Whisper

"Why can't I take this makeup off?" Oliverara picked at the fake half of her face. Elara sat next to her dressed in her regal attire as normal. She shifted in discomfort as the plane hit another rough patch of air. Oliverara smiled at the queen's hatred of flying.

"Your scar makes you identifiable. You're just a Samos cousin now. They still believe Oliverara Samos is with the Scarlet Guard."

"Tolly will know it's me," Oliverara mumbled.

Elara gripped Oliverara's arm tightly, her nails embedding deep into her wrist. "And if he says a word to anyone else he will die and you will be imprisoned in the basement of Whitefire for the rest of your life. An act your parents failed to do." Oliverara just nodded until the grip on her arm loosened.

"And what, you're here to make sure of that?" Oliverara asked. Elara just smiled and nodded. Oliverara rolled her eyes. Yay, a babysitter, she thought.

I'm no babysitter. I have royal duties to attend to. Like making sure the Scarlet Guard dies when they come to my prison. Elara snickered out loud.

Oliverara scoffed. "How are you so sure they'd even want to go to Corros Prison? It's full of Silvers."

"It's full of Silvers who hate the Crown. And Mare Barrow's friend Julian Jacos. She'll want him out for his knowledge, and the Scarlet Guard will want to make a point by setting free Silvers who hate the Crown." She smiled at Oliverara. "You see, I've thought this out."

"You certainly have."

The plane jerked again as it began descending into a clearing. A small bunker had been set up near the edge of the woods. Just through the harsh thicket was the one and only stronghold prison itself: Corros Prison. Built with Silent Stone to hold Silvers guilty of the most heinous crimes. Just hearing the name made most Silvers shiver, but not Oliverara. Corros Prison was not the worst fate she could think of. She had manifested through Silent Stone, she had mastered the art of warping under it, and she had also kept that fact a secret from almost everyone. Not even Ellyn knew. Oliverara didn't know if Elara knew, but she must if she was going to put her as a guard at the prison. There were hundreds of other stations Oliverara could be at. The Choke, a slum, Maven's private guard, anywhere in Norta even.

The plane landed gently on the grass and through the window Oliverara saw Ptolemus and some of the army members approaching. She couldn't help the smile that overtook her face upon seeing Tolly. Then another thought crossed her mind: Ellyn. She'd get to see Ellyn. Her heart skipped a beat and a strange warmth flooded over her body.

"And if you say anything to her about your identity she will die," Elara growled. Her face came up to Oliverara's and her breath coated her skin in ice. "I promise, it will be painful, and in front of you." Her cutting blue eyes bore deep into Oliverara's chrome ones. Slowly, her cold fingers crawled across Oliverara's brain picking through her mind. Bed sheets, and soft kisses, and warm fingers trailing across curves, and the curtains at the Summerton gala pulled shut. All those lovely moments between Ellyn and her. Those soft, sweet, beautiful moments. And Elara's evil gaze scoring each one.

"You both do have," she paused, "drive don't you." A harsh snicker.

"Jealous?" Oliverara hissed. Elara's eyes narrowed but she did nothing. Just briskly pushed past Oliverara to get off the plane.

Ptolemus bowed to Elara and so did the two solders behind him. Well, it was Sonya Iral and Heron Welle, so more like bitches in uniform than soldiers. They bowed to the queen with cute smiles like they were still princesses back in Summerton.

"Your Majesty, it is an honor to have you here," Ptolemus said.

"I know," Elara sighed. "I am just here for business with some special prisoners, and to give you a new member for your team." She pulled Oliverara forward. "This is Olive Samos from the Samos family clan down along the Piedmont border. Wayne and Amantha Samos sent all four of their children off to the war effort. Sampson and Dyron are in the Choke, Anastasia is a guard in New Town, and Olive is here to help in your guarding of Corros prison. Ptolemus I'm sure you can attest to the power of your cousin, can't you?" Elara stared Ptolemus down as his eyes stared in shock at Oliverara.

"Ah yes! Olive! It's been, um, too long since our parents have gotten together." He gave her a tight hug. Heron and Sonya couldn't care less about the queen's overdone story. They were too busy kissing her ass.

"Oh Your Majesty that dress is so beautiful!"

"Oh Your Majesty your jewelry sparkles in the light so elegantly!"

"Oh Your Majesty your hair is so well sculpted!"

On and on they went complimenting every inch of Elara. She's not gonna take you out of the war because you were a kiss-up, Oliverara thought to herself. Never worked with my mother.

"Heron, Sonya, please take Olive to her room. I'm sure she's anxious to relax after travelling all day," Elara smiled. Oliverara almost wanted to thank her for this out. Instead she settled for not knocking her shoulder into Elara's as she passed. The two princesses gave her no care. Just demeaning looks at her clothes and buzzcut. Oliverara didn't care. She was finally away from Elara.

Or so you think Rat.

Wait, where had that voice come from?


Ptolemus watched his sister walk away with Sonya and Heron. His chest was alive with joy. Oliverara was okay! She was going to be safe with him and Ellyn and the army! Away from Maven and Elara and their evil plots.

"Oh don't be so crude Ptolemus!" Elara crowed. "I'm not so horrible. I haven't killed your sister, I haven't punished you for letting the Scarlet Guard get away, and I didn't kill your sister's lover when she started asking questions. I'd say I've been a lot kinder than I should have." Elara smiled as Ptolemus shook his head.

"You've destroyed my family. Made my sister a pariah, forced my other one into hiding with rebels, and orchestrated the murder of your husband!" Ptolemus backed away from her.

Elara grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. "Listen to me closely Samos, if you say anything to anyone about Oliverara's or Evangeline's true identities not only will you, Evangeline, and whoever you told die gruesome public deaths, but Oliverara will be forever imprisoned in the pits of Whitefire. She will be tortured, abused, and forgotten until the day she dies and no one will mourn her passing. So do not say or do anything out of the ordinary to make anyone think anything about this situation! Do you understand me?" Ptolemus nodded. Elara let go of his arm and waved him away.

"You're a bitch Elara," he growled. She gave him an evil glare before walking off towards the prison.

"Watch your step Samos."


Oliverara sat on the bed in her room. It was private thankfully. No prying eyes. Except the weird shivers running up her neck. The soft hum in the back of her brain. She shook it away. It was nothing. She was just tired. Oliverara laid back on the bed, not even bothering to take off her uniform, and closed her eyes. The darkness beneath was so comforting. She was finally safe from Maven and Elara. This bed was no Whitefire bed, but it was what she was used to. And that was comfort enough. She sighed into the pillow and curled into a ball.

You'll find sleep isn't always so easy. Oh wait, you're used to that.

Oliverara shot upright. That was Elara. She rocketed out of the bed and threw the door open. Up and down the hall it was empty. She quickly shut and locked the door. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute. "You're not here. You're not here." Oliverara whispered.

No, I'm in your head.

Oliverara jumped backwards and hit the wall hard. "No, you're not here!" She scratched at her head, dragging her nails along her ears. "Not here, not here, not here!" The room was getting darker as the light outside slowly faded. Oliverara shook her head. How was it night so quickly?

Time is an elusive thing isn't it Rat?

The sunlight was suddenly streaming through her window; burning her eyes. Oliverara threw herself on the bed and hid her face in the pillow. "You're not here. You're not here." Oliverara sobbed. She dug through her mind looking for where Elara's voice was hiding. In her childhood? No. What about her army memories? No. Was it still rooting through her memories of Ellyn? No, thankfully. Aw, Ellyn. Now Oliverara's tears were for a different reason. She missed her lover more than ever. Knowing Ellyn was somewhere in this building. Somewhere so close by, but so far; it made her crazy. Oliverara's pain was so much she almost didn't realize the voice had retreated somewhere. She sighed in relief.

A sudden knocking on her door made her jump. "Who's there?" She called cautiously. Nothing. Did she imagine that too?

"It's Colonel Macanthos." The whisper floated through the door and Oliverara's knees went weak.

Oliverara opened the door. Ellyn stood regally on the other side. Her uniform shined, her eyes glowed, and her scar was proud against her skin. Oliverara wanted nothing more than to kiss her. Kiss her rough, kiss her passionately, kiss her till she drowned. Instead she had to stand there and die inside. "Hello Colonel Macanthos. It's nice to meet you."

Ellyn smiled. "Ptolemus told me that one of his cousins had come to fight with us. I'm always happy to meet a magnetron. Your family's power is quite fascinating to me."

Oliverara gave a tight lipped smile. "I'm honored that you think that. Well it was nice to meet you. I'm sorry but I'm terribly tired." Oliverara started to shut the door, but Ellyn caught it.

"I'm sorry, I understand that but I don't recall Ptolemus telling me your name."

Tolly you sly dog, Oliverara thought. Of course Ellyn would recognize her army pseudonym. She had known her while she was still in hiding as a Red soldier. Had Elara forgotten that? She'll die if I tell her who I am, Oliverara worried. But damn those beautiful eyes were staring into her soul.

"I'm Olive. Olive Samos."

Ellyn's eyes widened. "O-Olive?" She asked. Oliverara nodded. "Does anyone ever mess up your last name and say 'Samo'?"

Oliverara's breath hitched. "Yes, maybe they do. I'm here, um, on behalf of the queen. There's been some, um, issues in my family of late. And she thought it best that I came here. Away from the spotlight." Ellyn nodded. And she stepped into the room, the door shutting behind her.

"I'm sure that's rough. Being watched by the queen so much that you never get a chance to be yourself." Her eyes darted around the room. "But she's not watching you anymore, right?" Oliverara shook her head slowly.

"No," she breathed. "She's not watching me anymore."

A tear fell down Ellyn's face. "Oli?"

Oliverara threw herself into Ellyn's arms. Their bodies melded together in the embrace. Oliverara's tears poured onto Ellyn's shoulder. "Ellyn, I missed you so much. I've been thinking of you for so long. Everyday. All I've wanted is you."

"Oli I thought you were with the Scarlet Guard!" Ellyn sobbed. "I thought I'd never see you again!" She pulled back. "Is that Evangeline? Is she the one with the rebels?" Oliverara just nodded. Ellyn pulled her back into the hug. Her hand stroked Oliverara's buzzcut and trailed down her neck.

"Ellyn," Oliverara whispered. "Do you have to be anywhere soon?"

"No love, I don't."

Oliverara kissed Ellyn. It was so calming. So safe. Ellyn pulled back, a daydreamy smile on her face. "Oliverara, I love you."

"I love you too Ellyn."

Oliverara was wrong. The bunker bed was far more comfortable than any Whitefire bed. It just needed some breaking in.