The First Queen

21 - A Wildgirl with no Family on the Throne and a Snake-Lady Beside her

"We're honoured, Your Highness." The High Chancellor smiled at me, "Meeting dismissed?"

"Meeting dismissed," I answered, offering him my barmaid smile.

When the courtiers began to file out, the weight of what I just decided comes crashing down on me.

What if I'm not a good queen? What if I do the opposite of what I want to do? What if the Deneiths come and thousands of people die because of it?

I can't be a good queen if I'm known as The First Queen who Brought War.

Maybe I can speak to someone who can empathise with me...

"Elia?" Xanthe called out and I shot my head up to look at her.

"Yes?" I stuttered and Aliana cocked a brow.

"That was very brave of you. Should you require any assistance, we'll be here for you." Xanthe assured me and I gave them all a smile that best showed how her words made me feel; grateful.

"Shall we celebrate the new reigning monarch?" Aliana smirked, leaning up against Athena.

"If Her Royal Highness permits it." Athena smiled a grin that reached her eyes.

"I'm not going to be a killjoy queen, so yes, I permit this party." I smirked and Aliana let out a 'whoop'.

"Athena's quarters?" Taman grinned, nudging the Captain who looked quite visibly taken aback.

"Yes! Let's do it! I need to go get Dallin!" Aliana laughed, patting Athena's shoulder and skipping out of the council hall.

"I promise that I won't mar your chambers, Captain. Can't say the same for the others, though." Xanthe assured her and Athena smirked.

"Thank you, Mistress." She chuckled, "shall we?"

"We shall." Taman grinned, looping his arm through Xanthe's and dragging her in the direction of the Summergarde district of the palace.

"After you, Your Highness." Athena smiled, allowing me to go through the door.

"Thank you, Captain," I smirked mischievously before following after Taman and Xanthe down the hallway.

It grew dark and everyone (except for Athena) were drunk out of their minds and you could see the twinkling stars in the skylight of Athena's chambers.

"Dallin would sleep with everyone in this room!" Aliana laughed, taking a sip of her wine.

"If I haven't already," Dallin smirked with an eyebrow raised and we all glanced at him.

"What?" Taman questioned and Dallin shrugged.

"I'm a one-night-stand kind of man! But I could be persuaded." Dallin chuckled, eyeing everyone in the circle.

"That's not what we were questioning," Taman muttered, gazing into the blood-red wine inside of his goblet.

"Let's face it: Dallin hasn't got very good social cues," Xanthe confessed and Dallin pressed his hand to his chest and gasped in faux shock.

"How dare you, Mistress Xanthe!" He growled.

. . .

"So... I'm going to announce my dominion at the fountain? Literally the same place where King Julius' corpse was yesterday?" I asked with a raised brow as Xanthe whispered a spell that removed my banging headache.

"Yes," Taman told me matter of factly.

"That's... Yes, lovely. Are you sure we can't just invite the citizens into the throne room?" I wondered and Athena shook her head.