This is an extension of a drabble I did quite a while back. It was done as part of a giveaway, and requested by aqua-tranquility on Tumblr as their prize.
I hope you all enjoy it.
At long last, Anna had reached the capitol. It had been several long, grueling weeks of travel. Travel which had tested every survival instinct she possessed as she avoided the long shadows of predatory dragons overhead, and of marauders taking advantage of the chaos and fighting to pillage as they willed. Bandits, driven to desperation by poverty and disaster, had also dogged her footsteps the entire way.
She patted her pocket, where her keyring was hidden. Her partners had kept her safe over the journey. Now she just hoped that it wasn't all for naught, and that her presence wasn't as superfluous as she feared it might be. Dragons warring overhead, and human kingdoms fighting amongst themselves… Anna knew her magic was powerful, but she also knew its limitations. There wasn't much difference she alone could make to the war effort, and there was nothing her magic could do in the face of a dragon's might.
But she had been invited, with a letter bearing the wax seal of the queen of Dragnof herself.
So Anna would see this queen, and find out what she could do to help. Even though it had meant leaving her young daughter behind with Anna's mother. A war zone was no place to take a child through, after all. Hopefully what was required of her could be accomplished quickly, and she could return to her daughter's side. But just in case the worst happened, and she was unable to come home… Anna had left a small inheritance for her daughter. A silver key, for when she was old enough to bear the mantle of celestial magic.
Anna looked towards the towering city gates, a defense that protected only from human enemies. If the rumors that Anna had heard were true, then there had never been a need to protect against dragons before now. Indeed, that dragons had been friends of the kingdom for a long time, and were free to come and go as they pleased.
A dark shadow passed overhead, and Anna resisted the urge to dive for the nearest cover. Dragons in this city were not uncommon, she again reminded herself, hoisting her pack and forcing her legs to propel her down the road and towards the fate that awaited her beyond the gates.
Joining the flood of refugees waiting for entrance into the city, Anna waited for some time in the hot sun, until sweat had her hair clinging to her skin, and her clothes were damp. When it was finally her turn, she showed her letter to the guards, who whispered among themselves shortly before waving over another to escort her to the palace. With some dismay, Anna reluctantly followed the soldier through the city streets. She'd had no desire to visit a reigning monarch with travel dust coating her cheeks, and the stench of sweat wafting off of her, but Anna had the feeling that she would have little choice in the matter, even if she spoke up.
As she walked, she took care to observe what she could of the city, and more importantly, of its shadowed corners. There was a lot of information to be gleaned about a ruler from the condition of the city they resided within. Although Anna was certain she was being taken along the cleanlier, more respectable roads through the city, so she was finding it difficult to make a solid determination.
This queen was a mystery to Anna. And she wasn't sure she liked that. Anna generally liked to have a sense for who she was dealing with before making promises she might not be able to keep.
She and her guide arrived at the castle's inner wall sooner than Anna had anticipated. After conferring with the on-duty guards there, Anna's guide handed her off into their care and then departed back to the outer wall.
Instead of leading her towards the castle proper, Anna was somewhat surprised to find herself escorted along a path that clung to the outskirts of the towering stone wall. It was a lovely walk, even knowing that the trees and shrubs that lined it were intended to funnel enemy soldiers into kill zones.
When they emerged from the path, Anna found herself standing in a wide expanse. Hard packed dirt spoke of the area having a lot of traffic, and small dust clouds arose with every step that Anna took. Glancing around, she saw small groups of people scattered about, doing what appeared to be training. Archers let fly arrows towards targets at one end, and dummies were being hit in another. Her escort took her away from both of these, towards where a few people had gathered to watch two warriors spar.
Approaching the fighters, Anna peered into the crowd instead, searching for anyone that fit her mental image of "Queen". Puzzled when she couldn't find such a person, she glanced back at her escort in askance. Seeing her expression, he smiled slightly, and jerked his chin towards the warriors.
Only then did Anna take a closer look at the combatants, and when she did, her jaw nearly dropped. She felt the wind knocked out of her, as if a dragon had bludgeoned her with its tail. Repeatedly. Which was actually an observation from experience, so she knew what she was talking about.
There, fighting with a ferocious grin on her face, was the most beautiful woman Anna had ever seen.
She had long flowing scarlet hair, the shade of sunset and apples, pulled into a high ponytail not unlike the one that Anna herself bore. Her muscles from intense training had her body into a lithe weapon, as she danced circles around her clearly outclassed opponent. The woman's eyes sparkled in the bright sunlight of the courtyard, lit from within by the fires of victory.
Anna wondered how it would feel to have that beautiful gaze directed at her. Would it feel like looking into the sun, where she would have to shield herself from the brightness?
There was only one way to find out.
The fight concluded, with the crimson haired warrior's opponent on the ground with a practice sword pointed at his ribcage. A polite round of applause went up, and Anna joined it with enthusiasm.
It was then that the woman withdrew her sword, accepting a towel from a young page waiting in the wings. She wiped away the sweat glistening on her sun-browned skin, her gaze sweeping the crowd. Her hands paused in their action as she spotted Anna, and delight spread across her features.
"There's an unfamiliar face," the woman stated calmly, her chin lifted high. "Might I ask your name, stanger?"
Anna felt that she probably knew exactly who Anna was, but she swallowed thickly, and approached the woman anyway, her heart in her throat and stars in her eyes. "I am Anna Heartfilia, a celestial mage," she said, stopping before the other woman. "I have been summoned to an audience by the Queen of Dragnof."
The grin spread even wider across the woman's face, every bit as dazzling as Anna had thought it might be. "I am Queen Irene Belserion. Welcome to my castle, and the warfront, Anna Heartfilia. There is much you and I need to discuss."