Taking Control [open]

A shirtless and barefoot Malick Tristair was practically carried into the room by force; the large, black wooden doors slamming shut behind him before guards resumed their protective stance. His face was red with anger, his voice already hoarse from screaming at his own men, the men who were sworn to protect him, as he whirled around to find his wife lounging upon his throne. Despite his disheveled and raging appearance, Selyse remained relatively calm; comfortable as she sat back with a single leg draped over one of the armrests.

"What is the bloody meaning of this?!" he demanded, taking a few steps forward before one of the guards- no, it was one of the Tenebra, he noticed -stopped him from going any further.
"I've been thinking..." she responded coolly, letting her head lazily fall into the palm of her hand as she watched him. "There needs to be some changes around here, and I've decided to start at the top..."
It was difficult to distinguish whether Malick found her amusing, as though he truly believed this was a joke, or he was being sarcastic when he laughed in reply to her. "I have allowed many things, I've let you get away with so much, Selyse...but this time, you've step-"
"What you have allowed, meu amor, is for the Lucere to trample all over us! To allow this great nation to wither and weaken beneath your rule." Selyse had interrupted his angered rant to rise from her seat slowly, with such precision and grace that often left someone unaware and wondering just what she might do. It could be a casual approach...or a very deadly one, yet by the stern sound of her voice, it couldn't be good.
Of course, the Zai was too full of pride to cower at his wife's feet and stood still as she sauntered her way closer. "So what then?" he asked smugly. "You think you can simply take the throne from me? Have you forgotten how many men follow me, and only me?"
A pause, she spun in place to regard all the faces around them before offering a crooked, sly grin to Malick. "Your men aren't here. They have either pledged their swords to me or died by one..." Once he took a second to study those surrounding him, he came to realize that his escorts and guards were all Tenebra- the deadliest soldiers of the Caliga, and always loyal to her, their commander. "So, as you can see, máis querido, they also believe in your inability to lead. While you wasted your time with drink and fucking your whores, the Caliga secretly yearned for recognition...for power...and I can give that to them."

The Zai studied her for a long moment before laughter spilled forth from his lips again. "They will not follow you. Not all of them." His back went stiff as Selyse now stood only inches away from him, those icy blue eyes lingering on lips she had long ago forgotten the taste of. Briefly, she wondered if she ever really desired them...or if it was just her desire for power that made her spread her legs.
"You underestimate me, Malick," she said, her voice a low whisper as attention slowly drifted up to meet his bitter gaze. "You always have. But I am not as cruel as you believe. Surrender your throne and I will let you live. After all...Lusius needs a father."
His hands balled into fists at his sides but he caught her own upon those twin blades, resting patiently at ample hips, and he knew better than to strike. She was too close and he was far too outnumbered. "I am not some pathetic fool you can cast aside, woman! Do you forget who helped raise you up in rank? Do you forget who gave you your life, your glory, that title of Zaia?" His voice began to rise up higher as his wife slowly turned to begin walking away as though his words had no affect on her. "If it weren't for me, you filthy whore, you'd be nowhere, a nobody. Do you hear me?! You aim too high, Selyse..."

She remembered exactly how she had gotten here. Countless days of training, learning, of pretending that she cared about this sad excuse of a man while he beat her around, just to get any sort of recognition from him. Selyse was born to lead, she always knew this, and Malick was slowing her down.
Well, she couldn't have that, now could she?
The muscles between her shoulders tensed as slender digits wrapped about the hilt of a blade. It was only a split second, a glint of steel in the candlelight, before she swung the sword around to cleave into bone and flesh. The Zai's head cut cleanly from his neck, body twitching before collapsing in front of her in a jumbled heap and crimson blood. The annoyance was evident on her face as Selyse grasped a hold of the dead man's hair to lift his head to eye level, inspecting it with utter disdain. "I'd say that was high enough..." she murmured with the faintest hint of a grin before lips pressed a kiss to the cadaver's cheek. "Until next we meet, amante..." The head was carelessly tossed aside before her voice rose up and she acknowledged those standing around her in the room. "Anyone else? Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge my authority, my crown?"

For now, the room was silent.