Classified (COMPLETED)

File 2, Part 5 - Her Imperial Majesty

My older sister's private meetings with the duke abruptly stopped when the white dragon enclosed for millennia in one of the tallest mountains in the empire slowly started to awaken. Although I knew someone had constructed it, I did not know who created it or why it was made. According to the most popular legend, an intelligent king from eons ago built it because he felt desolate and wanted a companion that he could talk to and care for. After all, he was brilliant to the point that nobody related to him. It was also designed to serve the entire kingdom. However, when the king almost finished it, he fell from the dragon's head and died.

Unfortunately, the Great Seer from that time predicted that it could awaken when everyone least expected it because it was not completed. With time, its materials started to mix to the extent that they began emitting evil magic. Another Great Seer foretold that it would one day awaken, breathe blue fire, and yield spirit guardians that caused people that approached it to hallucinate, lose their sanity, and worse, kill themselves. In addition, it could only be slain by slicing its head off.

The recent Great Seer, however, who was more famous for his inherited ability to see the future than his profession as a royal clerk, predicted that the time of the dragon's awakening was already beginning. He suddenly collapsed on the floor in the middle of a royal court meeting about the dragon. As he pronounced his prophecy, his eyes turned white and glowed, and his voice became deep and rattly. He said:

Urge the empress and her best men to combat the dragon; best believe they would most likely prevail and save the empire from total ruin. However, the price is still outstanding; instability after instability shall be the undoing of her reign.

The royal court dissolved into fearful murmurs and protests. Their eyes trained fearfully at my older sister, who occupied her golden throne several steps above them and their long tables filled with books and maps. She donned a bleached dress with gold leaf and thread trims, short, puffed sleeves, and a deep green trail with gold wreath embroidery along the edges. She wore bleached gloves, drop earrings made of gold and emeralds, white powder, and red lipstick. Small curls decorated her head and crowded her tiny bun. On top of her head was a gold crown studded with rubies. Its gold leaf designs coiled around each other and fused into a cross. Most of all, she scrutinized her court with her deep blue eyes in silence for a while.

She seems grim but not the least bit surprised.

Because she did not speak except to ask how the Great Seer was doing once, the royal court's whispers eventually died into a loud silence, with only their terrified eyes screaming their intent. Only then did she announce, her voice resounding clearly in the chamber:

"If the Great Seer wishes me to go to battle, so be it."

The mutterings resumed.

"Your Imperial Majesty, can't we deliberate on this first?!" the prime minister cried. He sat next to me at the front of the tables, facing my older sister. I tried my hardest not to stare at his balding white head. "We understand that you have the best chances of defeating such a perilous dragon in the empire, but your departure entails tremendous risks!"

I have to agree with him. While the empress has countless supporters, there are also an unknown few who would jump at the opportunity to overthrow her. Her leaving the palace meant exposing herself to such danger.

"You said it yourself, prime minister," my older sister replied, his concerns not fazing her too much. "I have the best chances of defeating such a perilous dragon in the empire. Besides, we do not have much time on our hands. We have to act as swiftly as possible. Otherwise, the dragon will obliterate the people."

Some nobles nodded among themselves.

That is also true.

"In that case, Your Imperial Majesty," my older sister's personal bodyguard said, facing her from her right-hand corner and looking at the floor, "we can have the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh orders of guards accompany you in your campaign."

My older sister's face froze. She carefully turned to her bodyguard with a perplexed furrow in her eyebrows. "Are you proposing we use five orders of guards?"

Her bodyguard nodded.

She raised her hand slightly and gazed at a distance, signaling that she was processing the suggestion. The bodyguard waited.

"I understand we are fearful and distrustful because we are dealing with a beast we have never encountered in battle," my older sister responded slowly, nodding in acknowledgment and glancing at her bodyguard. "However, that may be a few too many orders of guards, don't you think?"

"Your Imperial Majesty!" the prime minister beseeched, his voice shaking because of emotion and old age. "I accept that it may be inevitable for you to go to battle, but please reconsider! As we have discussed, the dimensions of the dragon are approximately-!"

"Yes, we have discussed them, prime minister, so fret not," my older sister agreed with a simple shake of her hand. "Ironically, cutting the dragon to shreds is merely our second principal concern. Before that, though, we should reach it without losing touch with reality and killing ourselves and others. Sending more than three orders of guards may paralyze the people's security and result in many casualties from the dragon campaign."

I agree.

"Don't we already have regional troops slowing the dragon's awakening with barriers and lulling scents, Your Imperial Majesty?" I asked her to help her enforce her point.

"Precisely!" my older sister exclaimed, nodding in agreement. "That explains why we do not need to bring too many orders of guards. That being said..." She straightened. "We must consider how to weaken the impact of the dragon's powers to reach it."

She raised her head to gauge how the court reacted to her statement. Mostly, they seemed to comprehend her point of view based on the affirming nods and whispers that escaped their circles. Such feedback pleased her.

"In that case, we can try dispatching antipsychotic potions to the members of the dragon campaign," I offered. "I am skeptical to what extent the potions are effective against the dragon's powers, but they should help."

"I do not see any problem with that. How long do the potions' effects last again?"

"Six hours."

"Six hours!" My older sister interjected incredulously, furrowing her eyebrows. "Meanwhile, the distance from the entrance to the heart of the dragon's abode warrants about seven days of travel if we are lucky! All the more reason to bring three orders of guards at most! We could limit it to one order, but the dragon is enormous."

"How many potion bottles can you carry, though, Your Imperial Majesty?" the prime minister queried, worry lines etching on his loose forehead. "Consider that you have other things to bring such as armor, food, water...!"

"We will not be carrying most of them, prime minister. Rest assured; I will discuss with my guards how we may station our things. As for you, Princess..."

My older sister met my eyes with a challenging gaze, and she did not speak for a while. I peeled my eyes away on reflex. Everyone else held their breaths as they waited for someone to interrupt.

Goodness, gracious. She should stop with that habit of hers. It makes me feel uncomfortable-!

"Princess," she declared, "you will take care of my tasks in my stead while I am away."