Chapter 8: The Most Dangerous Strategy Game

Prologue // Chapter 1: The Queen is Dead...Again // Chapter 2: The Ball // Chapter 3: Long Live The 7th Queen // Chapter 4: Don't cry, beg, or scream. // Chapter 5: The Plucking of a Flower // Chapter 6: Unexpected Allies // Chapter 7: The Night The Lights Went Out For Mia //

Iris made it to the dining hall, and sat down at the long table, to the right of the King who was already sitting there, enjoying a plateful of grapes. He was reclined back, the top of his shirt undone to show off his chest. Looking at him made Iris sick to her stomach, so she tried to look away.

"Why, hello there," Jonathan said, sounding almost charming as he smiled, pushing a plate of fruit at her. Iris's stomach turned, but she knew if she didn't eat it may be cause for offense. She picked up a berry and popped it in her mouth, and Jonathan watched her with intense hazel eyes.

"You know... fruit is so rare outside of the castle." Iris didn't bother with greetings or formalities. Looking at him made her sick to her stomach and she had to shove down memories of this afternoon, his presence immediately making her want to go straight back into a hot scalding bath. The dark energy that radiated off of him was thick, and it made it hard to breathe without gagging.

"That's too bad. Must be miserable." Jonathan's voice was dull, and Iris fought the waves of anger that threatened to rise within her.

"It is. People are starving. Crops can't be grown, and keeping livestock alive has turned into something of a myth." She stated in a careful voice. She picked up another piece of fruit and ate it while her golden eyes analyzed his careless expression.

"Mmm. But you aren't." Jonathan answered, raising his eyebrow at her as if he didn't understand why this was even a topic of discussion.

"No. But if your people are dead, then there isn't much of a kingdom is there?"

"True. No matter how true it is though, the fact is I can't make it rain. It hasn't rained for years. Not much to do about that, now is there?" Jonathan laughed, grabbing more food.

"Perhaps you can't make it rain... that is true. But you have resources. Obviously, you're not going without. Why can't we pool these resources for the rest of the kingdom?" Iris asked. She made her voice inquisitive, curious as if she were genuinely confused, and Jonathan laughed out loud.

"Concerning myself with the people's problems is not my problem. Quite honestly it bores me. There are plenty of magic users across the nation. If the people wanted they could pay for their services."

"Are there plenty of magic users left? I remember all of them who resided in our region being arrested and brought here years ago. No one ever really saw most of them again after that point." Iris pointed out and Jonathan grinned.

"Only those that made it clear they wouldn't be obedient. The rest got out fine, rest assured." He answered. Iris found herself clenching her fists so tightly that they ached.

A large plate was brought out to her, and delicacies of meat and vegetables were piled high on it. Looking at it made Iris feel guilty, but her stomach clenched in hunger, reminding her she hadn't eaten properly in almost two days. She picked at a pile of smashed potatoes and began to eat. Jonathan ate as well, his eyes shamelessly boring into her, staring her down.

Finally, after a few moments, Iris looked up at him back, her lips turning down into a pout.

"I just hate to see the people suffer. I mention it only because I hate to think of my family, and my region all suffering."

"I see. I'm sorry I don't have a more satisfying response." His voice drawled in an uninterested tone, and Iris sighed.

"Your people are all suffering." She said again. "Your people. Your kingdom is weak." She said, and Jonathan's eyes flashed as he looked over at her.

"I allow them to live. I don't care about having a kingdom. I don't care about their problems. I could have soldiers go and drag women from their beds, brought here for my pleasure. Instead, I pleasure myself with a wife. A new one every few years. I could feed their children to my pets out in my menagerie. I could gut men while their wives watch. But I contain myself. Having a kingdom is nothing to me. They suffer, and I entertain myself. That is how it is." He snarled. Iris watched as his hazel eyes turned black, and an alarm ran through her.

What was that? Was he under some kind of spell? Or maybe he did dark magic of his own? She leaned back in her chair and nodded. Her heart was racing now as a new sort of fear crept into her heart.

"Understood. You don't care. But I do." She answered softly, her golden eyes watching him carefully as he bristled.

"Am I to care about your weeping woes?" He asked cruelly, and Iris smiled.

"I don't care if you care. I simply ask one thing." Iris suddenly had an idea, and the opportunity was now.

"You don't get to make demands of me!"

"This is not a demand. It's a plea, husband. I am asking for your permission. You are the King and you are the master of this place. I can't do anything without it being at your pleasure or permission." Iris hated herself for reaching forward and placing a hand gently on one of his, and the Mad King relaxed, raising his eyebrows at her statement of submission. He turned his hand over and grabbed hers, yanking her up and out of her chair and pulling her into his lap.

"That's right. You are my pet, my trophy, my wife. And I don't need to tell you what happens to the pets that disobey me, do I?" He whispered in her hair as his other hand snaked through her dark braid, yanking her head back to expose her neck. Iris wanted to gag and run away. She wanted to yank herself out of his grasp, but she stayed still, keeping her breathing calm as fear and revulsion swam through her.

"No, Your Majesty." She whispered, and Jonathan chuckled before letting her hair go.

"What is it you want permission to do?" He asked, and Iris turned her golden eyes up at him.

"Allow me to take leftover food after the servants have all eaten and distribute it to the citizens of the city outside these walls."

Jonathan narrowed his eyes in clear irritation and Iris smiled up at him.

"I will tell them they are tokens from you. They are so starved they will be grateful. They will praise you, think of how useful that could be later." She urged, quickly spinning something favorable for him. He paused, leaning back in his chair, though his arm wrapped around her waist firmly. He picked up a grape and held it to her lips. Iris opened her mouth, fighting the urge to run to the other side of the room.

"Every so often you need to throw a starving dog a bone, to keep it from turning on you." She told him after swallowing the grape he placed in her mouth, and Jonathan looked thoughtful.

"It would be good to get a better idea of what the scum of my kingdom are doing and saying." He said. "Should you hear anything of interest while on your charity runs, you will report back to me?"

"Of course." She said, her golden eyes watching him as his once again hazel eyes glazed over as he thought about her words.

"Very well. You may do as you please with the food here in the kitchen. And you will tell me should you hear anything that might be of interest to me." He said, his hand roaming her thigh carelessly. Iris wanted to pick up the knife meant for meat that lay near his place and shove the blade through his wandering hand, but she kept her body still and as relaxed as she possibly could.

"You may prove to be useful and more interesting than I bargained for, little flower." Jonathan mused, suddenly a large smile spreading across his predatory face. "Go eat, before I decide to eat you." He ordered, letting her up to go back to her chair. The relief that flooded Iris from being let go was overwhelming.

She couldn't help but feel a small tug of victory in her chest though. Today had been a success, more or less. Aside from her innocence being violently taken from her, she now had allies, and permission to go out and make more - though that's not what this disgusting man would think.

She finished eating, and Jonathan fell into silence. When they were done, he wished her good night and left. Mia and Evelyn came to Iris's side. They had stayed to the side of the dining hall silently, listening intently to what Iris had to say.

"What are you playing at Iris?" Mia hissed in her ear as they led her back to her room.

"Mia. If I am going to die here, I am going to be known for something other than being the Mad King's bitch." Iris answered in a strong voice, though her bones still shook from the intensity of the conversation she'd had with the king. "The least I can do while I am alive is try to feed a few hungry mouths."

"You're so brave..." Evelyn whispered, and she smiled at Iris in an admiring kind of way. Iris smiled back and shook her head.

"I'm just at peace with this," she answered. When they reached her room, Iris turned to Evelyn and Mia.

"Please go and tell the kitchen staff about this new development. Ask them to preserve any extra food for tomorrow afternoon. We have work to do, and I only have a limited time to do it."

Evelyn and Mia helped Iris ready herself for bed, and as they left the room Iris smiled. Day one, and so far so good. Tomorrow is when the real work begins, and Iris was excited to start. As she faded off into sleep however she dreamed of Jonathan, his face contorting in her nightmares into something grotesque and monstrous, and as the morning light leaked into her bedroom, Iris could feel the exhaustion setting into her bones already.