Fantasy Stuff that took forever

Chapter 7

Osp'ru stood on a balcony, calm and collected despite the fact that her city was going to be attacked. Her golden hair fluttered in the breeze, and her dress shone in the light of the setting sun. Some said that the Queen of Yimo was the most beautiful goddess in creation. Others said she was malevolent and cruel. "I suppose it's all in how you look at it," she thought absentmindedly. Her supporters all loved her dearly and devoted all their time and resources to making Yimo into a paradise. Her opposers wanted nothing but chaos and ruin. "The weight of the crown rests heavily on my shoulders, as it has for the past eighteen hundred years." Osp'ru smiled. Today was her nineteen hundredth birthday. She tried not to think of rebels and responsibility on this day, but alas, it was quite the opposite. In fact, she said that undoubtedly more effort had to be put into protecting her throne today than any other day of the year.

"Those rabble rousers would like nothing more than to dethrone me on my birthday. Well, I shall not let them. My noble line shall live to see another day." Osp'ru set her jaw. Her house would not fall today by the hands of the rebels. She was a strong willed and minded Queen. "My Queen?" said a voice beside her.

Osp'ru turned and her smile widened when she saw her second in command ____ beaming up at her. ____ was a from a long line of nobles who had volunteered to serve her. ____'s dark, messy curls bounced on his forehead and his clothes ruffled in the breeze. He was young, no more than fourteen, but he was an exceptional boy. His parents had sent him to the castle at ten years old, and Osp'ru had immediately taken a liking to him. ___ was quick witted, humble, and very well mannered. The Queen could not ask for a better second in command.

Usually Celestial boys were chosen to stand beside the Queen. Osp'ru's advisors questioned her decision to allow a human boy to raise to such a high rank, but she silenced their complaints. Why shouldn't a human be allowed to prosper and carve out a position for his future offspring? Osp'ru loved to talk with him, to exchange stories and laughs with someone with a young creative mindset and a modern understanding of the world. "Truly, he is the only one who matches my intellect. Such smart young men are hard to find."

Osp'ru didn't have to fake a friendly greeting like she did with most of her noblemen and servants. "Yes, ____?"

____'s smile wavered. He seemed to be trying to hide something, though he knew resistance was futile. Osp'ru was Queen, for Yimo's sake. She was practically omniscient! "Now, now. You should know better than to lie to me. Tell me what's the matter."
____ bit his lower lip, debating the consequences of saying nothing. Eventually, he relented. It was his only source of income, and Osp'ru deserved better than the truth. "Rebels."

Osp'ru's eyes widened in alarm. "I should have been prepared. I should have known they wouldn't waste an opportunity, accursed rabble rousers." "Where?" she demanded, her posture straightening.

"Well, that's not all." he admitted nervously. "There was also an unidentified aircraft flying south, the one you ordered the assassins to board. It seems like the ship was on autopilot before our sensors lost it."

"When exactly did we lose sight of it?" Osp'ru turned her back to the beautiful sunset and swiftly threw open her balcony doors. She walked briskly across the throne room and to a smaller side door behind her throne. This door had been a well kept secret, but in recent months the door's existence had to be revealed because of a rebel attack on the palace.

____ kept up with the Queen's quick pace despite him being the shorter and weaker being. "Just ten minutes ago. The ship seemed to be heading towards the castle at maximum speed, but it suddenly veered off and disappeared! It's as if the person steering knew we were tracking it!"