Chapter 24

A/N: so things are starting to escalate pretty quickly. Once again I own nothing.

Moonrose swept past the guards standing outside the Queen's chambers, opening the door all conversation stopped and several people turned to face them. Queen Skyfall smiled, her cheeks flush with excitement and wine. Lord Megatron was standing beside her, a dark smile on his face. Midnight stood in the corner of the room, a smirk planted firmly on her face, eyes gleaming in—what? Triumph? Satisfaction? Then there was Alpha Q, a fat lazy priest who spent more time cozying up to the aristocracy than performing his duties. Let's just say her father had almost banished him from the temple on several occasions.

"Here they are now," Skyfall said. She swept forwards and kissed both Moonrose and Soundwave.

Moonrose scanned the room, flowers were everywhere—two extravagant arrangements of lilies and roses stood on either side on an alter. Bowls of the flowers were sitting on the table amongst flickering candles. And off to the side was a serving table with wine, glasses and a cloth embroidered with roses and falcons. Why, it looked almost like a…

"Do you like it?" the Queen asked. "We had very little time to put it together, however, I think you'll appreciate the discretion. I know it may not be exactly what you pictured…"

"What is this?" Moonrose interrupted completely confused. The uneasy feeling was now returning full force.

"My Queen, perhaps you should explain," Lord Megatron said.

"Rose, you know how we've been talking—well, strategizing—about the best match for you now that you're eligible for marriage," she started.

Moonrose glowered. "Who's been talking? You and I? Or you and them?!" she snarled.

"We all have remember? We agreed that an Alliance match would not be best because of all the upheaval there," she said.

"I never agreed to that," she said.

The Queen looked at her daughter shocked by her outburst. "Well, there's no prospects in the Clans, you're related to all their royalty," she said after a moment.

"Well, Dad knows more people in the Clans than you' perhaps he knows a suitable match," she said. "When he gets here we can ask his opinion?"

"Your father's opintion might be…interesting, but not relevant," Skyfall said.

"Relevant?! He's my father! And the fragging Prime! His opinion is more than relevant!" she snapped.

"Moonrsoe Grace Prime! Watch your language!" Skyfall gasped becoming irritated.

"Frag off!"

"Look! We need to consider the importance of wizards in upcoming conflicts, and we must cement those interests closer together," she said.

"What the pit does that have to do with this conversation?!" she hissed. "And the High Wizard is magically bound to the Queen, therefore their interests already coincide."

"It has everything to do with it!" the Queen snarled. "We've chosen a suitable match for you that is suitable to the realm and the line; you will marry Lord Soundwave Thorns Morgenstern."

Moonrose tried to convince herself that this was a joke to test her knowledge of the Healing, but the scowl on her mother's face and the smirk on Megatron's said otherwise. She looked at Soundwave and saw the truth in his face. Then she remembered what he said: "Neither of us have a choice." She took a deep breath. "It's forbidden," she stated.

"By whom? I am the Queen of this realm."

"Forbidden by the Healing for the past thousand years, and by your husband, who I feel inclined to remind you is the Prime, the leader of faith and culture. The man who keeps nations from killing each other," Moonrose reminded.

"My girl, think of the opportunity," Megatron said. "The union of the Queens and wizards will once again make us one of the two most powerful kingdoms in all of Cybertron. Why should the actions of one rouge Wizard Prime close that door forever?"

"Kingdom? Last I checked this was and always will be a Queendom! And I am not your girl! I am the Crown Princess of Iacon! I will not be ordered around by you! And you'd do well to remember it. It was not the actions of one wizard, which need I remind you was from another nation, it was the constant abuse of power by a dynasty of Wizards who can and took over Iacon, by enslaving its blooded rulers!"

"That's one perspective," Megatron said smoothly. "Others call it a golden age. A time when Kaon was our only main rival in power and size. A time when the other nations sent tribute to us. The time we built the legendary city!"

"The city was built before your arrival dumb aft," Moonrose grumbled.

"Who's been feeding you this misinformation? Your father? Shade Pax?" he growled.

Turning away from Megatron, making sure to smack the man with her hair, she went over to her mother. "Mom, you know this is wrong. You can't marry me to a wizard; the Clans will go to war over it. Do you want a civil war on top of the looming Alliance threat?"

"Bows and arrows will not defend us from the weapons of Kaon, we know they've just been toying with us for the past thousand years. Ever hear of Andromidus?" the Queen asked.

"No…"

"Well, it was a fairly decent sized mation, about the size of Tarn, one day when I was younger I was visiting there, and one-day word reached the capital that the Kaonian army had come. We fled and in a matter of hours the nation was conquered, the weapons…were like nothing I'd ever seen. If they decide they've had enough of us they will decimate us, we need sorcery on our side if we want to even have a fighting chance."

"We already have it, or we should," she muttered. "So what's wrong with the magical link huh? The High Wizard is supposed to be bound to the Queen, and subject to her will. So is it damaged? Broken?"

"Soundwave, calm your bride," Megatron snarled. "We need to get this overwith, obviously she's just nervous. And we need to ride back home before the morning."

Soundwave began moving towards Moonrose as she backed away. "Come on, let's just get this over with," he said pleadingly.

She almost felt bad for him, almost. Her gaze landed on Alpha Q and her eyes went wide. "You mean to marry me off tonight?!" she gasped.

"Of course, this way we can send those alliance bastards home with the news, stifling any talk of us joining," Megatron smiled.

"Mom! Don't do this! I don't want to marry anyone right now!" she pleaded.

"As Queen we marry for the good of the realm."

"You didn't!" Moonrose snapped and the Queen sighed.

"It doesn't fall to every queen, but it comes to most."

"But this isn't good," she said as she continued to walk away from Soundwave.

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE REALM!" Skyfall shouted tossing the wine glass she held to the ground, shattering it. "I lie awake in bed every night wondering what will become of us; with the wars, gangs, spies and assassins! I worry about you, you have no one to protect you!"

"We have the Elite Guard, Dad, and his Temple Guard!"

"They cannot be everywhere."

"Right, for example, where are they now?! My father, Captain Magnus?! Where are they?!" she demanded. "When I get married I want my father to be there!" She watched Megatron as she said that. Something flickered across the man's face, he knew something. Both Optimus and Ultra Magnus had been sent away before her birthday, the day she'd be named heir to the throne and eligible for marriage. She felt a cold feeling settle in her chest; she would be married before the night was over is Megatron and the Queen had their way. "Alpha Q! You are priest! A keeper of the old ways, a servant to the Prime. You know I can't marry a wizard!"

"Well…you see…on that rule I've issued a…suspension," he shrugged.

"Did the Prime approve?" she retorted only for him to look away.

While Moonrose was distracted, Soundwave lunged and grabbed her. Reaching into his shirt he pulled out an amulet, and started speaking a charm. She growled as she struggled, he wasn't allowed to have one yet! She was a fool to believe wizards would play fair! She felt the magic sizzle from his hands into her, but it disappeared as soon as it came, and the ring on her finger felt warm. Moonrose had to repress a smirk, she remembered that the piece was a defensive amulet, and now she knew she could take advantage of the situation. She decided to play along and put on a face of vacancy. "I'm sorry, I'm just being foolish. This is just so sudden, I've always dreamed we could be together, but assumed it wasn't possible."

She heard an audible release of breath around her. "Me too," Soundwave said relaxing his death grip on her. "I can't say how…frustrating it was to yearn for something I could never have." He kissed her, and she had to not flinch away.

"The thing is I've always wanted a big wedding," she said putting on the fake tears. "I wanted everyone to be there. I wanted Daddy to walk me down the isle. You had that Mommy."

"I know sweetie, it's what every girl wants."

"You know people will talk, they'll question if I'm even married at all."

"They wouldn't dare!" Skyfall hissed. "I'd forbid it!"

"If we had kids their legitimacy could be questioned."

"Your Majesty, she's just nervous," Megatron said. "Shall we proceed?" He glanced at his son as if telling him to use something stronger.

"I know I have to serve the realm, but must it really be at the expense of my dreams?" Moonrose pleaded.

"I had no idea you felt that way," Skyfall said, flustered as she always was by conflict.

Moonrose repressed a smile as she saw she had an advantage. "You're the Queen, you can just proclaim that we'll marry in the fall," she pressed. "I just want everything to be perfect."

"My Queen, we can't risk waiting," Megatron said placing his hand on her shoulder. "Anything could happen before then. We could be invaded. Kaon could break the treaty. The Crown Princess could be kidnapped. The Clans could rebel. She needs to have a gifted husband to protect her."

Moonrose watched the pair. There was no doubt in her mind that Lord Megatron was currently pouring power into Queen Skyfall as he ordered Soundwave to do to her. There was no way her mother could resist it.

"Oh sweetheart, we can't risk waiting. I promise I'll make it up to you somehow. We'll throw a reception like the world has never seen. We'll invite everyone! You'll see!" Skyfall smiled sadly.

Moonrose was crying, but not out of happiness as they thought, but out of fury. She was completely alone. What would Dawnfire do?

"It's ok," Soundwave said awkwardly placing a hand on her shoulder. It took all of Moonrose's willpower not to punch him in his perfect face; and hopefully break his nose.

"Where…where would we go?" she inquired as she tried to prevent this consummation. "Will we go back to my chambers or…"

"We'll host you at the Titanus House," Megatron said smoothly with a wolfish smile. "We already have a private apartment set up for the two of you."

"Oh," she muttered under her breath so they wouldn't hear, so she put on the water works and started sobbing. "I wish Daddy was here, but if he can't…c-can I go get the rose pendant he gave me? It'd be like he as here, it'd only be a moment."

"COME ON!" Megatron snapped finally losing his patience. "Alpha Q has been waiting for two hours already! If anyone asks we'll say you wore the damn thing!"

"No!" Skyfall hissed. "She shall be permitted to wear her necklace if it helps cheer her up. It's the least we could do after all she's sacrificed." Her tone left no room for argument.

"Fine, I'll send a guardsman after it," Megatron said.

"No!" Moonrose growled. "I can't remember where I put it, and I don't want soldiers pawing through my drawers."

"Soundwave accompany your fiancée and make sure she's safe," Megatron smiled. "I know you won't let her get away."

In the next moment they were running down the hall towards her room. She could still feel Soundwave trying to reinforce his spell. "So you can use magic?" she said acknowledging it finally.

"Um…we have heirlooms," he stuttered.

"So that's why Mom wants you to marry me, you have an advantage over the other houses, right? Because you don't need to beg from the Clans?" she growled.

Soundwave nodded. "These days, the only amulets you can get are temporary. So you have to keep going back to restore them, or get new ones. It's the way they control wizards," he growled.

"And these don't wear out?" she growled.

"The ones in my family take longer to, however Kaonian pieces don't," he sighed.

"Do you really want to marry me?" she asked curiously.

He was silent for a moment as if he was choosing his words carefully. "Who wouldn't want to marry the Crown Princess of Iacon?" he spoke.

"Is that all I am to you? A title?"

"You've always fascinated me Rose. I could always have any other girl, but you. You never let me get away with anything, ad you always speak your mind. I'd rather kiss you than any other girl at court," he confessed. "I think we could be good together."

Not exactly a proclamation of love. If she hadn't been being forced into this, she would've actually considered his offer. She had to repress a relieved cry as she spotted the guard standing outside of her room. Spotting them, he straightened. "Wait here," Moonrose said standing in her doorway.

Soundwave looked like he was about to protest when the guard stood between her and him. "Her Highness told you to wait here," he said.

As Moonrose closed the door she could hear the guard and Soundwave arguing, and it was getting louder. She didn't have much time. "Your Highness? Why are you coming in so late?! I know it's your birthday and all-!" Hailstorm was silenced as Moonrose slammed her hand over her mouth.

"Hail do you love me?" the princess whispered.

"Of course, but why?"

"Then pack me some riding clothes! Nothing facny! Just plain Clan!" she commanded. "Hurry!" With that Moonrose got out of the gown slipping into black leggings, a grey top, and puller her hair into a ponytail.

"Just what is going on?" Hail whispered as she packed her things. "You aren't eloping are you?"

"Just the opposite," Moonrose grumbled. "The Morgensterns intend to marry me off to Soundwave, they have a priest and everything. Lord Megatron also put a spell on my mother to make her agree."

"By the Primes!" she exclaimed.

"Shh! Soundwave's right outside the door!" Moonrose hissed.

Hailstorm glared venomously at the door. "I've never liked wizards," she said frankly. "You don't intend to leave with him, do you?"

"I'd rather meet Unicron himself," she snarled. "But I need you to give me a head start."

"I don't like the idea of you climbing down the balcony…"

"There's another way, fallow me!" Moonrose led her to the closet and opened the passage. "It leads to the Greenhouse."

Hailstorm grinned widely. "You're just like her!" she said pridefully.

"Like who?"

"Queen Dawnfire, it was rumored she had one of these in her room," Hail said rolling back her sleeve.

"You're a Huntress?!" Moonrose gasped. The Huntresses were a secret society of women dedicated to the memory of the warrior queen.

"I am," she said with a smile. "They meant to force her into marriage with a wizard as well and wouldn't stand for it. She said it was better to be dead than to marry a demon."

Moonrose grabbed her emergency money, and the pair froaze as a knock sounded at the door. "Moonrose! Hurry up! Everyone is waiting!" Soundwave called.

"Be patient! She'll be ready when she's ready!" Hailstrom snarled viciously enough to send any man the other way.

"If he knocks again tell him we're still looking!" she pleaded.

"I'll make a rope of sheets and hang it over the balcony to throw him off your scent," Hailstorm said hugging her. "Now go!"

Moonrose nodded and closed the passage behind her. She raced through the tunnels towards where Smokescreen was currently on duty. "Where've you been?!" Smokescreen snapped as he pulled her up. "I was beginning to think you'd gone to bed without telling me." He paused to catch his breath. "What's going on?"

"Lord Megatron has pieces predating the Breaking, he used one to put a spell on my mother, and he intends to marry me off tonight! I'd be married already if I hadn't insisted on coming to my room first. It won't be long before they realize I'm gone; we need to leave!" she pleaded.

Smokescreen nodded. "We should leave the city, better yet, the country until this is sorted out," he said grabbing the saddlebags. They snuck through the castle, hiding from whomever passed them. "We need to clear the drawbridge before they sound the alarm." They were halfway across the river before the bells sounded.

"What's going on?" a guard called running up.

"Don't know," Smokescreen lied pulling her close. "Maybe someone stole a pastry from the kitchen, or they're showing off for their guests. I'm leaving with my girlie before I have to polish my brass."

"Can't say I blame ya Corporal!" the guard called as he jogged off.

They ran to the stables, when Smokescreen suddenly grabbed her and pulled out his sword. "Rosie?" Optimus said swinging down from his horse. Moonrose gasped at his appearance, he was bloody, covered in a mix of sweat and blood, and had a splinted arm. "I'm ok, it's thanks to Captain Magnus, and the Kaonian guards that insisted on accompanying us that it wasn't any worse."

A young blonde man dressed in black and white battle armor stepped up. "Ten men, they did their best to kill all of us, but thankfully failed. "Judging by their fighting style they were Iaconian trained guard."

"Barricade? Sideswipe? Sunstreaker?" Smokescreen gaped.

"Hey Smokey, long time, no see!" the ruby-eyed blonde grinned. Behind him a red-head with blue eyes, and a blonde that looked exactly like the red-head wearing yellow armor stepped out.

"The Guard is most likely compromised," Magnus said breaking up the reunion.

"I'm sorry," Optimus said hugging his daughter. "I meant to be there for your birthday like I promised…Seems someone else had other ideas."

"Megatron," Moonrose snarled. "It has to be!"

"Just what is going on?" Sunstreaker asked.

Smokescreen explained what was going on as quick as he could, Barricade nodded taking the reins of the twins' horses and ordering them to go tack up two more horses.

"Would you go to North Woods?" Magnus asked.

"It's the closest, but we can't stay long. Mom will order them to hand me over, and if they refuse they're be an all-out civil war…I'm going to have to leave the country," she sighed.

"How about the Academy?" Barricade suggested, no one would think to search for her there if she enrolls as a warrior student. "It's our best option…however, you can't go to the closest camp, they'll expect that, the best strategy is to go to a farther one, like Nightshade."

Optumus nodded, and Smokescreen grinned. "Then we can travel through Kaon, and through the Mists, afterall the Mistwalkers respect the Iaconian line," Smokescreen continued.

"The Mists are nearly impassible this time of year, and there's been rumors of trouble with the Mistwalkers," Magnus protested.

"It's hard to get through, but not impassible," Sideswipe said. "Unless you'd rather have her go through Vos with all the bloodshed going on?"

"Dad, the Wolves and the Kaonians could escort her," Smokescreen said.

"Your wolves will have to do it," Barricade said. "We have business we need to attend to here first, then we'll lead a false trail to throw them off your scent."

Optimus placed a hand on his friend's shoulder before he could protest. "Magnus, you know that this is our best option, sending your guards will be treason in my wife's eyes, and a smaller group will be harder to find. We'll pretend she's the daughter of a noble, this way the other cadets never know, and the peace will protect her, with Kaon basically controlling the school and the city around it, what are the odds of something happening?"

"She can't stay away long, otherwise we run the risk of the Queen naming Icefire heir," Magnus gruffly agreed.

"We'll debate this more later! Right now we should go," Moonrose said. "Smokescreen and I will ride ahead and meet you at Nightshade."

"Smokesreen a word?" Magnus said dragging his son away.

Barricade brought over her horse, and she swung up. "Be safe ok Rosie," Prime saidn and she nodded. The Prime then stood tall before Smokescreen, actually looking menacing. "And you! If anything happens to her, it'll be your head on a pike!"

Smokescreen nodded vigorously, and the pair took off. Barricade and the twins swung up on their horses. "Prime, we'll set up the false trail, then meet you at North Woods, we still have a contract to complete," the young Kaonian Corporal said swinging up on a black and white paint, Kaonian Warhorse. Optimus nodded, and the trio took off.

"C'mon, I want to see the look on Megatron's face when he sees us," Magnus grinned putting a hand on his shoulder.