"Mother, I'm scared." The small boy looked up at his mother, but ducked down into her arms as another zombie soldier passed by, dragging a minister by a mangled arm.

"I am as well, my dearest son." She said, pale from fear, and worried for her precious son, the only person that gave her a reason to live. Her dream of being the Queen of Mabu, highly respected, and adored by the people, had long been a nightmare come to life.

Little did she realize that she was sold into the palace by her parents, and trained to be a 'good wife' for the king. She endured his perverted nature, a large harem, and dozens of concubines, never to be the sole wife like some common household matrons enjoyed. The king's tastes also ranged to more effeminate young men, and even boys just entering adulthood.

The kingdom of Mabu had not looked down upon couples of the same sex, whether men or women, but the royal family needed to be an example for the common people. They were to show a traditional familial structure to their subjects, and allow their subjects the freedom of choice.

Their advisors warned the king multiple times, and were removed from their positions for daring to question his decisions. As per the laws of Mabu, that overruled the king's own power, his power was to be removed, and put upon his son. That did not happen as the ministers were all his lackeys, and the ones that weren't, had been removed from power along the way.

In the present, his corpse was dismembered and dragged outside as though worth only the effort to dispose of him.

The Queen of Mabu was a tortured soul, with a kind heart, and forced to be ruthless in order to keep the harem peaceful. She's already lost two children to the harem's schemes, and been forced to learn the hard way that a soft heart meant certain death.

She was once called the Imperial Silk, a material so white and pure, it was the height of luxury. Once the rumors of her ruthlessness began to surface in the last few years, her moniker changed. The Queen with Eyes of Cold Iron.

"Your Majesty." A man bowed before her, which made her feel a bit of confusion.

"How have you entered the palace, sir?" The Queen asked quietly, just in case her voice drew the attention of the zombies.

"The Queen of Death has sent the soldiers to take vengeance upon the king for his plot to execute the people of the goddess in the forest." He said with a small smile. "Honored Blood Hall has a good relationship with the Queen because we respect her Master." The Queen gestured to the corpses in front of her.

"Is this the vengeance as well?" She asked firmly, if not arrogantly. She was a queen, and couldn't help but let it come out in her voice, even if she was terrified of the retribution that might follow.

"Make no mistake, your Majesty, this was part of it. These ministers advised the late king on how to take control of the situation." He stood up without asking for permission. "Each of these soldiers are stronger than the old necro of Underground Black, and they are all controlled by the Queen of Death from the old country across the mountain." She paled visibly.

"Are you sure it is She?" She asked quietly.

"Without a doubt, your Majesty. Once these people are finished off, the soldiers will remain until the army returns, with General Buld in command." The Hall Master said. "No coup, and no attack upon the Queen of Mabu, or the young king, will be tolerated. You will be installed as the Queen Regent until the young king has been trained properly to handle the responsibility of the throne." She lowered her eyes.

"And the harem that I've endured this entire time?" She asked.

"Turn them over to the zombie soldiers as prisoners." He said with a smile. "They will become food for the daughters of the Queen of Death. Remember, they will protect you until the army returns. No assassin can get close to you, or the young king. They do not tire, they can not be bribed, and are completely faithful to their orders for the Queen of Death. If you ask them to take the harem prisoner, they will act immediately." Her brow furrowed, and she looked at the soldiers neatly lined up in her throne room.

"Soldiers of the Queen of Death. Take the Imperial harem prisoner. When the army returns, take them to the Queen as a tribute." Ten soldiers struck their chest in salute, and disappeared as though they had not stood there in the first place. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Just how high is their realm?" She whispered. The Hall Master smiled.

"Beyond core realm, your Majesty." He bowed again. "I will send several high level assassins to watch from the shadows, to make sure that there are no long range assassins within reach." He smirked a little. "Merely a precaution though. These soldiers may seem to move slowly, but that is their nature. When they react, they move faster than a beam of sunlight." The Queen of Mabu thought for a moment.

"May I ask for the Queen of Death's favor, and have her lend me a few squads of her soldiers to protect myself and my son?" She asked softly. The Queen began to tremble, and felt a cold hand stroke her cheek.

'I shall get my beloved Sol to leave a platoon behind for your safety.' The Queen shivered, but for some reason, she leaned into that soft stroke.

'This is probably the gentlest of touches you have received since you became queen, isn't it, Sorisa?' The soft voice said, but without any humor buried in the tone.

'I see your true nature, Queen Sorisa. I see your true potential as well. A queen of a small country is not your rightful place.' The voice said, with absolute gentleness towards this woman filled with fear of the future.

'My rightful place?' Sorisa did not speak, but heard a soft chuckle right at her ear.

'My dearest sister eyes you hungrily, Sorisa, Queen of Mabu. When Aconia releases her from her hug, she will come to see you.' She gave her another soft caress to her cheek. 'Do not channel any elemental essence until she visits you. Naha, the goddess of water and ice, has noticed you, my dear Queen Sorisa.'

Time paused for the queen as a soft cold wind blew on the back of her neck, which made her shiver a bit, but also made her elemental nature vibrate strongly in response.

'I see you, my beloved Sorisa.' Another voice spoke within her mind, and a pair of ice blue eyes appeared near the front of the throne room, up near the top of the loft. Another chill wind caressed her neck, and slid down her back.

'I see you, and will make sure you are free to raise your child until it's time to come home.'  Naha said, her caress gentle, and not unwelcome.

Queen Sorisa could not wait to be called home by the goddess in the forest.  It has been a long time since she could call any place her home, but she felt a longing for the place at the goddess's side.

* * *

"General Buld returns from Stormwall, to report about the events at the border city." The Palace Master of Ceremonies announced. "General, please enter. The Queen of Mabu has waited for your arrival for at least a day." The general bowed only a little to the Master of Ceremonies, a man of the Ministry of Justice, one who can not be bribed, and married to only one woman.

His reputation in the ministry led him to be chosen to take the newly opened position of Master of Ceremonies by the queen.

General Buld walked in cautiously, but once he saw the zombie soldiers stationed at all corners, he began to relax.

"Interesting. General Buld, you relaxed once you saw the zombie soldiers, while everyone else will shiver in fear, or quake in terror." Queen Sorisa said from the throne.

The throne was ornate, but also simple in nature, with iron wood as the base, and red oak as the decoration. The craftsmen of Mabu had slowly carved the wood into a work of art, while gems were embedded in the last few centuries, the work of accepted bribes.

Due to their history with the Queen of Death, each monarch was to make their thrones in a humble manner, and treat their kingdom properly. Things have changed in the centuries since their ancestors made the trip across the mountains, but the simplicity of their origins was still present.

"When I first witnessed the capabilities of the Queen of Death's soldiers, I was filled with fear, not only for myself and my men, but also the country." He said, and knelt on the floor properly.  That admission was truthful, and unexpected.  How many generals would actually admit to being filled with fear as they witness the strength of another?

"I have witnessed how controlled the soldiers are, and how powerful they are. They obey their Mistress without a single thought of disobedience." General Buld looked around carefully, and wondered where certain individuals had gone.  Weren't the ministers supposed to attend to the monarch unless court has been dismissed?

"The ministers you seek have all been executed." She said in an even tone. The Queen smiled a little. "I have requested that the Queen of Death leave behind some soldiers to patrol the throne room, and the palace to ensure our safety." Buld lifted his eyes in surprise.

"You do not approve?" She asked.

"On the contrary, your Majesty, I am merely surprised. I did not expect you to adapt so quickly." Buld stood up as she gestured for him to rise.

"I have been forced to adapt to more dangerous situations than this in the past." She smirked a little. "From this point onward, I have been assigned to be the Queen Regent, while my son matures, and trains to take over the throne of his father. When he takes the throne, and the kingdom is stable, I will retire from the palace." She sighed.

"This is not the life I imagined when I first married the king, nor is it one I desired." She lowered her eyes, but turned over her palms, and saw the insides of her wrists.

She felt a gentle caress along both of her wrists, and a chill enter her body from her palms. The slow injection of ice elemental essence made her feel warm inside, as the ice element was her attribute, and her true nature. It would not make her feel cold as her physique made cold feel warm, and warmth feel cold.

White lines traveled up her arms, and spread over her upper body, making her murmur as the spread of elemental essence was controlled by Naha. It felt like a caress, rather than a forced injection of pure ice essence. She breathed out a cone of white mist.

"I shall no longer be known as the Queen with Eyes of Cold Iron." Her lovely eyes that were so dark they looked black, slowly turned ice blue, while streaks of white traveled up her neck.

As the throne room lowered a degree or two, Queen Sorisa felt the warmth of Naha's affection enter her body through her elementary channels. Her cheek moved slightly as Naha's ghostly fingers lightly stroked her skin, before moving to the back of her neck, and sliding down her back. Sorisa's eyes narrowed slightly, and there was a soft smile on her lips. This gentle touch was something she greatly desired.

Her chest would have felt like a block of ice to others with so much elemental essence gathered there, but to Sorisa, it was an elemental fire. As her core formed, and the channels met in the center, her emotionally dead heart beat once more. It beat with affection, and desire.

"I am now the Queen of Ice." At Queen Sorisa's declaration, General Buld was astounded.

"How?" He asked softly. Didn't the queen remain within the kingdom for her entire life? Once she entered the palace, didn't she never leave? How has she become like the Queen of Death, and is an actual representation of one of the elements? General Buld felt a familiar gravity fill the throne room.

'My beloved Sorisa.' A pair of ice blue eyes appeared above the throne, and looked outward. Aila/Naha made a declaration that made Sorisa smile, and fill with a cool desire and hunger.

'She is my newest consort, and the Queen of Ice. Obey her voice.' The eyes narrowed, and the elemental pressure within the room increased.

'Obey, or die.'