Lilian, Anna and the rest of the Mokra’Torcs were waiting inside a room just to the left of the antechamber they entered in at, while they waited to be called before her majesty.

Anna was sitting in a chair as Lilian stood by a shelf of books perusing its contents.

She stood up to go to Lilian side.

“Lilian… Let me explain about what happened at the gate, okay? It is not what you think.”

“*SIGH* Anna… you know this is not the time for this.”

“I know… okay! I know!…. but I want explain anyways! I was lying back there! You had to have understood that right?” She asked Lilian.

“Do I?” Lilian said with a hurt look on her face. “Because, it seems to me. I do not know a lot of things that happen to you.”

“Lilian that is not fair!” Anna complained. “I already said I was sorry that night, that I’ve been keeping the fact that I’m a shaman from you! I don’t understand what it is that you want me to say anymore!”

“What I want.” She turned to glare at Anna. “Is my mate back, not the shaman Anna. I want the mate I know and love back. And I want you to start including me in everything, and put me and my priorities first.”

“Are you kidding?” Anna whispered at first. “Are you freaking kidding me?!” She shouted at Lilian.

“What?!—“

“Do you have any idea how much I have been putting you and your stupid priorities first?! 

Have I ever once complained about us moving to the village suddenly?

No! 

Have I once told you that I would rather live somewhere else? 

No! 

Have I said ever mentioned that I hate the fact that your this stupid leadership role of your people! That it has changed you into this selfish pig headed narcissist that you don’t even consider my wants and needs?!”

         

Lilian stood there, stock still at Anna words.

“An—“

“Shut up!” Anna snapped at her. “We need to have a serious talk about all of this Lilian! No more games and no more secrets! I… I know we have a lot of stuff going on at the moment, so I get that this isn’t the right time. But I am not going to wait for us to get all the way back to Clan Dracogusse before we talk about this. I care about us to much to do that. I care about our relationship to much for us to drift apart.”

Anna looked downcast at her feet before she spoke again.

“I am sorry about what happened at the gate… but when you yelled at me earlier that day. I had more things to say that Mother Rayala told me: she gave us a warning that we shouldn’t announce that we are a couple until after we have spoken to the queen.” Anna looked up at her with tears in her eyes. “I wanted to talk to you. But you always seem to be pulling away from me! So I am sorry I sprung that on you! I shouldn’t have done that. But I was scared because or Rayala’s warning. If she thinks something might have happened because of that, then I didn’t want to take any chances because… because I don’t want to cause anymore trouble on this trip more than I already have………”

         

Lilian looked down at her love with sympathy.

“…Anna… I—“

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*

          

The door opened for combed brown haired attendant to poke his head inside.

“Her royal majesty the Queen awaits.” As he looked around the room at the six frozen faces in the room, he wondered if he had interrupted something.

“Is something the matter?”

Lilian sighed before she answered him.

“It is nothing… we are ready.” She looked down at Anna’s face, who was looking at her with pleading eyes. “We will talk about this later. I do not know when. But I promise, we will.” She assured Anna while looking into her eyes.

Lilian moved from Anna to stand in-front of the attendant.

He looked up at her, staring into her violet eyes.

“We are ready. Lead on.” Lilian told him.

He nodded his at her in acknowledgment.

“Of course.” He turned towards the antechamber. “Follow me.” He instructed.

She nodded before looking back at everyone in the room.

“Let us go. We must not keep the Queen waiting.”

They all gave a nod. Anna slower than the rest.

                              

They moved from the waiting room back into the antechamber. They followed after Lilian who was following after the well dressed attendant.

They walked down the antechamber until they reached another section. Where there were three doors on every side if the antechamber.

One on each side.

And one at the back.

                                    

The attendant stood in-front of door before he turned his body side ways before he stepped out of the way of door.

“They will announce you in a moment, then the doors will open. Pro—“

“Proceed until we reach the kingdom’s crest of the griffon, then kneel there.”

The attendant’s eyes went wide for a moment, but then his expression relaxed before he let his mouth curl into a smirk because of Lilian’s memory on her etiquette.

“Very good. Then I will not need to educate you on anything then.” He looked towards Lilian’s other companions. “Just follow the Warchief’s example; do as she does: do not speak out turn or unless called upon.” He told them with a neutral expression.

They all gave a nod at his instructions, which felt more like orders than anything.

                    

A moment later, their were the sound of trumpets being played before a man shouted.

“Now announcing the entry of the Warchief of Clan Dracogusse! And the entirety of the Mokra’Torc people of the Mok’Coran mudflats.”

The doors slowly opened as the herald announced Lilian’s monikers.

Lilian rolled her shoulders back as she stood up as straight as possible before striding forward through the double doors into the throne room.

The floor was a dark marble tile, with a large, deep lavender purple carpet, that stretched from the entryway’s double doors, all the way to the foot of the stairs of a large platform that was made from more marble and carved stone. At the center of the platform, was a large ornate hand carved marble cut throne, with more purple and gold linens lining the seat and back rest.

The platform stretched from one side of the room to the other. With four doors, two on either side of the throne, and two more on each wall on both ends of the platform.

On one side of the throne. Stood the dark haired and bushy mustached Lord General, Duke George. With another blonde man in robes with a large mitre on his head; all of which was white and gold in appearance.

Looks like a pope… is he? Anna thought as she looked at him.

There were also to more luxuriously dressed men on the pope looking man’s side. Looking more like the noble aristocrats that Anna expected to see. But there was also two other heavily armored looking knights and paladins standing next to the Lord General.

That guy has really shiny armor! She thought looking at him.

His hair perfectly shiny blonde, which came down to his upper back. His armor, a more polished marble white, with gold trimmings, rather than a grayish silver with purple trim like the knights.

Easy way to tell a paladin over a knight I guess… if a little ostentatious.

Anna glanced at the rest of the room quickly, to take it all in before they made it to their mark.

Paladins lined the walls at every pillar in the room. Six on each side, along with four more at the front of the raise platform before the stairs.

But soon, her eyes were drawn to her. As if by a magnet that brought all the attention of the room to a focal point.

While the whole room was beautiful with its display of power and its walls of white marble and quartz; the floors a dark marble as well, which helped contrast the other bright colors and whites of the room.

It made it seem as if the floor was secretly drawing you downward, as if it wasn’t just a solid floor. But a black abyss that might swallow you whole.

But the thing that made the gravity of the room so heavy, was none other than the person that Anna could not remove her eyes from.

                             

There she sat.

                       

                                

                             

The Queen.

                         

                        

                      

                          

Her hair was almost a chocolate brown. Which shone in the light from the ceiling’s over head stained glass skylight, making her hair seem as if it was melting off of her head.

It wasn’t straight like you might think some rulers might have it. Her hair was wavy, boarding on curly.

Her skin was a beautiful pale creamy complexion that drew the eyes.

Her dress was something that also defined Anna’s expectations. She expected a Queen like the one from movies, history, or fantasies.

But this Queen couldn’t be farther from the supposed ideals that some would have expected.

She wore tight fitting slacks on her legs, that almost seemed to conform to her lower half.

She had a set of heels on. But they were a respectable inch tall heels, which would still added height to her frame, but did not restrict nor hinder the Queens movements.

Her legs were crossed as she sat on her throne. Her back straight as she stared down at their approaching group.

Her top was a dyed purple leather that was worn above a pleated puffy lavender button dress shirt.

The sleeves of the shirt came down all the way to her wrists, and much like her leggings, were tight on to her arms.

Making it look like even the suit was conforming around the Queen’s body, by her will alone.

Her face was set in a neutral expression.

Her eyes swam with an emotion that Anna could not identify.

                

Her eyes!

                

*GASP*

                       

Anna looked at the back of Lilian’s head. Just in time to see her moving to drop to one knee.

The rest of them following suit.

While they all had their heads down, with one knee resting on the floor. Anna eyes scanned up to stare at the back of Lilian. Her head felt dizzy, the room was slightly spinning with what she just discovered.

           

Big shot in the kingdom my ass! Lilian! How could you! You kept this from me this entire time?! You made me believe that you were just some sort of noble lady’s daughter?! And you think my shamanism is a big deal?!

Oh God! I have been blind to it this whole time! This is why she was so angry at me calling her a princess!

Lilian is an actual mother fucking Princess.

Oh my God! My girlfriend is a Princess!……… I feel dizzy. Are they talking? My ears are ringing…

           

As Anna rested on one knee, her head spinning in circles as she came to grips with what was happening.

The Queen was looking down at the Mokra’Torc delegation. Her eyes resting on one figure in particular.

One she felt she would never, ever be able to see, nor had to right to for the rest of her life.

The Queen swallowed to wet her dry mouth and throat.

Her head felt extremely hot as she stared down at the back of her daughter’s head.

She felt her breathing start to pick up as she looked at her. Examining her from every centimeter she could visibly see.

She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath to calm herself.

Her mind replaying the scene just a moment ago.

       

Her long departed daughter.

Tall.

Strong.

Her muscles gleaned in the light as she moved.

Her light muddy features accentuating her royal eyes as she marched forward towards the throne.

Her wavy hair cut in a rough fashion, that looked extremely full. Almost making her daughter look as if her hair was a mane like a lions.

Yes! The Queen thought. Exactly like a lioness.

Her body trembled slightly at the measured movements that Lilian took as she strode forward towards their royal family’s crest in the carpet, near the stairs.

She also felt depressed as she looked at her daughter as well. Sad and heartbroken.

Look at you my baby girl! Look what has happened to you!

The Queen thought in despair as she looked at the scars along her daughters arms. Her legs, shoulders, and other parts exposed of her body were the same.

What in the dark abyss have you gone through to be at where you are today! Oh how I wish I could take it all back my baby. I am so sorry!

The Queen also noticed more on her back as well while she kneeled in-front of her.

           

This is why she had to close her eyes.

Her emotions were running so wild that she felt the room might collapse if she did not give herself a moments pause to recenter herself.

          

As she opened her eyes again.

Her daughter was still there. Proving this was not some sort of phantom come to haunt her.

Not that I wouldn’t welcome it. She thought. I believe I deserve such a punishment… but I also do not believe I deserve such a kindness of seeing my daughter again. Oh by the Holy Light. Thank you. For you have answered a prayer this day by bring my daughter home to me. Even if she does nothing more than leave after. It was more than I deserve.

She felt as if her tears might threaten to spill over at any moment from what she was feeling.

My daughter… the Warchief…

            

But then she also had another mix of emotions as a leader.

What has taken you down this path my daughter? Was it vengeance? Did you unite the clans to come and have a chance to slay me? Did you work this hard to prove yourself to me? To show that you are the superior one? What is it?

Please answer me Lilian…

         

But her thought to herself, trying in vain to send with her mind her thoughts to Lilian. She knew this she couldn’t. But she did not want to have a conversation like that here in the throne room.

There is a time and place for that… If the Holy Light deems to bless me some more…… I hope I get an opportunity to talk with her alone… I would give my life just to hold her in my arms again.

Just to whisper to her and apologize for what I did. Even if that meant dying by her hands. I deserve no less.

As the Queen lamented her actions and thought of ways she could spend time with her daughter.

She had steadied her breathing and readied herself.

But first thing is first. I must address the Warchief in-front of me. Not my daughter.

          

“Greeting Warchief of Clan Dracogusse. It is honor to have you here today. Thank you for personally coming all this way to my kingdom.”

The Queen had to school her features after speaking.

Gods of Light! Never has my authoritative voice sounded so pompous to my own ears than today. What a way to speak to my daughter I have not seen in almost two decades.

She heard a chortle come from Lilian after she spoke.

“The pleasure and honor is ours. Or I would say that, if we did not have to rush here through the Swamp of Madness just to meet your majesty time constraint.”

“Time con—“

“SUCH INSOLENCE!” Shout out her chamberlain from her right side, on the other side of the archbishop. The thin tall man wearing a overly pompous green attire stepped forward “HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO THE QUEEN OF FALARIS AS SUCH! YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL SHE GAVE YOU ANY SORT OF—“

*BANG*

*WHOOSH*

*CRACK*

A wave of light shone from the Queen’s right hand and split the section of marble where the chamberlain’s feet had just been a moment before.

He was now staring down at the perfectly round hole that had burned its way through the solid marble platform. Leaving spider cracks along outside edges of the hole about eighteen centimeters long.

“Y-Y-You maje—“

           

             

“ENOUGH!”

                          

Her voice billowed out into the room and made all people stand at attention at the Queen’s tone.

Her eyes were narrow as she stared at the chamberlain, who was sitting on his rump from where he had fallen in panic from her Light Ray.

“I did not give you permission to speak. I was addressing the Warchief. It is not how dare she; it is, how dare you.” She told him with tone, boarding on murderous. “Chamberlain. I agreed to have you here to greet them because I thought this was an important historic event. Do not make me regret my decision and have you dragged out of here.”

“You ma—“

“I STILL DID NOT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO SPEAK!” As she shouted. She glowed with a bright intensity that darkened the room from her position on the throne. “SPEAK AGAIN CHAMBERLAIN, AND I WILL SEE YOU IN CHAINS!” She warned him with finality.

                                 

The Chamberlain rightfully did not speak again as he stood up and hid behind the archbishop.

After he slinked back to his spot. The Queen turned to face her daughter; the Warchief, once more.

“I do apologize for that,” She glanced in the Chamberlain’s direction before saying with a sneer. “Unsightly interruption. I do hope this will not color your views of our meeting today because of what my chamberlain said out of turn.”

While she hated to use this lip serves with her daughter. She did hope that Lilian would catch on to what she was saying.

“Worry not your highness. My views can not be swayed so easily.”

Ohhh… there is a lot to unpack with that sentence… The Queen thought morosely.

“Then I thank thee for thy understanding. You mentioned you had to traverse the Swamp of Madness just to arrive here do to a time constraint?”

“Yes your majesty: the letter of intent I received from your paladin scouts informed me that, if we did not report to your majesty within two months, that you would assume we were preparing to invade and that you would take actions against us.”

“What?!” The Queen cried in outrage. “Do you have this missive?”

“I do your majesty. May I stand to retrieve it from my pack?”

She nodded, but then realized that Lilian wasn’t looking at her while she was kneeling.

“Ahem! Yes! You may.”

                          

Lilian stood and removed her pack from her shoulder before dropping it in-front of her.

After retrieving it. She held it up from her knelt position.

“Here you are your majesty.” Lilian told her.

“Very good.” The Queen looked towards her soldiers and gave a nod towards the missive in her daughter’s hand.

The Lord General nodded his head and stepped down from the platform to walk towards the Warchief.

He retrieved it from her. Opened it and scanned its contents. After confirming that the missive was somehow not poisoned or some sort of trap. He brought it towards his Queen.

“Your majesty.” He said to her as he handed her the letter.

She took it from him. Then began to peruse through its contents. After reading to the end. Her hand tightened so much on the missive, she threatened to tear it.

*SMACK*

She slammed the missive down on to the arm of her throne.

“I see that I am obviously have some severe trouble with the staff of my royal subject within my own castle these days.

She sighs before she leans her head against a hand, propped up by her elbow. Her fingers massaging her temples.

“Lord General…”

“Yes your majesty?”

“Please have the Lord Chamberlain escorted to a private room and held there until a Truthbringer can be summoned.”

“What?!” The Chamberlain cried out.

“Yes your majesty, right away.”

“B-But your majesty! Why are you doing this?! Wh—What have I done to displease you?!”

“Many things Chamberlain…” She told him without looking up from her hand was she rubbed away her headache. “But as of now, it is a conspiracy to incite war.”

“War?! You’re mistaken your majesty! I would never—“

“Please stop talking Chamberlain Augustus. We will learn the truth faster and more efficiently once a Truthbringer arrives. Until then, please cooperate with us.” The Queen told him. “This letter,” She lifted with her left hand, holding it up in the air. “Is a missive made with my personal stationery, much like the original letter of intent I had sent with the paladin regiment party to parlay with the Mokra’Torc people of Mok’Coran. This note,” She slammed down back on the arm rest. “May as well have said to the Mokra’Torcs that we wished to go to war with them……”

She dropped her hand for the first time since she started to use it to massage her temples. She glared in the Chamberlain’s direction.

“Had the Warchief been anyone else, other than my daughter or someone who knew me equally enough to make the rational decision to come as the letter suggested, and use this as a means to fix this mistake: another Mokra’Torc may very well have attacked us based on this letter.” Her hand glowed before she slammed down her fist on to the arm rest. Sparks of light bounced and scattered from where it struck the armrest.

The throne was intact, but the part of the armrest was now blackened from where she hit it.

“This could have been a disaster on all front Chamberlain Augustus!”

“B-B-But! Your majesty! Why is it that I am the sole person to be take away?!”

“Chamberlain. There are only four people within my immediate circle who could have had access to my personal stationary. One of which I trust explicitly, the other one wouldn’t dare risk my wrath if she pulled a stunt like this, the other person is the one you happen to be standing next to; Archbishop Zurich. Then there is you. Out of all the people here who could have swapped the notes, you are my prime suspect Augustus.” She explained with a frown.

“Please your majesty! I did no such!—”

“Enough! Guards, take Lord Chamberlain away. He will be questioned later upon the arrival of a Truthbringer.”

The guards left from the back and came to escort the Chamberlain away.

“Your majesty! Please! I am innocent!” He cried as they escorted him by his elbows out of the room.

The Queen let out a sigh as soon as the door to her right closed behind the Chamberlain’s departure.

She looked back down at her bowing daughter.

She wanted to tell her to raise.

By the Abyss, if I am being honest, I just want to go and hold her in my arms……

         

                     

                         

But I can’t…….. Not yet…….

             

“So… This concluded the missive misunderstanding. So, I guess this means I owe you an apology, Warchief, for the wrongs and threats committed against the Mokra’Torc people of the Mok’Coran.”

“Think nothing of it your majesty. It is your right, even if that letter was legitimately sent by you. But it does gladden me to know that the human Queen is not a tyrant in the form that missive took.”

Lilian’s words had such a sharp edge to them. Cutting deeper into Helena’s core than any blade could.

“W- *COUGH* Excuse me, forgive my cough.” The Queen said embarrassed. “What I meant to ask was. While the missive was poorly written and disguised as my own. Some of its contents were true. So I wish to ask you Warchief of the Mokra’Torc people: what are your intentions? Why was an army built? Why have all the clans gathered?”

“The reason we had a gathering of clans, was because we had a small clan, name the Fel’Agrian Clan, who deigned to conquer all the other clans and incite war against the humans.”

This started a murmur that ran through the people gathered in the hall.

The Queen narrowed her eyes.

“So what my scouts reported was true.” She said firmly.

“That is correct your majesty: a Mokra’Torc named Krak’Nathal lead the Fel’Agrian Clan to take over all of the other clans. But his reign of terror ended a few months ago. The Dracogusse Clan called upon me and enlisted my aid in dealing with this usurper of the clans.”

“I see!” The Queen said excited at first. “*AHEM* I mean, I see… So, I assume you were named Warchief after defeating this Krak’Nathal?”

“Oh no your majesty.” Lilian said with a lit in her voice as a smirk over took her mouth. “After defeating Krak’Nathal and a few of his commanding officers in one-on-one duels. Dracogrious was set to come back up and take his place as chieftain of Clan Dracogusse once again.”

Lilian looked up for the first time to smirk at her mother.

“But it seems we share a pungent for being usurpers ourselves, huh mother?” She quipped with a smirk.

“You little shit!” The large paladin on stage took three quick strides from his place next to the Lord General.

He leapt through the air, landing very swiftly for a man in such heavy plate armor.

It the time it took him to move and leap. He had also drawn his light infused sword, held out and pointing its tip towards the Warchief’s neck.

                                     

“Belrick!” The Queen yelled out. “What are you doing?!”

“My Queen, I apologize. But I cannot stand by and watch any longer as this bastard child besmirches your good name. This mongrel dog needs to learn her place.”

“Sir Belrick Aleksei, The Light’s Champion! I hereby order thee to lay down your weapon! You dishonor me with this display.”

“I am sorry your majesty, I refuse. I will not yield unless this orc dog learns her place. She has been allowed for to long to say what she wills in here.” He gripped his blade’s handle tighter and holding it steadily near Lilian throat. “Until this half-breed begs for your forgiveness. I. Will. Not. Yield.” He told her.

             

Lilian looked at the blonde haired, blue eyed man from the corner of her eyes, then looked towards her mother.

“Mother. If this one were to die due to his actions against me. Would it be held against any of my people for what he has done?”

“Are you threatening me lass?!” He questioned her angrily. “You think you have the ability to best me in this state as I hold a blade to your throat?” Belrick glowered at her.

“Not me, no. But if you were to move another inch, or attempt to attack me. You would die.” She told him flatly. “And I do not wish for my people to be held responsible for your actions against me for defending their leader.” Lilian told him diplomatically.

“Know your place little girl! Your pointless threats—“

“ENOUGH!”

*CRACKLE*

*BOOM*          

Golden lighting shot out and struck a back wall.

“I said that is enough Sir Belrick!” The Queen shouted. “Belrick. You dishonor me with this continued display of defiance against my wishes. Not only are you disobeying me! But you are also risking humanities, and the royal families greatest chance of redemption: to right the wrongs of my forefathers’ past deeds; including my own.”

“But your majesty! This child’s insolence should not go unpunished! The Holy scripture demands it.”

“Do not quote scripture to me “Light’s Champion.” For as it is written: It is for the Light to judge every soul. Not your fellow man’s.”

“She has clearly defied and mocked you! And you say you are fine with letting her go free of charges?! The Holy Scripture also states that: Authority must be recognized, even if the Authority is not ordained by the Light, for the Light’s plans are its own!”

“And it also reads: do not provoke thine child to anger, lest they raise a hand against thee.”

He turned back to look at his Queen.

“My liege! Are you suggesting that you are willing to take all her provocation, merely because she is your flesh and blood?!” Belrick asked his Queen with disbelieve eyes.

Helena shakes her head.

“No.” She told him. “I am willing to take the provocations and insults, as a means to atone for my forefathers’ mistakes. My pride is worth that much: as long as my people and the Mokra’Torc people, can finally learn to live in peace, instead of bigoted hatred for one another.”

“But—“

“And furthermore.” She continued without letting Belrick get a word in edgewise. “It is something so trivial as pride that I cast aside for my daughter’s sake. If the worst she does is slander me and hurl barbed insults at me for my actions against her: then I count myself lucky Belrick.” She laid a hand on her chest. “For it is not my pride I am only willing to lay down. But my life as well.”

                                

This brought the room to a crushing silence.

                

Everyone was looking at the Queen with wide eyes now.

                 

“W—W—What did you say?!” Belrick questioned his Queen’s words.

“I said: that if my life be the price I had to pay to cool my child’s anger. I would pay it. And I hope that my subjects would honor my wishes if it came to that.”

“Y-Your majesty!” This time, it was Duke George who cried out. “That is to much! You expect us just to stand aside if Lilian attacks and kills you?!” He questioned her.

“What I expect… Is for you to trust me and trust the Light. I have finally been reunited with my firstborn after all these years. That I expect you to do the same for my daughter. That I did to my father.”

                          

Not a word was uttered for almost five minutes as everyone stood stock still from her majesty’s words.

                          

After that time. Belrick sigh before he pulled his sword away and sheathed it. After which, he pulled his blade and sheath from his belt. Before holding it with raised palms from a kneeling position and with a bent lowered head.

                           

“Then if that is my Queen’s wishes. Then I respect them and will honor them. I pray that you will forgive your loyal servant for his misconduct just now. If now, I offer my life as compensation.” Belrick said all this while holding his sword up as an offering.

The Queen reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose, while letting out a groan.

“Enough of the theatrics people! You are ruining all the things I had planned… *GROAN*” She groaned again.

She let her hand drop and looked back out at all the audience and attendees in the room. The attendees included her guards and subjects.

She stood up and made her way down the platform. The tassels of her shirt stretching out behind her.

Her Lord General and Archbishop moved to walk down the steps a half meter behind her.

As they were both her first and last guards; along with her most trusted allies.

As she moved the five meters she was away from her daughter to stand in-front of her. A smile bloomed on Helena’s face as she continued to approach her daughter.

When she was standing but about thirty centimeters away from Lilian, she reached down for her with her hand.

Lilian looked at the proffered hand skeptically. But she was also still kind of stupefied by the whole speech the Queen; her mother had just impromptuly given.

“I am extending this hand. As both a Queen for her people, in hopes that we can rewrite the course of people and start anew.” She then closed her eyes and took a deep shuddering breath. Then opened them to look down at her beautiful little girl she hadn’t seen in over sixteen years. “And more importantly to me,” She said in a strained voice. “I hope you will give me a chance to talk with you. Even if just once before you leave… I beg you.”

Lilian was at a loss for words.

He mother had just laid out so many things before her and really just laid it on thick.

There was so much going through her mind right at that moment. And ironically. It had nothing to do with her mother or her people. Her mother’s question reminded Lilian of her promise she had already made to Anna. And how she felt like she had been not doing things correctly.

Now here her mother was. A Queen of a nation and a whole people. Rather than a small corner section of a continent with only about an eighth of her mother’s total population.

Lilian sighed and laid her hand in her mother’s.

             

She stood up to look down at her mother’s swimming purple eyes.

Huh… when did she get so small? She is about the same height as Anna. Lilian realized. She used to be a lot larger.

“This is not an agreement. This is a hand shake of trust and understanding.” Lilian explained. “This is to let what has happened as an incident between your people and ours because of our gathering and your letter be ceased and void. From here on out. We will be talking on about negotiations between our people.” Lilian told her formally.

“And as far as talking with you goes……” Lilian trailed off before she then shrugged her shoulders. “We will see. I…… I am not sure if I have anything I wish to speak with you about mother. But…… I have been taught recently… That it is important to listen to others and their wishes. Even if it is not what you had planned.”

           

Helena smiled at her daughter.

“Thank you my—“ She shook her head. “Thank you Warchief. You have made glad that—“

“*GROAN* Mother please! Enough with the tears and dramatics!… This is unbecoming of two rulers talking.” She quipped with a smirk.

This got a chortle out of Helena.

“I suppose it is.” She said with a smile. “Now. This has been a long greeting event. And this was not how I intended things happen.” Lilian’s mother explained away.

“I’m sure.” Lilian quipped sarcastically.

This just made Helena smirk.

“Let me summon my attendant and have him guide you to your rooms for your stay here as guests.”

“I mean? You do not need to go to all the trouble. We have tents. We will be find with a barn or maybe a hay loft or something.”

Helena’s face turned gaunt at her daughter’s words.

“Even if you were not my daughter! I would not put up a delegation in a hay loft!” She shouted scandalized. “By the Light Lilian! Who do you think your mother is?!”

Lilian shrugged.

“Not sure, have not known her long.” She answered honestly.

This made Helena flinch.

“Point taken dear.” She looked down at the still kneeling Light’s Champion.

“UGH! Get up!” She said with shout. “Now you listen here Belrick. I want you gone and out of my sights for as long as my daughter is here. That will be your punishment.”

He bowed his head further.

“As always. Your punishments are lenient my Queen. I deserve more.”

But his Queen waved him away.

“That will be the last meeting I am taking for the day people. Everyone is dismissed.” She told them.

Most of the guards, along with Belrick made their way out at the Queen’s words.

Lilian raised an eyebrow at most of the room departing.

“Is it okay for most of your guards to just leave their Queen?” Lilian questioned.

Helena wave Lilian’s concerning question away.

“Lilian, were you blind to what I did earlier? or are you just being ignorant on purpose? I am perfectly capable to guarding myself. I may have just hit my fortieth year of life, but I am not a helpless ruler.”

“Holy shit!” The human woman behind Lilian whispered a nice colored obscenity in surprise.

Helena peeked around Lilian to look at her entourage.

“So Lilian? Care to introduce your attendants to me?”

“Do I have too?” Lilian asked morosely.

“Hmm… Let me think? Yes!” Helena barked playfully. “Both because I am your mother, and the Queen: I must know who is staying in my castle.” She explained.

Lilian sighed before answering.

“This is Harks.” Lilian introduced. “He is from the Framprom’Kron Clan. And this is Horrik, he is from the Trag’Gron Clan. This is Grak’Horve, he is from the Draco’Kornuss Clan. And finally this is Safarti, he is from the Krok’Notari Clan.” She said as introductions. “They are all here as both representatives of their clans and as witness of the events that happened during Krak’Nathal’s plan to incite another orc and human war: they are also here as my personal guard.” She explained.

“I see…… But I also noticed you missed someone. Or maybe avoided mentioning her? What is a human doing with you?” She asked with a smirk.

           

Lilian suck in some air to speak, but she quickly tried to think of a way to introduce Anna. But realized that all of her avenues to call her had been cut off.

“Umm…… She is… umm… that is to say that…”

“Hmm?” Helena narrowed her eyes the longer her daughter took to introduce this random human in their group.

“Who is she?” She asked Lilian a bit more firmly.

“She is…— what is not… no, I mean that she is my……”

“Umm! Your majesty? Ma’am? I umm…”

Anna spoke up. Raising her hand to draw the Queen’s attention.

“Hmm? Do you not see my daughter and I are speaking.” She said with still narrowed eyes at Anna.

But Anna wasn’t about to let her same colored eyes as Lilian’s intimidated her.

“Ma’am… Recently, I have set some rather harsh restrictions on Lilian on what she has been allowed to call me. Mostly because of some personal issues between us.” Anna explained vaguely. She then lifted her hand and held it out towards the Queen; Lilian’s mother.

“Nice to meet you Queen Falaris. I am your daughter’s mate; her Ashu’Rágé.”

         

Once again there was a deafening silence in the room.

The Queen’s eyes wide at Anna’s explanation.

The Archbishop made a deep giggle sound, placing his hand on his cheek before he spoke for the first time.

“Oh my!”