The little 'flag-boy', Jin Sue, sat a bit farther off, perched on a stone just beyond the edge of the darkened area. He munched contentedly on an apple, an orange flag fixed to his backpack fluttering lazily in the breeze.
I shook my head. I had no intention of curbing my mana domain any further; I’d done quite enough.
“Is something the matter, my lady?” asked the eldest maid, the most sensitive and attentive of the group.
I shook my head. “No, everything’s fine, Mommy.”
Her eyes brightened at the word. The others called her that too, since she was the oldest and took charge of most of the organizing. To be honest, I called her that because I’d forgotten her name—and she was far too old to be called miss or lass. Still, let her have her joy.
At first, they had hesitated before the smoke curtain, the old crone had to drag them inside, but now they darted in and out of the dark fog as if it were nothing more than a wall and door in an ordinary building. It wasn’t dark within, of course; I kept everything brightly lit so they could work efficiently.
I was being cleaned with damp cloths, then dressed and decorated like a Christmas tree.
I even conjured basins of water, kerchiefs, and every tool they needed, so quickly and subtly that it must have seemed as though things appeared the very moment they wished for them. I had a great deal of fun with it, and even more watching their delight. Soon, they’d start believing they were casters themselves.
True, the white magic from the blessing spell had muddled my mind a little, but since it was only a minor spell, the effect wasn’t dramatic, more like indulging in a particularly strong drink. A bit early in the day for that sort of thing, perhaps, but… I only wanted to be helpful to the girls.
I chuckled, quite proud of myself, and laughed at the notion of my own self-inebriating generosity. My good mood only amplified theirs, and they worked with even greater enthusiasm.
I sensed Mike waiting at the edge of the smoke barrier. Once the girls had finished pampering me, I graciously dismissed them and walked toward him, dispersing the mist with a lazy wave of my hand.
It was a lovely day. Both suns shone high in the sky, fully illuminating my elegant figure. I was dressed in a long white gown that flowed smoothly down my body and trailed behind me like a dragon’s tail. Only my gleaming white shoes, set with diamonds, and a hint of ankle peeked from beneath the hem. A wide silk belt, the same color as my hair, emphasized my slender waist, and my well-groomed mane cascaded over my shoulders, adding a vibrant splash of color to the ensemble.
I approached with a spring in my step, though I had to tread carefully on those treacherous high heels. Somehow that absurd fashion had taken hold—perhaps precisely because it was so difficult to walk in? No matter. A touch of spellcraft smoothed the ground before me as I moved, paving the way like an invisible red carpet.
“Hey, Mike,” I said, waving as he approached. After giving him a brief hug, I asked, “Is everything ready for the meeting?”
His eyes flicked over me, assessing, but when I spoke he lifted his gaze and nodded, then gave me a solemn bow. “My lady, you look… magnificent.”
I narrowed my eyes, not at the compliment, but at how he’d looked at me. Probably Ju had shared her little worries with him. Oh, whatever. I wasn’t about to let such thoughts ruin my good mood. Pleased by his remark, I took his elbow and leaned against him slightly to steady my stride.
“Let’s talk on the way, all right?”
That was the moment my alarm bells rang. A resonant bellow shook the air, the kind of sound that sent vibrations down to the bones, a mix between a dinosaur’s bellow and the deep, metallic groan of an airship lowering its landing gear. I sensed something rushing toward us at tremendous speed. For a fraction of a second, instinct screamed attack!—and I nearly neutralized the incoming object with a jet of fire—but my senses assured me everything was fine.
Confusion flickered through my mind: I recognized the roar, yet not the object itself. I hesitated, though I’d had a couple of seconds to react. In my defense, I did sense that whatever it was would narrowly miss us.
Something massive struck the ground with a heavy thud, showering us in a wave of liquid, viscera, dust, and gravel.
I sneezed and stared dejectedly at my once-lovely white dress, now spattered with mud, algae, and several unidentifiable substances.
Wiping the sticky something from my face, I lifted my eyes toward the culprit… then sighed, chuckled, and waved.
“Thank you, Grubber!”
It’s the intention that matters, isn’t it? I could feel it, he’d realized I was awake and decided to bring me food. How utterly endearing. How could I possibly be angry with him?
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
He answered happily with another booming roar that rattled the castle windows, then circled once more above the keep.
At the front entrance, Alice gasped, then clapped a hand over her mouth, trying in vain to stifle her laughter, while Lynx was already on the ground, rolling with it.
I turned my gaze to the object that had fallen—a creature that looked like a cross between a giant pig and a hippo, roughly hippo-sized and freshly plucked from the marshes, still half-covered in algae and mud. A water pig, as the peasants called it. It was hard to recognize in its current state, mauled by Grubber’s teeth and claws and half-exploded from the impact.
Grubber made another jubilant pass over the courtyard, loosing one more triumphant scream before banking away into the distance.
For a moment I considered incinerating my clothes, but then decided a quick shadow-meld would do the trick and free me of the dirt. I did just that, plucked the dress into my inventory before it hit the ground, and—shrouded in
In a couple of heartbeats I looked as fresh as a newly rendered image on a screen. When I turned to Mike, I had to titter. Poor sod, he was completely plastered with muck and viscera. Drat; a shield spell would have been handy to spare us both that shower.
“Sorry, Mike… I suppose you need to wash and change,” I said, then pointed at the water pig. “Would you be so kind? I want a piece of that for my lunch.”
He chuckled in return. “Sure, my lady! But I’ll be reserving a piece for myself—revenge, you understand!”
As Mike left to take his second shower of the day, I entered the meeting room with Lynx at my side and Alice following close behind.
The room was packed: twenty people or more, mostly orcs. They sat at several tables, sipping coffee and refreshments in a setting far more casual than most meetings in this world. A low murmur of conversation filled the space, but as soon as the guard announced my arrival, every chair scraped sharply against the floor as the entire room rose to its feet.
I paused at the entrance and swept a slow glance over them. The room fell silent under my gaze.
“Ladies, gentlemen, please, sit down,” I said evenly. Then, turning toward the three elves seated at a separate table to my right, I added, “Not you.”
They froze mid-motion, gasping softly, eyes darting toward one another in uncertainty. A faint stir of murmurs rippled through the room, and the tension thickened.
“His Excellency, High Ambassador Morena; Lady Astartes; and General Dolhans,” Lynx announced smoothly, introducing them.
They hesitated, unsure whether to approach and shake my hand or fear for their lives. Mike had been trying to establish a more “flexible” protocol, something leaner, yet still deferential to my position, but it clearly left our guests confused.
“Your Highness?” the ambassador ventured cautiously.
I went straight for the kill.
“Your kingdom owes me a wyvern, and compensation for the losses from the storm.”
Their eyes widened, uncomprehending. I clarified, a touch more pointedly,
“You need to compensate us for the harvest losses caused by the storm.”
“Your Highness, surely you can’t expect us to pay for a storm! Is this because our Goddess is the Goddess of Nature? This is outrageous—”
Ju gasped and rose from her seat. I gestured for her to stay quiet, and to my surprise, she obeyed. I clicked my tongue in annoyance.
“Spare me the fake indignation,” I said, fixing the ambassador with a cool stare. “There were five mage towers feeding the storm, one of them belonging to your kingdom.”
“But… but this cannot be, Your Highness! There’s no spell capable of controlling a storm at such distance. It’s impossible. Someone must have misinformed you, Your Highness.”
The ambassador was sweating buckets while the other two elves exchanged bewildered glances. Hushed voices and a few angry gasps rippled through the room.
“This cannot be!” Ju protested. “It must be a mistake. I know my folk—no one would do such a—”
I ignored her, my eyes fixed on the ambassador.
“Should I believe you or my own lying eyes, Ambassador?” I asked with a sigh. “I know what I saw, and I’ll trust what I saw.”
I huffed. “You have a Kargath's quarter to bring me a proper answer and an offer of how much your kingdom will contribute—or we have war, and I will personally see that one particular tower is destroyed. As I said, it is not only your kingdom—there are four other towers involved. Contact them and agree on their shares.”
Ju gasped again. I tilted my head, examining the three elves. I almost felt sorry for them. Surprisingly, they really didn’t seem to know about the storm's cause, and probably found my claim impossible to accept. They may think I’m inventing a pretext for war.
I sighed. Well, if it came to that, then let it be war. I would not allow anyone to conjure a storm over my lands.
“Have I been clear enough, Ambassador?” I asked.
He nodded. “Your Highness, do I understand correctly that we are to leave now?”
I gave a brief nod and pointed toward the door. “Do so.”
Then, whatever devil prompted me, I gave him one of those glacier-melting glances. His knees seemed to lose their strength, and he sank to them before me. His face flushed, but his expression hardened with determination and something dangerously close to zeal. With a trembling hand, he pressed his fist to his chest in a gesture that looked almost like an orc salute.
“Queen Lores,” he said fervently, “I swear on my honor that I will do everything in my power to clarify this matter and see the culprits punished!”
A wave of shocked gasps swept the room. Even I was taken aback for a heartbeat. Then I gave him a surprised look and nodded.
“Do so,” I said again, softer this time, my eyelashes fluttering.