It was a cheerful morning, with the friends and family eating breakfast around the Farragher table. Servants stood around, mostly ignored, as breakfast was consumed. Little Kierran and Jonathan ran around causing trouble while the adults discussed plans for the day. Kremdol had business with noble houses, Junia setting up final preparations for the ball, the friends needed to pick up their clothes that afternoon, and the children had studies. The only one missing was Orlana.

She wasn’t missing for long, as the doors banged open. The queen strode in, fully armoured, glistening with magic. Ann had seen pieces of her armour, since Orlana insisted on wearing one piece at a time, but the full thing was stunning. It was bright silver with gold trim. On the front of her form fitting breastplate was a brass recreation of the Farragher family crest, the only place a colour other than silver or gold was present.  ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NoveI-Fire.ɴet

Ann grimaced as she recognised it was what people on the internet would call boob armour. That being said, with the blatantly obvious enchantments, she figured the queen could get away with it.

Pauldrons covered the woman’s shoulders, made of the same material. Engravings gave each surface the illusion of water as she moved, light reflecting and refracting in dizzying patterns. This pattern extended down her arms and into her gauntlets. Said gauntlets were fierce pieces, ending in metal clawed fingers that looked like they could give Ann’s natural weapons a run for their money. 

Unlike Ann, the queen eschewed an armoured skirt or kilt, and had fitted greaves similar to those Kat had ordered. Her boots were bulky things, clomping as she walked. Like her gauntlets, they narrowed into pointed tips that looked like they could do serious damage with a kick.

Rounding out the ensemble, a regal, knee-length cape covered Orlana’s back. Dark green, a golden embroidery of the royal crest was proudly displayed.

Ann gulped and coughed on a piece of bread, stunned by the appearance. 

“Katlyn, I’m stealin’ yer girlfriends fer the mornin’. No arguin’ this.”

“Like the Hells ye are,” Kat grumbled back. “All decked out like that? What’re ye gonna do?”

“Spend some quality time, is all,” Orlana shrugged, her armour clanking. “Promise I’ll return ‘em whole an’ healthy.”

“Should we be scared?” Rosalyn asked, clearly already decided on being scared.

“I’m worried,” Ann said.

“Like I promised, you’ll be fine. I just want to take the time to talk to my daughter’s lovers like I should have a while ago. Come on. I’m a busy woman, but I’ve cleared my morning for this.”

Kat made to stand and follow as Orlana hauled Ann and Rosalyn up to leave.

“Nae, ye sit this one out, Kat. We’ll see ye later.”

“They will be fi…” Ann heard Bren say as the doors shut behind them.

“Is something wrong?” Ann asked, following the queen.

“Nae, nae. Ye’re both fine. I really just meant what I said. I want tae have a talk wit’ ye two fer a while, and the world has been determined to not let me. Of course, just talking is boring, so we’re going to do it between sparring rounds.”

“What? With the queen? You can’t be serious!” Rosalyn squeaked.

“Darling, I know I didn’t stutter,” Orlana laughed as they got to the now familiar training ring, with its sands and stone in the wide ring of a cavern. “Your things are over there,” she pointed to a bench with Ann’s armour. Rosalyn’s robes were still with Zabel for modification. “Suit up. Chop chop.”

Ann shrugged at Rosalyn and did what she was told. In retrospect, it should have been obvious that this would be part of talking to Orlana. They always said she was much like her daughter, or the other way around, and this is absolutely how Kat had conversations. The woman always thought better in motion.

Once they returned to the sand, Orlana addressed them. “Good. You need enchantments in your armour, but I know you’ve arranged such. Same for Rosalyn, though your staff is quite the treasure. Just so you know what to expect, this will not be a fair fight. I outlevel you two more than seven times over. You will throw everything you have at me, and I will deal with it until you are tired, then we talk, and repeat. Questions?”

“Everything we have?” Ann asked.

Orlana placed her hawk-feathered helmet on, completing the set of silver and gold armour. Extending a hand, a spear popped into existence, heavily enchanted, with a crossbar just below the arrowhead tip. “You still don’t have a way to cleanse your Libido stat, correct?”

“No,” Ann shook her head.

“Then avoid skills that use it. Time is valuable, and I don’t feel like waiting for you and Rosalyn.”

“Then I’m done with questions. Rosalyn?”

“Um, how hard are you going to hit?”

“For you? Not very hard. I might give Ann a few bruises.”

“Oh, ok,” Rosalyn nodded, reassured she wasn’t going to get hurt in this odd conversation.

“One minute before I take offensive action. Begin,” Orlana commanded.

Lightning arced from the sky and blasted Orlana. The queen looked down at the crater in the sand at the bottom of her spear. “Interesting.”

As her focus shifted, Ann slipped to the other side, trying to be as quiet as she could be. She lunged, but the queen’s eyes flicked to her in a moment, catching a smite-enhanced strike meant for her neck with her hand.

“Ah, Remmi’s been teachin’ ye tha.” She didn’t have time to continue as two wind blades and several thorns erupted around her. Metal and magic clashed, creating a grinding noise, before Rosalyn’s spells failed.

Ann twisted, Orlana letting her go, then kicked at the woman’s knee. Orlana didn’t even move. It was like kicking a damn wall. Even hitting Remmi gave her more give. They kept it up, Ann dumping three more smites into what she saw as chinks in Orlana’s armour, but nothing got through. The woman just stood there, using her spear to deflect spells and her free hand to deal with Ann’s attacks.

“Passable,” Orlana said, golden eyes glowing as she watched them both. “Rosalyn, hide yer casting intent. Focus, but don’t point as much.”

Rosalyn responded by letting loose a wave of thorns that expanded in a ring around Orlana and Ann. Thick vines lashed out and tangled with their limbs. Ann struggled, trying to break free from the spell, but Orlan shrugged her restraints off with ease.

“Hittin’ yer teammates with spells is a bad thing,” Orlana chided. “Release it.”

Rosalyn did so, the magical vines fading in a puff of smoke as another lightning bolt split the air, catching Orlana in the chest. Enchantments flashed, and the queen raised an eyebrow, but never stopped tracking Ann.

“That armour’s bullshit,” Ann grumbled. She tried Stoke the Flames next, attempting to fan the queen’s sense of superiority.

“Ah, mental manipulation. I’d be naïve tae ignore that,” Orlana chuckled, tapping her helmet. “Good idea, though.”

Ann struck two more times, feinted left, then kicked from the right. Orlana took all of it with ease, then stepped back, dismissing her spear.

“That’s two minutes. My turn.”

A knife buried itself between Ann’s feet. Before she could blink, it had disappeared, and a sword was at her throat. That too vanished in a moment as the queen blurred, and a hammer slammed into her stomach.

Ann crumpled, falling to her knees, trying to get her breath back.

Orlana turned, hammer vanishing, and aimed a pistol at Rosalyn. The Druid tried to protect herself, but with a crack, her staff was knocked out of her hands.

It was over in a second. Ann was still heaving for breath when Rosalyn walked up, patting her back.

“I always tell Candy she needs to work with guns more, but she never listens,” Orlana sighed, spinning the pistol and shoving it into nothing at her hip.

Ann would have laughed at the flashiness of it if she weren’t in pain. Orlana tossed her a health potion, and Rosalyn a mind potion.

Once they drank, they sat face to face on the sand.

“Ye’re both still green at workin’ as a team. Not yer fault. Only been a short time. Ye’ll get it,” Orlana said, smiling as she removed her helmet. “I didn’t hit ye too hard, did I?” she asked Ann.

“No, it’s fine. Remmi hits me just about as hard,” she grumbled.

“Good. So, I’m about as direct as Kat is. I’m worried. She’s the daughter that most takes after me, and I know I can be a feckin’ lot. Orenous only knows why Kremdol puts up wit’ me. Not just wit’ how I can be, but what I can do. If Kat is half the woman I am, and I expect her tae be more, she’s gonna be a mighty woman. I’ve got serious concerns that ye’re not gonna keep up wit’ her. Hold ‘er back.”

Ann bristled. That was a challenge, and she felt Waheela growl in agreement.

“I see that look,” Orlana said, fixing Ann with those golden eyes. “I know this hurts yer pride. Thing is, life isn’t fair, and I’m thinking about what’s best for my daughter. If you two can’t kee…”

“Can I talk for a sec?” Ann cut in, teeth clenched.

Orlana nodded.

“You do realise that I’m actually helping her grow faster, right?”

“Nae. Explain.”

Ann laid out her unique passive, how it worked, and that it was tied to her, being the Chosen of Orenous. She took a mental moment to realise that the number of lovers had gone up. I guess Wendyl counts now. Neat.

“That’s simple levels,” the queen said. “Not tae discount how absolutely powerful that skill is, but even without it. Kat is a princess, and a commandin’ force in her own right. She hates usin’ it, but gods, she can take charge of a situation like few others can. People listen tae her, and that is what I’m worried about ye bein’ with her for. Both of ye have strong personalities, an’ ye’re on a quest. Kat’s signed up to it fer now, but in the next few years? Decades? I have no illusions this is going tae be a quick fix. I’m worried about what happens when she’s called in a direction that’s not compatible with yer objective.”

Ann sat there thinking. She didn’t like to think about this kind of thing. Everyone kept bringing it up, but she didn’t want to. Maybe it was her just not wanting to think that something could pull them apart, or a fear of separation, but it twisted her insides apart.

“Listen, I understand it’s a feckin’ difficult thing tae ask,” Orlana conceded, her face showing her compassion clearly. “I’m the blasted queen. It’s my job tae ask these questions. It’s also me bein’ Kat’s mum. Ye’re clearly head o’er heels fer each other. I get that. Orenous above, I understand that so well. Had plenty o’ flings meself. What I’m sayin’ is I want tae keep Kat from dealin’ wit’ some o’ the pain I’ve had tae deal with. Shield her from what I can see might happen. Honestly, I’m worried fer ye as well, Rosalyn. Ye don’t ‘ave the grand callings these two do. I don’t want them pullin’ ye intae things ye don’t want because ye feel obligated.”

A piece of the puzzle snapped into place within Ann’s mind. Way too much like Kat, she thought. A fighter and protector. 

“You don’t really have to worry about that,” Rosalyn said before Ann could speak. “I mean, well, you’re her mom, so it’s kinda your job, but really. I’m fine with all this. Yeah, I’m not all big and important besides being with Ann, but there’s so much I’ve got to learn from being with them. Do you know how much I’ve learned about Warped in the last few weeks? An insane amount! I even got to meet a head researcher on the creatures because of Kat and was asked to bring back notes! Ann is apparently drawing out new types of Warped and I get to be the first to study and document them. That’s goals enough for me. Later? Who but the Gods know? I might settle down. I might die in one of our adventures. It happens and I can’t really stop that. What I can control is what I’m doing here and now and that means sticking with these two.”

“Aye, but what if they had tae split?” Orlana pressed.

“I don’t see that happening. Ann’s too much of a mushy brained romantic to let that get in her way. If something conflicts, they’ll find a way to either get their things sorted out quickly or prioritise. Or compromise. That’s the thing with Ann. She’s good at talking, and not in the rambly way I do, but like, actually good at getting to the core of something. She and Kat didn’t really agree about me at first. I know that. But they talked and talked, and talked to me, and more with each other, and had an accident that got me way more familiar with them than I expected, and then there was a lot of warped fighting and then we figured things out. I figure whatever we run into that puts us in a situation where we’ve gotta make a choice, we’ll all talk about it, including Bren and Lucia, and figure out what needs to be done first. We’re a team. A team can squabble and fight, but we’ve gotta stick together.”

“I… yeah, I think she just about covered all of it,” Ann nodded as her mind processed Rosalyn’s words. “Kat’s an incredible woman, and I’m not letting her get away from me. Even if things get hard, I’m committed to finding a way through.”

Orlana rested her hands on her knees. She stared at both women in turn, then closed her eyes and hung her head, rich brown locks flowing over her chest. “Fine. Fine I’ll back off on that point. Bigger question. How do ye feel about yer own mission, Ann?”

“Overwhelmed, scared shitless, and floundering in the middle of a world I barely understand and am just getting my feet in,” Ann said. Honesty seemed the best choice here. “I’m just killing monsters from my nightmares and taking in an unknown magic that’s causing uncontrolled magical mutations in everyone and everything, including myself and Kat, in an effort to do something, because it’s what I can do. Now I’ve got a fucking ball and a big announcement that I’m a special one in the coming weeks and honestly I’m freaking the fuck out.”

Orlana laughed. It was a good laugh. High and full of mirth. “Good! You should be. Don’t think I’ve forgotten ye’re corruptin’ me daughter. Ye’re on me shit list for that out o’ principle. Anyway, Kremdol said he’d had the same talk, and we agree that you bein’ out o’ yer depth means ye recognise how big a challenge ye’re facin’. I just wanted tae see it meself. Came with an added bonus o’ seein Rosalyn’s commitment as well. Ye’re gonna be a feckin’ monster o’ a caster as ye level, young lady.”

“Thank you,” Rosalyn gasped, bowing immediately.

Orlana laughed again. “And ye’ll be a damn good fighter if ye keep listenin’ tae Remmi. Shoulda seen her an’ Polaris go at it in the last tournament. Felt the damn firmament shake. Hilarious thing is, they were both holdin’ back. Ye have no idea how much I wanted tae get in that ring an’ join ‘em. Alright, last thing I want from ye two before we get back tae fightin’. I want an oath. A promise from ye tae stand by me daughter through trouble and pain. She’s royalty, like it or not, and that makes her damn important. I’m not going tae make ye swear fealty tae the kingdom, but tae her.”

“I’ll do that. I swear it,” Rosalyn said immediately, grabbing Ann’s hand and squeezing it.

“Yeah. Do you want it to be all formal words?”

“Somethin’ like this deserves them,” Orlana nodded.

“I hereby swear to stand by your daughter, Katlyn Farragher, through whatever comes at us. Though I don’t know what our paths may in store for us, I will do my best.”

“I swear this as well,” Rosalyn nodded. “I’ll be with Kat and Ann through whatever we face. If the world scatters us, I’ll figure out a way to get back to them. You have my word.”

“I, Orlana Farragher, Queen of Korvas, take these oaths,” Orlana said with no hint of her accent. “That’s a weight off me shoulders. Sorry fer askin’ that, but I’ve gotta have assurances. It’s just part o’ how I am.”

“No, I get it,” Rosalyn said. “If it was my daughter I’d be freaking out if she was turning into a dragon.”

“Freakin’ out is puttin’ it mildly,” Orlana huffed. “Ye saw they were spreadin’? The scales?”

“Can you imagine how good she’ll look with more of them?” Ann asked.

“Not my point,” the queen grumbled.

“Yeah, but silver linings,” Ann grinned.

“This whole announcement better go well. I don’t need me kingdom even more divided because she’s changin’. Ugh, ye have no idea how many times I’ve considered chuckin’ ye intae a bottomless pit and bein’ done wit’ it. Thank yer Goddess I didn’t.”

“Think I’m going to thank Kat for that,” Ann laughed nervously.

Orlana squinted at her, then nodded. “Aye. More accurate. Anyway, shall we get back tae the ass kickin’?”

Ann and Rosalyn groaned, but stood and prepared themselves to face the queen again.