AN: This is something I've kind of wanted to do for a while: A bunch of oneshots. Since I'm in a romantic mood and I can't seem to squeeze out Chapter 12 of Queen of Metru Nui (Which I'm working on), I wrote this instead.
Summary: QoMN sidestory - A certain quality about Queen Nokama makes her the greatest leader in the history of the Kingdom of Metru Nui. Matau reflects on the quality and why he secretly loves her.
Pairing: MatauxNokama, no duh.

My Queen

Nerdgirl-hime

Toa Matau strode down the halls of the Coliseum carrying an armful of scrolls. As the kingdom of Metru Nui's minister of trade, he had important things to report to the Queen.

The Queen.

Matau paused to look at a portrait of her done in flower petals hanging on the stone wall. She was beautiful, of course, but there was something the portrait didn't catch about her. It was the thing he loved the most about her, too. He continued down the hall with a feeling of knowing what it was, yet he just couldn't grasp it.

Everyone loved Queen Nokama, she ruled Metru Nui wisely and benevolently with the help of her most trusted courtiers and advisors. But unlike royalty from other lands, Nokama went around as if she were a commoner, talking like one and indulging in commoner activities with her subjects. Some of the other Toa, like Nuju or Vakama, frowned upon this quietly, preferring to keep their blue blood from mingling with that of the common folk. On some occasions, Nokama obeyed their wishes, but on others, she'd forsake their lectures to go play Akilini with Vhisola, Shasa, and Edessa. As Matau walked into the throne room, he saw Nokama sitting sideways on the throne with her legs over one of the armrests, and realized why he loved her so much.

She was both lighthearted and responsible, able to care so deeply for her kingdom while having fun. It was an admirable quality everyone could afford to learn.

Especially Vakama and Nuju, they're so stuffy. He laughed to himself. "Your Majesty." He stopped in front of the throne and knelt on one knee.

"Hi, Matau!" Nokama swung her legs over the throne and leapt down to join her courtier. "What's up?"

Matau stood up and handed Nokama the scrolls he was carrying. "I brought the trade reports from this month."

"I see." Nokama replied, reading the scrolls. "Xia hasn't met their quota again... Should we threaten to cut off trade with them?"

"They manufacture several important things we can't get anywhere else, I think threatening to cut off trade wouldn't be a wise gamble."

"You're right. I'll have Vakama write them a note telling them to meet their quota or else we'll reduce trade with them, how's that?" Nokama asked.

"Sounds good." Matau replied as Nokama opened another scroll.

"Nynrah has a new vehicle on the market, maybe we should order some of those..."

"I heard it wasn't that good." Matau said.

"If that's so, I think we should order only a few. If they're in higher demand, we'll order more." Nokama answered.

She and Matau pored over the scrolls on trade and economy as they composed lists of things they needed to do. Open scrolls littered the floor of the throne room as the two sat among them, reading and talking. So engrossed in their duties they were, they didn't notice the sound of metal-shod feet scraping against the stone floor.

"You realize that we have a study for a reason," Vakama interrupted, a small grin on his mask.

"Oh! Vakama! Just the being I need to see right now." Nokama jumped up and handed Vakama a tablet. "I need you to do some stuff for me. It's detailed on the list." Vakama looked over the tablet and nodded.

"I will, my Queen." He answered, leaving as his crimson mantle flowed behind him.

Soon, Nokama and Matau had finished going through the scrolls on Metru Nui's economic status for the month.

"Ah, it feels so nice to be done." Nokama stretched out the kinks in her back from sitting and straightened her crown. "Want to go celebrate?"

"Sure!" Matau picked up the scrolls and placed them by the throne. "I heard that there's a bunch of new exhibits in the Onu-Metru archives today, want to go check that out?"

"Sounds good! Let's go!" Nokama started to leave.

"What about the others?"

Nokama stopped and paused. "Vakama and Nuju would scold me and that's not fun, Whenua's reorganizing the library, and Onewa's busy ordering new sculptures or something, so it's just you and me."

Just you and me. The words echoed in Matau's brain long after they left the castle, long after they took one of the chutes to Onu-Metru, and as they wandered the Archives.

"Hey Matau," Nokama said, taking his hand. "Anything wrong?"

"No, not really." Matau answered. "I'm just really happy." He smiled at Nokama. Matoran stared as they walked past and the duo gave friendly waves.

"Okay then." Nokama smiled back. "Ooh! Look! A Kikanalo! It's huge!" She pointed at a Kikanalo held in stasis.

"Largest Kikanalo ever, caught in Po-Metru..." Matau read the card besides the display.

"These are supposed to be really powerful," Nokama said excitedly, pressing her mask up to the glass. "But at the same time, they're one of the most gentle Rahi around."

"It reminds me of someone I know." Matau grinned.

"Who? Whenua?"

"Naw..."

"Onewa? Vakama?"

"Nuh-uh."

"...Nuju?"

"No way in Karzahnni!"

"Tell me! Your Queen orders it!"

Matau pat the Queen on the shoulder. "I promise to tell you when we get back, if you promise not to punch me in the face." He flashed a grin.

"Fine." Nokama skipped away in mock anger. When Matau didn't follow, she skipped back and dragged him after her.

It reminds me of you, my Queen.

One of the most powerful beings around, yet so sweet and gentle.

This is what the portrait couldn't catch.

Matau chuckled softly as he followed Nokama around the Archives. Maybe Nokama didn't realize it, or maybe she did, but because of that quality, she secretly had an admirer.

The air Toa in the green mantle holding her hand thought she was a extraordinary queen.

AN: Hope you enjoyed. I'll be going away for camp tomorrow so you won't be hearing from me for the next two weeks. (Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is up to you. ;P) For some reason, my mind is in a MatauxNokama mindset. I dunno, I might write another one.