Hey! This is a collab with Wolf Warrior, she wrote Wolfeita's pov, and I wrote Phila's pov. Enjoy!

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Queen Phila’s POV

I have always hated the press. And they have a rather appropriate name, I must say. They press us a lot. If I were the Queen, my first law would be to ban them. 

Well, I am the Queen. But it doesn’t matter, it is equivalent to the story of the mouse who crept into the rabbit’s hole and said he was a dragon. That was how being a Queen was, being the mouse in the rabbit hole. But I couldn’t do anything about it. I am a ‘Queen’ after all. The cameras blind my eyes, while the questions deafen my ears. But I force my lips to curl in a smile and the crowds see the Queen they know. An elegant Queen. Who knows what needs to be done. Who has an iron hand under a velvet glove. 

“In all honesty, you couldn’t survive without the press. All the juicy news you hear about celebrities….” someone whispers.

“Well, that part is true, but it doesn’t mean they follow me around too..WAIT WHO SAID THAT?!” I swing around, mentally cause the voice was inside me, well we can’t really swing mentally, but you get the point.

“Shh, calm down, it's me, Aislinn, your conscience in other words,” it whispers.

“How come I didn’t know you before?” I ask suspiciously.

“Everything has a time and place and right now, you need to smile at the crowds,” Aislinn says wisely.

I retort back that I know and force myself to smile at the crowds. I smile at the ministers. I smile at the castle. I smile at everything I could possibly smile at. And the crowds cheer. I wave at them, and blow kisses. But my hand freezes when I see a certain face in the crowds. It disappears as soon as I see it. But I know what it means. It means something far beyond what I had expected. It means my doom. Possible doom, but doom.

***      

Wolfeita’s POV

“Wolfeita, child, be a dear and come over here. I must have a chat with you,” Mother says to me. I walk over to her and sit down beside her.

“What is it this time, Mother?” I ask, curiously.

“Well, you know that other Queen from the other kingdom, our rivals?” she says.

“Yes, I know who you’re talking about, what about her?” I ask.

“Well, she has information that we want, and well with you being a reporter and all…” she ends, signalling for me to fill in the blanks.

“You want me to ‘report’ with her about this supposed information and bring it back to you, yes?” I ask.

“Yes, yes, that’s exactly right,” Mother says.

I sigh and roll my eyes.

“Mom, I’m tired of being your puppet and doing all the dirty work for you. Why can’t you do it yourself?” I ask.

“I’ve already scouted ahead to see that the apples are ripe, but all you need to do is pick them, Wolfeita,” she says, in her most convincing voice possible.

“There you go speaking in riddles again. Why can’t the queen of all evil just be plain for once?” I know that I have taken a step too far, but it needed to be said.

“Don’t go there, daughter. I’m trying not to be the bad guy here for once. Instead, you will be. Now, is that clear?” Her question rings in the air as silence fills the room.

Something inside me knows that this is indeed very wrong, but she is my mother after all. 

“Yes, mother, I understand,” I mumble.

“Good! Pack your things and you leave for Granuletta kingdom at first light. I hope to have you back that same day at nightfall, since this information is precious to us,” she finishes. 

I nod abruptly and stand to gather my things. I enter my room to be greeted by my pet iguana, Kilo. 

“Hey, Wolf! How’s it going?” he asks. 

“It’s alright I guess. I got a new assignment from Mother so that’s nice,” I say.

“Oof, well hopefully it works out for you. I’ll miss you when you’re gone,” he says, as he cuddles me.

“I’ll miss you too, Kilo. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to pack.”

Queen Phila’s POV

I rush towards my bedroom, my gown billowing behind me. I slam the door and try to bolt it with my trembling hands but the Prime Minister gets in. Drat him. I’ve known him since I was a child. But I never liked him. He was an unpleasant man. He looks at me scornfully, his grey eyes full of cold contempt. If I had any power, I would have banished him. But I don’t. I can’t.

“Your majesty, your conduct today was extremely poor, we will need to practice.” he reports.

I nod wearily and he leaves. I crumple on the bed and start crying. I hear the door open and the bed sink as someone sits beside me. “It’s going to be alright,” Mother whispers. Dawn, my pet deer butts her head at me playfully. I tickle her softly and look up at Mother, wishing I could believe her. But I can’t. 

I change the subject,“I saw her in the crowd.”

“What?!”

“I saw Drestella,” I repeat softly. Her eyes widen in shock and she instantly pulls the bell. Anna, and Tristan immediately pile in with Helena in tow. They are the people I trust with my life. I have known the three since I was a child. My thoughts are interrupted when my mother says tightly, “She saw Drestella.”

“It means…” Anna trails off disbelievingly.

“Yes, Anna, that is exactly what it means, they are coming, the Obrettians, and this time they are stronger,” my mother looks around, “and worse, we think, they have the support of the Left Side.”

We all release a collective gasp at her words, even though we know. Granuletta kingdom has two sides. The Right and the Left. The Right Side supports the Quesadilla family. While the Left Side, they are the rebels. They want to install a male heir on the throne. Or rather any male they think is capable of the throne. We suspect that Drestrella has joined hands with the Left Side. But we can’t confirm it. Yet, we need to be ready. Ready as ever, because we know, Drestella doesn’t lie.

***

Wolfeita’s POV

The next morning is all hustle and bustle. I gather up my precious camera and journaling set. I say bye to Kilo, and head off to my awaiting horse, Midnight. We gallop away in the brisk morning air. The horse’s constant motion of galloping made me queasy. The nervous sensation in my stomach doesn't help much either. I urge him on, eager to arrive and get this stupid interview over with. 

I wonder what Mother needs from this Queen fella. It must be important business one way or another, I think, as we ride onward. The frightening speed of my horse unsettles me even more. 

‘Hey, Wolfeita, it’ll be alright,’ a voice inside me said. 

Who are you? My conscience or something? I ask.

‘Yes, that’s exactly what I am, your conscience. I’m Shadow, by the way,’ my new-found conscience says. 

Um okay then ‘conscience’. How come I didn’t find you earlier when that tough decision hit me?

‘Everything has a time and a purpose. And right now, it’s your time to control that horse!’ Shadow exclaims.

I refocus my attention to Midnight. He veers off the road, and I struggle to redirect him. We crash into a tree, and my side began to burn. I wince as a small stream of blood rolls down my side. 

Thoughts about Mother rudely creep into my mind while I sit in the mud below the tree. 

Mother can be quite attractive when she starts a fight, so don’t ask me how she isn’t remarried yet. Speaking of fights, that’s how she gets her way every single time. Bicker about this, bicker about that, looks like we’ve won another war. 

But she is a good queen, don’t get me wrong about that. Ombretta Kingdom is her domain, and she rules over her people with violence. Not exactly your best vacationing spot, but you get the idea. 

The looming rigged figure of Granuletta Kingdom lay in the distance. 

“Almost there, boy,” I say to Midnight, as I stroke his back. I see a figure approaching us, a boy wearing a dark blue cloak and hood. 

“Friend or foe?” I call out, as I stand beside my horse.

“I dunno, it depends on who your enemies are,” they say. They keep walking towards me, and now I can tell that he has brown hair that falls over his hazel eyes. 

“W-who are you?” I ask nervously.

“I’m someone you don’t want to mess with,” he replies, as he pulls out something from his pocket. 

“Like my mother,” I mutter under my breath. 

“Well well well, Princess, looks like I found you at last,” he says cunningly.

“Don’t. Call. Me. Princess.” I say through a clenched jaw. 

Queen Phila’s POV   

‘I’ll come back, mark my words, I’ll come and I’ll take my revenge’

I shudder as her words come back to my mind. 

“Ooooh, so we get to fight her? Fun, remember last time when we crushed her like this,” Helena picks up a sponge and stomps on it with her feet. She giggles delightedly and pulls Narnia, my pet panda’s fur. He yelps indignantly and tumbles away from Helena to hide behind Dawn who guards the big Panda. It is a hilarious sight, actually, the small deer protecting the big panda. But it does little to diffuse the tension in the air. We look at each other worriedly. 

“Helena,” Tristan says sternly, “this time it won’t be a piece of cake, she has us figured out, we need to be careful,” the Captain of the Royal Guard looks at us, “we need to be unexpected, we need to catch her off guard, we can’t have a steady plan this time.”

Helena’s green eyes widen as her roots gnarl against the table. She nods, her hair, or vines bobbing as she does.

“Do we have enough defence?” I ask, trying to play the role of a Queen for once.

One glance at Tristan and we know the answer.

“But, your majesty…”

“Phila,” I interrupt, I don’t want my royal title to get in the way of my life. My personal life. Beyond royalty. 

“But….Phila,” Anna hastily retracts, “we have the support of the Right Side.”

“Who can’t do much except cheer us on, they don’t have arms, they don’t have ammunition,” my mother says matter-of-factly.

“Which is why, your Majes-Phila,” Tristan says, “this war will not be of weapons, it will be something far more dangerous.”

“It is a war of trickery, betrayal, and a war of words which will change the kingdom,” I finish.

Wolfeita’s POV

“Oh, why not? That is what you are, right? Daughter of Queen Drestella, so that makes you a Princess,” he says snobily. 

I put on a scowl, my fierce don’t-mess-with-me look. 

“I’m warning you, if you say ‘princess’ one more time, I’ll do some serious damage,” I say. 

He smirks.

“Fine, Princess, have it your way.”

Before I could punch that smile off his face, he simply vanished into broad daylight. 

I hop on Midnight in a huff (being careful of my side of course), and we ride on in silence. There isn’t a need to make noise. 

Eventually, we arrive at the gates. The guards stop me and I flash my reporter badge at them. They open the gates, and we trot inside. The streets are filled with citizens bustling about with their daily lives. I pay them no mind, as my destination comes up quickly. 

I hop off of Midnight and leave him in the stables. I march right up to the castle door, flash my badge once more, and walk inside. It’s so beautiful inside the foyer. A fountain slowly bubbles out water, and the white palestine-styled tile invites everyone inside. I walk briskly, remembering Mother’s strict words.

I’m trying not to be the bad guy here for once. Instead, you will be. Now, is that clear?

In truth, it isn’t clear at all. 

‘Remember the task at hand, Wolfeita,’ Shadow speaks in my mind. 

Who’s side are you on anyway? I ask.

‘Depends...but most likely yours since I am part of you. You want to make your mother proud, I understand. So go ahead and get this interview over with,’ she says.

I let that thought linger. I clutch my bag as I walk down the hall to the Royal Quarters. I come to a door at last and knock politely. 

Queen Phila’s POV

Almost on cue, the door opens and the Secretary comes inside.

“Your Majesty, there is a reporter waiting outside, when should I tell her to come? Or would you like to attend to it now?” he asks, peering behind his spectacles.

“She will come now,” my mother answers in my stead. I glare at her, as she knows how much I hate the press. But she chooses not to pay attention and ushers me out of the room along with Dawn and Narnia. So much for being a Queen.

“Well, be polite and remember to smile,” Aislinn says.

I tell her to shut up and march towards the hall, with Dawn and Narnia squabbling behind me, where the reporter was waiting.

“Oh, I’m sorry, but you’re stuck with me for life, and you can’t get rid of me, so I will talk as much as I want, thank you very much,” Aislinn says cheekily. I ignore her as she continues to chatter nonsense and push open the door.

I see a blonde haired girl with sea-green eyes, her long hair falling like a curtain around her face. She smiles at me warmly and I find myself smiling back. I sit beside her as she gushes over Dawn and Narnia who shake hands with her and then proceed to sit down and talk about how the ladybug stole Dawn’s leaf by chewing it all over. I sit quietly, observing the girl. She seemed nice enough, I think to myself.

“Looks deceive, don’t judge a book by its cover” Aislinn whispers, and I agree grudgingly.

We chatter politely and then she proceeds to ask me questions.

Wolfeita’s POV

“So, Ms. Phila. I’d like to ask you a few questions,” I say, as I glance at my list. “What is your opinion on philosophy?” I ask.

"My opinion about philosophy...what about my say about philosophy? What I think of it? I think very highly of philosophy. Although, I will admit, I have not read many books to expand my view, I do read religious texts from many religions so as to learn what they are, what they expound. I try to analyze everything I see around me, the reason why that particular thing is right there at the moment. Is it to make me think about it? Or does it have a bigger purpose?" she finishes.

“Very well, very well,” I say, as I jot it down in my notebook. “Now, how do you feel about the people close to you? Do you trust your parents, the Prime Minister, your guards, any friends you may have?” I wonder why mom wanted that question answered, I think. 

Queen Phila’s POV

“What?” I ask, immediately on my guard.

She repeats, looking down on her pad, “How do you feel about people you interact with everyday? Since, I believe a Queen does have her enemies and friends.”

I stiffen and answer tightly, although smiling, “Well, you think I would let the people I don’t trust near me?” I laugh at the half-truth. But they don’t need to know.

Wolfeita laughs along with me and proceeds, “Whom do you prefer, Pandas or Deers?”

“Hey!” I laugh, “they can hear us as well as talk,” I gesture towards my pets who look at me intently as if waiting for the decision.

“And we heard that too,” Narnia crosses her arms.

“Go on, tell us, whom do you like more,” Dawn says competitively.

I laugh softly and answer, “I can’t really decide, I love them both so much.”

Wolfeita laughs and says, “I can relate, I have a horse and an Iguana, can’t choose between them.”

We chat amiably as she asks me some easy questions.

“Your thoughts about the Right and the Left side? Do you feel they are tongs and hammers with each other or…” she trails off as the guards advance. I raise a hand in the air telling them to stop. 

“Wolfeita, may I ask where are you from?”

“Y-yes, I’m from the Granuletta kingdom only, from the Bread Village,” she replies with uncertainty.

“Really?” I ask, giving her a chance.

“Yes, I speak the truth,” she replies with more certainty.

It’s a pity, I think to myself, she seemed quite nice.

“I warned you! Don’t judge a book by its cover!”Aislinn sings.

I ignore her and gather my skirts to get up. “The interrogation room, please,” I tell the guards and walk out.

***