Cora waited outside the throne room. She was now fed, bathed, and clothed in another very impractical dress.
Well, maybe not too impractical. I could run in this, I think.
She looked down at the sheer orange fabric. It reminded her of something Ancient Greek, what was basically a bedsheet belted at the waist with a finely embroidered sash. It was even nicer than the dress she'd been given before.
Milo and Tara stopped just outside the doors. "Please don't let her know that I told you. I just wanted to prevent, maybe, an unsavory reaction. Do you understand?" Tara's eyes were wide, concern apparent. Cora nodded, offering her a pat on the arm. She'd seen other Sheevae do it to be reassuring.
It worked. Tara relaxed, smiling faintly. "Good. Now let's go in."
Cora waited for the princess to acknowledge her before she entered. It felt like a good idea to be extra cautious.
"Come in, sit." Tarina gestured at the ground just in front of the throne, where a small, plush rug had been placed. The room had been cleaned well, smoke rising from small dishes in each corner. "Leave us." Milo and Tara shut the doors, leaving them alone in the room. Cora knelt nervously, trying to find a comfortable seated position that kept her knees together.
Leaning forward, Tarina regarded Cora with an unclear expression. "You know, Cora, you've put me in a difficult position."
Cora clasped her hands together. "I'm sorry."
Tarina's hearty laugh surprised her. "Relax. My people, generally speaking, liked things the way they were. They liked our ruler earning their place on the throne through combat. The idea of a chosen successor disgusts them. It's rather funny, they would have supported
you
wholeheartedly."
Cora frowned, confused. "Wouldn't they rather have someone from your kind? I can't even speak your language."
"That's not a problem. Roshak is one of our more widely-spoken languages, and you speak it very well.
Now
, returning to what I was saying, they'll be unhappy with
my
being here, because they knew my mother intended for me to take this throne. I can see the news now; they'll be saying I had you kill her for me."
"That makes sense."
"
However
." She leaned forward slightly, an odd look in her eyes. Trepidation, maybe. "If they see us as equals, you and I, they won't be quite so upset. It may even lessen the future assassination attempts I'll be dealing with."
"Equals in what way?"
Assassination attempts? That's not something I want to deal with while-
Tarina cut off her uneasy thoughts. "A good Roshak term for it is
mates,
though the concept is a little different in our society."
Cora was relieved that Tara had warned her. There was no way she would have responded as calmly as she was now. Nodding slowly, she turned the idea over in her mind. "I don't have any problems with it, but I'm not sure how my other mates would feel about it."
Tarina was quick. "You'll have to remind them that you
did
kill my mother, leaving our people without a queen and me without, well, my mother. I wasn't particularly close with her as of recent but I am still mourning, in my own way. You could consider this a peace offering on your part, seeing as I would be well within sense to see it as a political assassination by Roshak." Her tone stayed conversational, softening the blow of her words.
Still, Cora hadn't considered this.
Oops.
"Nevermind. I'm sure they'll understand. Come to think of it," she paused, chewing at her lower lip. "My only genuine concern is the children we already have. We're supposed to return to Roshak in a rotation or so. There's,"
Door's closed, don't think he's in hearing distance.
"four, counting an egg that should be hatching soon."
Tarina frowned. "There is quite a bit of rioting happening on Roshak right now. Last report I received said it was widespread across the western and southern regions. Is that what you're worried about?"
"Yes." Cora nodded. "Three are staying with Tor's mother in the south, while the egg is with a colony near the western mountains."
Leaning back in her throne, Tarina laced her fingers thoughtfully. "I'd rather you not take the risk of leaving them there. I've planned a meeting of sorts with the Foshar leader, trying to fix my mother's complete
fuckup
of our nations' relations. Our ship will be near enough that your mates can go retrieve them."
Cora wasn't sure if it was true or not, but Tarina had a directness and honesty that her mother really could have benefited from. She was easy to trust.
"But may I pry?" There was a sly smile on Tarina's face.
"Of course."
"Why the secrecy about the egg? I noticed you checking the door as you mentioned it."
Cora cringed. Of course she'd noticed. "It's, uh, well. Mar was born in the cities, so he's been on heat suppressants for most of his life. Until he ran out of them and didn't tell anyone. They allegedly cause permanent infertility, so we're not sure if the egg will even hatch. So he doesn't know. I'm trying to stay positive, because it would make him really happy, but... it's not likely."
"Hm. Interesting. I never understood the need for suppressants. What's that phrase, cutting off your nose to spite your face?"
Cora nodded. "I think I've heard that one before. Especially considering the population issues." She winced, trying to ignore the rapidly worsening cramp in her thigh. "I'm guessing it's because colonies are a lot harder to govern." She shifted again, the cramp shooting down her leg.
"Let me help." Tarina moved quickly, kneeling down by Cora's side before cradling her spasming thigh. Her palms were calloused, but cool to the touch.
Her thumb pressed firm circles into the muscle. "Ah-" Cora giggled, jerking back but unable to go anywhere. "That's- that's tender." Her breath hitched as Tarina worked at the knot, her eyes occasionally flicking up to meet Cora's.
When the spasms faded, Tarina sat back, leaning on one hand. "I don't expect an answer from you at the moment. Would you come to a meeting with my staff?"
Cora sat at the low table, genuinely uncertain why she was there. The looks ranging from disdain to confusion surrounding her made it obvious that the Sheevae officers felt the same. But of course she'd said yes.
A hand rested gently on her shoulder. One of the royal servants stood behind her. "I'm going to be translating for you today, Cora."
Her voice was soft and incredibly pleasant. "Oh- Okay." Cora moved to the side, allowing her to sit. Their arms brushed as she settled onto the soft rug.
Tarina entered, flanked by two servants that she quickly outpaced.
"I won't waste time with introductions. We all know each other. Yes, I invited Cora here. She has more experience with interspecies relations than all of us combined, both in combat and diplomacy."
I do?
Cora kept her expression neutral with a dash of humble as an afterthought.
I mean, maybe. I guess I do. If sex and needless violence count.
"I don't know how many of you had the
treat
of receiving my mother's honesty, but I'm assuming it wasn't very many of you." She paused, waiting for the translator to finish whispering. "I strongly advise against admitting it if you knew what she was planning."
Everyone around the table shifted, making room for Tarina to sit. Nobody spoke.
"Good. Now, for our first order of business. Regardless of how you feel about our nation's relationship with the Foshar, it needs repairing. I'll be meeting with them very soon. If that meeting goes well, I will announce my mother's death after. Are there any objections, or perhaps suggestions?"
Judging by the various expressions of confusion around her, Cora guessed that the queen's court wasn't used to being asked for their thoughts.
"If the meeting does not go well," Danger spoke, leaning forward. "Will the war continue? We've lost access to over half our lithium sources and gravity generators are on backorder. We've got more ships down than active right now."
Tarina shook her head. "The Foshar emperor has too much going on right now. Resolving our issues will improve his relationship with both the Noxis and the Yarlott. That reminds me." She leaned back on her hands, sighing heavily. Cora watched, quietly mesmerized as fine chainmail moved with her breath.
"We are facing severe economic consequences from the Noxis for my mother's actions. All our supply lines are cut until I announce my mother's death. Even if, after they release the embargo, we're able to obtain the parts needed to repair our combat ships, it won't matter. Any more moves to become battle-ready will look suspicious. I'll tell the emperor this much; Until my people can recover from the shock and instability of losing their longest-reigning queen, we won't be participating in anything."
"And if he declares genuine war?"
"We've lost our capability to reach out and strike. I've already given the order to pull back our forces. Penetrating the defenses around our star system would take more than the Foshar could muster in a lifetime."
The officers seemed satisfied with this answer. One of them leaned forward on her elbows, tilting her head. "If I may?"
"Yes."
"How will we handle the aforementioned... Unrest? I believe you said instability. There will be rioting."
With a faint smile, Tarina shook her head. "They're welcome to. It will be a waste of their time. When they realize what my mother's true intentions were towards their lives, and their children's lives, I doubt there will be much unrest. I will let video footage speak for itself. There will be a mourning period. Three days' holiday."
"Can we afford to have no one working for that long?"
She was quick. "Can we afford to have them think we don't care? The economic impact will be minimal, especially considering that we'll be resuming trade with the Yarlott after."
Another leaned forward, scaly like Danger, but slighter in build. "I have something I'd like to say."
Tarina gestured to her, offering her a faint smile.
"I- Cora said something earlier after the
regime change
, and it made me think. She said,
wait
, I wrote it down." The officer rustled in her uniform pockets, pulling out a crumpled sheet of gray paper. There was print on the front of it, but handwriting in ink on the back. "She said, after someone said that 'they could just kill her', she said 'And then what? Someone kills you. The cycle continues. You end up with another idiot that only wants to... have sex and be violent. It's stupid.'" Nervously, she looked up. "I- I feel there's some truth in her words. Being a nation that only chooses with violence got us in this nightmare. Could it be time to move on from that?"
Cora would have blushed at the indirect praise in any other situation.
At the time, she'd just panicked and rambled, trying to ignore what she'd just done. Faking her confidence had worked out in the end. It even helped her cope with the blood on her hands.
Take that, mama. I can handle things on my own.
Danger moved to object, but paused, sitting back again. Her expression was twisted in deep thought. "I," she rumbled, quickly leaning forward again. "I agree. It worked for the Yarlott. They chose to change their ways and have much to show for it."
Others at the table were not expecting this. Cora watched as the wheels turned, and slowly, they all began to agree, shoulders relaxing and expressions softening.
Walking by Tarina's side, Cora fought the urge to fill the silence with chatter. She was more nervous now than she'd been in a while.
I don't want to seem too enthusiastic. But I don't want her to think I don't want it.
Tarina strode with incredible confidence, her hips swaying slightly with each step.
Her hands had been so strong around Cora's thigh.
God, she's- holy shit. I'm really horny. Why am I always horny?
