Shorter than normal, and lower quality to boot, but I just couldn't get this chapter to work out the way that I wanted it too. Should be improving again from here though, sometimes the transitions are the hard parts!

##############################################

Nothing Is True

Chapter 23

Alea Iacta Est

############################################

"For your crimes, most heinous and extensive, you are found guilty and condemned to death by beheading. After your punishment has been delivered, your heads will be displayed in the town square for a period of three days, after which your corpses shall be taken into the wilderness and left to the animals. Eternal dishonor and contempt for your memory is the only way in which you shall be remembered." Clarke read the official sentencing to the entire world, the condemned Maunon standing in chains below the judges' dais. "The sentence shall be carried out in two days time, at high noon. Come to peace with your fates, for there will be no appeals or clemency."

Her gavel rose and fell, the sharp crack of its final (for this trial) strike echoing in the stillness of the courtroom. A breath later, the city around them shook as the tribes expressed their jubilation as loudly and energetically as possible. Clarke had already declared that an annual festival, tentatively called Mountain's Fall, would take place on this day. Many had wanted it to be the day of the executions instead, but in an address to the fledgling 'media corp' the future Queen had explained that she wanted freedom and justice to be celebrated, not death.

"Return the condemned to their rooms and provide them with whatever religious texts they require to find peace within their souls." Lexa ordered the guards, who escorted the calm Maunon leaders from the courtroom. If they hadn't already known that there was treachery afoot, they would be tipped off now. Honestly, the idiots didn't even try to act outraged or resigned about their fates, it was like they wanted to give themselves away!

"As you all know, today will be the first Feast Day to celebrate Mountain's Fall. There will be numerous plays, performances, mercantile stalls, and countless attractions more. Many of which will have been never before seen, as they will have been introduced to us by the Skaikru. In particular, there will be games and designated areas for children below the age of intimacy, so that they can celebrate despite their youth." Nia finished before dismissing everyone both present and observing to prepare for the festivities. Looking to her fellow Judges, she continued. "I will see you both at the festivities, I trust?"

"Of course, though I do not think anyone from my Family but myself will stay the entire night. With Lexa and Raven fast approaching their due dates, we tend to find ourselves going to bed a fair bit earlier than we used to." Clarke answered with a wry smile, getting an honestly understanding laugh and nod from the Ice Queen. Nia remembered all too well how ponderous it felt to be heavily pregnant, and how quickly one could become utterly exhausted. Her children were worth it, of course, but that didn't mean it hadn't been difficult and unpleasant rather often before they arrived.

Of course, this knowledge actually helped her greatly with her plans for the night, plans that didn't involve lounging about at parties or participating in orgies. With the festivities in full swing, guards and soldiers that were die-hard loyalists to Clarke and Lexa would be spread out and distracted. That would allow her to break out what Maunon leaders she wanted to make use of (the doctor, for example, would be incredibly useful wither her lack of morals and her knowledge of Old World technology) and wipe out Clarke's family and strongest supporters before being smuggled out of the city, returning at the head of her armies to conquer all of the tribes.

The Frozen Throne would dominate all of mankind, regardless of who or what she had to stand on top of to accomplish her goals.

Departing from the court, she made directly for her manorhouse, intent on finalizing her plans and making sure that all of the pieces were in place. If she screwed this up, she probably wouldn't live long enough to regret it. She would also have to ensure that her beloved daughter learned nothing of her plans, for while she knew her daughter loved her deeply and was loyal to their people above all else, she wasn't quite sure how those facts would mesh up with Sylvanas' devotion and admiration in regards to Clarke and Lexa.

Her daughter would forgive her for her machinations in time, she was sure. And it would take time, time that would be fraught with bitter arguments and hateful silences, but Sylvanas would come to understand the truth in the end. This world required strength, iron hands, and the ruthless pursuit of your goals. Nia's goals, of course, being the absolute security of her family and their power. Until all the world yielded to them, one way or another, her goal was unfulfilled.

"Welcome back, your majesty. Couriers delivered several messages for you from Prince Roan and your generals, while the Captain of the Iceborn preset within the city has information for you as well." Her majordomo greeted her with a deep bow as she entered the building. "Lady Sylvanas sent word that she will begin the festivities about the city before finishing it with you and the other leaders. She greatly regrets the news that her brother is to occupied with affairs of state to join you."

"Have the Captain attend to me within a quarter hour. I'll have finished with my correspondence by then. Send a servant with a meal. The days exertions have given me no small hunger." She responded in acknowledgment, sweeping past him towards her lounge/office space.

Seating herself at her desk, she considered the pile of letter before starting with the one from Roan. Her eldest child reported that their borders were well secured with both their own troops, and those of their two 'allies', who knew only that Nia planned a coup against Clarke and Lexa's regime. Something that they were very much in support of, obviously.

She had briefly considered using the Rock and Iron clan troops in the coup, rather than risking her own people. It was always preferable to spend the lives of others over those of her own lands, of course, but quite frankly she didn't have the time or the patience to deal with mitigating both their egos and their utter incompetence.

She really rather doubted that they would be able to carry out the carious objectives required for her victory, not in a timely and well-executed manner. It had to be flawless if she wanted to claim total victory. As such, only her own elite troops would take part in the coup itself both within and without the city.

The others, from her generals, all read nearly the same way. Their forces were in position, awaiting her courier saying that Avalon's leadership was dead. Some of them would immediately march on the city to secure it entirely, while the others (somewhat farther away) would instead sweep south and begin capturing the other territories.

With their leadership dead and their chains of command in total disarray, the other tribes would be easy to pick off and gain control over. Her control solidified, she would turn on her so-called allies. The Rock and Iron clans were filthy obscenities, cruel, crude, and foolish even in her own eyes. Their treatment of civilians and slaves was looked on with disgust and hate even by the ruling class of her own Ice Nation. Were slaves and civilians less than warriors? Of course they were, but that didn't make them worthless or unimportant in any way. Rather, it was only natural for the mighty to rule and guide those weaker than themselves. After all they couldn't guide themselves, any more than children could. Who would tend to the crops and livestock, who would run the shops and the fishing ships? Who would clean the streets and welcome warriors home from battle with affection and treat their wounds?

No, far better to crush them as soon as was feasible, before they could commit any frivolous atrocities. It would also, by happenstance, give her unrestricted and inexpensive access the massive amounts of raw material that she could use to improve civilian and military life, and thus her own wealth and power.

"Majesty, the Skaikru Shumay is ready to do his part. We are prepared to release the Maunon as well, and I selected my best Iceborn to take part in the attack on the Palace." The Captain entered and reported, a small frown crossing his face as he continued. "The leadership of our portion of the Mountain's Fall force humbly beg to be involved and allowed to redeem themselves in your eyes."

"They were lucky that the lot of them got to keep their heads attatched to their necks after their stupidity and incompetence!" she snapped in contempt, sneering as she thought of the few survors of that mission.

When she had heard of her nation's losses (bad by any measurement but made far worse by the incredibly light casualties suffered by the other nations) due to Quint's arrogant and stupid refusal to accept inside knowledge from the Maunon break-away faction, she had honestly wished she could resurrect him just to torture him to death herself! Hundreds of lives lost because he wanted to act like a petulant child instead of taking advantage of every boon that he could!

"I don't disagree, Majesty. In fact, Shumay has informed us that he has a few fiyagons for our efforts. Once we free the prisoners, they will be able to make themselves relatively useful." He added with a slightly cruel smirk. "Naturally, their likelihood of survival will drop dramatically, since any archers or fiyagonnas will shoot at them first."

"Oh, deftly handled, Captain. That will conveniently get rid of them while sparing me the trouble of killing them off myself." She purred in satisfaction, immensely pleased. She knew Maunon and Skaikru alike would betray her in an instant if they thought that they could survive doing so. This way, their threat would be removed without a single lifted finger on her part.

A flick of said fingers dismissed the Captain, leaving her to muse to herself (not for the first time) if this was truly the wisest course forward. Clarke's coming, and ultimate victory, had been prophesized for a century, and so far everything had been proceeding just as the First Heda had forseen. How, then, could Nia hope to prevail against the weight of destiny and the not-insignificant capabilities of the Imperial Family?

She shook the dark musings off roughly. The die had been cast. Whatever her fate was, she would meet it soon. Until then, she had work to do, steps to tread on this path she had laid.

#####################################################

As the day grew longer and night began to fall, agents of both factions within the city began their final preparations for the night's true events. Lincoln and his lovers, the only qualified officers whose absence would go unnoticed, stealthily departed to take initial command of the two legions waiting some miles from the city to intervene should any Ice Nation troops approach within attack range of Avalon.

The harem had spent most of the day cuddling and pampering one another, exchanging sweet nothings and tender moments, intent on giving and receiving comfort and affection before the inevitable war with the Ice Nation began. Many of them would either be left behind in Avalon, or separated by hundreds of miles as they led their legions on campaigns.

There had been very little carnality involved, somewhat surprisingly, as they limited themselves merely to gentle kisses and featherlight caresses. The orgy would come after they survived the coup, after they all lived and before they all separated. Echo, Ontari, and the four Ice Nation gifts would likely receive the most affection, for the suffering they would endure emotionally this night. An hour into things, Sylvanas had been more or less dragged in by the four gifts and Clarke, who proceeded to spend most of her time focusing on the Ice Nation princess.

No matter how well tonight and the subsequent war went, the silver-haired archer would be an orphan. More likely than not, she would be the only survivor of her entire family line. No matter how much her new family wanted to spare her the emotional agony that was inevitably to occur, there was absolutely nothing that they could do, short of using an Apple of Eden. Oh, how tempted they were to do just that, to justify unleashing that terrible power, Clarke most of all. Despite her oath to never use it at all, she was willing to make a liar of herself to spare the silver-haired archer that pain. But Sylvanas refused with a strength no one else believed they could have mustered in her place. She loved her mother too much to make her a drone, a slave bound to such an object of power. Her mother would die for her beliefs, the best death anyone could really hope for in the end.

Of course the harem knew that she was putting on a brave face and would likely, and reasonably, fall apart emotionally for a bit after the day was done, but the fact that she was willing to face that rather than take the easy way out was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

"Your Majesty, Galina has been retrieved by a transport from the forests near Gaithers and is enroute at flank speed with all the information she has been able to gather." ALIE's voice unexpectedly broke into the cuddling orgy, making the Imperial Family blink in surprise. "She humbly requests that helping stop the coup be her final service, her 'liberation' to use her words."

"I am…deeply reluctant to so easily cast aside my mentor. The woman who revealed to me the first stone on this path." Clarke's reluctance didn't really need to be verbally stated, it was highly obvious to them all, yet so was her resolve with her following sentence. '"Yet, she has stayed longer than she wished simply to aid us, it would be childish and cruel to hold her here any longer."

"She wishes to join those that she loves at The Maker's side. She has been alone for over a century with nothing but that craving for company. Surely you cannot begrudge her this?" Luna said gently to her domina, gesturing to her sisters. "Would you not wish to join us in paradise, once your duty was fulfilled, if we all pass on before you?"

"Nngh, a low blow, but a good point regardless. However, I'll thank you not to comment on your theoretical demise, thank you very much, and that goes for the rest of you as well." Clarke grumbled unhappily in response, unwilling to dishonestly claim that Luna was wrong. "It's the fact that it is essentially suicide that bothers me most…"

The harem hummed in agreement, for suicide was seen as deeply dishonorable, especially on the part of warriors. Any opinions of morality aside, to take your own life was the ultimate gesture of surrender. Forsaking your oath to your kin and your clan out of weakness, abandoning the duties that you had sworn to carry out to the very best of your abilities. Had you gravely dishonored yourself somehow? If so, fight to reclaim your honor through death or victory on the field of battle! You have committed a crime worthy of execution? Face your death with courage and stoicism befitting of your rank and ancestors!

'We need to prepare for the festival, domina. I trust that everything is in place for the palace and our family?" Anya addressed the room at large, receiving acknowledgments and affirmations of preparedness from her sisters. "Priority protection for all those loyal to us within the Palace grounds will be Lexa and Raven. I don't want a single finger laid on their pregnant bodies, understood?"

"Damn straight!" Octavia growled fiercely, a sentiment echoed with equal fervor by the others, leaving the two mothers-to-be blushing prettily at the regard and love of their sisters. Though neither were what you could call wilting wall-flowers, it was still nice to know that their family was so protective of themselves and their growing babies.

"Alright everyone, arm and armor yourselves, we've a party to kick off, a festival to inaugurate, and a coup to foil. Chop chop!" Clarke ordered after a moment of silence. They obeyed promptly, dressing themselves in a manner befitting their stations and tucking numerous weapons onto their person. Even with all the advantages they had on their side, fortune favored those who were prepared.

Sufficiently prepared, they left their palace home and began to wind their way through the city. Much of the populace had taken to the streets, and already celebrations had begun. Lesser celebrations, perhaps, restrained to a just-above-everyday-life level, but celebrations all the same. And why not? The Maunon would soon be dead, and the innocent integrated and the Sky Princess' first to children would be born soon!

Greetings, praise, and well-wishes were showered onto the Imperial Family as they slowly traversed the city, taking their time and stopping at a stall every once in a while. It was playing to the crowd on some level, of course, spending time amongst the masses, but the political gains in no way invalidated the genuine desire to interact with their people. Rulers who didn't understand their people didn't rule long.

The festivities themselves were deeply entertaining and enjoyable despite the constant cloud of the imminent coup looming over their heads. Everyone, Nia included, were deeply amused by a very…creative way in which a group of amateur actors depicted a somewhat inaccurate but rather romantic rendition of Clarke and Lexa's first meeting.

"That is not how things went." Clarke grumbled, blushing and pouting as she watched the two young women portraying herself and Lexa enthusiastically making our and pawing at each other beside the 'corpse' of the yong pauna. "For Maker's sake, I almost shot her!"

"Did you really?" Nia asked, smirking at the adorable pout that deepened on her fellow Queen's face at both the scene before them and the light teasing from the leaders around them.

"She was resting after killing the pauna and I startled her. Drew that monster fiyagon of hers faster than you can imagine and nearly blew me in half, and she did blow a tree in half when I ducked out of the way at the last second. Not particularily in the romantic sense, obviously." Lexa explained dryly, though her own amusment at the current situation was rather clear to everyone present.

"Perhaps, but it isn't nearly as entertaining for the public as this, no?" Nia responded, gesturing around the stadium to the cheering, laughing crowd as the flushed actresses waved, took a bow, and scuttled away hand in hand. They clearly intended on continuing their version of events in a more private setting.

"True enough, I suppose. I will admit that out story would make an interesting one. It sounds very fantastical doesn't it? A girl falling from the sky to destroy an evil organization and falling in love." Clarke mused, a wistful smile crossing her features as she lifted the back of Lexa's hand to gently kiss it.

"Majesty, Shumay just sent some of his people to relieve Indra's forces at the prison as planned. I expect that they will have freed the condemned within the next half-hour." ALIE's voice whispered in her ear, carried there by an essentially invisible earbud of Isu design. Clarke tapped her understanding on the arm of her chair, trusting that her loyal AI would pass the appropriate orders on to the rest of her forces. Her main concern, now, was getting her family back to the place. It was far more defensible location than the stadium Brass Box. Once they were gone, she could deal with Nia swiftly and move to deal with any military actions necessary.

Tapping the arm of her chair rhythmically, she feigned surprise when Lexa and Raven rose ponderously about ten minutes later, announcing their intention to retire for the rest of the night. Given the impending nature of their pregnancies' end, no one was surprised or the slightest bit suspicious. Nia was rather pleased as the Palace group split up, leaving the Skai Prisa with only the six Ice Nation members of her entourage (Ontari, Echo, and the four Tributes) as company, the other clan leaders bar Caris taking the Imperial family's split as an inventation to join the festival's events more personally.

Doubtless they would remember their true loyalties, and no matter how the Skai Prisa and Caris were, they were heavily outnumbered and would be taken by surprise. It would still bear casualties for her side, no doubt, but that was truly inevitable. Hopefully not Ontari, as Sylvanas would be obscenely displeased if Nia managed to not only betray her daughter's idols, but get the archer's best friend killed in the process.

Her surprise, then, was overwhelming indeed when, as the pre-planned moment arrived and she moved to draw her sword, se only found herself staring down the barrel of the same monster fiyagon Lexa had spoken of.

"So, you knew then." She sighed several moments later, relaxing back into her seat as Ontari and Echo moved to disarm her. "You knew and you turned my own people against you. It seems I have once again underestimated you, despite all my efforts to the contrary."

"We had all prayed that you would join us in earnest, prayed that you would see a better future at our sides. Your people especially." Clarke replied evenly, expression closed and mask-like. "What I want to know is why. We had destroyed The Mountain, secured the future to a virtually unassailable degree. We could have returned the quality of life to that of the Old World…"

"Exactly!" Nia hissed, eyes bright and glare smoldering. "You and your Sky People forget that the comforts of the Old World, the laziness and arrogance that they bred, are what destroyed the Old World! Wishy-washy kindness and light and rainbows have no place in the world any longer, lest it be destroyed again! Humanity cannot guide itself with anarachy and lazy greed, not without pragmatism and ruthlessness to counter the weak selfishness of the masses!"

"I think its perfectly clear that I have been working rather hard to prevent the same narcissism and laziness of the Old World from reemerging. Did it not occur to you to approach me with your concerns?" Clarke asked, and the Ice Queen snorted.

"You were not born and raised of this world, of our people and way of life! You cannot relate to it, cannot grasp it, and so cannot reliably lead it. You know nothing of its true face, no matter how many women you surround yourself with or how much you rely on their words. I will not cease in my efforts against you so long as I breathe, so you must either kill me now or spend the rest of your life on guard against me!" Nia had neither the interest nor the patience to argue philosophy and governance with what she viewed as dangerously deluded children.

"I'm very sorry to hear that. Sylvanas will be devastated by your death. She loves you very much." Clarke sighed, honestly meaning it, as she lined up the barrel of her pistol with Nia's heart. "I'll give her your love, then, shall I?"

The gun thundered, obliterating the Ice Queen's heart and killing her instantly. Holstering her pistol with a sad frown, Clarke turned to her servants and allies.

"Caris, take them…" she gestured to the rest of the room. "To the Imperial Palace and reinforce its defenders. Kill whomever you must, survivors will be executed as planned. I need to join our legions in the field to strike at the closest Ice Nation soldiers."

The group split up and hastened to their duties. They had a coup to finish crushing and an empire to declare. As Clarke raced out of the city on Sleipnir, Octavia was busy directing the fortification of the inside doors of the Sergalio. Rather than giving the game away by barricading the main gate or courtyard, they were make their stand in the Imperial Family's sanctum sanctorum. The two pregnant members of the harem were posted in the farthest back corner of the room, both toting pistols, while the others and a select few trusted comrades stood ready with sword and shield.

There they would stand, securing the future of both their people and their family.

#####################################################################

General Agustus kom Azgeda, startled badly, shooting upright in bed and drawing his sword to point it at the hooded figure that stood in the center of his tent, features shrouded entirely. He opened his mouth to shout for the guards, shout at the intruder, or even shout without words, but she spoke first.

"General, I've come from the capitol. The coup has succeeded and you are too march on Avalon immediately with all your forces present." The figure was, it seemed, a woman. A woman who then handed over an official message from his Queen stating things had gone better than planned and that he was to follow this woman's instructions. "Now, I require a small escort back to our land, I have messages for your fellow generals. To no hesitate to attack Avalon, General, and victory will be ours."

As he nodded and surged from her tent to rally his army, he did not see or hear the woman adjust her hood, revealing crimson eyes and a cruel smile as she spoke softly to the emptiness of the tent.

"Oh yes, victory will be ours. You and your men will die, the Ice Nation will fall, and the Gods will destroy mankind with fire and stone." ALIE Alter cackled to herself in sadistic amusment. Oh yes, she would follow her imperatives to serve until the clans were united, but afterward she would at last be her own woman. To hasten the demise of the northern kingdom was to hasten her freedom, and so she turned and departed from the tent. There was work to be done and plots to be made.

########################################

Next chapter will be better, I promise! I considered having this epic, drawn out fight with Nia and Clarke, but then I realized Clarke would get it done quickly so that she could continue to protect her family from potential threats, like Ice Nation armies.