The doors to my throne room close, the last of my visitors and guards going with it. My posture and grip ease up, but I'm shaking all the way to my feet. I struggle to find my footing, and I collapse against my throne. Clinging to it with every bit of desperation I can.
No... No... This cannot be happening. This cannot be happening!
More have come through the Crack in the Sky. More people, no, monsters. Everyone is speaking of monsters. Monsters have come through the Crack in the Sky!
The local knights are responding. Gods and goddesses bless them for responding, bless them well and make them gluttonous with it. But they're not enough, the monsters are too strong. I've yet to hear of a single one dying, all I'm hearing is the barest of wounds.
They came out of nowhere and have raided the towns and villages closest. I don't understand what is going on. They're herding my people. Enslaving them? I don't know!
I've... I've given the orders, made the calls. Soldiers, knights, men-at-arms and the factories are all working to it. The nobles will speak of their entitlements, and I will call on them anyway.
But it changes nothing. First came through travellers, one a man I can rely on, but one starved of power. Now, now monsters travel into my realm. Monsters that I've not requested of my own choice. Monsters not brought in for a hunt.
And I still can't speak with Daddy... Daddy is still not responding. No one on the surface is and the vault remains locked. The path devoid of warm touch and footprints on the dew.
All I have is myself, still. No, no... That's not true, I have someone. I have Nin and his friends while they are here.
I know only where he is, but with all the work he is doing to improve himself, I can count on him. He's certain he has a long way to go, but he's only grown since his tests began. If the tests happen to be why the monsters are here, then it is, but a hastened problem. Monsters were always going to come the moment they sensed the opening.
That just has to be a fact regardless of my assumptions or conjecture...
"I need to find Nin at some point. Inform him of the problem if he's too self-absorbed with his work." I pointlessly remind myself as if I need to tell myself of such a matter. I've already made the call for all troops that can be rallied, to be rallied. I've called them all, I gave my word and all that remains is I sign the legal documents where I need to.
But Nin, but Nin is one of my many soldiers for this upcoming battle. There are monsters invading, and I need all the gallantry within my kingdom under my banner. I need the strongest man within this mountain to fight with us. For as long as we can, for as long as it takes Daddy to march to my aid...
Daddy should know about what's going on. He should know what's going on. The mountain's warning systems will have told him. He can't be gone, too much of this mountain exists for that to be the case.
The Crack in the Sky would've set the warning system off. He knew from the moment the quakes happened. It's all alone on that side of the kingdom, the damage is far from me. Daddy is safe, he has to be. There's no way he can be in danger if the damage is so specific.
He's coming to help... He just has to be...
No, it's fine. It's fine. I have Nin. I can rely on Nin and my own skill at arms.
I'm no proper warrior, I admit that much. My weapons and armour, however, are all made on the surface. They're touched by magic and are insulated in a special chamber. Part of the machine Nin is fighting so much against connects to my armoury to keep it freshly stocked on arcane power.
I have the power to fight where I lack the skill. All of which amazes my subjects is just me having that power. Perhaps it will be much the same here? I can only hope and pray for more if it's not enough on its own.
This will be a proper fight, a proper battle. Knights and the like have died before, but always for the show of it. They add weight to my actions when I get involved, should the curated beast be that way. Never like this, never like this.
I... I will be marching into an actual battle, the war I prepare them for but have never fought or wanted. That day is here, for the first time since my kingdom was made, it is here. Deaths of entire villages. Towns burning to not be rebuilt for decades to come.
This is it, this is that day. Every day from this point onward will lament the monsters in our land... We will wear the scars and bear it in mind. Nonstop for years on end.
I never wanted something like this for my people, we tested the mountain specifically to keep monsters out. We reinforced it further beyond that for the same reason. To keep them safe, to keep them all safe. This mountains still sees death like any other part of the world, but we're not meant to see death like this.
Death is controlled here, carefully controlled. It's not something that happens without explanation. The doctors are all here to prevent anything bad happening. And, I guess, that's why the divine delivered Nin to my palace. Simply a coincidence that he's dressed like a doctor... What a joke, what a divine joke.
A smile comes to my lips, a shaky one, one shakier than my whole body is moving right now. But with it comes assurances and confidence. A certainty that I am in the right hands regardless of what happens. It's selfish of me to even think it, to not even go near the idea out loud... But, so long as I have Nin, I will live.
The king will live while the kingdom burns.
I move away from my throne, setting aside my crown and leaving it there. I cannot leave my throne-room, but I can't stick to its importance, either. My legs make me travel the length and width, circling the grounds of those who kneel to me. Those who look to me for law, justice, fairness and sound mind where judgement is at its shakiest.
They depend on me to arbitrate, while I depend on them to facilitate. Not just the land, but my sense of pride and place. Without them, my ego has no meaning. Without them, my title has no meaning or even the slightest bit of value.
Anyone can be king, sit on a throne and wear a crown of thorns or twigs or iron and gold. Anyone can. Being king is something very different. Being king means going out there, my life on the line so selflessly, so thousands- millions more may live freely. All for them.
My life for all of theirs...
"This is it. This is simply it. The test to prove if I deserve to ever be called Lady-King Morgihranur at all. Too many in my kingdom show why they don't deserve their titles. Too many show why they don't deserve anything but a hard day's work. The noose at worse for inspiring so much foul blood. I can judge a man innocent or a mother unfit to hold her child. But it all means nothing. I'm not a judge. I'm not a teacher. I'm not a philosopher or even a soldier. I'm a king, a lady of many trades all under one title and name." I go on at length, kneeling where I should not be.
My throne is not up, not warmed by my posterior or weighted on by my body. It's cooler than it was before, soaked in terrifying sweat and nervousness. The gears are all the looser for it. Run down and ruined in a way I'm not sure about.
But I still see it, I know it. The way the world is from down here. The knights don't kneel because duty demands it. I even passed a law that one may refuse if they had doubts in my leadership. Criticism they could not find the time or courage to speak up about provided they were mannerful about it... Polite and respectful of the circumstances.
If I do not act, they will all stand in the next session. They might not even be alive to stand in protest. They'll only be able to curse my name as the monsters rein them in. I do not know why we're being attacked like this. By monsters of all things.
But to attack like this can only mean that they have demands... And I cannot be weak and accept the offer. Though I might not say it, I must not act in any way that speaks of my surrender. No surrender will come from me and I will fight.
I will fight alongside my soldiers and my knights and all who answer the call. I will lead by example and word. The monsters are roughly continued for the moment. Perhaps by their own will or the talent of my subjects... Either or, I cannot let it remain an idle thing.
We have the numbers to encircle them and force a pitched battle. Either they retreat into the tunnels outside of the Crack in the Sky or we kill them all. I will not tolerate any circumstance where we lose. I cannot tolerate it. I cannot and will not.
"Every moment wasted is a life lost, a family to morn and a house in cinders and ash. I did not become Lady-King Morgihranur del Leyfeiellyei to simply play at it. I know full well my family thinks of me as coddled and I am... I am. But, not in the way they think, not in the way they think at all. I am here for my own reasons and one of them is to be something more than some forgotten daughter of one of the greatest noble families in all of Jherikra!" I swear, riling myself back to my feet with clenched fists.
My typical dress may be a dress, but it is also armour!
Not for show, I'm no warrior proper, but I will not let that take away from the fact I am a warrior king! I have to and must fight for my people while they are in danger. I will. I always will fight for them!
Now... I need to get to Nin. Enough time has been wasted with my thoughts and my self. I must make sure he knows and is ready for what is coming. I will need him along with all the noble doctors of this kingdom.
I arrive at the doors to my throne-room and linger, waiting before them with no further action. A sigh fills out my mouth and flares my nostrils... There is a lot to consider and think about. And not just when it comes to how to speak to Nin about the issue from this point forward.
My fist bangs on the door, alerting the knights beyond it to serve. The mechanisms get to work and the light beyond slips in ahead of everything else. Its right as disrespectful as ever. My knights salute and kneel in respect for me and I carry myself ahead, hoping they'll be there for me tomorrow and longer.
Words follow me, their words, but I cannot answer. I have a goal to accomplish and I know how to do so. I know where I must go and what I must say. I need but ask Nin a single, simple thing...
Help me.