[TWS] Chapter 271 – The Queen’s Plea

The flying squadron slowed down a little and kept approaching the elven capital at a regular pace. It gave everyone time to admire the beautiful sight from the bird’s eye view. Or, in this case, from the winged tiger’s eye view.

The winding patterns of wooden buildings created a truly remarkable scenery. Asterios knew a thing or two about classical elven architecture, but just like during their arrival at the Demon Continent, seeing it personally was incomparable. He made a promise to himself to one day take the girls to a traditional dwarven metropolis.

As they neared the border of the mesmerizing, floral city, a dozen silhouettes appeared on the horizon. Tina reacted to their presence instantly and started fulfilling her role as the captain of the squad, making use of all the training and lessons she’d received until that point. This was an official mission and the responsibility for everyone lay on her shoulders.

Asterios gave her side a delicate squeeze, supporting his beloved girlfriend with some gentle reassurance. He could feel the soft smile curling up her pouty lips before Tina shot her fist into the air and began signaling orders as they came to a halt. All her subordinates fell into one of their defensive formations, bringing the most valued passengers into the middle.

Soon, the small shapes in the distance grew bigger and Tina’s team could recognize another aerial squad heading their way. It turned out to be well-armored elves riding on… hummingbirds. Such an unusual sight caught Asterios off-guard and a quiet chuckle escaped his lips. An energetic squeal of excitement reached his ears as Miria wasn’t able to hold herself back as much as him. Her flying partner did his best to politely quiet her down.

Returning his attention to the incoming figures, Asterios guessed that if humans had flying tigers as their flagship mounts, elves could very well have giant hummingbirds. It certainly fit their theme rather well. The usually small birds with extremely fast wings glittered in the sun like a rainbow thanks to their reflective feathers. They appeared royal, but not exactly dangerous. Which could be a completely misleading look.

The welcome party reached their position and stopped in a single file in front of them. One of the elves, a handsome blond man dressed in the most extravagant leather armor of emerald and brown, riding on the most flashy hummingbird, moved forward. He took a position between the two parties.

“Greetings, travelers. You are approaching the elven capital. I apologize for the inconvenience but I have to ask for your identification, destination, and purpose of visit if the previous is the Garden of Sinners. Mounted flying in a group bigger than two is unfortunately forbidden above the city,” he explained firmly but politely.

Esil flapped his wings and slowly brought Tina and Asterios in front of the man, angling himself slightly to let them see the other person better. Tina took a small breath to calm her nerves before answering. Asterios brought his hands away to not show anything improper on accident during an official dealing.

“Greetings, protector. My name is Tina Nobelle and I’m the captain of the Twelfth Regiment of the Royal Division, Codename Sunray. We are on a diplomatic mission taking place in the Garden of Sinners at the invitation of the esteemed Elf Queen. I am certain that our arrival should have been pronounced,” she replied with as much dignity as she could muster.

The blond elf scanned her figure attentively, then all the other beasts, and returned his eyes to Tina. “I understand. Are you able to provide valid proof to support your claim?”

She fished out a golden token out of the inner pocket of her jacket and showed it to him. The man inclined his head towards the insignia and she nodded. Having her approval, he brought his hummingbird closer with a nimble lunge and examined the token from up close before nodding in return.

“I have confirmed the authenticity of your words. Welcome to the Garden of Sinners, Miss Nobelle. My name is Kharis Oriralei and my squad will escort you to the landing pad. We have been awaiting your arrival with anticipation. Please, follow me.” He made a respectful bow.

The man put his fingers to his lips and whistled loudly. In a flash, all his subordinates surrounded them in a protective formation, most likely intended to escort important figures. Tina shared one more nod with him and she made a few different signs with her fist in the air, watching as her own squad fell into a fitting order too. With everyone ready, they resumed their flight.

After the captain of the other squad was out of earshot, Tina finally sighed in relief, releasing the tension she’d been holding in her small body. Asterios rubbed her thigh and she smiled sweetly, taking a peek at him over her shoulder with a rosy tint coloring her pretty cheeks.

“It wasn’t that bad for my first-ever official exchange, right?” she asked quietly.

He snuck a quick peck onto that adorable flush and smiled back. “It was perfect. Have more confidence in yourself. Everyone starts somewhere and you’ve gone through lots of training during your free time.”

She held back the urge to kiss him on the lips in return and just nodded happily. All the thoughts about the meeting and Asterios disappeared from her mind a moment later as they flew over the more noble and royal part of the elven capital. The common architecture switched to an overwhelming use of white and emerald wood. All the buildings had a much more polished, beautiful, and lean style. They still retained many angles but those were more subdued, delicately accentuating the more refined fashion.

But, of course, the most eye-catching and awe-inspiring element of the entire district was the palace.

The massive structure stood atop a flat, grassy hill with four wide roads leading into it, one from each cardinal direction. The palace itself was constructed in a shape resembling a cross, with giant, arched gateways at the four edges. In the center, a massive dome rose from the very ground. From its peak, another one sprouted even higher, but elongated and with a swirling twirl. Everything was in the same white and emerald color palette.

It was pretty obvious at this point that elves loved their buildings curvy.

Kharis brought them to an empty landing pad right next to the palace as promised. All the tigers and birds touched the ground before Tina’s squad jumped off their mounts, assisting their passengers in getting down too. But, of course, girls like Miria or Selene descended by themselves, one too hyped to care and the other a bit too prideful.

Asterios regrouped with everyone while Tina marched away with the other captain to lead her subordinates to the barracks, promising to rejoin everyone in a moment. It was her obligation and responsibility so no one minded waiting for her. They admired the sights in the meantime.

After she returned to them with a light jog, they finally left the landing zone and were intercepted by another party of elven sentinels, this time a ground squad. Equipped in similar leather armor, they carried more bows and spears which looked very ceremonial. Asterios and the girls followed them toward the palace.

They walked through a few streets on their way there and took in the people and their attire. It was clear that they were in a slightly more rich part of the capital, but the residents still dressed quite modestly, save for the official guards posted near some crucial locations like gates or arched passages.

Most elves wore smooth robes in white, green, brown, gold, and silver of varying combinations. For men, they usually were sleeveless up to their shoulders. For women, their slender or athletic legs were often on full display through the long cuts below their waist. Some also abandoned sleeves just like the men but it wasn’t as popular choice in their case. Capes and cloaks were the norm for both genders, though.

The escorts guided Asterios and the others straight to the palace. They went through one of the massive, arched gateways and entered a spacious, elongated hall, realizing that the arms of the cross they had seen from the sky were actually giant passages on the inside, with most facilities set up on the sides. The central dome was definitely the most important area.

As expected, they reached the entrance to said dome and entered the massive structure through an equally impressive wooden gate. On the other side, everything became much more irregular. Warm, brown hues dominated the hallways and the corridors looked like they were carved from the insides of one big tree. The passages twisted and turned in all planes, both vertical and horizontal. It was a mesh of tunnels but in wood instead of stone. And everything was perfectly polished, shining with quite the intensity.

Wandering through the unusual palace, their gazes wandered everywhere. There was just something enchanting about the entire thing. Asterios started wondering if it had been artificially created or if those hallways, chambers, and everything else had been carved inside a titanic tree long ago in the ancient past. There were quite a few legends about the Tree of Life around the world.

A few minutes of navigating the winding, carved, polished corridors later, they stood in front of another intricate gate. Their escorts stopped a distance from it and remained stationary. It was obvious that they were in front of the throne or audience hall. The six ornately-dressed guards in silver metal armor fitting their emerald robes were a good sign of that. Their weapons and gear were even more extravagant than anything Ast’s group had seen before.

Tina took a deep breath and approached the person looking like the head warden. Asterios and the others kept a distance to let her work without any distractions. They watched her exchange a few courtesies with the guard as they spoke about their visit and he signaled at the other elves. The big gate began opening inwards as Tina motioned at everyone to come.

The head sentinel led them inside and they stepped into a spacious, round chamber. The walls twisted in a single direction like a spiral, from the very ground to the very ceiling, joining at one single point, also made of warm, caramel wood. Or perhaps grown.

A long, lush, emerald carpet spanned between the entrance and the raised platform in the far back of the hall. A single throne stood atop it, obviously wooden too, with its backrest resembling the flat shape of a full-grown tree, save for the leaves. On that throne, sat a person. A woman.

Even if she didn’t sit on a throne in the middle of the elven palace, Asterios had no doubt that he would be able to recognize the queen anywhere else. He quickly understood Welrond’s joke about… personalities… from back when Tina had received her position in the Royal Division.

The Elf Queen wore a deep silver dress that didn’t leave anything to the imagination. And it truly meant anything. The sleek material tightly hugged her curvaceous body, fully exposing her long legs and hips, with just a single strip of almost see-through cloth hanging in between them, reaching the very floor. Her cleavage ran so deep that it even showcased her belly button, not to mention the inner sides of her voluptuous breasts. Her massive chest pushed forward so valiantly that her gown stretched heavily under their volume, coming at a sharp angle to her torso.

She had a youthful appearance, yet a mature visage. Pale blond hair ran down her back and shoulders, reaching her hips. Her icy blue eyes radiated an aura of wisdom and power. A calm, perhaps even cold expression painted her noble face, with a slight frown pinching her long brows. Asterios had a feeling that it never disappeared from the queen’s expression no matter what.

The head sentinel brought them in front of the raised platform, between the two rows of royal guards standing on both sides of the carpet. He bowed deeply while gesturing at the guests he had brought into the throne chamber.

“My Queen. I bring you the delegation from the Human Kingdom, led by Tina Nobelle, captain of the Twelfth Regiment of the Royal Division,” he announced.

The queen gestured at him silently and the man began heading back. Asterios, Tina, and the other girls assumed a respectful bow towards the woman on the throne too, just the way they had been instructed by Welrond and their teachers. Since they were an official diplomatic delegation, they weren’t supposed to kneel in front of another ruler but show just enough courtesy to satisfy the customs.

She roamed her collected, piercing gaze over everyone before stopping at a certain duo. “I did not expect our reunion to take place under such unusual circumstances. Neither did I expect the two of you to come back willingly, without any incentive or decree.”

Her voice was fittingly cold and icy, which didn’t surprise Asterios. There had to be a reason the woman was called the Ice Queen, which definitely included her demeanor and neutral tone. Asterios allowed himself a peek over his shoulder, noting that her eyes stopped at Imadil and Cynthia, as expected. The father and daughter duo knelt on one knee behind them.

At her words, they unhurriedly stood up and the man cracked a small smile. “We did not expect this either, Queen Civienne. Alas, mysterious are the ways of the world. You never know where they will bring you next.”

Queen Civienne nodded at him curtly, her gaze remaining on him for a while longer before moving to Cynthia. Imadil’s daughter understood the unasked question immediately and also smiled softly.

“Greetings, Queen Civienne. I am well and so is my father. We apologize for such an abrupt visit. But, please do not mind us as we only accompany your important guest as his guides and advisors. It’s his first time in the Garden of Sinners,” she said.

Cynthia received the same treatment as her father before the queen’s gaze moved to Asterios. As the only other man in the group, it was pretty simple to deduce who was the invited lord of Glimmervale even if the queen wouldn’t know anything about his appearance for some miraculous reason.

“So, you are finally here. Welcome to the Garden of Sinners, Asterios Hestizo. I’m Queen Civienne Innanis. I have a request to ask of you, Drag—”

Suddenly, immense pressure descended on the throne chamber, interrupting the queen mid-sentence. The atmosphere grew heavy and intense in a blink as spiritual presence filled the air, spooking the guards standing in the two rows on both sides of the carpet. They quickly aimed their weapons towards the middle, at the only potential culprits behind the unexpected change, who remained unaffected.

Asterios glared at the queen, crimson wisps of power shimmering behind his vertical pupils. She held his gaze confidently, though he could easily tell how tense her muscles had turned as she gripped the armrests of her throne. He adjusted his outburst a little, realizing that the royal guards were barely standing straight under his spiritual pressure.

“I would like to request a private audience, Your Majesty, otherwise I kindly refuse any further debate,” he said firmly, trying not to sound too conceited, but it was quite tough under strong emotions.

The guards, regaining some of their bearings, ran towards him, pinning Asterios as the one causing this disrespect, and pointed the tips of their weapons at his throat from all sides. Miria let out a loud growl but he gestured at her to stay down. They had already escalated things quite far. There was no need for it to evolve into a fight.

Not that it would be that much of a fight.

Queen Civienne kept her eyes on his for a little longer before she flicked her wrist and dismissed her men. She stood up from her throne, her voluptuous chest making a hefty bounce, stretching the material of her skimpy dress even more, and silently walked to the side. Asterios nodded at the others and followed after her.

Imadil and Cynthia looked quite anxious as they entered a narrow passage leading out of the throne hall. The girls were tense too, but for a different reason. They felt the same way as Asterios, understanding very well what the queen had been going to say before he had interrupted her. They didn’t like it in the slightest.

Soon, they reached an entrance to a smaller chamber. To the queen’s credit, Umbra hadn’t sensed any elves hidden in the shadows or anywhere else as he had during their first audience with Welrond. She was this confident in her safety, exposing her barely covered back to a group of strangers. Truly barely covered. The low cut running through the middle of it reached her very tailbone. Asterios felt like she would flash them a buttcheek if she set her foot on the ground a certain way.

They followed the silent woman into a decently-sized meeting room and took the spots around an oval table that literally grew out of the floor. The entrance sealed itself with shiny roots and the queen returned her focus to Asterios.

“Your request has been fulfilled,” she stated calmly. “Shall we continue where we left off?”

“How do you know that Master is a Dragon?!” Miria asked with a growl before anyone else could speak.

“I have my sources. Ruling over a nation requires one to be able to gather information from all parts of the world,” the queen replied, her cold expression unchanging.

Asterios placed a hand on Miria’s head and ruffled through her hair to calm his fierce mate down a little. “I don’t really appreciate people blurting out my secrets to everyone around. I would have assumed that Your Majesty’s source knew enough to understand that this wasn’t exactly public information.”

“We have been amongst those that I trust. Everyone close to me is under an oath to not speak of anything that happens during official meetings unless ordered to,” she explained.

Asterios sighed heavily. “How many people already know?”

“Just my direct counselors and the Coven of Elders. Your two friends should be able to attest that any secrets are safe with them.” She glanced at Imadil and Cynthia.

“It’s as Auntie says. Their oaths are even more severe.” Cynthia nodded.

Asterios raised a brow at her but decided to ignore the new piece of information for now.

“What is the reason behind our summons, Your Majesty?” Silvia asked politely, though she too stared at the queen with a faint glare and blaze in her amber eyes.

Queen Civienne turned her attention to the fiery princess. “I’m glad to see you growing well, Little Kindling. You feel even more formidable than that child of a fool now. Perhaps it’s time he finally stepped down and passed the throne to someone competent.”

Her comment felt like it deserved a somewhat reminiscing smile or a soft smirk, but the woman’s expression remained unchanging. What definitely was at least partially an honest compliment didn’t seem that complimenting when given with such a cold tone.

“As for your question, I have been trying to get in touch with you because I am in need of your help.” She turned back to Asterios.

“Is it related to the summoning circle incident, Your Majesty?” Tina chimed in.

“I don’t think so, though I can’t be sure.” The queen shook her head. “It’s more of a personal request. I will reward you handsomely if you succeed in fulfilling it. Whatever you ask for, will be given to you or will be made happen. The sky is the limit.”

“Well, we didn’t exactly start on the best note, but we did come here in an official delegation to aid the Elf Nation with their troubles if there are any. Though, we thought they would be related to some evil organization connected to the abandoned circle,” Asterios said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“My troubles might be connected to an evil organization, but I’m unsure if they are the ones involved with that ancient project to destabilize the nearby nations. They have been annihilated ages ago and the magical formation humans unfortunately stumbled on in your lands was one of the forgotten remains from their operating days,” the woman explained coolly.

“So it really was what we assumed.” Grea grinned.

“What seems to be the problem, then?” Asterios inquired.

The queen stared at him in silence for a while, possibly making use of the last chance to reconsider if she really wanted to talk about her issue with them. They felt like it was something equally confidential to her as Ast’s true lineage was to him. The atmosphere grew heavy again, though without any use of spiritual pressure this time.

In the end, a tiny sigh escaped her lips as the queen came to a decision. “My… friend… became sick some time ago. They are very important to me. We have tried everything already and failed not only to heal them but even to diagnose what is wrong with their condition. Their body is clearly fighting against this malady but their life force is steadily sapping away due to the immense amount of energy they have to expend for that reason.”

“We are sorry to hear that.” Asterios respectfully lowered his head. “Your Majesty must have heard about my companion here and wished to meet them, then. We can certainly see what we can do.”

“No. While I heard about this winged lady being talented at Healing Magic, I wished to meet you.” She focused her gaze solely on him. “I would like to request you to examine my friend with your draconic sight.”