“DRAGONS!!” The queen said in surprise, her feathers ruffled and trembling with fear.
The Vizier looked in dismay at the nobles gathered in the audience hall, normally a place of pomp and power, but now it was filled with a dense silence and laden with apprehension. The nobles, silent and wide-eyed, gathered in small groups around the hall. The Queen regained her firm posture, but her feathers trembled slightly under the pressure of the moment. The air was thick, heavy with the smell of fear.
The Vizier tried to remain calm.
The queen speaks so that everyone can hear.
“Run away? And my people? Abandon them to the mercy of these monsters? Never, call the Marshal, the council room, let's plan the defenses.” But this was a coded phrase that actually said: “Evacuate the royal family, destroy the teleportation portal after I leave, we will leave in 5 minutes.”
Murmurs of agreement came from the court of nobles present in the room.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” The Vizier makes a sign and the guards accompany them to the council room.
The Queen looks at the nobles, demonstrating the maximum confidence and courage possible, her feathers slowly returning to their normal position, placed on her head. Some of the Nobles nod their heads, others remain silent, fear written all over their faces, they follow her, leaving the hall, each one going to their private quarters, probably to escape discreetly like the queen.
"Your Majesty, I have already prepared everything. We have a safe refuge in the mountains. There, my Queen will be able to gather forces and plan our defense." Vizier says with his typical calm.
The Queen hesitates. “Aren’t you coming?” She asks in surprise.
“No, my queen, for two reasons. The kingdom lives on in you, my queen, and in the blood of your lineage. But someone has to stay and try to save something when your grace returns. The nobles will flee, and those who don’t will sell every last piece of furniture in the palace to save themselves. The other reason is that my bones are tired. I have little time left to live. My successor has already been trained. Let this old man be useful to the kingdom one last time.” He bows before the queen. “Your Majesty, please do not hesitate. The life of the kingdom depends on your grace living.”
The queen, overcome by a mixture of despair and hope, finally gives in and sighs. “Very well, Vizier.”
The Vizier stands up and smiles weakly. “Your Highness, I will do my best.”
The queen, with a heavy heart, rises from the throne and says goodbye to the Vizier, using the secret passage, steps into the teleportation circle, leaving behind the city she loved, in order to save the kingdom she ruled.
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The 3 black dragons fly in formation passing through the outskirts of the city. Bhenkumbyrznaax, Crixus' 4th wife, is accompanied by two phantom copies that her husband gave as gifts to his 1st and 2nd wife. Copies of 2 pathetic males who had the audacity to one day court her with cheap gifts and would now be forever used as beasts of burden and pets by these weak females. While she was now the only one to be ridden by her husband, to have the pleasure of his contact and presence.
The city passed by quickly, she looks with contempt at the buildings and searches for some danger or threat. But of course no one would have that audacity, her mouth was salivating with the desire to spurt acid on the city below and provoke pain, fear and destruction, but her husband made it clear. “No wanton destruction and only use the force necessary to eliminate the threat, Bhenk.” The diminutive way he used to call her was something that touched deep into her soul, bringing peace and happiness that not all his treasure could ever bring. Bhenk, circle the palace three times, each time in a smaller circle, “Let’s see if they still have any courage left in their spines.” She says in her mind to her husband. The formation gained altitude, she flapped her wings harder, to force the males to suffer to follow her. According to her husband, the phantom copies were permanent illusions created using the images and knowledge that her husband sought in his mind. For all practical purposes, they were real dragons, and they were bonded to their wives. A powerful magic that she had never seen before. There are some limitations, like they can't move more than 500m away from them, but even so...
Each of the two dragons carried on their backs a structure with capacity for 10 passengers, but they only had four occupants now, the wife and three D.K.s as honor guards.
Her husband wore none of these. He stood gloriously, unmoved by the winds or the movement of his powerful back muscles, wearing armor of the fire giant design and in his fire giant form, with his long, fiery red hair of the royal caste.
She looked at the palace defense towers, but they were abandoned, during the approaching circles she did not see a single soul anywhere in the palace. The rats must have fled.
The three dragons and their passengers landed in the palace's front courtyard, the wind from their powerful wings kicking up clouds of dust.
Bhenkumbyrznaax lets out a mighty roar, daring anyone to confront them, but receives only silence in response.
Her husband jumped from my back into the palace courtyard as the others climbed down from the other dragons who lay on the ground, like the dogs they had become.
As soon as they all dismounted, the dragons assumed humanoid forms. The dragon, the 1st wife, took the form of the serpent people, the 2nd wife, the dark elves, and I, as did my husband, took the form of the fire giants.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
We formed up, three D.K.s in front, my husband in the middle, the 1st wife on his right side, the 2nd wife on the left side, me in the most important position, right behind, protecting my husband's life and his back with my life, and the other three D.K.s behind me.
The D.K.s blow up the palace doors with their fire magic, marking our entrance. We headed for the Throne Room, following the 1st wife's instructions.
Through the silent corridors we saw clear signs of a hasty escape, broken vases, empty spaces on the walls where works of art used to be. At one time or another we saw the servants hiding or running away.
Outrageous, none of the rats came to greet the conqueror of the city. Truly outrageous!
“I’m the only one who finds this very easy, apart from the initial resistance nothing else happened.” Crixus says, his paranoia gaining strength.
“Three dragons and a flying fortress. Husband, I don’t think such a powerful force has been seen in these lands in millennia. My people must be terrified. All the nobles must have fled along with the royal family. Once again I thank you for not having razed the city. Thank you, Husband.”
“It was never my intention, 1st wife.” Crixus, through the link, just for her.
The D.K.s open the doors that lead to the throne room.
The immense throne room, all in polished stone, marble in various shades of white and beige, wide and high ceiling, the sound of footsteps echoing on the polished marble floor. The air is fresh and lightly perfumed, with a hint of flowers. Ahead, we see the imposing presence of the royal platform, covered in a rich, embroidered fabric, resembling silk and velvet underneath, emanating an ancient power, a history of kings and queens who sat on this same throne.
Around it, the presence of other chairs and platforms, equally imposing, with soft upholstery and dark wood details. The wood is smooth and polished, with a light scent of wax.
The walls are high and imposing, covered in tapestry. Beneath the floral scent is a faint smell of dust.
Tall windows let in daylight, creating a soft glow in the room; you can feel the warmth of the sun, which warms the marble floor and illuminates the walls.
At the opposite end of the entrance, a platform with four steps and on it a huge serpent stands in front of the platform, its head adorned with jewels and ornaments, the serpent raises its head from its resting position and slowly bends.
Its whole body trembles, the smell of fear is intense.
Crixus, with his shining armor and implacable gaze, advanced through the room, his armor creaking with each step. She stopped before the empty throne and stared at the Vizier, hunched over, his eyes dull with old age, reflecting the weight of defeat.
“I am Crixus, this jewel you wear is interesting, and I see that your gaze pierces my illusions. Let’s get straight to the point. The kingdom has fallen. You, the queen’s right-hand man, the advisor who guided her to ruin, stand before me to prevent further damage to the Kingdom, is that not so? What do you have to say in defense of the Queen that would make me change my mind about destroying it?” He assumes his immense true form and floats over the royal platform.
The Vizier, with a hoarse and stuttering voice, “The defeat is bitter, Lord Crixus. But I ask that the glory of the Kingdom not be erased.”
“Glory? The kingdom drowned in its own blood, in the blood of the innocent, and in endless wars with its neighbors guided by blind ambition. Your Queen is just a puppet of the nobles. But that ends today.”
The Vizier, raising his head, still afraid but with a glimmer of pride in his eyes, says. “Queen Calxochitli is a divine being! She sought a better future for her people!”
“Hhuuuunnnfff!” Crixus snorts. “A better future. Great, I’ll explain it to you and then you can tell your people what that better future will be like.
1st- Unconditional surrender of the Kingdom.
2nd- The Queen must surrender herself to me, she will be one of my wives, she has 3 days to return, by hook or by crook.
3rd- Slavery is banned in the lands of the kingdoms, all slaves must be freed immediately. Those who do not comply with this order will be sent by my D.K.s. At this, the six D.K.s light their magical fire and humanoid torches they become, all accompanied by their sinister laughter.
4th- All lords must present themselves to me in 5 days or their lands will be taken and their lineage will be erased.
“Now, the only glory that remains is that of your peaceful and unconditional surrender, Vizier...”
The Vizier stares at Crixus. “Surrender is an act of weakness. The Queen will never bow!”
“Weakness? I think you misunderstood, Vizier, WITH...WHAT...YOU...ARE...DEALING. Let me be clear.” Using the knowledge he had gathered from the Vizier’s mind, he began to repeat the final dialogue between the Vizier and his sons, a faithful copy of both what was said and the voices of those involved:
“Natlali, don’t be foolish. One must be alive to use knowledge.” Vizier.
“Father, we can’t just…” Necali.
“Necali, enough! I’ve decided. The teleportation circle is ready and waiting for you. Go. If all goes well, I’ll come get you in two days. If not, the fortress has provisions for 3 months, and there you’ll also find instructions on what to do.” Vizier.
“I know where they are, just as I know where this queen is. Let’s start with you, Vizier.”
Vizier, trembling with fear and now truly defeated, looks at the monster in front of him, a creature of terror and madness, who commands powers he has never seen before. His family has existed for centuries, while he is alive, there is hope. For my children.
“Yes, Lord Crixus. I bow to your will...my lord.”
“Wise decision Vizier.” Hethress says happily beside her husband. Today the empire that my husband deserves is born.