Lily held the queen's hand, gazing at her firmly. The queen, surprised, shifted her gaze from Lily's hand to her face. Lily chuckled. "Silly girl, what can I do? You said there's no turning back for Fred."
"For him, yes," Lily replied, "but not for you."
Raising an eyebrow, the queen shook her head. "But you said Fred bought off my ministers. I have no one left to command."
"Your Majesty," Lily said, knowing the queen's apprehension, "there's a listening device in the room. I've already disabled it." This time, the queen didn't deny it. Lily continued, "As long as you're willing to cooperate, Fred poses no threat."
The queen stared at her briefly before smiling. "Why are you so confident in me? I don't even know if I can help."
Seeing the queen's hesitation, Lily slowly rose. "Your Majesty, you've strategized for your nation for decades. You may be older, but your sharpness and courage remain. I refuse to believe Fred could maneuver so much under your nose without your knowledge. You might have tolerated him out of kindness, or perhaps indulged him deliberately. Therefore, you're here not because you had to be, but because you are willing to be."
A heavy silence fell.
"That sounds interesting," the queen said, "but I don't know what you're talking about."
Lily looked at the queen intently. "Your Majesty, I understand your concerns. It's alright if you're unwilling to admit it. However, it suggests you're not interested in cooperating."
She sat down and took a bite of an apple. Her calm demeanor amused the queen.
"You keep talking about working together," the queen said, "but even if I could save us, what's in it for me? After all, you said the experiment is risky. If I choose to undergo the experiment, you can't escape. On the other hand, I'll be of no use to you if I choose not to. So why should I help you?"
Lily raised an eyebrow and took another bite of the apple. After a moment, she said, "Is that what's holding you back?"
The queen smiled, offering neither confirmation nor denial.
Lily said confidently, "You're wrong. No one can help you as I can."
The queen smiled. "Oh, yeah?"