Basilisk's Gambit

Chapter 2: Interception of The Lion's Roar | Za'Karra Focus

(For context, the setting of this chapter is in the nation of Lejuan, in which Za'Karra is the queen)

"Your highness, Abubakar wanted me to inform you that Aponia ships crossed through the southern waters about two days ago. It's estimated they have reached the eastern shores of Guyun by now."

"It's not Guyun, Zi Han. It's Illysia." I say, examining my manicure from different angles.

"What would they want with Illysia?" My poor worry wort of an envoy is always so nervous and confused, she's cuter this way.

"Revenge." I reply bluntly, standing from my throne and dusting my skirt clean of bread crumbs. Two servants hastily arrive to sweep the crumbs at my feet then return to their positions.

"The anniversary... Of course.." Zi Han plants her face in the palm of her hand dumbfoundedly.

"The one hundredth to be exact." I reply, sauntering to the edge of my throne room and examining the many illustrious spears and scimitars upon the wall, each and every blade having spilled the blood of a hundred Aponians. "I don't know how long you've been on this world dear. But this isn't the first time Aponia has attempted to infiltrate Illyria, they've been targeting small coastline villages for years now... It's a miracle that Pendragon Tarragon hasn't burnt them all to ashes yet."

I pluck one of the spears from it's display and admire it's dulled edge. "Tell me Zi Han... Do you think that Aponia will hesitate to infiltrate our waters again once we've sent their ship back with a crew of dead sailors?.." I turn to face Zi Han with an emotionless expression.

"Abubakar says we shouldn't initiate combat with Aponian fo-"

"Afufufu~"

Zi Han's sentence is crudely interrupted by my uncontrollable laughter. "You're very funny today, you know that?" Zi han tilts her head slightly in confusion. "So be it. Warn the Guyunese and Illyrian embassies. They'll relay the message if it's not too late."

Zi Han bows deeply before scurrying out of the throne room to warn the embassies. Finally I can have a moment of peace and silence. I place the spear back on it's mount carefully before taking a seat in my throne to relax for a bit.

This is great... I close my eyes in relief, bathing in the light of Lejuan's warm and golden sun.

"Your highness?.."

I squint one eye open irritatedly at my military general, Abubakar, who clearly can't take a hint.

"Yesss, Abubakar?"

He fumbles his hands nervously before beginning to speak "Your highness-

"Call me Za'Karra, what are you? A lowly peasant?" I say with a deep chuckle.

"Z-Za'Karra there is someone here to see you."

And who might that be...? I haven't had a 'visitor' in a while.

"Send them in." I reply, fixing my hair and sitting up straightly. 

Abubakar opens the doors to the throne room as a strong looking yet diminutive girl with pale blue skin and fuzzy red hair enters.

"An Ixtezuman oni?.. What business do you have here?"

The oni girl bows and kneels before the stairs to my throne, placing a grandly ornamented gift at the base of the steps.

"A gift?"

She nods gently. "From Empress Qiyana."

I approach the girl and take her hand, bringing her up to face me. "Thank you darling, Send my kindest regards, will you?" The oni girl nods and bows once more before hurrying outside, most likely to return home to Ixtezuma.

"A gift, Isn't that kind of Qiyana?" I ask, Abubakar nods silently in response.

"Lets see.." I pull apart the ribbons and open the box carefully, perhaps it's jewels or a rare artifact. Suddenly a pungent odor taints the air as I peel the wrapping of the box off. "God it smells horrible!" I say, pulling the gift wrap all the way off and preparing to see what strange present Qiyana has prepared for me.

I throw the box down, gasping and gagging as I nearly collapse to the floor. The box tips over resulting in a decapitated head rolling down the stairs, leaving a trail of blackened blood behind as it bounces to the floor. "That psychotic wench sent me a head!?" I screech, covering my nose and mouth as my eyes begin to water. "Get it out!"

Abubakar steps forward and examines the head before plucking it from the ground and putting it under his arm. "It looks like an Aponian..?"

"Then certainly get it out!"

Two servants rush over to help me into my chair as Abubakar leaves hastily to dispose of the rotting skull.

"That Qiyana... She has an interesting idea of what a GIFT is.."

These Aponian's are causing quite the stir, and this close to the anniversary of the same war they lost?.. If I didn't know any better I'd think that they're planning something, messily planning.

The war was long and brutal, for most mortals during that time it felt like most of their life was spent in turmoil. So many fallen soldiers, native blood spilled on Lejuani soil... It was truly a travesty. I've done my best to keep this nation strong in my husband's absence, but these past couple hundred years have been nothing short of a pain in my ass. And that poor troubled Qiyana, after her mother died she succeeded the throne quite young and now all she knows is violence... When will she realize that chopping the heads off Aponian's does nothing but get those tyrants fired up and vindictive? Although, I'd be lying if I said I don't want to put them in the ground myself. Something Ixtezumans and Aponians lack is self control, perhaps they can bond over that instead of trying to kill one another all the time.
One thing is for sure, Lejuan will not be plunged into another dark age of war and insurrection. We hardly have just began fully recovering from the debt and loss that the Primordian War put us in. Ixtezumans are so ignorant to the fact they were hand held the entire war. If it weren't for Lejuan's divine intervention that grubby island would be a vacant speck on the map of Primordia.

But I can't be mad at Qiyana, some of us wish to bathe in gold, and others in blood. I have a penchant for both~