"Why did you and your crew attack my ship?"
"Acting like you don't know the answer already, my Queen." he shrugged, "that ship was known to be gifted to you by Elyan. I attacked it to provoke him and that was the perfect opportunity."
"What did you hope to gain from your actions?"
Andras flinched.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time," he murmured. "Elyan had been on the outs with you over his latest parliamentarian tricks. I planned to make it look like he was making a mockery of you by blowing up the ship. I hoped my actions would cause division between you. For if you thought he was trying to usurp your power then you would reconsider naming him as your successor. It's no secret he has no liking for demons."
"Especially you in particular."
"I'll admit everytime we exchange words in public we nearly come to blows." He asked nonchalantly, "Is there anything else you would like to know?"
"I got the answers I wanted. Should I need something else from you in the future I will have Dayton inform you."
Andras pondered loudly, "I still feel like there is something more you want from me. Perhaps you want me to kill someone for you."
"Huh?"
Queen Tiandra really looked shocked as if the thought never occurred to her.
Killing her embarrassment of a relative would solve both their problems but that was better left unsaid.
"An assasination seemed like a worthwhile suggestion to me."
"Who do you think I would want you to assassinate?"
"Your wayward nephew."
"You really thought I would hire you to kill a fellow monarch as irritating as he can be," she asked thoughtfully.
"It's rumored that you claimed insanity when you seized the throne from your sister Queen Titania and imprisoned her for over thirty years because you feared retaliation from her supporters. Now that her son Elyan is of age many think of him as the rightful ruler and heir to the throne. Since my grudges with him are public knowledge, my eliminating him would only draw attention away from you."
"In my defense, Titania tried to murder Oberon and now he lies suspended in a coma with no guarantee he will ever wake up. Had I not taken action the Summer Court would have been thrown into turmoil Surely you understand that."
"Which proves my point no one has more than you to gain if I exterminate him like the pestilence he is, this really is the perfect opportunity for you to take advantage of my skills."
Damn it. The bastard was pretty clever.
Queen Tiandra knew that if this was thirty years ago when she had just seized the throne then she probably should have done what Mulciber offered but circumstances were different now.
"Whether or not we get along they are still my blood and I have no wish to see any of my family members slaughtered like cattle. They say karma's a bitch and who's to know that if I eliminated Titania's line of the family tree someone won't do the same to me?"
"Okay then. Since there is nothing I can help with and this is all just a terrible misunderstanding on my part, would you have the execution order drawn up by the fey parliament revoked?"
"Not so fast. Even though I may not have any use for your assasination skills there is something else that you must do for me."
"Which is?"
"You must get married to someone of my choice. Only then will your records be wiped clean."
"You intend to force me to marry you!"
Stunned, Andras spoke his opinion loudly without thinking.
The younger sister of Titania, Queen Tiandra was undoubtedly still a beauty even in her advanced years.
Her skin was the color of honey and she radiated health with hair that shimmered like the color of the changing autumn leaves.
Right now her face was flushed with embarrassment and her gray-blue eyes shot daggers at Andras.
"Not to me," replied the Queen with great annoyance. "Your audacity is simply mind blowing."
"My Queen, you may have a few years over me but I would be honored to have your hand if it means saving the lives of my crew."
His cheekiness was appalling but she would never admit out loud how much she found him amusing.
"Dalton is right you are a magnificent scoundrel but I'm glad that you are so eager to wed even though there will be a substitution to the bride for it won't be me."
His mirth vanished instantly, "I am the devil's spawn and do not wed at the dictates of the fey monarchy."
"Nor by your father's order either. I heard that after the death of your bride on the wedding night you turned down ten of the candidates your father sent for your inspection."
"My father wants to regain Hell's Island that he gave to my mother but she bequeathed it to me upon her death."
"I don't care for the ongoing drama between you and your sire."
What the hell. He raised an eyebrow since she was the one that brought up the matter in the first place.
"What's wrong with this substitute bride that no one from the fey court wants to marry?"
Robin is not from my court and lives outside of the fey realm. Robin is of the age to marry and I would rather see that child properly settled than to fall into the wrong hands. You understand that after destroying my property there will be no dowry. Just consider yourself lucky that by choosing to marry Robin you will escape execution from the Summer Court."
"Where is this ward of yours located now?"
"Near the border," Queen Tiandra answered reluctantly.
"Near the human realm," he muttered. "Curse the summerlands, the rumors are true."
Queen Tiandra could see the wheels turning in his head and the second he had that eureka moment her heart was heavy.
"What rumors…I swear I don't understand the way your mind thinks."
"Queen Titania really did have a child out of wedlock. Oberon must be rolling around in his coma."
The queen frowned but she stood there not refuting his words so there must be some truth to it.