Chapter 2

The Demon Queen Awakes

With the sun resting low in the sky, being just past midmorning, the Queen, Uzume Akuma lifted her head from her satin pillows. Her bed chamber spacious and lush with many fine works of stone or art along the sides. From her upright position a large yawn left her as she wiped the sleep from her eyes, blinking them a few times, her crimson orbs shown in the low light, glowing softly. Uzume then stood up from her black silk sheets she walked fonward towards her bathing chambers. Unlike any other Queen, Uzume didn't need servants to bathe her. She enjoyed the relaxing waters to much to allow another person spoil it for her with constant badgering about "needing to hurry and wash before she would wrinkle." A small smile played across her lips as she though about that. Wrinkles were never a threat for her. Her skin was fair and soft, she took very good care of it. Her eyes like jewels and her skin fair and clear like polished marble, she was a vision of beauty and grace, even for a demon she moved with the motions that matched an angel. Not going far The Queen entered her bathing chambers, already naked from sleeping nude, she lifted her lithe hands slowty and pulled her hair up into a loose bun, using a stray lock of hair to hold it in place as she minded her horns, two obsidian spikes that left the sides of her head just above her ears and swept backwards gently.

The Queen then lowered herself into the perpetually warm waters of her chambers, she relaxed and allowed her scarlet locks to drift outwards from the loose bun. Walking into the scene, one might mistake her hair for blood in the water with its deep color and subtle sheen. Her soak in the water now finished, she stood and raised a hand, a large plush black towel leapt from the corner of the room and wrapped snuggly around her body. She then moved to a large vanity placing herself on the stool in front of it. Lifting her hands she pulled her hair gentiy over her shoulder and looked into the mirror for a moment, She was beautiful. Soft cheeks, sharp chin, piercing eyes, and a small soft smile all played into the ethereal beauty that surrounded her. Knowing she was gorgeous she didn't use it to her advantage, in fact she actually didn't really acknowledge it much at all. If one of her people paid her a complement she would simply nod and smile with a gracious "Thank You" then return the complement whole-heartedly. Lifting the lvory brush in front of her she began to work at her hair, pulling it through the bristles slowiy turning it from a wet mess of stands and dark colors into a flowing, soft locks of ombre scarlet hair, a deep almost violet-red color at the root fiowing outwards to an infernal orange-red making her hair look as it, itself had something more to it.

Leaving the Vanity behind and the brush, The Queen moved across from her bathing chambers back into the bedroom, walking towards her closet before a shimmer on her dresser captured her eye, A small, flat white box with a rather gaudy, T.L. rested on the dark wood. Titing her head with a lapse of memory, she walks to the box and opens it seeing an illustrious red and black silk dress, with an accompanying cloak, a collar of dark fur around the seam of the fabric. With a soft smile, the Queen decided to wear her new outfit, taking the box with her she went to her changing wall. First pulling up an under corset, then putting on the under frill. She then slipped into the dress placing it over her head and pulling it into place, using her magic to latch the back of it up as it slid into place snuggly. The fabric was like wearing a cloud, light and breathable while still retaining a fair amount of her own heat. Who ever T.L. was, they were good at their job. Finally adjusting the dress once more, The Queen noticed a few things, The checker like pattern that ran down her sleeves. Red diamonds against the black fabric below it sat on her chest, The opening on her chest covering her arms. Another detail of the dress the Queen liked was how it showed off her favorite features about herself, the top half of her breasts. Noticing a small ribbon on the front of her chest the queen tied it as it lifted her breasts upwards, the same fashion as a pushup bra or corset would do so. In all, the dress is mainly made of red satin fabric, more akin to a crimson or scarlet than flat red. With dark pitch black accents, and the dark cloak that accompanied the full outfit, it made the Queens beauty stand out, even amongst the patrons of her worid. Slipping on her normal shoes however, a set of low heels she kept with her morning route, next on the list, The Throne room for her favorite book.

With a loud click and a gentle whine from the door leading to the Queens chambers, She stepped out, her heels clicking against the almost completely mirror polished stone floor she walked on. As per routine, as she stepped out the subtle sound of metal on metal was heard in the silent castle, as the queens personal defenders turned and looked to her. Hulking suits of living armor powered by an unknown magic and connection to the Queen, turned their heads and greeted their Lady. As fluidly as a ten foot tall mass of magically animated armor can, they bowed their heads and extended their hands from their sides outwards towards the door. In reaction the Queen smiled, and lifted her hands touching the backs of their gauntlets, a sweet gesture for everyday these golems of iron, steel and magic defended her without fail from any and everything. After her usual reassurance that her protectors where doing their jobs, The Queen moved upwards towards her throne, the only resounding noise in the castle was the soft click of her heels. Upon reaching her throne, She retrieves a large tome. The title read, "Quid nocti et stellas in vacui conversari" with a soft giggie, the Queen touched the title, the inlayed golden lettering sat against the face of the book as little risen humps. "How the stars move and behave in the void… What an interesting title..." With her book in hand she opened to her bookmarked page and then let the book drift in front of her, the pages turning with a command from her mind as her hands lay over one another against her stomach just above her navel. With her book in position, and her routine so far on track, her next step was her morning walk through the gardens and with that in mind she left the Castle and headed east from the stone fortress into the blossoming gardens.

With her nose buried in a book the Queen strolled in the midmorning sun through the lush garden just to the east of her castie. Comparatively, the Gardens are much larger than the castle town. With the same amount of pride a parent has in a child, The Queen loved her garden dearly. Even if on this leisurely stroll through it, she didn't actually 'look' at each of the beds of flowers, rows of hedges, or even the towering fruit trees for which she had two of each. She knew each's place by heart and memory. With this in mind, she stepped out of the posh cobblestone path onto the soft grasses, her heels dissolving to feel the almost felt like feeling of it on her feet. The entrance she choose was near the low laying flowerbeds, soft petals of carnations, daffodils and lilles rested side to side in lush arrangements. The Gardens were an assauit on the senses. Whether it be vibrant colors, vivid aromas or the delicate feeling of the breeze that blew across the garden, catching stray petals in a colorful and petite whirlwind. The Queen enjoyed her gardens, the lush grass allowed her to walk barefoot as if she was in the castle. Her graceful steps did nothing to disturb the resting buds that had yet to fully open, instead her presence seemed to bring the already lively garden a new level of animation. Sleeping buds woke blooming brilliantly, while under the soil, almost as if they were growing only catch a glimpse of the Queen.

As she progresses into the garden, the breeze dies down as she enters the higher walls of the hedges, and various trees of fruit and nuts. The cool pockets of shade allow for a sweet relief from the morning sun. Finding her usual spot on a bench under a low hanging mango tree, the Queen lifts her hand plucking a ripe fruit from the tree and hovering It next to her as she manually turned the page in the floating book, the delicate fruit spun slowly as an invisible force peeled the fruit and tore the large seed from its middie, leaving it hallow but intact. The seed however was planted downwards, next to her in the garden, a small sapling appearing quickly. With a delighted clap the Queen opened her mouth showing porcelain fangs that sink into the tender mango flesh with ease, juice spiling down her chin as she wipes it, placing the runaway juice now captured on her finger into her mouth, licking it off before a small pop is heard, her finger now clean from her mouth.

Having finished her morning snack, The Queen stood upwards, and began moving through the garden again. Pressing deeper into the lush greenery. She crossed over a small stream, dipping undera willow trees embrace as she continued to read. The morning sun shown through the canopy of the low tree making the underside illuminate with vibrant colors, vermillion, scarlet, peach, honey, all bouncing around making the tree look ablaze. Moving forwards through the hanging branches, the wall of leaves seemed to part like curtains for the Queen, acknowledging her place in the worlds workings. She continued onwards, moving deeper into her garden. The aroma now no longer the sickly sweet scent of lilacs and lavender. Now the subtle scent of fruit and roses remained. Sensing something ahead, The Queen closed her book and looked up.

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Having looked from her tome, The Queen saw some of her citizens relaxing in the gardens, as was their right. She may own the gardens but it was open to her people to enjoy as well. The first person her crimson eyes lay upon, was a young, and fair skinned blonde male. The male sat, his hand with a book open, the title unknown from the angle she was at. His other hand held a soft blue glow. Arcana, Magic. In this worid Magic and Science runs hand in hand. Watching the man the orb flickers up to white before it puffs, the spell attempt clearing having failed. Nodding softly she smiles and looks to the young man. "Failed attempts pave the road to success." The man looked upwards his soft eyes speaking more than he did as he nodded going back to his book.

Her eyes following around to the next thing that grabbed her attention, the lazy flick of a tail from the low hanging branch of a nearby tree. In the tree rests another of the worlds citizens. Not quite human like the last, his tail akin to that of a monkey, his features, rather sharp and toned. With his hands laced behind his head and a leg off of the branch swaying in the soft breeze like his tail, he rested clearly enjoying the serenity of the gardens. The Queen seeing the monkey-man rested in the tree smiled moving her hand upwards, covering her mouth from a soft giggle she spoke again. "A lazy body produces a lazy mind. Be weary young one."

Her hand moved back to its resting place as she moved her view once again down the path to the next in line, a human, by the iooks of them, female. However it mattered not, for male, female, even somewhere in between. All were welcomed into the Queen's Realm. Glancing at the pale red hair that hung low on the woman's back, the queen noticed a hole in the flower bed before she saw the small terracotta pot that housed a cutting from one of the rose bushes that blanketed this area of the garden. The woman placed the cutting into the ground using the dirt from its original pot to fill in the space she had hallowed out, making sure the snippet was safe and snug in the dirt. To this the Queen spoke with a small smile on her face, "The care you show to the land reflects how you care for others, keep this in mind"

The Queen then saw a small flash of orange over the Woman with red hair's face. The Queen flicked her eyes quickly over in the direction of the flash and saw an Elvish woman, dark auburn and red hair. The colors mixed well against her slightly tanned skin. But it was not the looks of the woman, not how she dressed or even sat on what appeared to be a stump that caught the Queens attention, it was what she was doing. Holding some sort of metal flask over her hand, the woman was using fire made from her own mana to heat it, distiling some sort of concoction. Feeling the stare of someone on her skin, the Elvish woman turned her head, and used her free hand to produce from the ground, another chair like stump a few feet from her. With a soft volce she spoke to the Queen like her compatriots had not "Would you care for a seat?"

Having seen the stranger perform fire magic inside her gardens, and produce a seat for her made of roots from the ground, The Queen sat happily next to one of her citizens. Moving her hands and making sure she was seated on the cloak she wore, and not the dress, the Queen looked over to the citizen, her fair elvish features where pleasing on the eyes. The elvish woman spoke, having tipped the heated flask and poured something that smelled like alcohol out into a cup for the queen "would you care for a drink? The Queen who was courteous made a small nod and spoke, her voice was soothing and polite as she took the cup placing it downwards on her lap. "What is your name, l pride myself on knowing the names of all my cltizens but somehow i don't know yours yet." Her words came out smooth and dignified. She was used to speaking to people, What Queen wouldn't be? The Elvish woman let up a small smile as she turned her eyes to the Queens fair face. Her words wvere spoken with a slight hesitation to her voice. "Malgana Aureius. I am honored to meet the Queen of the land and on such a fine day as today" With a gracious nod, the Queen smiles, her next question something she asks everyone she has the chance to meet and sit with. Save for a select few newcomers or new arrivals, the Queen knew everyone of her citizens. "Can you tell me about yourself Malgana?" The corner of Malgana's mouth shifted upwards, a cross between a happy smirk and an agitated tsk. "Mal will be fine, My Queen. I don't mind sharing a bit about myself but I will make you a deal... I share my story with you, you share a piece of yours?" One of her delicate hands lifting to her own mouth, the Queen thinks for a moment. She had never had someone offer such a deal, least not in a long time. Deciding it was alright she smiled "l agree, it's a deal Miss Mal. However, you must start, it is only fair."

Tilting the flask to pour herselfa cup of whatever rested inside, Mal listened to the Queen speak. She felt heat rush to her pointed ears as she heard one of her favorite phrases "It is a deal." With her cup in her lap, Mal began to weave her tale out to the Queen. One of which, she told with a twinge of sadness. Her story was one of loss. "My features, lie my Queen, for i may look an elf, but am not a full one. My mother, an Elvish sorcerer, birthed me from an unknown father. Life within my village... Was less than pleasant. Due to my mothers heritage, I have some... Interesting abilities. That's all l'll say for now my Queen, I'm interested in what you have to say."

The Queen didn't move her cup. Not that she didn't trust her citizens, but she just wasn't thirsty at this moment. The words Mal spoke made the Queen feel a bit sorry for her, it wasn't pity, instead it was genuine sadness. Something she didn't feel often. Dismissing that emotion entirely the Queen spoke as per the Deal the pair had. "What about myself to say...? l am the Queen of the realm, have been since birth. I have been here so long, I know all of my citizens by name, and their families. Who is descended from who, and what bloodlines have converged into one. I am not a day over 25 though," Mal sat and listened, the Queen was right, she did look young for someone who claimed to be as aged as she did, then again, the amount of mana in this worid was beyond anything she had ever sensed. Mal lifted her cup and took a small sip from it, the liquid was definitely alcohol, and a quite strong brew Wnaving made it herself. Her face showed none of the tell tale signs of it being an alcoholic beverage, instead she sipped as if it was a cup of tea. "I can sense your curious about my drink, and lack of recoil from it. I was once on a vessel under a decorated captain named Jameson Glazier. One day we received orders we didn't like and went rouge, turning froma simple merchant ship intoa fierce band of pirates. One of the things I did on board the vessel was brew our alcohol. With that kind of job, you gain a tolerance to the stuff.“

The Queen looked to the cup, then up to Mal as she spoke again, another side revealed. A deeper look into a person the Queen didn't know. She knew everything about each one of her citizens, literally. For some reason, Mal was different. The Queen looked up to Mal and acted before she thought. Her words echoed out across the garden for a moment, hanging in the air. "Malgana, would you care to be my friend?" It was bizarre, for the Queen had the love and compassion of all of her citizens but one thing she lacked was friends.

Malgana heard the question, the phrase wasn't something new to her, Why she herself had "friends" people she could count on. What struck her about the question itself was the way in which it was asked, with no hesitation or thought, almost as if the Queen longed for friendship. Looking directly into the Queen's scarlet eyes Mal attempted to do something, using her own magic, she sensed out trying to find out more about the Queen without her knowledge. It shouldn't be hard. The Regal air she once had was for a moment, gone, entirely leaving her vulnerable like many of the other people Mal had met in her life. with her question still in the air, The Queen felt strange. Why did she blurt that out, without much thought to it? She had the love and respect of all her citizens yet... she felt as though she needed a "friend" at least one. She never faBtered, her expression remaining stoic as if she planned it. It looked believable, and for most they would have believed it, The Queen never lied or did anything out of turn she didn't plan.

However, the Queen still felt something in her, A twinge of bittersweet something... Having sensed nothing on the Queen, Mal herself thought for a moment. What harm would come from accepting an offer? She was the Queen of the realm, all of her people adored her, she has pick of the land for friends. Maybe the Queen sensed something in Mal. Something resonating between the two. Knowing her answer which came in the form of a rushed and almost tripped over series of words, Mal Spoke "My Queen, It would be an honor to be a friend to you" Hearing the words of the half-elf woman, the tension in the air broke instantly, the Queen internally letting out a sigh of relief as she smiled again putting her hands together just under her chin and tilting her head. "m glad you said yes Malgana, But if you excuse me, I must continue with my day. Maybe if you are in the garden again tomorrow we can chat more." Not allowing Mal to say no, the Queen stood and placed the cup on her chair, heading back towards the front of the garden where her heels rested.