The three gang members are thirty paces down the street, crouching beside the broken window. The scaly faced man, Spinner, and the tall one, Compress, watch the woman as flames spread across her bundle of oil-soaked cloth, which is wrapped around the end of a stick. In a few moments, the flames will be big enough for her to throw the stick into the warehouse.
Glowshrooms are plastered across the walls, softly illuminating the street. Vines hang off beams above the warehouse, planted so that arborturgists have an organic crane to hoist cargo off the back of wagons. It doesn't look well used; hired arborturgists are expensive, after all.
The gang isn't aware of your presence— for now at least. You have to stop them before they can set the warehouse alight. You turn to Izuku who has drawn One For All, ready to strike down the ruffians and be done with the matter.
"Hold fast," you order the Knight. "There has been enough life lost today." He grumbles in dissent but nods his understanding.
You rest your hand against a nearby glowshroom. It glows brighter under your touch, feeding off your skin's heat. When you connect to plants with your magic, every species has a different signature, a unique rhythm of how its life force reverberates with the world. And then within that rhythm, there are differences with each individual plant. No two violins sound exactly the same, and no two plants hum with the same frequency, either. Yet to distinguish between two violins takes a master's ear.
Such is the difficulty of what you must accomplish now. You must avoid connecting indiscriminately to all the glowshrooms around you, focusing instead on only the glowshrooms near the gang— or you'll risk blinding Izuku and yourself as well. Taking a deep breath, you reach out, seeking to connect with the right glowshrooms.
Light flares up beside the gang, blanketing the street in blinding green radiance. The gang members stumble away from the warehouse, yelping. Your plan has worked perfectly. Only the glowshrooms beside them have been affected; even though their brightness renders the whole street into artificial daylight, you've avoided blinding yourself and your Knight.
While the criminals curse and stagger around the street, you and Izuku step around the corner and race toward them. By the time they regain their eyesight, you're close enough to attack. The woman holding the fire should be your priority; you can't let the flames get inside the warehouse.
"Guards are on the way," you lie easily.
The woman flinches. Shocked by your words, she barely brings her sword up to deflect your lancing vine attack. She staggers backward, trailing blood from a cut on her arm. She still holds that flaming torch with her left hand. You can't give her any respite, or she'll toss it into the warehouse.
Spinner and Compress lunge toward you, attacking from either side.
Vines curl down from the overhead beams, wrapping around the men's ankles. They're hoisted into the air, yelping. Unfortunately, they react quickly, chopping the vines away with their swords. They collapse onto the cobblestones, groaning. Izuku hits them with the butt of his blade, leaving the two men dazed.
The lady criminal draws her arm back, about to throw the flaming torch into the warehouse. You reach out with a desperate surge of magic. The woman hurls the torch toward the broken window, and the flame draws a bloody trail through the air— only to be stopped when a vine shoots down to curl around it. The vine hoists the torch into the air, well out of the reach of the gang members. The warehouse is safe, thanks to your quick thinking. But this isn't over yet.
"Finish this quick!" the woman says to a rousing Spinner and Compress. "We have to get out of here."
Spinner swallows. "Alright, Magne."
All three brigands rush in toward you. Izuku adopts that murderous glint in his eye, the same one you witnessed when he killed the assassin this morning. He wields his weapon differently, lethally. But these are your subjects— wayward criminals as they may be, you do not wish to see anymore of your people killed in cold blood. There must be something that you can do!
You show your palms to the thugs placatingly and flash what you hope to be a disarming smile. "Lay down your weapons now and all will be forgiven."
The three of them slow their charge, frowning. But after a befuddled shake of their heads, they keep on rushing in toward you. Oh no, this, this can't be! They've managed to resist your charms?? For a moment you sputter, utterly baffled. The Knight curses and shakes his head. The goons close in, raising their swords. Spinner's blade lunges toward your neck. Izuku knocks the blow aside easily with One For All, but that just lets Magne swing at your legs beneath your gown. Time slows as her blade slices toward your ankle. You can't defend yourself fast enough. Her attack is about to land.
A vine snakes out from a nearby building, knocking into Magne's sword. Her swing misses your skirts, throwing sparks into the air as the blade hits the cobblestones. You stumble backward, heart racing. Arborturgy just saved your life— but it wasn't your arborturgy.
You glance to your right. Kota stands upon a nearby rooftop, with his left arm raised toward you. It was him. The boy is an arborturgist? He can't be older than thirteen! And as far as you know, he has no formal training. How can this be?
Wait…. When you'd first met him—as the lad stole your coins—he crawled up a vine to escape the guards. When Sir Tenya tried to climb after him, the vine had snapped. At the time, everyone just thought that was bad luck. But now it all makes sense.
"You're welcome, Your Majesty," Kota says in a tired voice. "Oh, I don't feel so good…." His skinny legs wobble. He slumps onto the tiled roof, groaning. Arborturgy can take quite a toll for inexperienced users; he must have only gained his powers recently.
You raise your hand. Vines shoot down from above, twirling around your body protectively. Spinner, Compress, and Magne hack with their swords, but the vines parry their blades. Plant does battle against steel, and plant wins, forcing them to retreat. But there's no respite. Izuku effortlessly disarms the foes in a display of swordsmanship and finesse.
The three of them stumble to their knees. "We surrender! Please, Your Highness, spare us!"
"Spare you?" Izuku chuckles with a dark sense of humor, pointing his broadsword at their necks. "You turn your blades against the Queen, and now you plead for mercy? I should strike the lot of you down right where you kneel."
Sweat forms on your brow. Clanking footsteps echo along the street as a squadron of guards jog out from around the corner, drawn by the unmistakable sounds of violence. They gape openly at the scene: the Queen of Yuueii and the Head Knight, standing over three defeated thugs.
"Thank the Goddess," you sigh exasperatedly. "Take these brigands into custody before your Head Knight kills them, please."
The guards salute. "As you command, Your Majesty."
The Head Knight barks at his men, demanding a reinforcement of night patrols around the kingdom. The soldiers get quite an earful as Izuku uses them to vent his frustrations. It seems that he had really wanted to kill the hoodlums who dared point their weapons towards you. You know that the Knight just wants to protect you, but there is enough blood on your hands as it is. And the siege has only just begun. How bleak.
You glance up to the shingles where Kota collapsed, but the rooftop is empty. That boy has a real knack for sneaking away when you aren't watching! From what you can work out, he grew up on the streets of Yuueii. That would explain why he found it so easy to pickpocket your coins, even as well guarded as you were during the festival. If you can do something to genuinely help him, then that would feel like adequate thanks for saving your life this evening.
The guards clamp iron manacles around the criminals. Spinner scowls. "This won't last. He'll notice us—"
"Shut up!" says Magne, her eyes widening.
Your mind races. What could they possibly mean? Who could they be referring to?
You take one last look at the storage facility. Thankfully, the only damage sustained is the lone broken window. Despite your ambivalence towards the noblewoman, you are glad to have preserved her goods; after all, your people's benefit takes priority over any personal grudges you may have. All in all, Lady Mei and the rest of the merchant district should be grateful that you saved the warehouse from Magne's flames.
"Your Majesty?" asks Sir Tenya. You turn back to the soldier. "We'll escort these criminals to Yuueii's prison," he says. "You can decide their fate tomorrow."
The officer salutes you, then marches away. His guards follow behind, dragging the gang members along. A yawn escapes your mouth. Today seems to have lasted an eternity, and tomorrow is shaping up to be just as strenuous. You turn toward the palace with Izuku and trudge on home.
***
Just a couple hours later, the door to your study opens. Izuku enters, dressed down in breathable cottons, equal parts relieved and confused when he sees you hunched over at your desk. The cluttered stone room is illuminated by the soft orange glow of a nearby lantern. An elaborate feathered quill in your hand scratches away at a long scroll of parchment that's clearly been revisited and revised multiple times.
"So this is why there was no response when I knocked at your chambers," Izuku muses. "It's rather late, my Queen, you should retire to bed."
"I cannot," you reply simply but remove your bifocals to rub at your tired eyes. "I've displaced countless families today, and I am trying to draft a feasible way to house them all. The wealth disparity in this kingdom— ugh, I knew it was bad, but it is far worse than I could have ever imagined. And tax equations are so tricky~!" You pout and sigh. "I've run the numbers thrice now, but…"
"Arithmetic was never your strong suit," Izuku supplies with a knowing smile. You nod sheepishly in agreement. The Knight draws closer and, instead of scolding you for staying up past your bedtime, he kindly lends his aid. "Allow me to help. I oversee the count for the soldiers' supplies every month, so I know my way around an abacus."
You protest weakly, but Izuku just urges you out of your chair and takes your seat instead. The man then pulls you into his lap and looks over your shoulder at the paperwork, finding a mistake in your maths almost immediately. He only grins at the soft apologetic smile you offer, correcting numbers here and there, flicking the beads of the abacus with practiced ease.
You relax into the safety and warmth of his lap, the pleasant weight of his strong arms engulfing you. After everything that has happened today, feeling the steady beat of his heart thumping against your back helps to calm and ground you. His presence has always been a reliable source of comfort.
"This reminds me of when we were youths," you giggle at the memories resurfacing of the two of you in the palace library studying. Well, the Squire would study, and you would sidetrack him by any means necessary— whether it be a crass joke, a gentle touch, or a lingering gaze. Lord Aizawa was quick to reprimand you back then, but you would always blame the Squire for being too distracting to resist. Anything to make the sweet boy blush that pretty shade of pink. "Those were such good times."
Izuku chuckles. "Yes, I believe I was doing your arithmetic for you back then as well."
"You did not!" You poke at him playfully. "I cheated off of your notebook."
"Same difference," he replies, tickling your sides to make you squirm until you agree. Izuku still knows all the places that make you squeal and squeak.
"Alright, alright, I yield!" You laugh breathlessly. "Still, I always rewarded you handsomely for your assistance, did I not?"
Surprisingly (or perhaps not), the Knight flushes bright red as he recalls the soft kisses you'd place on his freckled cheek. He bites his lip, trying and failing to will the color away from his face. "That is true… so, what will you give me in exchange for doing your work this time?"
You shift around in his lap until you feel his manhood between the thin layers of nightclothes that you both wear, humming thoughtfully as you do so. Izuku had left you wanting in the bathhouse, and you would love to return the favor— but even more so you desire proper satisfaction.
"Whatever you want, my Knight."
To his credit, Izuku keeps his composure, but you can feel his hardness stirring to life beneath you, twitching in anticipation. The blatant effect you have on the man always makes you feel so powerful— even more than any coronet. The Head Knight returns his attention to the paperwork so diligently that you would think he was ignoring you, if not for the large hand continuously roaming over your hips and thighs.
You sigh in content as Izuku lazily explores your body with the rough pads of his fingertips. The light and gentle strokes of his scarred hand lulls you into an almost meditative state, teetering on the edge of sleep until he rouses you fully to show off the completed draft.
"We would have to increase taxes on the merchant class by at least twenty percent," Izuku informs you, "but it would be more than enough to fulfill your requirements to build the new housing development. Although… Lady Mei and her entourage would not be very pleased—"
"Mei can gallivant backwards through a field of prickly pear cacti for all I care," you laugh at your own wit and your Knight's brilliance as you skim over the parchment in a state of awe. "You've really done it, Izuku. Lord Aizawa will have to double check the numbers— no insult to you of course, my darling, it's only because he'll think that I've done it— but you've done it…! Incredible."
The Knight feels warm and airy as your praise washes over him. "It was your decree, my Queen. I only found the numbers you needed to make it happen."
"You're far too modest," you say with a grin, because it is one of your favorite traits of his. "So tell me, what will you claim as your reward?" You expect the young man to fumble and fluster, but Izuku levels you with a stare that you know means he has decided what he desires a long time ago.
"I wish to sleep in your bed tonight," he declares in a hushed whisper. Your lips part in surprise, and Izuku continues quickly, "With you."
Why yes, dear, that was certainly implied. But still! This is a bit overwhelming. You had always dreamt of your Knight taking you in the quiet solitude of a forest, up against a tree under a blazing bright sun as he sweats and pants over you. But Izuku's fantasy was an intriguing one indeed. To have him in your bed, in your chambers, right under the noses of those who sought to keep the two of you separated, exposed only to the moon and the stars? Yes, that'll do just fine.
"Alright," your voice comes out much smaller than intended. You clear your throat and try again. "Go to the atrium below my chambers and wait on the balcony. I'll send a vine down."
Izuku smiles brightly and gives you a breathtaking kiss on the lips before leaving the study.
You are sure to express to the footman posted outside your door how exhausted you are and how much you are looking forward to a good rest. The guard only nods and grunts over his novel, paying you little heed. After freshening up and fretting over your reflection in the mirror, you light some candles and bloom a few calming scented flowers to set the mood. Once you're satisfied with the ambiance, a vine lowers and brings the lowborn man up into your private bedchambers.
There is a buzzing electricity between the two of you, a delicious sort of tension that you want to chase endlessly. As soon as he crosses the threshold from the balcony into your room, Izuku cannot keep his hands off of you. Even so, his touches start off sweet; taking your hands in his and interlocking your fingers, then tracing up your forearms to your elbows. His lips find yours softly, and he kisses you as though he has all the time in the world. It's dizzying, mind numbing the way his mouth presses against yours.
A pair of large rough hands find your waist, leading you backwards further into your space. Since it is Izuku, you can trust him blindly to guide you without hazard. By the time your legs hit the back of your four poster bed, the Knight's kisses have turned hungry and desperate, his gentle caresses devolved into needy groping until you hear a tearing of the thin cotton covering your body.
You fall back into your silk sheets giggling as Izuku rips the last of your nightgown to shreds. "And here I thought you just wanted to sleep with me."
"I never said that's all I wanted to do with you," he replies as his eyes drink in the sight of your nude form in the moonlight. His forest pools are dark, filled with unbridled lust. "The list is actually rather long…"
"Oh?" You gasp as he mouths at your throat. "And what is the first item on your agenda?"
"Mmm," Izuku murmurs, planting kisses along a winding path down your body. "Midnight snack."
Every time his lips touch your skin, you feel lightning and electricity. He greets the apex of your thighs with a tender smooch, looking at your open, blooming flower like he's seeing heaven on earth. You whisper his name into the night as Izuku curls his tongue inside with the intent to ravish all of you. He hums and moans happily when you tangle your fingers in his hair, arching into his mouth.
Your legs try to enclose around his head automatically when he starts to slurp and suckle, but the Knight settles his weight against you, using his strong forearms to keep your thighs pried open for him. Izuku grinds his hips into the mattress for some relief, never once letting up on the way he tastes you, savors you, wholeheartedly enjoys everything you have to give him. Your eyes cross and roll back simultaneously as you tumble over the edge, shaking uncontrollably when your release gushes into his open, awaiting mouth.
Izuku praises you endlessly as he kisses his way back up your body, hellbent on appreciating every inch of you. Every birthmark, every scar, even the tender nicks and cuts caused by the Throne of Thorns, Izuku presses his lips to every single part of you in a display of love and devotion. Your chest is still heaving when his lips reconnect with yours. The Knight allows you to remove his tunic, but when you begin to tug at his trousers, he intertwines his fingers with yours and stops you.
"Are you certain?" Izuku whispers, meeting your gaze. The rough pads of his fingers brush against your dewdrop covered petals, weakening you both. "You really wish to do this, to give this… to me? I won't be upset if you want to stop now—"
You flip your positions, settling into his lap comfortably. Maintaining eye contact, you slowly run your hands up the corded muscle of his arms before securing the Knight to your four poster bed with a thick vine wrapping around each extremity. You will the plants along the walls to barricade the door as well, just in case. Izuku tugs at his new bonds experimentally, pupils expanding rapidly as he looks at you in a state of lust blown curiosity. His chest rises and falls in time with his ragged breaths. You flash a coy smile as you unfasten his trousers and pull them down.
"To you, my Knight," you confirm. "With you. For you. You already own my heart, so allow me to give you my body… Allow me to serve you for once." You roll your hips, grinding nice and slow against his hard length.
Izuku moans wantonly as you coat him in your warm slick, the feel of your soft wet petals rubbing along his stiffness almost too much to bear. His whimpers and soft whines of your name spur you on, both of you gasping sharply whenever his fat head pokes at your bud. You maneuver the tip to your entrance, and Izuku gasps breathlessly as you slowly sink down onto him.
"I-Inside," he pants, staring at your conjoined forms in awe, thrusting his hips up desperately in hopes to match you. "I-I'm inside my Queen…!"
You rock back and forth, taking another inch each time you lower onto his dick, but it's still so much. He's long and wide like a thick, healthy tree branch. Spearing inside you, spreading you, splitting you apart.
"S-So big," you whine, planting your palms on his broad chest to ride him better.
The new angle helps you take more of him, but when you glance down he's still only halfway inside of you. Your lower lip juts out, frowning as your greedy pussy tries yet fails to swallow another inch. How was Izuku able to make it look so easy pleasuring you when you're having so much trouble returning the gesture?
His scarred chest rumbles as Izuku chuckles at you. Please don't fault the man, he simply can't help it! His lovely little Queen, the most powerful woman in all the realm, struggling to take his dick and on the verge of tears in frustration because she wants more, but she can't seem to fit more-! Goddess only knows it's a miracle he's kept his composure this long.
There's a snap! as he flexes and easily rips the vines restraining his arms. Any other man would struggle to accomplish such a feat, but you know full well that Izuku has never been just any man. Another crack! as the vines binding his ankles down tear apart like tissue paper. Being careful not to slip out of your tight wet heat, the Knight pushes you onto your back, easily changing your positions.
"You really had me fooled for a second, bunny," Izuku giggles into your neck. "So cute." He rolls his hips, sinking deeper into you, making you moan all high and needy. "So perfect~! But I can take it from here, my love." He presses his thumb down onto your tongue, cupping your face in his large hand. You wrap your lips around the digit, sucking gently as Izuku watches.
"I know how to do it so it doesn't hurt," he tells you proudly, removing his thumb from your mouth and rubbing slow circles over your pretty little pearl. "Unless… you want it to hurt?" He asks, the hand on your hip gripping you harshly all of a sudden. There's a sadistic glint in his usually sweet and innocent eyes. You shake your head no, trembling slightly.
"No, you're right," Izuku murmurs, easing up instantly. "Our first time should be nice and gentle. Just relax, my Queen. I've got you." That's easier said than done when he's bullying his cock into you like this. The Knight bites his lip to keep from crying out. He's trying so hard to hold back, but it's difficult when your pussy is squeezing him and sucking him back in every time he pulls out. "S-So tight… Gonna let me in or not?" He groans, plunging in until the hilt is sheathed fully inside you.
And you make the most beautiful sound as all the air in your lungs is punched out, feeling Izuku in your guts, in your chest, in your very heart. Your legs wrap around his waist as you whimper and twitch. Your sweet, squeaky Squire all grown up and balls deep inside you, hitting places within that you hadn't even known existed— it's all too much to take. Fireworks burst beneath your eyelids. The way that you shake and shiver, clutching onto him like a lifeline, is completely out of your control.
Izuku shudders as your walls flutter, staring at you in disbelief. "D-Did you just—?"
"I-I'm sorry," you choke and sob, still trembling against him yet somehow floating far, far away. "I didn't mean to."
"No, you," Izuku whimpers when you clench around him, "y-you can cum on my dick as much as you want."
He starts to move, and it's somehow even more pleasurable than the feel of him fully seated inside you. His thrusts are slow but deep, making sure you can feel every inch of him rubbing against your innermost walls. Izuku pokes at your womb each time he bottoms out, and the delicious stretch sends you to another plane of existence.
"Always knew we'd fit together perfectly," Izuku confesses dreamily, torn between looking in your eyes and the sight of his cock disappearing inside you. "We're one now, bunny. Isn't it beautiful?"
"Puppy," you babble aimlessly. "Puppy—"
"Normally I don't mind being your lapdog, being your good boy… but when we do this?" Izuku punctuates his statement by gripping your chin firmly, snapping your gaze up to meet his. "Around others you never use my proper title, but it's just you and me now. I want to hear you say it when I fuck you. Understand, bunny?"
He watches you closely, waiting for a smart remark, prepared for a challenge. But when he's stroking your insides so unbelievably, there's no room left within for any retaliation or rebellion. Your body is weak and pliant, your mind gone fuzzy and dumb.
"Y-Yes, Sir."
Izuku laughs, thrusting into you with more speed and power, making the marble encased room resound with the rhythmic plap plap plap of his skin against yours. "So you do know how to behave. Just needed some dick to act right, huh?" When you only moan in response, he wraps a hand around your throat, not squeezing enough to hurt, but hard enough to let you know that he could do so easily. "Talk to me, bunny, I have to know you're feeling good too, beloved. Am I making you feel good?"
"Yes," you chant endlessly. "Yes, yes Sir."
"Keep your eyes on me," he pleads, pounding into you harder as a ring of creamy white coats the base of his cock. "This is my favorite part."
It's an unreasonable request, especially when he's delivering such pleasure, such pure unbridled fulfillment to you. But even still, you want to please him, you want to obey his commands, you really want to be good for him. So you find the strength to meet his intense gaze, drowning in a sea of green forests and grasses and trees as you come undone once more. He holds you even tighter, pulls you even closer, fucks you even harder.
"So good, my Queen," he groans into your ear, something snapping inside as his thrusts grow wild and sloppy. "My Queen. Mine, mine, mine," he snarls, burying himself deep inside when he cums. It's so warm, makes you feel even wetter and gushier. The Knight's heavy weight settles against you as he regains his wind.
Izuku pulls out slowly, still breathing heavily as he watches his white seed leaking out of your puffy pussy with starry eyes. His lips twitch up into a smile as he plays with your combined fluids mindlessly.
"Y-You shouldn't have done that," you whimper weakly. "We must be more careful." Next time , are the silent words that hang in the smutty air.
"It's fine," He grunts, pushing his load back into you with his fingers, making you whine. "You're not such a good girl that you'd get pregnant from your very first time, are you, my Queen?" He asks with a teasing smirk, chuckling again when he feels you squeeze around his scarred fingers. "Aww, bunny, don't pout. You did so well for me!" His eyes sparkle in admiration. "With a little training you'll be taking me like a real champ." He taps his cock at your entrance, and your eyes widen when you realize he is fully hard once more. Izuku raises a brow. "Don't tell me you're tired already. We have to practice lots in order to get your stamina up!" He smiles sweetly, but the look in his eyes is devilish as he sinks into you again with a breathy moan.
The night is long, but Izuku is longer.
After countless rounds of rigorous training, you pass out feeling more than satisfied.
You sleep quite well.
But you wake to the sound of shouting.
Groaning, you roll over in your bed seeking the warmth of Izuku's body, but unfortunately the mattress is empty and cold save for yourself. It's a struggle to get your bearings, feeling sore in a number of unique places. Your head is pounding— and that incessant hollering from outside isn't helping at all. The palace is made from thick stone and marble walls, but apparently they're not thick enough to block the kingdom's noise.
Despite last night's soak in the bathhouse, your muscles ache, and you're covered in dark bruising bite marks. Rubbing sleep from your eyes, you dress in a high collared lace gown, then stumble toward the door of your royal bedchamber. Outside your bedchamber, Lord Aizawa sleeps on a couch in the sitting room. A blanket lies tangled around his waist, crumbs of food cover a low table, and papers are scattered over the carpet. Looks like you weren't the only one who had a late night.
As you close the door to your room, Lord Aizawa jerks awake. "Your Majesty…? Good morning."
"Did you sleep on the couch? I could have sent for a proper bed!" You sigh and shake your head. "The people will think I'm mistreating my favorite royal advisor."
"I am your only royal advisor," Aizawa scoffs, but you see the hint of a smile on his lips. "It's no trouble. These bones may be old, but they still remember how to sleep on a lounge."
The distant shouts grow louder. Aizawa frowns. "What in the Cultivator's name is that? They sound like Yuueii citizens."
There's a balcony outside the sitting room. You open the glass door, then stride outside, blinking in the sunlight. From this vantage point on the balcony, you can see a large crowd of finely dressed citizens gathered outside the castle's walls.
Aizawa joins you on the balcony. "Merchants? What are they shouting about? Wait— they're chanting something…."
It takes a while for their words to become clear, thanks to the noises echoing from the rest of the city— blacksmiths repairing armor, soldiers marching to the wall to relieve the night guard. But despite all that racket, the chant soon reaches your ears.
"Death to the three! Death to the three! Death to the three!"
Aizawa chews his lip. "It seems the merchants are none too happy about last night's destruction of their property. I don't see why— it was only a broken window! But I suppose it's the intent of the whole thing. Dammit. I'd been hoping you could deal with those ruffians quietly. But now it seems that their case will have an abundance of public scrutiny."
You shrug. "Message the Order. They'll dislike the merchants' calls for death and deal with my problem for me. Shall we have breakfast up here? I'd like to watch the show as it unfolds."
Aizawa rings a bell, summoning an aide into the room. She hears your message, then sprints off to deliver your bait to the Arborturgic Order. Priests and priestesses emerge from the side streets to confront the merchants just as you are enjoying your morning cup of coffee. Heated words are exchanged, along with equally heated hand gestures. The Arborturgic Order detests execution; they are clearly opposed to the merchants, who want to kill the gang members you captured last night.
After several moments of arguing, the priests and priestesses prove to be too persuasive. Or perhaps just too annoying. Either way, the merchants trickle into the streets, leaving the palace. By the time you finish breakfast, the matter is resolved.
"Well, I hope our day can only improve from here," says Aizawa. There's a note of desperation to his voice. You're trying not to cause too much trouble for the old man, but it seems to follow you at every turn. Sighing, he leads you out of the room.
The sun has barely risen, and yet the castle is already a buzzing hive of activity. Messengers sprint through the corridors, dodging scribes carrying stacks of paperwork, and you don't even trip them despite how easily you could disguise it as an accident! Boxes are dragged along the stone floor, containing weapons dug up from the palace's storage chambers. Soldiers are everywhere, guarding all the doors. It's so stuffy and stifling around here!
Bags hang under everyone's eyes, and conversations occur in frantic whispers. Or at least, people talk in frantic whispers until they notice you. When they see you, they stop talking, salute, then stay silent until you pass. Given all that has occurred in the last twenty four hours, you do your best not to devolve into mindless suspicion. It has driven many a young ruler mad.
"Your Highness, you daring rapscallion!"
You turn with a smile. The source of the booming, jovial voice is Yuga Aoyama, your artistic friend. He stands in an open doorway, wearing nothing but a paint-splattered smock and a tricorn hat with silver lace. Compared to everyone else's hushed subservience, Yuga sticks out like a flower among thorns. And oh how grateful you are for the blessed bloom.
"I heard about your antics last night," Yuga says. "Marvelous, absolutely marvelous. Continue with exploits like that, and I'll have to make a hundred fountains to capture them! Please, step into my studio, and let me show you my progress so far."
"If you thought last night was impressive, just watch," you grin broadly at the praise. "I'm only getting started."
Yuga laughs and claps his hands. "I wait with bated breath, Your Majesty. Come with me~!"
The artist leads you into his studio. It's a soaring room with broad windows that spread golden morning light over the floorboards. Strands of ivy weave a green tapestry across the walls. Several clay models lie in the middle of the room, depicting various prototype fountains. Yuga's assistant, Minoru Mineta, is putting the final touches on one of those models now. He acknowledges you with a wave of his hand that sends his purple scarf flicking to the side.
"You remember my studio in the city, of course," Yuga says. "But I wanted to move in to the palace for this project. I like to be close to my subjects. To breathe the air they breathe, to inhale the smells they smell, to tread in their footsteps. The final fountain will be installed in Pearlescent Plaza, of course, but here is quite an adequate location for the development of my ideas…"
Yuga drifts off, then ambles over to one of the pieces. He tinkers with it for a few moments, seemingly forgetting your presence. You smile fondly at your old companion, observing his creative process with open curiosity.
"Ahem!" says Lord Aizawa. "Did you have a specific purpose in bringing us in here? The Queen has a very busy schedule today, so if there's nothing you have to ask us—"
"Oh no, I certainly do," says Yuga, waving his hand. "I wanted to ask Your Majesty if there are any other aspects I should be considering with my piece?"
Yuga gestures to the work strewn around him. He raises a good point. It would be rather nice if the fountain reflected more of your idealism.
Yuga nods. "I've heard you're a principled leader." He gestures at his assistant. "Write that down, Minoru. I'll be sure to reflect that in my fountain."
"Already on it," the assistant says, scribbling into a notebook.
A distant bell gongs. Lord Aizawa strides forward. "We should be leaving, Your Majesty," he says. "You have a sentencing hearing to attend."
Yuga gives you a sweeping bow. "Goodbye, Your Majesty."
"Farewell, Yuga!" You reply. "This was a delight, and we should catch up properly sometime soon. Don't fuck up my fountain!"
"The pleasure is mine." Yuga laughs. "Do not fear, Your Queenliness— my art is always as striking as its subject!"
Together, you and Lord Aizawa stride out of the studio. "This should be simple enough," says Aizawa as you walk, in a tone that feels like he's trying to convince himself. "There'll only be a handful of people in the room, so you should be able to make your decision regarding the three gang members without any external—"
As you both emerge into the throne room, a wall of noise hits you. The room is packed with hundreds of nobles and merchants, all yammering at each other. The chatter is so loud you can hardly hear yourself plot and scheme.
"—pressure," Aizawa finishes flatly.
The crowd roars when they notice you. Everyone starts yelling, all trying to get your attention. You wince at the volume. Aizawa directs you to the throne, his words completely lost among the noise. Dotted around the crowd, you notice Head Knight Izuku speaking with a few guards, High Priestess Ibara surrounded by clergy members, and Lady Mei with her entourage of merchants. Hopefully that traitorous pain in your royal ass Mei appreciates that you saved her warehouse. But judging by her bloodshot eyes, she hasn't had much sleep. Probably too busy conspiring against you. It's difficult tamping down your discontent with the noblewoman.
You sit upon the throne. A thorn sucks blood from your arm, and the crowd keeps shouting. That earlier protest outside the palace was nothing compared to this. How and why does everyone care so much about the fate of three would-be arsonists? Your gaze falls upon someone at the front of the crowd. It's Lord Kai Chisaki. He arches an eyebrow and smiles at you with a satisfied smirk. Did that rat bastard get all these people to come in here? Gah!!
And speaking of authority, you need to do something to silence the chatter in the room... This isn't a good look at all.
You reach up with your hand. Power thrums through the room. Vines writhe and leaves unfurl from tendrils, covering the windows to block the morning light. Shadows blanket the room, plunging everyone into darkness. Everyone except you; a small gap in the interwoven plants sends a spotlight of brightness washing over you and the Throne of Thorns. With the darkness comes silence.
Everyone's probably thinking about how easily you made these plants cover the windows— and how easily you could turn these plants against them instead. Not all of Yuueii's rulers have shared your immense arborturgic powers. Having made your point, you withdraw your magic. The plants pull away from the windows, letting sunlight inch back into the throne room. Kai's smirk has been replaced with a scowl of disdain that you revel in.
The main door opens. A group of guards marches inside, leading the three gang members you captured last night. Iron manacles clamp around their necks, and chains bind their hands, clinking as they shuffle forward. Bruises cover their faces—bruises you certainly don't remember giving them. It seems that the guards may have been overzealous in their treatment of these captives. Unnecessary. Unwarranted. You will have to deal with them later.
"These are the ones who tried to burn down the warehouses?" You ask, squinting down at the trio in the light of day. "They look like they could barely snap a twig!"
Magne—the woman who led the gang—glares at you. The damn fool doesn't realize that you are trying to help them by suggesting that they are not such a large threat as the merchants proclaim. Spinner and Compress stare down at the floor, swallowing thickly. Around Lady Mei, the merchants chuckle at your wit, although Mei herself just keeps glaring at the gang, with a frigid coldness to her golden gaze.
"P-p-please, Your Majesty!" Tears drip from Spinner's nose. "Please forgive us. Our homes were destroyed in the b-b-battle, and we were left with no food for our families. Mei always seems to have so much, so we thought a little stealing would be harmless. We thought she wouldn't even notice—"
Lady Mei emerges from the crowd, fixing the prisoners with an icy glare. Spinner's words are cut off by a strangled gulp. The merchant wears an ermine cloak affixed with dozens of satin ribbons draped off her shoulders, along with a necklace of amethyst crystals that catches the light. She offers a fake smile that you see right through and bows deeply. "Your Majesty."
Mei gestures to the three gang members. "Last night, while all of Yuueii's upstanding citizens were sleeping, these brigands tried to set fire to my warehouse, along with the warehouses of several other prosperous and hardworking merchants. We have been under this ghastly siege for but one day, and rats are already seeking to gnaw upon our finest institutions!" You roll your eyes at the noblewoman's theatrics and slouch in the throne.
"They claim to have wanted food," Lady Mei intones. "If that were the case, they should have simply visited the soup station I operate in People's Park— which received double the provisions for last night, mind you. No, they had a different motive. They broke into an oil storage warehouse not to provide for their families, but simply to cause chaos."
Spinner exchanges a worried glance with Magne. He goes to say something, but Magne's angry glare makes him think twice. Instead, he shuts his mouth.
"The destruction almost caused by these ingrates is beyond belief," continues Mei. "But, fortunately, you are a wise and thoughtful Queen." To this you scoff, recalling just yesterday how she'd argued the opposite against Ibara. 'Tis the fickle nature of the Court. "I trust that you will ensure justice, and deter any similar attacks… by executing these would-be arsonists."
Mei steps back into the crowd, having said her not so peaceful piece. The merchants applaud, but their clapping is cut short by another voice projecting across the room.
"And I hope you remember," says High Priestess Ibara, "that the sanctity of human life should never be broken lightly. Especially when no real harm was done."
Lady Mei glowers at her. "Not all of us have the luxury of idiotic sycophants who ply us with gold in exchange for the Cultivator's blessing. Some of us have to actually work for our wealth."
Ibara pointedly avoids Mei's gaze. "I have no interest in arguing with you, merchant. I merely wished to present a truth to our dear Queen, and I have done that."
Murmurs and whispers race through the crowd. Magne, Spinner, and Compress look up at you. Their lives are in your hands. And so is the state of Yuueii. The choice you make here will set the stage for life under siege. Will you clamp down with a firm martial hand to preserve order, even if it means looking like a tyrant? Will you try to be more sympathetic to the populace's duress, even if it leads to chaos? Or will you try to forge a different path?
Before you decide, you should talk with the criminals. But when you tell the guards to take them into a private chamber, the merchants explode into uproar.
"There's no need for debate!" Lady Mei shouts. "The choice is simple: execute them to preserve the peace! Anything else will make rioters, looters, and rabble-rousers think they can have free rein to do whatever they desire."
"We should be slow to hate, and quick to empathize. I shall not jump to rash conclusions." You glare at the merchant in warning. "Not to mention that I am the Queen. I'll do whatever the hell I please."
Mei sighs, holding up her hands in defeat. "You're right. My apologies, Your Majesty. I spoke in haste. Please, have your private conversation, and ask all the questions you wish."
A scowl threatens to mar your face at the implication you need her permission, but you manage to remain smiling as you stand.
You stride into the private audience chamber. It is a unique windowless room, sculpted from stone to form a space like the inside of an egg, except with a flat floor. Water lilies float on a shallow pond. Purple and blue strands of ivy criss-cross the walls. The ivy forms an arborturgic enchantment that stops noise entering or leaving the room. Indeed, the crowd's whispers fade as soon as you step inside. It is a welcome quiet, a calming silence.
Guards lead Magne, Spinner, and Compress into the chamber, then take up positions near the door. The three gang members turned prisoners stare at you dubiously.
"Would you like to wash your faces in the pond?" You ask kindly. "This is a bad situation, but I don't think you're bad people. Let's figure out how we can fix this."
"That… that would be great, thanks," says Magne.
The three of them crouch beside the pond, glancing at the guards. Do they expect a trap? Maybe, but the temptation of the cool water is too strong. They splash water over their faces, wiping away the grime. It might be too much to think that they did so out of trust in you as their Queen, but you take the small win for what it is.
"I really shouldn't say this, but I'm almost pleased," you chuckle. "There's no love lost between me and the merchants."
Spinner and Compress glance at Magne. Something unspoken seems to pass between them, but they look away before you can work out what they're trying to communicate. Maybe you're just imagining things.
Magne scowls. "I don't know. You seem pretty chummy with them." Ah, if only she knew. You sigh.
It still seems like they're hiding something. Something that they're possibly willing to take to their graves.
Lord Aizawa strides into the chamber. "Your Majesty, the audience is growing impatient. We need to bring the prisoners back into the throne room to decide their fate. And we need to do it soon, or questions will arise about your decisiveness."
You've got one last chance to make the gang members talk. You show the prisoners your palms, demonstrating that the matter is out of your hands now. You had tried to be nice and personable. They should've been more forthright. You had hoped it wouldn't come to this. Ah well. This is war. You touch a strand of the purple-blue ivy. It peels off the wall, wriggling through the air toward Compress, like a snake about to strike.
Compress swallows. "What are you—gah!" The ivy wraps around his neck, yanking him into the air. Compress curses and struggles, trying to rip himself free, but the ivy's stranglehold is much too firm.
"Tell me what you're hiding," you say calmly to the others, "or your friend here will die."
"We thought he'd reward us!" blurts Spinner.
"Spinner…" growls Magne in a low and dangerous tone.
"No, I'm telling the Queen." Spinner clenches his jaw. "Please, Your Majesty, let Compress go."
The ivy releases Compress. He collapses to the floor, coughing and massaging his neck.
Spinner sighs. "We heard there was an agent of the Skegg close in your circle, Your Majesty. We heard they were looking for recruits, and that anyone who joined them would be safe when the Skegg took over. So we wanted to prove ourselves worthy. Well, I guess they've probably noticed us by now, but a fat lot of good it's done. We haven't so much as got a single message from them. If they even exist."
Lord Aizawa touches your arm. His dark eyes are wide. "Your Majesty, this news is shattering. If there is a turncoat within your inner circle… the consequences of this could be disastrous. But, regardless, we can't delay this decision any longer, and it seems that these prisoners will not be able to tell us any new information. We must deliver our verdict now or risk appearing indecisive."
The guards grab the prisoners, then drag them back into the throne room. You also emerge and take your seat upon the throne. The crowd looks at you expectantly. You look to the prisoners when you speak.
"This is… a damn shame. We have only been under siege for a day, and already we have people turning against their homeland. It's sickening, really. Had you been stealing food or other provisions, then I wouldn't think twice of pardoning you."
There are a few scoffs from the merchants, but you ignore them, still focused solely on the three prisoners.
"If you are hungry, then it is my duty to feed you. If you are unhoused, then I will build you a shelter— brick by brick, vine by vine if I have to. But no. You wished to destroy goods that would keep this kingdom afloat during our troubled times. You three wished to sow chaos, driven by an unknown agent of the enemy. I should let you swing for your attempted crimes."
The merchants erupt with enthusiastic cheers.
You look away from the prisoners, overcome with distaste and revulsion, waving a dismissive hand. "Set them free."
Lady Mei throws her hands up into the air in disbelief. Her merchants openly boo and jeer.
"A poor decision, Your Majesty," Mei shouts. "You have just told the populace that even the most rampant destruction will lead to no punishment!! I think you may regret this."
Shaking her head, she trudges out of the throne room, along with her group of merchants. As the door swings shut, she casts you a look of pure disgust. You have a sinking feeling that your petty rivalry has just bloomed into a full fledged strife.
Over by the back of the room, High Priestess Ibara nods at you, wearing a proud smile. Her priests and priestesses bow with respect. Theirs is a quiet response—a world removed from Mei's overdramatic exit—but it is a supportive response nonetheless. At least your choice has made someone happy, but that is not why you did it. These are trying times, and you won't fault the foolish for falling into temptation.
Magne, Spinner, and Compress all gape at you.
"Th-thank you, my Queen!" says Magne. "Your kindness— it is far more than we deserve!"
"That's the truth," you rise to your feet. "Listen to me and listen well: you lot live by the grace of me. If I ever even catch wind that you've so much as thought about doing something like this again, then there will be no trial, there will be no gallows. I will have no choice but to kill you myself."
The crowd files out the room, muttering conspiratorially. There's a pretty sizable congregation around Lord Kai Chisaki, seemingly hanging on his every word. Troubling, but you do your best not to show it outwardly.
Head Knight Izuku doesn't move. He just watches you intensely from across the room as the crowd leaves. Is he trying to read how you're feeling? It shouldn't be that hard; surely it's obvious that you're tired of dealing with other people's problems.
Izuku nods toward the door. "Come with me, Your Majesty. We should inspect Yuueii's wall. From the towers, we can survey the Skegg's camp."
You follow Izuku through the palace. His heavy steel armor clanks with each step. You wonder if it weighs him down the same way that the crown weighs you.
"Sometimes there's two paths," muses Izuku as you walk. "The right way and a wrong way. Unfortunately, most choices in life don't arrive so clearly separated. You made a difficult decision today, my Queen. Lord Kai will try to spread rumors that you chose poorly. But you didn't, because no outcome could have satisfied everyone. When you can defer responsibility to others, it's easy to pretend that there's a perfect way to do things. But when you're the last one in charge, you can't pretend anymore. You see life for what it is. A game of sacrifices, where every pathway leads to sorrow. All that remains is to find the sorrows we can endure without breaking."
You've reached the castle's door. At a nod from Head Knight Izuku, the guards heave it open, and you stride out into the city.
"I just hope today's sorrows will not break you, my Queen," Izuku says.
"Thank you, my Knight," you whisper.
Together, you stride along the Pearl Boulevard. Compared to yesterday morning, when the streets were alive with color and music and incense, today the kingdom is quiet and gray. Gone are the flags proudly flying from the windows. Now those windows are shuttered. Several have planks nailed across them. Dark clouds pervade the sky.
Even the flowers look shriveled and withdrawn. Yesterday, they drank in the city's life and vitality; today, they must sense that the kingdom may not have life for long. It hurts your heart to see the plants, to see Yuueii this way.
Despite the bleakness hanging in the air, citizens smile as you pass. They bow to you and a few even wave at Head Knight Izuku.
"Bless you, my Queen!" says an old lady, leaning out of a third-story window to tend to her planter-box vegetables. "Here, have a carrot! They're excellent for the constitution!" She rips a carrot out of the soil, then throws it at you, roots and all.
Izuku catches it. His lips crack open to form a tiny grin. "A valuable gift for my precious bunny." He hands the carrot to you. "I suggest you offer the deepest thanks."
And so you wave your hand. Magic flows between you and the elder's planter box. The planter box rumbles. The old woman frowns, and then she yelps when fully grown crops sprout from the soil. Dozens of varieties rise—leeks, peas, tomatoes, and more—some that shouldn't have a right to grow together, but your arborturgy has a way of massaging the rules. By the time your enchantment finishes, a great clump of food fills the lady's window.
A huge grin stretches across her wizened face, made all the more charming by the many smile-wrinkles etched into her skin. She reminds you of Sorceress Chiyo. "You have a lovely day, Your Majesty!"
"And you as well, my dear lady!" You reply, munching on the carrot. It's crisp and sweet.
The two of you reach Yuueii's wall. Izuku leads you up the stairs until you emerge at the top of the command tower. Broken weapons and broken bodies line the field on the other side of Yuueii's walls. Hooves and boots have torn great rents in the grass; what was once a pristine stretch of flat green has been ripped apart and churned to mud. You cringe. How unsightly.
Beyond the field, a mile away from the wall, smoke rises from the Skegg's cooking fires. There are hundreds of them— enough to feed thousands of warriors. The Skegg have built a sturdy wooden palisade in front of their camp, and the blockade stretches across Yuueii's narrow peninsula, reaching from coast to coast. The Skegg's fortification has sealed the city's only exit.
Izuku curses. "That palisade's gotten stronger since I last saw it. Every one of their soldiers must be a damn good carpenter." He hands you a telescope, then points at the camp. "Have a look around. Take your time."
The encampment is gigantic. In one day, the Skegg have built a camp that's almost the size of Yuueii. Staggering. Disturbing. You shiver, but there is no breeze.
There's a little fog in the morning air— not noticeable within Yuueii itself, but rolling over the Skegg's camp instead, blurring the distant edges. You scan through the camp, panning the telescope from side to side. There must be thousands of Skegg soldiers; they'll need a huge amount of food, horses, tailors, and blacksmiths to keep them supplied.
Sure enough, toward the back end of the camp, smoke rises from gigantic cooking fires. Wagons, mules, and boxes form a cluster that's big enough to be a city in its own right. A baggage train marches off into the misty distance, ferrying more supplies to the Skegg camp.
"An enemy would normally have to guard their supply chain more carefully," says Izuku. "I suppose they don't feel worried. With their palisade stretching across the peninsula, we're blocked from sabotaging their supplies. Unless we take a few ships for a raiding party up the coast…" He fades into thoughtful mumbles.
Izuku grunts. "I won't lie, my Queen. We're in a bind. Sure, we held them back yesterday, but that was just their advance force. And they were barely trying. By my best estimates, there's ten Skegg soldiers for every one of ours. Our infantry forces are doing surprisingly well. Likewise, our archers are actually more populated than before yesterday's battle, oddly enough— your mercenary recruitment helped with that." He taps his gauntleted fingers against a stone merlon. "I've a small miracle to share with you, my Queen. Apparently, my engineers say that the wall is in better shape than before the siege! Clearly, our impromptu repair work was quite successful."
Izuku gestures to the distant Skegg army. "And as for the Skegg, I've had several dozen soldiers watching their camp through telescopes for the whole day. The Skegg seem to be in a miserable spirit, judging from my reports. They trudge around their camp and slack off when supervising officers aren't overseeing them. Perhaps they've realized Yuueii will be a hard nut to crack… At least it looks like our kingdom is safe for today. They won't attack until their siege weapons are finished— I'm sure of it."
He sighs, rolling his head from side to side with an audible crack. He fiddles with his sword. Maybe he says the city's safe for now, but even if the entire Skegg army went up in flames, you get the sense that Izuku would think it was all somehow apart of Katsuki's elaborate plan. Worrying is baked into the Head Knight's psyche.
"We've got a little breathing room, probably for the next few days," Izuku says. "How should we use it, Your Majesty?"
"Send archers to unleash flaming arrows into the Skegg's camp." You declare. "I say we bring the fight to them this time."
"They'll need to cross several hundred feet of open terrain before they're close enough to attack," says Izuku. "At best, the grass is only knee-high. How should they close the distance?"
"I'll enchant the grass once more," you grin wickedly, "for cover, rather than attack."
Soldiers lower a rope ladder over the side of the wall. You climb down the wooden rungs, dropping gracefully onto the small patch of land this side of the moat. More soldiers climb down, carrying a plank. They lay it over the moat. You cross to the other side, then crouch to touch the grass.
Your mind disperses into each blade of grass. You are Queen of Yuueii; you are a weed, you are acres of land, and you are a sprouting seed, all at once. Power thrums through you. With a sharp crackle, grass rises into the air. Up on the wall, soldiers gasp. It's like seeing hair sprouting from a scalp, but with the process accelerated a thousandfold.
A warning bell rings out on the Skegg's palisade, but their soldiers just stand on their defensive wall, speechless. They've never seen magic this strong before. Do they worry that the grass will rise up to strangle them once more? If so, their fears are woefully misplaced. Even an arborturgist of Chiyo's caliber would lack the power to kill so many soldiers with her magic alone. And, despite your great skill, you're still a far cry from Chiyo.
Even so, your arborturgy is more than enough for the task at hand. You stand, wiping sweat from your brow. The grass has risen above your head. The enchantment won't last long, but it should provide more than enough cover for your archers. You signal Izuku.
The Head Knight nods. Messengers sprint away to inform the archers. No bugles or horns; you don't want to alert the Skegg any more than you already have. Instead, the archers will slip out onto the field through tiny sally ports hidden in the base of Yuueii's wall. If all goes to plan, the Skegg won't know what's happening until it's too late.
You climb back up the rope ladder. When you reach the top of Yuueii's wall, Izuku slaps you on the back appreciatively, making you stumble. You gape at him in shock after regaining your stolen breath. You are not one of his little soldiers!
"An impressive effort, Your Majesty," Izuku laughs heartily, reminding you so much of Sir All Might. "If this stratagem fails, it won't be on account of your magic!"
"It will not fail," you reply confidently.
From your elevated vantage point, you can see hundreds of archers jogging through the tall grass, keeping a dozen paces away from each other. Since the Skegg's towers are much lower than your wall, they won't see the approaching archers. Not until it's too late.
Horse-mounted Skegg warriors trot out from the enemy camp. The soldiers try to canter their horses into the thick grass, but the height makes the horses skittish, and they refuse to enter. "PTSD," you inform the Knight at your side who tells you that you shouldn't jest about such things. You roll your eyes. He's all business when he dons his armor.
Within minutes, the archers are lost even to your sight. A breeze whispers across the field, rustling the swaying grass. Skegg soldiers pace across the palisade, frowning at the field. And then, with a thrum of bowstrings, your archers unleash their barrage. Flaming arrows soar into the air, leaping up from the ocean of grass. Lines of fire trail in the arrows' wake as they dive down to strike the Skegg's camp. Smoke billows into the air as tents catch alight. Skegg soldiers scream.
Your archers unload two more volleys before Skegg soldiers rush out into the tall grass on foot. Izuku nods to a bugler. He blows a long, low note, making your archers sprint back toward Yuueii. The pursuing Skegg warriors stumble through the field, hacking down clumps of grass in their frantic attempt at revenge. But your archers' retreat is swift and disciplined. They run across Yuueii's drawbridge and into the safety of the kingdom without a single casualty; most of the Skegg soldiers are still hundreds of feet away from the city's walls.
The drawbridge swings up, the gate slams down, and fire tears through the Skegg's camp. The elongated strands of grass lower back down to their regular height, revealing a field strewn with hapless Skegg soldiers swinging at nothing. They trudge back to their burning camp. It's a decisive win for you, and a huge blow to the Skegg's morale.
"If you'll excuse me, I have to debrief my soldiers," says Izuku. "Your tactic was effective. Perhaps we should launch more surprise attacks in the future."
Head Knight Izuku salutes you. He strides away, barking orders at nearby soldiers. "Don't lean on your spears like that; you'll break the shaft!" he says. "And you— Mezo, isn't it? Tighten that chin strap, or your helmet will fall off when it faces a stiff breeze!" Izuku turns to cast you an exasperated smile, like you're in on some private joke. He keeps walking along the wall, muttering commands to his soldiers.
***
Around midday, a messenger arrives in the throne room to deliver your mail. You're in the middle of putting out another fire, something to do with High Priestess Ibara and the Arborturgic Order— frankly you don't care much at all. But you smile and nod politely as she goes on about religious politics while you rifle through the newly delivered letters.
A couple marriage proposals from distant kingdoms who most likely haven't gotten the memo yet that you're under siege. You find it sort of amusing, in a fucked up cosmic sort of way as you toss them aside. Then there's the usual junk mail advertising vials of featherdew and flat tummy tea; obvious scams. Ah, here's something interesting! An envelope from Duchess Camie, enclosed within are a couple of VIP tickets to the Opera.
Attached is a short letter in curly calligraphy: If these are our last days, then I choose to carry out mine on the stage. Whether you witness it or not, I am making my own way.
Your eyes sparkle with amusement. Truly, this couldn't have arrived at a more fortuitous moment to boost your morale. If you attend, you can witness Camie crash and burn and bomb and fail. And if you don't go, then you can openly snub your nemesis and act as though the noblewoman's exploits mean nothing to you. Oh, but the thought of seeing her downfall with your own two eyes is far too enticing to pass up! Your feet kick excitedly underneath your skirts.
You laugh out loud. "Yes! Splendid!"
Priestess Ibara jolts. "You really think so, Your Majesty?"
You'd forgotten she was even there. "Yes, of course, my dear. Um, I believe in you. As High Priestess, surely you can accomplish anything." You shrug. That should suffice.
"Thank you, my Queen!" She bows low before leaving the throne room with a spring in her step.
You scoff. Being Queen is challenging, but sometimes this job was just too easy. Now the only matter at hand is getting the Head Knight to agree to take an evening off.