What if Queen Channary recovered from regolith poisoning? What if the fire happened but they arrested Levana and found Selene still alive? She was kept in a tank for several years until she was strong enough to have the surgery. Channary teaches her how to use her powers and starts hiding her cyborg parts. She learns of all Channary wants her to learn for when she is queen.

As well as chapter three late, this chapter is a few days late and I am so sorry about that.

Just so you know, I will not post the next two weeks because I will be on vacation but when I get back I will be super active with my TLC fanfictions and re-editing and re-posting my Max Ride fanfictions so be on the lookout for all of those stories.

I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

-Kath

Chapter Four: The Trial

I stand in front of my oversized, bedazzled mirror, my maids shuffling around. I am dressed in a simple yet stunning dark gray silk gown with my hair in a flowy updo.

As I was walking back to my room last night after visiting my deformed monster of a daughter, I stopped in front of the large windows overlooking the gardens to see Levana's husband, Evret, playing with Winter and Jacin. They seemed so carefree after the events of the day.

Standing there, watching them play, was when I made the decision to execute Levana. She deserves it after everything she did to Selene and what she has done throughout the years as payback for what I did to her.

And here I thought she would be grateful. I only showed her true self since Levana was in denial. Poor, helpless Levana. Poor, ugly Levana.

I smiled as I walked away from the windows and continued walking to my chambers. Levana deserves it, and I'm going to make her innocent daughter watch as her stepmother's head is removed.

Now, as I stand here, preparing for the execution, I beam with joy. The thought of my sister finally gone makes me want to squeal and jump around. Of course, such a manner is impolite.

"Gracie," I shout as several maids hem my dress and fix my hair. My personal maid, Gracie, walks forward. She is rather young, only twenty years old, but carries herself as if she was thirty. She is a natural beauty with her silky auburn hair and fair skin, but her movement is slow, her eyes growing more tired each day. "Please tell me what is being done in preparation for the trial."

She looks down at the clipboard that she seems rather fond of. Her voice drags as she takes a deep breath. "The trial is scheduled for thirty minutes from now and most of the guests are seated with a few loitering around, but I had a guard show them to the courtroom. Princess Winter is seated in her throne while Mr. Hayle and Sir Clay are on duty. They are leading Levana to the courtroom as per your request."

I smile, beaming with relief and joy that everything is on track. I wince as a needle pricks me. I send a death glare to the young girl, who nervously looks at me and removes her needle from the dress.

"Excellent, thank you, Gracie. All of you leave!" I order, stepping off the platform, causing me to step on the poor girl's hand. She yelps but stays silent. What a good girl. The maids scramble out of my room as Gracie moves at a slow pace. I walk over to the window and look out at the vast landscape. Earth moves slowly in the distance, blues and greens flashing by.

Levana is to be dead soon with all of Luna and Earth to see her. My smile darkens, my body singing with joy. Oh how fun this will be. To make matters even more enjoyable, Evret is the one ordered to kill Levana. Oh the look on Levana's face when her "love", poor, sweet, obedient Evret, takes his blade and aims it at her head.

After this, if Evret succeeds, he will be well rewarded with continuing to live in his current state as well as the safety of Winter. After all, he is the Prince of Luna and she is Princess. Both lowlifes.

Oh, but Channary, you are queen. You can do whatever you want with them. My smile widens. I can have Evret sentenced to death for killing the Princess, his wife. Oh, yes. Yes, this works out nicely. And I'll have his guard-friend, Sir Clay do it. I'll let the two kids live and just let them suffer with guilt for what their fathers have done.

I call for my guard to make sure young Jacin is there.

"Yes, Your Majesty." says the guard I called for.

I continue to smile. "Please have the son of Clara and Sir Clay be seated next to Princess Winter for the execution."

He gives me a skeptical look but nods and leaves without a word. I start humming to myself, gleeful of how fun this trial will be.

Twenty minutes later, my guards enter, telling me its time.

I walk out of my room, my glamour the illusion of grief and sadness, but underneath, I am smiling.

I let silent tears run down my face as I sit in the corner of the dirty cell. A cell made for lowlifes and criminals. Oh, why must I have gotten such a filthy cell? I am the goddamn princess of Luna.

Now my dress is covered in grime and dirt, and my hair is all messed up. Except, that shouldn't be a problem since I will just create the illusion of perfection with my glamour.

Those aren't my main concerns though. My main problem is the fact that once I am dead, my glamour will disappear and my true self will be revealed. The dirty dress, the frizzy hair, and my disfigured face.

All of Luna and Earth will see who I truly am after all I have done to hide that ugly truth.

But I have no regrets for what I did except the disappointment that Selene is, in fact, still alive, still breathing. Oh how I wish I had succeeded. A thought occurs to me seconds later, and this time, I smile.

She may not be dead but she is disfigured just like me. Well, most likely more disfigured than me. It makes me cackle. My laugh rings out in the cell but vanishes when I hear footsteps coming down the hall towards my cell. I place perfect glamour over my features and dress. It must be time for my execution.

I walk towards the front of the cell and stand there with perfect posture and a small smile. I gasp, though, when the two guards come into view.

My Evret. One of the guards in front of me is my husband, my love. What kind of sick game is Channary playing by having Evret come fetch me for my execution.

The other guard is Evret's friend, the one who has the annoying son that plays with Winter and who attended our wedding. He looks at me smugly as he unlocks the cell and takes hold of my arm.

I screech, causing Evret to wince. "How dare you! I am your Princess. You have no right."

"Sorry, your Highness. I do when the order comes from Her Majesty."

I scoff and try to enter both of their brains but they are blocked. No doubt the work of Channary and her stupidly incredible abilities. Oh how much more I hate Sir Clay. You bastard.

I turn to Evret, now desperate. I hate being desperate. "Please, Evret. Let me go. You don't know what you're doing, this is the work of my awful sister." He winces when I address my sister in such a manner.

Sir Clay's hold on me tightens. "We aren't being controlled, Your Highness. Our minds are only blocked from you so you can't take control of us and escape." He pushes me forward but I resist, holding my ground as I continue to plead with Evret.

"Please, honey," He winces again but doesn't make any indication that he's going to help me. "Don't you love me?"

Everything and everyone freezes as the words leave my mouth. I finally register what I said and I wince. I shouldn't have asked that. I laugh. Silly me, of course Evret loves me or he wouldn't have married me.

But he doesn't laugh with me and I quiet down. I stare at him confused and deeply hurt. "Silly of me. Of course you love me. Right? Right, Evret?" My voice darkens and I glare at him, daring him to object. He doesn't speak, only shakes his head. I take a step back but Sir Clay keeps a firm hand on my arm. Evret comes to stand next to me, taking my other arm. Both of them lead me down the hall where six other guards are waiting. They walk behind me as I am led toward the courtroom.

I feel numb. I clench my jaw as we walk in silence. Stupid, stupid girl. Of course Evret never loved you. All he cares about is his precious Winter and dead wife.

The doors open to the courtroom, and I see it filled with Channary's court, the wealthy, and a large screen that is broadcasting the event to all of Luna and Earth. I see Channary hasn't entered yet, meaning she wants to make a big entrance, but what is unusual is that Winter is up there in her seat with Jacin sitting beside her. What is that little brat doing to deserve such a seat?

What in all of Luna is Channary up to?

We enter the courtroom, everyone turning to stare at me. We walk down the aisle, the wealthy whispering but hushing when I glare at them. I reach for any mind available in the room to aid me but all are blocked. I clench my jaw and close my eyes shut.

I am forced to kneel in front of one of many thrones. The guards fan out except for Evret and Sir Clay, who stand beside me.

Everyone whispers again, and I turn my head towards the door where Channary storms in. Her eyes never leave me, and as she gets closer, she smiles. Her eyes say it all. She is highly enjoying this.

She walks around Evret, placing a hand on his shoulder before coming around and stopping in front of me. She kneels down so she is eye level with me. She leans in so I am the only one who can hear what she is about to say.

"I am going to enjoy this sister. You deserve it." She lets out a tiny giggle before leaning back and standing. She walks towards her throne and sits, glancing at the two children beside her whom she smiles gently at then to her other side, frowning. Selene's seat remains empty.

All thanks to me. I try to hide a smile but Channary catches it out of the corner of her eye. She turns her attention away from the empty throne and towards the people and monitor.

Her voice booms above all other noise. It becomes complete silence. "To all of Earth and Luna, today, with a saddened heart, I will be executing my sister and Princess of Luna, Levana Blackburn, for her traitorous act against the throne."

I scoff quietly when Channary fakes sadness. Everyone knows that she has been waiting for this day when little me would try something. She wants me dead, and she will enjoy every second of this trial.

"Yesterday evening, there was a fire in the nursery where your future queen, Princess Selene, was playing with her nanny. Unfortunately, the nanny is now deceased and the young princess is highly injured. Thankfully, she is alive. It has been determined that the cause of the fire was Levana's doing with the intent to kill your future queen."

Gasps ring out through the room and it takes everything not to glare at each and every one of them. Evret stiffens next to me, and I try not to wince.

"Because of these crimes committed against the throne, I am sad to say that your Princess, Levana Blackburn, is to be executed on this day.

I glance at Winter and Jacin, and both of them are staring at me with disgust and terror. What I don't realize, though, until I am seconds from death, is the cold metal of a blade against my throat. I look up to see Evret holding the knife, and my eyes widen.

I glance at Channary who is clearly controlling Evret. She wouldn't.

Oh, but it is, dear sister. In my moment of weakness, Channary entered my brain and spoke to me. I shake my head the tiniest bit. Pleading with her. Please, Channary, don't make my love kill me.

Oh, but dear sister, he isn't your love. He never was.

Channary flicks her hand in my direction and I feel the cool metal slice across my throat. I look up at Evret, who is crying but isn't exactly sad.

Channary's voice is the last I hear and Evret's face is the last I see.

Dear sister, he never loved you.

My hold on poor Evret drops as soon as Levana collapses. I watch as the light leaves her eyes and her glamour drops. The whole world is gasping. Finally, Levana's true self is shown.

I smile gleefully for a second as multiple people turn away in disgust. Winter cries silently beside me. At her young age she doesn't quite understand what her father has done.

Every nerve in my body sings with joy and excitement but my demeanor changes. It needs to seem like she wasn't supposed to be killed yet.

I change my glamour to furious. I stand, my voice booming. "You!" I point at Evret. I look up at all the terrified nobles and guards. "This man murdered your Princess, his wife! It wasn't time for her death! He is to be executed for treason!"

Sir Clay lurches forward, under my command, and slices Evret's throat. Everyone gasps, and Winter cries out, running towards her father. Jacin runs after her, holding her back. It takes everything in my power not to smile and laugh.

The monitors are cut out, and the nobles are escorted out quickly. All of them are too stunned to register anything that is happening. When everyone is out, I walk towards Jacin, Winter, and Sir Clay.

"Well done, Sir Clay. You didn't even hesitate." I place a hand on his shoulder and he looks at me, his eyes full of grief and pain. I smile gently at him. "Evret was a traitor. It wasn't time for Levana to die, but he was impulsive and acted without authorization. An act like that means death. For your loyalty to the crown, you are ordered to go to your room and take three days off. Afterwards, you will start your new job as the personal guard of Winter. A promotion, I assure you."

He gives me a shaky nod, dropping the blade and walking out of the room. I turn towards the two kids. Jacin is hugging Winter as she cries and stares at her dead father. I kneel down to their level, both of them wincing.

"I am sorry, Winter." She sniffs, looking at me while Jacin rolls his eyes. He sees right through me. He'll pay for that behavior. "Your father betrayed the crown and you have been a princess long enough to know what happens to traitors. Can you go to your room for me? You're still a princess even if you are without parents." I smile at her, and she nods, walking away from her father. She opens the door where a guard greets and escorts her to her room.

I turn to Jacin. "Your father has done a great service to our royal family. Tell him thank you for me. Now off, to your room." He nods and walks off without a sound. I stare at the two bodies and all the blood on the ground in front of me.

I kneel before my sister. I smile. "I'm happy to see you're not here to ruin my plan anymore, dear sister." I stand and walk out of the room; blood soaks through the bottom of my dress but I don't care.

I step out of the room and walk down the hall, calling out as I do. "I want the floor spotless for the morning meeting tomorrow."

As I walk down the empty hall, I smile widely and laugh. I am finally free of the plague that was my sister.

And there you have it, chapter four! I hope you enjoyed it! Chapter Five will be out in two weeks when I get back from my trip. :)

-Kath