Their Resilience

Chapter 1

"Your Majesty, you've received another invitation from his Highness, King Amor of Ozneon," Gideon announced as he followed behind his Queen, a stack of papers in hand.

"If it's about another gathering with the other rulers of this world, toss it in the trash," Nesrin dismissively replied as she sat down behind her desk.

"Are you giving me permission to open this letter?"

"Do what you wish." She replied, beckoning for Gideon to give her the paperwork for today. "I'm tired of such invitations."

Gideon did as his Queen permitted him to do and opened the letter. Scanning through the contents, he concluded that this was, just as Nesrin said, confidential information about another gathering of the leaders of Chayghess. He shredded the letter to pieces before handing it to a passing servant to throw away.

"It was as you said, my Queen." He confirmed her thoughts as he poured her tea, setting it aside.

Nesrin nodded gratefully toward Gideon, making him smile her way softly. "I was sure that when I founded this kingdom, I wanted nothing to do with The Convocation of Light."

Gideon sipped his cup of tea, warmth running through him as he listened to his Queen speak. He quietly hummed as he watched her work diligently on the task before her, her brows furrowing in thought.

"None of the other rulers helped with the building of Karuva." She continued, clenching her pin. "I gathered outcasts, the banished, the poor, the fallen, and so many others and built this kingdom where we can stand together equally. They laughed at us and made a mockery of us all." Nesrin said softly.

Gideon was silent, and so were the other servants and knights standing by in the room.

Nesrin laughed lightly before setting her pen down against the wooden desk. "What a joke." She said before picking the pen back up gracefully. A slight frown formed on her face.

Sparing a glance at the tea Gideon's hand poured earlier, she calmly grabbed the porcelain and sipped. Letting the sweet liquid run its course through her before exhaling loudly. Setting the teacup down, Nesrin intertwined her fingers and leaned back, staring longingly at the intricate designs on the ceiling.

"I made a name for us worldwide, and now they want to play nice." She said after a moment of quietness, earning worried glances from her servants. "Don't you hate people like that?" Nesrin asked no one in particular.

"Like what, your majesty?" A maid asked.

Nesrin looked at her, noticing the worry that seemed to encompass her irises. "People who toss you away or treat you like garbage until you become beneficial for them." She answered. "Don't you hate people like that?"

The room went silent again before murmurs of agreement sprung up. Nesrins' maids and knights agreed with her. Even Gideon, who was strict on Nesrins' manner of speaking, agreed.

"Seems like our little kitten is upset," Dabi said as he casually strolled into the office, only to plop carelessly on the couch before Nesrin and Gideon.

"Address the queen properly," Gideon said as he glared at the general.

Dabi whistled eyebrows raised as he returned Gideon's glare with a smirk. "If looks could kill, Gideon would surely already have me as a stuffed puppet on your wall, kitten." He laughed lightly, winking Nesrin's way.

Nesrin stared at Dabi for a moment before a short chuckle escaped her mouth. This action also elicited a laugh from the general.

"Ouch, Kitten, you'd stuff me too?"