thou shall turn from good for naught fat, useless morons to fully trained, disciplined, obedient warriors. Dost thou all understand me?" she asked finally seeming to calm down. There was a chorus of Ayes. Throughout her ranting, she had heard every muttered insult and remark about Riley. Victoria knew that if the men could not respect their captain then they would not follow him, least of all into battle.

'I shall have to remove him then, and find someone suitable. Someone who shall not think to question me and popular enough with the men that the foolish halfwits would follow him to the gates of Port Angeles and back,' she thought. Victoria smiled to herself as she suddenly knew how she would rid herself of her slovenly captain. 'It would be far too easy,' she thought, as she turned to leave she turned to Riley, "Captain of the Guard, I wish to see thee in my private chamber as soon as possible. The rest of thee are dismissed. Training begins on the morrow," she hurried to her chambers and called her maid to her. Leah was a sweet girl, very attractive, with large dark brown eyes, which were filled with innocent light. Victoria couldn't resist trying to mould this girl in her own image. There was something satisfying about corrupting an innocent. As Leah entered she spoke quietly, "Yes milady, thou called?" Victoria quickly outlined her plan to the young girl.

Leah smiled as the plan became clear, "Be there anything I can do Milady?"

"Perhaps some poisoned wine. Nay if he is poisoned it may become known that the death was not the fault of his incompetent, bumbling self. Do not stray far, stay and watch the fun, thou might learn something. One day thou shall be as cunning as me," Victoria said. Leah smiled and nodded.

As she left to fetch some potent wine from the cellars the smile faded into a hateful grimace. "One day I shall be free of thee, Victoria," she mumbled.

Victoria removed her constricting gown, and put on a revealing silk and lace gown, which skimmed her slender body. She freed her long, dark, hair from its bun and it fell in shining waves over her shoulders and down her back. Leah smiled as she entered with the wine and two goblets.

"I wish thee luck Thy Majesty," she said. Victoria couldn't help but like Leah, she was as impressionable as she was at her age. Leah exited quickly. Just after she left there was knock at the door.

"Enter," Victoria said in her most alluring voice.

"Ahh, Thy Majesty?" Riley said, confused and quite delighted by Victoria's lack of attire and playful manner.

"Dear Captain, there be no need to be so formal. Would thee like a goblet of wine," Victoria purred playfully, picking up the goblets of wine and offered him one, feigning shyness. Riley took it and quaffed the lot, bemused by his Queen's behaviour.

"There much better," she crooned, dropping her own goblet and stepping forward. She ran her fingers through his greasy, slightly thinning sandy hair, pushing his helm off his head.

"Dost thou find me attractive?" she asked, nearly choking on his rotten breath. He nodded, licking his spotted lips with his thick tongue.

"Thou are quite a delectable maiden, My Lady," he replied. Victoria nodded slowly and leant forward, pressing her lips against his, all the while fighting revulsion. One of his arms quickly encircled her slender waist and crushed her against him. His tongue shot out and probed her mouth insolently, while his other large flabby hand roamed up and down her body roughly caressing her breasts and buttocks. Victoria nearly gagged but she forced the panic down. Eventually she pulled away, a false smile plastered on her face. "Oh Riley, I want thee so badly," she said, disgusted at how easily men were turned on. She could see the lustful glint in his eyes and his feeble erection trying to make itself known through its breeches. She moved closer ignoring the rank odour of unwashed clothes and skin and began pretending to remove his sword belt. She purposely ran her hand across the miniscule bulge his breeches, Riley shuddered. Again, she brushed her hand across the front of his breeches and watched him close his eyes in ecstasy. Victoria kept one hand attending to his breeches while the other deftly and silently unsheathed the dagger he wore on his belt. She removed her hand from his erection and Riley opened his eyes indignantly.

"Why have thou stopped?" he asked.

She gave him a scornful look. "Thou are a fool Riley. Dost thou honestly believe that I, the Empress to a great country, would wish thee, a stinking, putrid, pig of a man, to bed me?" she sneered.

Riley grabbed her roughly by the wrist, "No wench messes with me."

She smiled coldly, "Thou are so right Riley. No wench shall ever mess with thee again," she said. He looked at her confused and noticed for the first time that his dagger was in her hands.

"What-" he never finished his question before Victoria drove his dagger to the hilt in his gut. He grunted in agony as she twisted the dagger into his ribcage ensuring the strike was fatal. His face paled and his eyes glazed over in death as his large body crumpled to the floor. Victoria dusted her hands satisfied that the job had been done well, she leant down and hoisted his body onto her shoulder taking care to avoid getting blood on herself. She had thought that she would have trouble carrying him because although Riley was short he was heavily built but she found that the Dark One's power had drastically increased her physical strength. She carried him to the stairwell and with a dramatic sigh she threw his body down it. His helm went crashing down the stone stairs after him. She smiled at Leah as she silently stood beside her and stared down the stairwell.

"Be he dead?" she asked. Victoria giggled.

"If he was not dead when the dagger entered his ribcage, the stairs shall take care of him," Victoria replied.

Despite herself, Leah went white, "Well, done, My Lady."

"Aye, now draw me a bath, quickly. I must get the stench and feel off him off my body," Victoria said.

For the second time that day, the soldiers were called to assemble in the inner bailey. Jacob stood by his friend, James and the rest of their platoon. He couldn't help but wonder where Riley, their belated leader, was.

'He be probably harassing some young village girl,' he thought. He held absolutely no respect for him, as did most of the soldiers but he also harboured a deep hatred for the fat, lazy Captain. As Victoria mounted the platform for the second time that day, she looked out over the many soldiers searching for the man who would succeed the unfortunate Riley. Her much improved eyesight fell on two men that seemed to stand out from the sea of pathetic low life soldiers who were members of the army simply because they had fled the drudgery of farm life. While most of the soldiers wore stained torn uniforms and tarnished, dented armour both these men kept themselves clean as if the uniforms were new. One had neatly kept black hair and dark eyes, while the other with tousled blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.

'Jacob Black and James Hunter,' she knew them both by name, both were proven fighters, cunning, swift and both were often called upon to settle disputes amongst the other soldiers. They were the closest of friends, loyal always to each other.

Jacob had lived at the castle since he was born. Victoria knew that he could not be made Captain of the Guard. He had too many ties to the Empress Renee and the princess. She couldn't chance him allying with the rebels, he was also intelligent and the men followed him easily.

James however was another story; he was strong and well liked but was naive in the ways of women and could be easily moulded. These were perfect traits for her captain. Victoria knew it would not be difficult to convince him to be loyal to her alone.

She spoke loudly, her clear voice reaching the corners of the courtyard, "Loyal troops. I am afraid that I am to be the bearer of ill news. Thy brave loyal Captain Riley Biers, upon leaving my chambers met with an unfortunate accident. It is our belief that he fell whilst on the stairwell. He was impaled on his dagger, he did not survive. I have called thee all here to proclaim his successor, in this time of urgency, with the rebels growing in force daily, we have great need of a strong wise Captain who will lead thee men into victory. After much thought I have decided that, James Hunter be the most worthy," the men erupted into loud raucous cheering. Jacob thumped his friend on the back

"Well done my friend," he said without a hint of jealousy. James made his way up to the platform congratulated by all, Victoria continued.

"James, I wish to see thee in my chambers as soon as possible," James nodded and bowed, accepting the sword which marked his status as Captain of the Guard. Victoria left the platform in a flurry of skirts, racing through the castle and up to her chamber.

"We have need for more wine, Leah," she said, releasing her hair from its bindings. Leah nodded and bowed before leaving the room. She didn't know who Victoria had picked to be Captain but she hoped he was a better man than Riley. He had often cornered her in the hallways or in the grounds of the castle expecting her to pleasure him as though it was his due. Leah knew she was not the only one either. That monster had manhandled many of the girls who worked in the castle. She wished she was a man or at least knew how to swing a sword so she could have killed him herself. She quickly collected the wine and raced back up to Victoria's chamber, when she entered she saw that the shutters on the chamber windows were closed.

The chamber would have been in darkness if it had not been lit by what seemed like hundreds of candles. Victoria was reclining against the bed, red hair cascading around her shoulders, her slender body all but bare. Leah gasped, she had to admit Victoria was a beautiful woman. Victoria giggled, reaching for the tray of wine, "Thou must go now," she said ushering Leah to the door. "I have the feeling that the Captain and I shall be discussing, business, late into the night, I shall ring, if I need thee." Leah bowed and left the room.

James knocked on Victoria's chamber door nervous as all hell. He was the son of a farmer but now he was the head of Empress' Imperial Army. A soft voice called, "Thou may enter," he pushed open the door and stood transfixed. The soft candlelight made the great pale expanses of Victoria's flesh exposed to him glow. He swallowed hard as his gaze travelled slowly up her slender legs taking in the small slip of silk she was wearing, the material straining to contain her breasts.

"Oh, Milady," he stuttered, lowering his blue eyes and backing out of the chamber.

Victoria giggled, "Nay James, I invited thee. Do enter," he slowly moved back into the room, his eyes carefully averted. "Close the door," she said softly. He did so. Victoria slowly walked towards him, her hips swaying slightly under the silk. "Wine?" she asked, offering him a goblet.

"Milady, I thought we had important matters to discuss?" he asked, taking the goblet and draining it quickly. He hadn't noticed the herbs she had dropped into it or the strange bitterness those herbs produced.

Victoria dropped her empty goblet and ran her hands slowly up James's arms, entwining her arms around his neck and pressing her slender body against his hard muscular one. "And we do, James. We have much to discuss," she said, pulling his head down to her kiss. With James Victoria felt no disgust, a delicious warm feeling crept through her limbs and she began to tremble. James froze for a second before instinct took over and he pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss.

Suddenly he came to his senses and pulled away. "For..r..rgive me..e..e M..M..Milady," he stammered. Victoria smiled at his embarrassment, she stepped towards him again running her hands over his shoulders and chest. James tried to capture her hands but they slipped past his quickly removing his gauntlets and dropping them to the floor. His armour, chain-mail jerkin and shirt all joined the growing pile on the floor. He tried to capture her hands again but they slid down his bare chest and belly and down into his mysteriously unlaced breeches. He groaned in pleasure before clasping her wrists and pulling her hands back.

"Milady, I-"

Victoria stepped away, her eyes wounded, "Am I not pleasing to thee?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly. Victoria sat on the bed, her eyes downcast, "Am I not attractive enough?"

James came and sat next her. "Nay, thou are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he said.

Victoria kept her eyes on the floor and whispered "Then why dost thou not want me?"

"Thou are my Empress. I would not do anything that would dishonour myself in thy eyes," he said. She looked up, tears shining in her large, childlike eyes.

"Thou could never," she said. Before he could answer she leapt on him pushing him down onto the soft bed. Straddling his hips she raised his arms above his head and pinning them there with one hand. James struggled but could not break her hold. Slowly she bent her head and kissed the base of his throat. Her tongue darted out and touched the place her lips had just left.

James groaned struggling to free his arms, she found his lips again and kissed him with a rising passion. When his tongue caressed hers a groan of pleasure tore itself from her throat and she ground her hips into his. James gave a harsh cry and tore his arms free, he crushed her to his chest his hands caressing her smooth back.

Rolling them over, James pinned her beneath him, his breathing was harsh as he looked down at Victoria. Her breath was as ragged as his own her skin flushed pink.

"Milady," he said, "I do not wish to hurt thee."

Victoria grinned, "Oh James," she cried as she kissed his neck, her hips grinding into his long hard length. He gave a growl and tore the slip from her body, the shredded silk falling to the floor in tatters. He kissed her deeply, thrusting himself into her as he did so. The walls of the chamber echoed with the moans and soft cries that followed.

A/N3:

Hope you enjoyed that chapter, I made Riley a disgusting pig cos I wanted Victoria to show that she is shallow and wanted to use someone that was up to her standards.

Please R&R

xx Isobel