As I reluctantly pulled myself off the floor and back into my realm of responsibilities, Leora's relentless energy seemed to infuse my blood with a sense of urgency I didn't realize I had lost.
This was necessary. I couldn't wallow in my own self-pity forever, not with Leora lining up behind me like some fevered cheerleader ready to pounce at the first sign of weakness.
Just another day in the life of Ciara, Ruler of Fire and Fury, along with my hyperactive assistant who seemed more like a warden sometimes.
"Aeliana's not the only thing on our agenda today," Leora declared as she pushed me toward the door. "We have missions. Important ones." The words hung in the air like an ominous cloud. I could see the excitement lighting her eyes.
Oh, great. Just what I needed a series of tedious missions to turn my mood around.
Once we made it to the war room a place I usually avoided unless absolutely necessary I finally escaped Leora's incessant chatter long enough to assess our situation.
Maps littered the table, and reports lay scattered like the aftermath of a poorly executed battle plan. Leora hopped onto the table as if it were the battlefield itself, thrusting her finger down with a dramatic flair.
"First up! We've received word of a band of rogue mages brewing some nefarious plans," Leora began, her enthusiasm palpable. "And by nefarious, I mean they're trying to summon an ancient fire demon. Regrettably, no one mentioned they were going to do it during a moon eclipse!"
I raised an eyebrow, my previous lethargy replaced with a creeping dread. "A fire demon?" I echoed, ignoring the fact that I was clearly the Queen of Fire and should be better equipped for this task than anyone else. "And what makes them think that's a good idea?"
Leora leaned in conspiratorially. "Because they're idiots. But that's not all. This band doesn't know how to control the demon, and the last time someone tried, they accidentally torched half the kingdom. Naturally, they're hoping to recruit you to handle the situation."
"Of course they are," I groaned, rubbing my forehead. A small part of me wondered if I even wanted my title anymore. Maybe I could give it all up and live a quiet life as a hermit. Or better yet, someone who mastered the fine art of escape.
"Next!" Leora continued, unfazed by my utter lack of enthusiasm. "You know how we've got that toy fair in the neighboring kingdom?
They've detected some enchanted toys causing chaos, and they need help explaining why their 'living dolls' are trying to attack the council members."
I sighed. "I can just imagine the conversation that would follow. 'Oh yes, pardon me, your graciousness. You see, those fierce little dolls are quite unbalanced and require serious emotional support. Let's just toss a couple of fireballs at them and see if that calms them down!'"
"Good idea! Except we want to capture them first," Leora replied, scribbling notes on her parchment. "Otherwise, we'll throw them off balance and they'll just go rogue again. Can you imagine what would happen if they joined forces with the fire demon?"
I waved my hands dismissively, already envisioning an army of enchanted dolls armed with tiny swords and shields. "I am not prepared to fight pixies with swords today." I stared down at the reports as if they could magically provide a solution. "And what do you want from me? Should I threaten them with a diminished tea-time?"
"More or less!" Leora quipped, flinging an arm in the air expressively. "But seriously, I need you on this mission. You've got the fire part down. If anyone can handle a bunch of toy aggressors, it's you!"
"Great," I sighed, glancing at the next parchment. "What else? Am I leading a battle of cutlery next? Perhaps assembling a team to negotiate with leprechauns for their magical gold? You know they're violently unreasonable!"
"Actually," Leora's eyes sparkled with unmistakable mischief, "now that you mention it. There's been a rogue band of leprechauns wreaking havoc on the supply routes. They've been stealing and hoarding shipping routes, and it's become very troublesome. Just yesterday, one of our shipments ran into a small army of them that decided to play 'tricks' on Ian."
"What sort of 'tricks' are we talking about here? Because I can guarantee that anything the leprechauns come up with will only end in disaster."
"Oh, you know, just casual transmutations and a few very explosive balloon animals." Leora continued with unmitigated excitement. "Ian's still stuck in a balloon car, and we need that shipment for the royal banquet."
"Balloon car?!" I exclaimed. "How does he keep getting himself into these scenarios? At this point, I should just hire a babysitter to keep an eye on him."
"Well… picnics are high on his priorities, I suppose," Leora said with a knowing grin. "They are all floating and laughing after all!"
"And if I'm turned into a balloon, what then?" I shot back, crossing my arms. "I don't have time for this nonsense. Someone put me in charge of a perilous mission that could change the realm! Why do I need to focus on balloon-car antics?"
Leora slammed her hand against the table. "Because, the balloon car is a part of your royal duties! Not to mention, you need to step out of your comfort zone!"
Leora was relentless, and the fire in the room could barely compete with the one raging inside me. It was as if she had an unyielding supply of caffeine directly plugged into her veins! "What's next on our schedule?" I asked as I sat back down in a mockingly dramatic fashion, half-expecting her to announce the next absurd task.
"Next! We have an urgent summoning from the Kraken Society," She shot back with an unquestionable level of seriousness, making me choke on air. "We have to help them locate their missing seashells before the next lunar tide sweeps through and annihilates their precious underwater sanctuaries."
"Why do I suddenly feel like this isn't a job for fire-wielding warriors but rather for aquatic therapists?" I laughed, shaking my head. "This is ridiculous! Tell me they don't seriously expect me to swim through waves of disappointed sea creatures and soothe their shattered lives?"
"Exactly!" Leora shouted, her enthusiasm never wavering. "If we don't get to the Kraken Society meeting soon, there will be hell to pay! They're already threatening to throw a tantrum that could actually cause tidal waves. We: need: to: move!"
"Oh, how charming. Nothing screams 'let's save the realm' quite like a tantrum from a bunch of mythical beasts."
Leora clapped her hands together. "Wonderful! So you'll do it?"
I leaned back in my chair dramatically, unable to resist a smirk. "Sure! I'll raise an army of floating balloon cats God help us all."
"Perfect!" Leora cheered, clearly unaware of my sarcasm. "It's all on the agenda! Just fyi, bonus points if you sing while subduing balloon debacles and accordingly placating the Kraken!"
That was how the day dragged on, lost in a haze of absurd, galloping missions that demanded absolutely every ounce of my fire magic. By the time we finally rounded up our list of catastrophe-inducing tasks, the sun had slipped behind the horizon.
"Leora," I said with a sigh, "I fear that at the very least, one of these missions will lead me to my tragic demise."
"Not on my watch!" she exclaimed before undoing my worries with a teasing grin. "You'll have your fire; it will be your destiny!"
"Wonderful," I muttered. "Because what else do I need? My ever-growing list of trauma and impending doom complemented by a side of nagging assistant—"
"Only the best for you!" Leora interjected triumphantly as she dragged me back toward the training grounds to get some 'fire practice' in before plunging into chaos. Fun, right?
As I begrudgingly pushed on, I prepared my mind and my fire for the whimsical wayward path ahead. Nothing could go wrong fighting rogue mages or bargaining with balloon-wielding dolls…it would all inevitably turn comical.
Just another day in my life as a fiery ruler desperately hoping to balance the madness of responsibilities while chasing down my elusive heart's desire.
With the moon high, dark clouds began to swirl ominously above me. Whatever magical chaos awaited, it certainly wasn't going to be boring.
But the spark of mischief rekindled the corner of my mind. It wasn't long before Leora and I had dispatched the first group of misguided mages who honestly thought they would summon a fire demon for fun.
I chuckled at the absurdity. If only Aeliana could see me now, scoffing at rogue magic like an experienced sage. But my smile faded as I savored the memory of her laughter, and a twinge of fire ignited in my chest once more.
Late into the night, the strategy to reclaim, reclaim everything lit my path to home.
Returning from our bickering and blunders, I managed to step into the throne room, barely piecing together what had transpired. But when I saw Aeliana bounded in a small cell, my heart dropped. The chuckle evaporated into a heavy chill.
"What—Aeliana? What in Gods' names are you doing here?" I spun on Leora, my heart racing with anger and confusion.