It's all doldrums. Doldrums, doldrums, doldrums. I'd ask my chief butler to add actual drums to my throne room. Except, then I wouldn't be able to think clearly about such important topics like 'which color of fancy tablecloth is suitable for the 23rd royal ball?'

Can't they all be white? No, that's not the important part! Why have we held 23 royal balls this year?! It's still summer! Who plans these things?! Why are we wasting all this money?!

Unfortunately, my ears fail to tune out the droning fool in front of me.

"— and so, I need to ensure the stonemason has sufficiently duplicated toolsets in both harcha and dwiben styles, otherwise—"

"ENOUGH. I do not CARE about such trivialities. Go to the treasury room and apply for an extended permit for your donkey parade. Moreover! Next time, if there IS a next time, leave out all these absurd details!"

The man looks at me with dumbness. Indeed, it seems idiocy is an expression all its own. These cretins never cease to amaze.

I shout at him, since reason isn't working.

"NOW!!!"

He scampers off like a hurt puppy.

Bah. Good riddance.

I glance at my next appointment.

'Barnet | City Guard | Haitos'

Oh, excellent. As if the previous lout wasn't enough to ruin my day. Now I get a random city guard, a man so low on the totem pole that I barely see them in my daily life— never mind in my throne room. I'm already dreading. How did this man get an appointment? Why did he travel here?

My capital of Fridellia is nowhere near Haitos; it's an 11 week, or 121 day journey by typical carriage. Maybe half that if he can afford horses and magic feed sacks. Those mountains are no field day, after all. My Shridenia has struggled with them for as long as my nation has existed.

Haitos must pay their guards well?

A female attendant bursts into my throne room, running at a fast clip.

Oh, now what. Did my nephew stuff more toys into the magic heater?

"Your royal highness! Permission!"

She's not bowing, and she seems panicked. I sit up straighter. This doesn't look good.

"Speak."

"Barnet, your next guest, has fled Haitos with dire news! It's insurrection, your highness!"

Haitos, wh—?! Aitos, h—

"WHAT?! Explain immediately!"

"Yes, your highness! He claims an intelligent dragon has appeared; it calls itself 'Pure Evil.' He said it claims to have annexed Achiton, and, Barnet himself was present for its annexation of Haitos! He also said it used a mind-control spell on Shridenia's top inscriptionist, Aitos!"

My face shifts from concern and worry to utter confusion.

Mind Control?

That's such a high-Int spell that none of my Shridenia's mages can cast it. Not to mention, I've never even heard of a talking dragon, forget one that can cast spells other than flame breath.

Surely, there's more to this story.

"Are you certain he said 'Mind Control?'"

"Ah! No, your highness. My apologies. He stated 'magically-enslaved.'"

This isn't enough detail.

Just as I'm thinking so, my head butler likewise enters the throne room running. He looks even worse.

I don't even wait for him to stop running.

"Speak. Immediately."

"Your highness, it's far more dire than what I had miss Hyloria rush to explain. Sir Barnet has told me that—"

He stops at the proper distance, catching his breath.

*haah-haah*

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/035.png?v=4]

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Continue. Continue, damnit.

"SPEAK!"

He jumps, startled.

"— Yenim has likely defected."

I bolt up from my throne in utter shock.

"My DAUGHTER has DEFECTED?"

My mind spins.

She is the light of my world. I was sad when she chose to move to Achiton, but proud when I saw what she'd made for herself. With all of Shridenia's princes assassinated, she too is my only heir.

"Her defection makes no sense. None at all! I am but WEEKS from passing the crown and she would be queen! Moreover, she's never been rebellious, not even once!"

"There are two factors to consider, your highness. First, Sir Barnet claims the dragon said it executed every single other city official, down to as he put it, 'every godsdamned merchant board member.' This also includes the full guard and the full military. If true, this is a bloody massacre; one not seen in Shridenia's entire history. The fact miss Yenim is still alive at all is a miracle."

I recoil in horror, almost falling back into my throne. I put my hand down on one armrest.

Oh. Oh my dear gods.

But... But— I understand what he means.

I stand tall again and address his unspoken words.

"Then, the second factor is, it's possible she's been 'magically-enslaved' as this Barnet phrased it?"

He nods his head.

"Indeed, your highness, but may I suggest we ask Sir Barnet? I ran out of the room in a hurry, but on the way I informed another attendant to request his presence."

A man wearing a guard's non-combat attire happens to enter my throne room.

Good timing, let's hear him out.

I sit down rigidly on my throne. However, I again can't wait for him to finish approaching.

"Barnet, City Guard of Haitos. I have already heard some parts of your story but find myself most interested in three matters. First, what is this 'magical enslavement' you reference— is it not the Mind Control spell? Second, how would you describe the competency of this unusual dragon's intellect? Please give at least one point of reference. Third, do you have first-hand knowledge of its overall strength?"

My butler visibly winces at my last question. Why?

"Yes, your majesty."

He stops too close and uses the wrong term to refer to my kingly self. Okay, that breaks royal custom, but I can't care right now. Do continue.

"To address your first question, it stated in front of me, the Haitos mayor, as well as numerous mages, that it 'eats' the individual. In doing so, it's making them into a part of itself. It specifically referenced its arm. It said that they become an appendage of its own body to move as it sees fit."

What. Is this Barnet mad? Mind-controlled? Drugged? I can't tell. He seems stable.

There's only one way he could've gotten into my throne room today.

"Barnet, how did you receive the Token of Audience?"

"Your majesty, I received it after successfully protecting one of your princes from assassination outside Haitos."

I raise my hand.

"Hold."

So, this man did more to protect my three sons than my entire royal guard. I do recall that event, now, since it was the only assassination ever prevented. All the others were successful. I know this means my guard has traitors, but— my mind flits to Yenim's defection. Wait. Yenim, our former guard leader.

She begged me for that job, and... And... They died, soon thereafter...

No? No. No, no. No no no. No no no no no no.

I lower my hand and nod regally.

"You may continue."

"Thank you, your majesty. To address your second question, it repeatedly outsmarted Aitos, our leader and head inscriptionist. Then, after humiliating Aitos, it claims it ate him. Disturbingly, Aitos seemed to agree with its claim. Worse, he seemed happy to be eaten. He said that all of his senses were greatly improved by the dragon's act of eating him."

This is madness. It HAS to be madness.

"Which leads to your third question, your majesty. I do not know. I tried to understand a single one of this dragon's limitations, if only to better inform you today. Whether it be soft power like intellect and sensory acuity, or hard power such as magic casting and physical strength. I could not ascertain a single limit."

I feel a horrible chill travel down my spine.

His words seem genuine. I pray they aren't.

"Why not?"

"Your majesty, it specifically claimed to possess 'infinite' spellcasting ability. This assertion was one Aitos mistakenly validated before he had seen the dragon or heard its claims. So, his calculation should not have been clouded by the dragon's magical enslavement or intimidating presence. I fear, at least in that case, it may be because the dragon does not possess any such limit."

That's unthinkably terrifying.

"Then, intellect and physical strength?"

"Your majesty, I'm not smart enough to understand the dragon's words, but several others, including the mayor, seemed to agree with its every assessment. As for its physical strength, it's well over ten meters tall. It simply roared and killed over two hundred people. I was badly injured. I witnessed my guard partner, Korel, die instantly from the sound alone."

This seems more and more absurd. So why do I find myself believing it all the same?

"Roared? It didn't cast flame breath?"

"No, your majesty. It did not. However, it did cast another wide-area spell, Gravity Field. It also claims Gravity Singularity is not the correct name, but Gravity Field, for clarification."

"How long did this cast take?"

"Instant, your majesty. Aitos confirmed it. Also, again before he was eaten. Aitos had initially specifically claimed this was impossible. However, he was forced to revise his position upon seeing the evidence for himself."

Okay. Enough about this mythical god-dragon.

I must know what happened to my daughter.

"Yenim, did it say why she was spared?"

"Your majesty. It claimed to favor her, saying Yenim was smart enough to come to it and seek its consideration. Oddly, it never specified the guard captain by name, instead always referring to her by title."

Concerning. If it's not naming her, it may be because she's incapacitated or dead, so it wants to use her title. Deep down, I know it'd be worse for her if she were enslaved, but at least my beloved daughter would be alive.

"I see. Then what is your reason for believing she has defected to the dragon?"

"Your majesty, it claims it did not personally carry out the insurrectionists' mass execution. Rather, it claims to have acted as an overseer of their leadership. However, it also supposedly intervened to save Yenim from the rebel army."

Agh! That means she was either arbitrarily added to this dragon's plan or she was a secret mole from the start. Given her pivotal role... And the fact the dragon appears fixated on her title?

It seems likely she was, in fact, a mole.

This is NOT what I wanted to hear.

"Thank you for coming all the way here to deliver your report, guard Barnet. One last question. When did your interaction with this dragon occur?"

My butler speaks up.

"Your highness, I should say, as this is newly confirmed."

"You may answer."

"Yesterday."