A few weeks have passed in a blur of sex, indulgence, rulership, and training.
With my wings now fully healed, I'm midway through an all-out sprint through the tangled terrain of thorn vines that have claimed this corner of my training cavern. Faster than I've ever flown, I weave through tight gaps, sharp corners, and perilous obstacles as quickly as possible. The rush and the thrill are burning through my veins; my wings have never felt so fluid and precise. With a quick forward pump, I stop on the spot, then cut left through a ninety degree turn. Up, down, over, and under, I navigate with mindless expertise, my head totally empty as I rip through this exercise with ease.
I make a sharp dive, then an even sharper rise, folding my wings to my side as I corkscrew through the last gap and come out the other side. The vines open wide to reveal the expansive chamber, and there she is waiting for me. Overjoyed as always to see her, I delicately drop to the floor and rush to her side.
"Hello, little rose," she hums with pleasure as she receives me into her arms. In my draconic form, I'm finally bigger than her, and she embraces my head with a light giggle to scratch at my scalp and behind my ears. "Hello, hello. Aw, sweet thing. Are you happy to see me?"
"Yes, very," I exhale, short of breath but happy as can be as I nuzzle my snout against her. She smells so good. Like always. Like roses. "Yes, yes, yes. Every second apart… It aches like an eternity…"
"Well, aren't you waxing romantic? That's my role." She chuckles, kissing my nose then between my eyes. "Adorable, Crimsy. You're just adorable. Mmm. How was your training today?"
"Good." I shift forms and land on my feet just in front of her, perking up with joyous pride as she fastens my leash onto my collar, which I never take off. I'm still catching my breath, but I explain, "Vander was a great help with stealth and ambush lessons. And Plutoryl even came by to help me with a few of the Overgrowth spells. I'm making quick progress, they say. As expected, of course."
"Yes, of course. That's my Crimsy. Exceptional." She lifts me into her arms like always and kisses me. After several minutes of fierce tongue tying, she giggles and sighs. "Bathtime, little one. Our next court session is a very important one. We must both be presentable."
"Oh? What's the occasion?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
She flies me out of my training cavern, a huge open space with various sections for all my different forms of practice, from magic to combat to stealth to general fitness. It was no exaggeration when she said anything I needed would be provided, even private instructors. I've never had so many resources available to me before. And I've gotten more used to, well, throwing my weight around.
I am the Queen's Rose. Whatever I say goes. And whatever I want is immediately seen to. It's quite the change from being nothing to being so important. I'm still humble about it, at least, because I'm always on edge about inconveniencing her attendants, and I do not want to be seen as a nuisance.
We take a quick soak in her hot springs and like always she washes and preens and grooms me, then we both get dressed in matching robes of deep red and either black or white respectively. With that, she sweeps me up again and flies us both out of her personal quarters, carrying me to the audience chambers where court is attended.
It's already fairly busy. A number of voices are speaking over one another, trading words before the session begins. More people are in attendance than I've seen before. I suppose this must be more important than I assumed.
I wonder what it could be about…
Umbra speaks with her advisors and I listen in until I realize it's more of the usual courtly casual conversations. Scanning the crowd, my vision now much sharper in the darkness due to my being Wretched, I find a number of now familiar faces, mixed with a number of unfamiliar ones. The general air seems somewhat agitated and a little tense.
Nothing Umbra won't settle shortly enough.
Once she takes her seat, I find my usual perch upon her knee, with my legs dangling between hers, our tails entwined over the throne's arm, and her hand holding me from behind. I've gotten much more accustomed to my position here as well, and I wear my dozens of rose blossoms with pride. After another minute or so, Umbra sighs and waves a hand toward Visdeni.
The gray and green lindwurm man announces, "Please, settle down. The Fallen Queen's Court is hereby in session. The first and only matter of business for today is of the utmost importance. That matter being the consideration of a full-scale offensive against the forces of the Heavens."
Oh. Hells, that is of the utmost importance.
"As those of you where attendance will recall, in the aftermath of what is now designated as Crimson's Fall some seven weeks prior to now, the Queen opted to bide time for her Rose's restoration following the vicious smiting she received. Now that the Queen's Rose has made a full recovery, the question is posed once again. How shall we, the Wretched, retaliate in the wake of such a travesty?"
Umbra caresses my right wing, feeling the soft red webbing, now scarred over but intact. Then her claw taps twice on my dorsal plating.
I straighten up a touch. "I've decided on a fierce retaliatory strike. I wish to see those who destroyed my home suffer the consequences. Umbra has likewise decided to endeavor toward an assault upon the Solar Throne, and the tyrannical snake who sits upon it."
That sparks an awful lot of chatter.
Umbra mindlessly picks at my dorsal plating, letting them discuss amongst themselves for the moment. After a while, she again lifts a hand toward Visdeni, who calls for silence. When the room is quiet again, Umbra leans forward to kiss my cheek in front of everyone, then sighs.
"My Rose speaks true. This… The final refrain of a dreadful symphony… which has been in motion for eons. It will be done. Executed, with perfect harmony. And Aurora shall fall. Along with her… myriad sycophants. The Primarchs. Each and every one of them. Save for those who sever their loyalties. The rest… The Legends. The Fables. They will surrender, or they will die. Unless my Rose decides otherwise."
I nod. "I'd prefer we give them ample opportunity to yield. If we can manage that without endangering whatever maneuvers we intend to make."
Seryl, the blue and white wyvern, adds, "It will be a difficult balance to strike. Asking them to surrender without any genuine show of our force or capability will simply come off as hollow."
"Agreed," Visdeni says, bobbing his head. "Along with the fact that many are predisposed to think Aurora is untouchable. To that end, it would take a greatly significant demonstration of the opposite notion for most minds to so much as consider the possibility."
"Yes, not to mention the inherent difficulty of changing people's entire worldviews. If we do this too quickly, I suspect a number of draconids who would opt to join us will instead double down on their loyalty to the Church."
Oliver, the black and orange dragon, mumbles, "Sure would be much easier to kill them all."
Umbra hisses, "You heard my Crimson. Ample opportunity to surrender will be given. The details of which shall be addressed another time, when they become immediately relevant. Our initial movements are of the most concern for this session. Move us along, Visdeni."
"Of course, my Queen. With the motion decided to direct and advance our cause toward the Heavens and the Solar Throne, it is now the focus of the court to decide upon our opening endeavors. With the end goal in mind, who among our Queen's generals would speak first upon this matter, and suggest a course of action for our Queen's consideration?"
"And my Rose."
"Right, yes. For our Queen and her Rose's consideration."
Yes, that's right. I am very important, after all.
So she tells me, anyhow…
"I would speak." A man I've never seen before steps into the light. With a single horn jutting off the center of his forehead, a wild mane of white and yellow hair down to his waist, and sharp toed hooves instead of feet, the kirin gives us a solemn bow. "My Queen. Her Rose."
"Haunt," says Umbra with a faint smile. "I was wondering if you'd make it."
Oh. That's Lumos. Her fifth in command.
"Of course, my Queen. This is crucial indeed. I wouldn't dare to miss it. The moment I was informed, I made haste across the seas. Good that I have. This is a matter I've been considering myself, of late. I happen to have a generalized plan of action you may find suitable."
"Please. Speak it. The floor is yours."
"You're the Bastard's slayer," I say. "Is it true?"
He hesitates, looking over at the advisors. "Aye. It's true."
"Hm. Just checking. Umbsy, isn't that bad?"
"It was a drastic blow at the time, yes. But Terrelyx had become… unwieldy. His rage was becoming a hindrance. In the end, I was glad to trade him for Haunt. He has proven far more suitable. Does that explanation suffice, sweet Crimsy?"
"Yes, thank you. Please, Haunt, continue."
"Ah. Certainly. My Queen, I suggest we begin with a series of coordinated attacks, similar to our typical recruitment operations but far more targeted. As we've done before, we could arrange to direct influences within the mortal kingdoms such that they will summon particular draconids. Instead of approaching these summons as opportunities to gather recruits from draconids we suspect may be willing to convert, we would approach them as lures to draw in and eliminate specific targets who we know will never defect from the Church. Namely among the Legends and higher ranked Fables. If executed properly, we would seize the advantage of removing several of the enemy's key soldiers before we even begin any form of direct assault, without nearly as much risk of lost Wretched."
That's a good idea, in my book.
Umbra hums, drumming her claws on my backside. "Any other suggestions?"
Nobody steps up or speaks. It's oddly quiet.
"Very well. A moment to deliberate." She comes to me first of all. "Your thoughts, my darling?"
Hells. She sure knows how to make me feel appreciated. And she's been coaching me on statesmanship, helping me to be a better assistant. "I think it's a fair suggestion. It has serious potential, doesn't it? Eliminating certain Legends ahead of time through targeted ambushes would be a huge benefit if we ever have to engage the Heavens directly. And like he said, it would minimize casualties on our end. Right? What's not to like?"
"Yes. That's right. I agree. It seems to be the best course of action. We hardly need these advisors, do we?"
"Not this time," I snicker before she kisses me.
"That will do," she announces to the court. "In that case, we must decide upon our targets, both on Avi and in the Heavens. Specific locations. Specific draconids. We'll take a fifteen minute recess, and then I want suggestions. Hm? What is it, little one?"
I whisper in her ear.
"Hm. You're certain? That last one is… particularly hazardous."
"No… No, no… Please. Umbra. Please."
She hesitates, then kisses my cheek and speaks aloud. "Three are exempt. Off limits. Radiant Fable Zip, Fable Penelope, and Valorant Hildegard. You heard me. Hildegard is not to be touched. We're done. Fifteen minutes."
"Thank you," I exhale, hugging onto her as the court dissipates. "I'll… explain later…"
"Very well, Crimsy. Whenever you're ready. In the meantime, there's something I would like to spend these fifteen minutes doing."
"I think I know exactly where this is g–"
She tugs on my leash and kisses me.
We're going to make those fucking fanatics pay.