Eyes closed, Queen Zhah stood outside on the highest balcony of the Royal Palace, letting her open wings catch the wind, the mass of architectural beauty that was the Royal City sprawled out below her. And for a moment all of her burdens seemed to slip away into nothing, only the wisdom of the Ancients filling her mind and soothing her soul.
Queen Zhah!
The sound of her name and title, nothing but a faint echo seemingly heard from miles distant...
Queen Zhah!
The cry is louder and closer now, drowning out the serenity of her meditations.
Emissary Tagren arrived out of breath, finally discovering the Queen standing alone outside on her private balcony, oblivious to his calls.
"My Queen..", he said, placing a clawed hand on her shoulder.
For a moment Zhah said nothing but eventually she slowly turned to him, her face lined with want, as if she had just awoken from a long dream.
"Yes, Emissary"?, she replied, her voice barely audible.
"The Void! It has spread into Britannia!", Tagren cried, barely able to contain himself.
The Queen's body jolted upright to its full height, her wings instinctively twitched in fear.
"By the Ancients! When did this happen!?"
"Our first scout arrived this morning bearing the ill news. I could scarcely believe it! Two more agents confirmed the report shortly after. I fear the worst is upon our new allies, my Queen."
Her eyes to the polished floor, thoughts raced through Zhah's mind in an endless string of fear and despair borderlining denial, followed by a sense of defiance and determination, settling future decisions and their consequences thereof.
Only scant moments passed before Zhah looked up at Tagren.
"Has the council or the people of Britannia been informed?"
"No, my Queen. I understood you should be the first to learn of this."
It only took Queen Zhah seconds of consideration as her trained and calculating sense of leadership took hold.
"Take a small but armed escort and summon Scholar Crexus. Once you have him, make with all haste to Britannia. There you will tell Queen Dawn of the situation and both of you will aid her in any way that you can. And until such a time as this growing crisis is averted, you are answerable only to me while in the Royal City."
Tagren folded his wings and bowed in acknowledgment.
Zhah made to leave, but turned at the door.
"And good luck Emissary. May the wisdom of the Ancients keep you safe."
Queen Zhah!
The sound of her name and title, nothing but a faint echo seemingly heard from miles distant...
Queen Zhah!
The cry is louder and closer now, drowning out the serenity of her meditations.
Emissary Tagren arrived out of breath, finally discovering the Queen standing alone outside on her private balcony, oblivious to his calls.
"My Queen..", he said, placing a clawed hand on her shoulder.
For a moment Zhah said nothing but eventually she slowly turned to him, her face lined with want, as if she had just awoken from a long dream.
"Yes, Emissary"?, she replied, her voice barely audible.
"The Void! It has spread into Britannia!", Tagren cried, barely able to contain himself.
The Queen's body jolted upright to its full height, her wings instinctively twitched in fear.
"By the Ancients! When did this happen!?"
"Our first scout arrived this morning bearing the ill news. I could scarcely believe it! Two more agents confirmed the report shortly after. I fear the worst is upon our new allies, my Queen."
Her eyes to the polished floor, thoughts raced through Zhah's mind in an endless string of fear and despair borderlining denial, followed by a sense of defiance and determination, settling future decisions and their consequences thereof.
Only scant moments passed before Zhah looked up at Tagren.
"Has the council or the people of Britannia been informed?"
"No, my Queen. I understood you should be the first to learn of this."
It only took Queen Zhah seconds of consideration as her trained and calculating sense of leadership took hold.
"Take a small but armed escort and summon Scholar Crexus. Once you have him, make with all haste to Britannia. There you will tell Queen Dawn of the situation and both of you will aid her in any way that you can. And until such a time as this growing crisis is averted, you are answerable only to me while in the Royal City."
Tagren folded his wings and bowed in acknowledgment.
Zhah made to leave, but turned at the door.
"And good luck Emissary. May the wisdom of the Ancients keep you safe."