You know how books are usually better than their movies, and likewise, manga is usually better than its anime? Well, I just got done reading the QB manga, and honestly, it kind of sucked. I mean, even if you cut out all of the fan service in the anime, it still had more detail and plot and whatnot than the manga did! That's completely backwards! Not to mention it ended with Leina knocking out Aldra with a Falcon Punch, which pissed me off to no small extent... meh, whatever. I mean, some parts of both aspects of QB were good, so I will incorporate both. Anyway, I have finals coming up at school soon, so after this, it might be a while until the next update.

Also, this chapter holds the first major canon deviation. You know that whole thing about Irma wanting to assassinate Aldra for indirectly killing her brother? Yeah, screw that, and enjoy this new and improved take on the situation instead!

"Her Majesty seems irritated."

Irma merely nodded to her subordinate Fang member that had made such an obvious observation. The two of them stood at one end of the nearly empty throne room, quietly watching Queen Aldra pace in front of her usual resting place. The usually calm and nonchalant ruler had been a nervous wreck lately, although no one was sure why. Even Irma, as Aldra's closest confidante, was not privy to such information. Needless to say, the reserved assassin was worried. Over the last six years in her service, Irma had only ever seen her Queen fret over two things: her missing sister, and the North Realm invasion.

Even thinking about the war nearly made Irma wince. Her skin tone was a constant reminder that she was an outsider in this land. Her people had been the aggressors in a terrible conflict that had robbed many innocents of both life and property. Because of this, Irma was subject to heavy racism from almost everyone on the Continent. Even her fellow Fang members eyed Irma with disdain when they thought she wasn't looking. The large scale conflict with the North Realm had instilled a lot of bitter feelings in the people, and since few North Realm natives set foot in the Queen's lands, the public satisfied their anger with hateful slander towards the one that they could find, the Queen's trust in her notwithstanding.

Normally, petty insults and racist slander would not have bothered a seemingly indifferent woman like Irma. But when she had first arrived on the Continent, she had not been so resilient, and it hurt to be hated for something she had not had a part in. Nowadays, Irma paid these comments little mind, but every time she heard them, a small part of her still squirmed uncomfortably.

However, Aldra had never acted in such a way to her. Despite the fact that Aldra herself had been the one to lead her forces against Irma's own people, she had never shown prejudice against her vassal. Irma had to admit that she harbored affectionate feelings towards her Queen. Not only had Aldra personally restored and compensated for the damage done to Irma's village, but she had also accepted Irma's wish to join her army to repay her for her kindness. Even then, she never expected to be her right hand... which had given the opportunity for Irma to watch Aldra grow in her reign firsthand.

Though the Queen's physical growth had been somewhat lacking over the past few years. She had definitely developed beyond the fourteen year old girl Irma had met her as. She had all the makings of an attractive woman, but she had always been somewhat short, and her height was still just barely over five feet, a full five inches shorter than Irma herself. If it weren't for the womanly curves of her body it would be easy to mistake her for scarcely more than a teenager.

But the snow haired Queen had grown in many other ways. She had outgrown her obsession with her sister, for one: sure, she still donated a good bit of the treasury to investigations and search efforts... but the quest for her lost sibling no longer consumed her thoughts entirely. Never would she give up on the quest to find her lost sister, but she had at least come to realize that other things in life required her attention, and for that Irma was grateful.

After all, since she had come to terms with the reality of her sister's absence Aldra had become one of the greatest leaders the Continent had been graced with in decades. Although her seemingly impervious wall of nonchalance made it seem as though she cared for none of the concerns of the people laid before her, Aldra always dealt with them quickly, efficiently, and graciously. She handled political conflicts with ease, social unrest with understanding, and personal disputes with wisdom. It was hard to believe that just eight years ago, she would have been content to let her kingdom rot.

At one point in the past, Irma had gathered the courage to ask Aldra what had changed her so utterly. The answer had been surprisingly simple and straightforward. Having come to the conclusion that she may very well never be reunited with her sister, Aldra at least wanted to live in a way that would at least honor her memory. Apparently that meant taking her role as Queen of the nation seriously, which had so far been to the great benefit of just about everyone in it.

As far as Irma knew, the demon within Aldra had no qualms with that in particular. To be fair Irma did not know much about the relationship between her Queen and the demon, but even so she couldn't imagine an evil creature being too happy with its host being a good person.

"You, get out!"

The Fang assassin beside Irma flinched, startled by the sudden order from her Queen. Irma, on the other hand, showed no reaction at all. While she had been deep in her own thoughts, Irma never neglected her surroundings. It was very difficult to startle her. It was difficult to get her to react to anything really.

The other Fang member bowed low and made sure her voice was clear and stable. "Yes, your Majesty!" Despite her calm speech, the young assassin departed hastily: the tone of Aldra's voice had sounded particularly irate. Now that Irma was alone with her Queen in the room, she maintained her silence. Aldra had no doubt evicted the other occupant so that he could talk with her confidante alone. She would most likely speak first.

Their conversation started out with a matter of little importance. "I'm afraid I may have startled her."

Irma gave no physical response beyond speaking: not even a nod. "She'll be fine."

"Would you mind playing another game of chess with me later?"

"Of course not, your Majesty."

Her response garnered an amused look from the Queen. "You said that last time as well. However, I do believe you were quite irritated when I snatched away the victory you thought you had."

A very faint grin tugged at the corner of Irma's mouth. It was the most emotion she had shown all week. "I was very close to beating you, your Majesty. You were quite anxious near the end."

"Nonsense. I was personally trying to defeat you with my pawns alone. I needed a little more of a challenge than usual."

As insulting as that would have been to any self-respecting chess player, Irma wasn't offended in the slightest. While she had to maintain a professional relationship with Aldra when others were around, alone the two of them were more casual. Years of admiration for the young Queen had instilled a lot of positive feelings for the girl in Irma's heart. Now that Echidna was 'dead' to her, and her brother was dead for real, Aldra was the only person Irma really cared for. Anyone else was just an extra: a background character in Irma's quest to support her Queen in all things. With that goal in mind, the conversation was about to take a more serious turn.

"Your Majesty, if I may ask... what has been bothering you so much? You have been very restless of late, and it concerns me greatly."

The small trace of lightheartedness faded from Aldra's features. "It is nothing you need to concern yourself with. You know that nothing will get in the way of my duties Irma: your concern is unwarranted, though appreciated nevertheless."

"I am well aware that you can take care of yourself, your Majesty, but... if that is so, why have you not dealt with this issue already? It has been a week, and if anything, your demeanor has only worsened..."

Aldra's indifferent face was replaced with a frown. Seeing this distinctly negative reaction, Irma made a move to rectify the situation. Bowing low, she apologized. "Forgive me, your Majesty. I did not mean to overstep my boundaries."

Aldra waved her unbound arm dismissively. "There's no need for that, Irma. As I just said, we are close enough that your concern for me is appreciated... as I know that you are asking out of genuine worry, unlike most of the politicians who ask the same. If you truly wish to know, there are several things bothering me of late. I assume you have heard the results of my night terrors?"

"Yes. I... it sounds most painful. Please, if there is anything I can do to help, let me. Nothing would be too much of a burden for me if it could alleviate your suffering."

The snow-haired girl shook her head in response. "I'm afraid there is nothing you can do about my nightmares, Irma. I have confidence that I will get over them soon. Do not worry about it."

Naturally Irma found it impossible to do that, but she decided against saying as much. After all, it wasn't like Aldra wasn't aware of exactly that.

"Besides, there are issues of far greater significance that trouble me."

It was obvious that Aldra no longer wished to talk of her troubles at night, so Irma simply went along with the new tangent Aldra had created.

"Such as? Surely you aren't worried about the upcoming Queen's Blade?"

"Hmm... perhaps I am, to a certain extent. There is an unusually high number of dangerous participants this time around. And of course, there are many warriors who have not yet registered for the competition that likely will. I would not be surprised to see the Mercenary of a Thousand Battles in the arena."

The mention of a certain green-haired mercenary made Irma seethe with distaste, and Aldra took notice. "My apologies, Irma. I forgot that you do not like to speak of her."

"It is nothing important your Highness. Please continue."

Though Aldra knew it was most certainly important to Irma, she decided not to press a sensitive issue. "Besides her, there are numerous other individuals I am sure will register for the tournament. That fire-wielding brunette has been keeping a low profile ever since the incident in Bouris, but I am sure she will enter the Queen's Blade."

Irma answered with conviction bred by years of unshakable loyalty, as well as firsthand experience with Aldra's immense skill and strength. "I have full confidence that you will defeat any who oppose you with ease, your Majesty. Besides, do you truly think that fire wielding oaf is a threat? She does not seem to be the most coordinated of individuals. The soldiers who fought her in Bouris stated that she was quite clumsy and awkward in movement."

Aldra replied in a factual manner, as always analyzing everything as tactically as possible. "Yes, she does seem as such. But I'm sure she will not make such amateurish mistakes when she is fighting for a conviction she believes in. Besides, she is a primal wizard, and it would not do to underestimate her."

While she hated to admit it, Irma did not really know anything about magic or mysticism. The significance of a 'primal' wizard compared to a normal one was unknown to her.

"Forgive me your Majesty, but my knowledge in magical areas is limited. What makes a primal wizard so dangerous?"

"It means that she can manipulate an element without the assistance of boosters or other magical devices. That living staff she wields? It is a booster, but the wizard herself does not need it. She is merely unaware of her own abilities: she is convinced that her power is supplied by that hellish creature, though it is in fact leeching off of her. It's a shame, but she is probably too attached to it to separate herself willingly."

Irma stored this information in the back of her mind, in case it could be used later. There was no such thing as knowledge that wasn't power. That said, there was another powerful warrior that wielded the elements that came to mind. "Is Vance's Thundercloud General a primal wizard as well?"

"On the contrary. The General may seem like a skilled spell caster, but she requires a booster to manifest her powers. Without her sword, her ability to channel lightning would be disabled. She is not a primal wizard, but more of a... mage, if you will. Mages require tomes in order to cast spells, just as warriors like her require a booster to use their own abilities. Even so, she is very powerful and it would not do to underestimate her."

"Indeed, your Majesty. May I ask... you are not truly afraid of being defeated, are you?"

A few moments of silence led up to Aldra's answer. "In one way I am, and in another, I am not. I am not afraid of harm coming to myself. I can weather whatever power that is brought against me. But losing the tournament is another matter. I cannot think of any potential participant that would be fit for the throne, and this worries me.

"None of them? One or two seemed to have somewhat decent goals. Not that any of them could compare to you, of course."

There was another dismissive wave from the snow-haired Queen. "Please, Irma, there's no need for flattery like that here: save it for the politicians. Either way, decent is not good enough. The situation in the land right now is very volatile. I doubt that any of the potential candidates we have available would be able to deal with it appropriately."

"I fail to see the volatility you speak of, your Majesty. The people are quite content with your rule..."

"Social unrest is not what I speak of. The situation in question has to do with our potential enemies, Vance and the Witch. Both have been quiet for so long... until recently. We have had no conflict with either power in years, but now that this year's Queen's Blade Tournament is nearing, we have at least one member of the Vance family participating, and the Witch's servants are undoubtedly on the move. Clearly, our days of peace are coming to a close. Civil turmoil would ensue if either of those parties were victorious over me in the tournament. Besides, what are our other options? Even assuming that the people I have predicted will indeed participate, that leaves us with a carefree elven mercenary, a socially inept wizard, a delusional bandit, and other individuals of less than solid caliber. With Vance and the Witch on one hand, and those alternatives on the other, I cannot afford to lose this tournament, for any reason."

It was no wonder Aldra seemed so irritated. She had a lot to deal with outside of her personal matters, which were already a burden enough as it was. Personally though, Irma was far more concerned with those personal matters, as they affected Aldra directly.

"If you do not mind me asking..."

"You do realize I cannot tell you if I mind until you've actually asked, thus making you saying as much pointless?"

Irma ignored Aldra's quip and forged ahead, hoping that she wasn't about to ask something too sensitive to the snow haired ruler. "What stance does your tenant hold on all of this?"

This question did earn an immediate scowl from Aldra, but within a few seconds she allowed the severity of her expression to fade. After all, this was a fair question to be asked of her, all things considered.

"His stance on the matter is irrelevant. I do not act according to the whims of my tenant. It is he who relies on me, and I do not accept demands. You need not worry about that Irma. Now, I believe Jauffre said something about more complaints from the Merchant Guild? If you would be so kind as to fetch him for me, that issue must be put to rest sooner than later."

Resisting the urge to sigh in frustration since it was unbecoming of a professional, Irma simply bowed and turned to leave the throne room, unfortunately taking it upon herself to go and find Aldra's political advisor, the one and only man in all of creation that could irritate Irma with extremely agitating ease.

Church was lying flat on his back, and he could feel a strange bouncing sensation in the darkness that surrounded him, accompanied by the clacking of the hooves of some sort of load beast. Well, at least that was what he thought he heard. His mind was reeling from the unexpected awakening, so hisperception may have been a little off.

That said Church was aware that he was regaining consciousness, but he kept his eyes shut for many minutes, in an attempt to counter the aches in his skull. When he finally felt somewhat better, Church cracked open his eyelids, eager to get his bearings. But when he opened his eyes, all he saw was gray. At first, this confounded the man, but after a few moments of critical thought, as well as a brush of his fingers, he discovered that the gray was some sort of tarp. Curious, Church sat up, pushing against the covering so that he could get a look at the outside.

At first, he was blinded by sunlight. He squinted in an effort to block some of the harmful rays, but the painful light still stabbed into his adjusting eyes. Completely disoriented, the Legion Commando swung his arm around to grab hold of something to steady himself. However, whatever he laid his hands on pulled away from his grasping fingers with an ear-splitting shriek. Having lost his balance because of that, Church tumbled backwards into whatever land-borne vessel that carried him.

As he sat up, Church's face was met with an empty bucket, sent painfully into his face from the arm of an unknown assailant. "I can't believe I rescued a bad man like you!"

Rubbing the stars out of his eyes, Church looked towards the voice that accosted him. Shying away from him on the ground, instead of in the wagon Church found himself in, was a young girl who was no more than twelve or thirteen. She was dressed in the dull browns and greens of peasant clothing, and had short, shoulder length blue hair like Nanael's, although it was much darker than the asymmetrical angel's.

"H-hold on now, that was an accident! I'm sorry, I was just kind of confused, waking up in the back of a wagon and all..."

The girl looked at Church suspiciously, but within moments she was walking back towards the cart that held him, her dark blue eyes holding a shade of naive trust to them. "Oh. I'm sorry too: I didn't mean to call you a bad man, or hit you in the face with a bucket. You just scared me." She stuck out her hand to shake his. "My name is Mirim! You've been sleeping for a long time."

Church shook the girl's hand while looking around for an adult. Now that he had a chance to get his bearings, he realized that he and this girl Mirim were alone on a country road. The idea of such a young girl traveling alone out here was strange. "My name's Church. Are you alone out here? Where are your parents?"

Little Mirim climbed back into the front seat of the cart and urged the horses that pulled it onward. "I'm old enough to do this errand alone, so Mom and Dad aren't here with me."

"And how old are you, exactly?"

"Thirteen! Now I'm finally old enough to do stuff like this alone: I'm glad I can help my family like this. Mom and Dad don't have to work as hard now, which makes me happy."

Church examined the load of bartering materials that also occupied his transport. It was mostly apples, corn, and other produce. "But isn't the road a little dangerous for such a young girl to travel alone? What if you run into bandits or something?"

"Well... bandits don't come around this road very much. Besides, fruit and vegetables and stuff aren't very valuable, so they would probably leave me alone. It's also only an hour or two to get to the town from my family's farm, so nothing should happen in such a short time, right?"

Church still wasn't comfortable with the idea of this girl being alone out here, but inwardly admitted that she had some good points, and decided to move on. "Where exactly did you find me? And where is this town we're going to?"

The girl that had rescued him pondered the answer to Church's question for a moment. "Well, the road near the family farm goes close to the lake around Vance castle, and then leads away from it towards Alabaster Town. I found you on the shore of the lake. I thought you were dead at first, but Mom taught me how to check for a pulse, so I found out that you weren't. I thought I should take you to Alabaster Town, so I put you in the back of the cart and threw a cover over you so you wouldn't get sunburned. You're very heavy mister! Did you know that?"

"I'm sure I am, compared to a girl like you. Thank you for rescuing me. Was there anyone else nearby when you found me?"

"Like who?"

Church refrained from using names, since this stranger wouldn't know his friends by name anyway. "A red-headed maid? A rather exotic girl wearing way too much pink? Uh... angels?"

The young girl looked at Church with well warranted confusion. "Um... that's a lot of weird people to be looking for. Maybe you were dreaming, mister?"

"No... that's alright, it was a long-shot at best. Anyway... judging by all of this produce, I'm guessing that you're heading to the market?"

"Yes sir! The people at Alabaster Town are pretty familiar with us, so we get good deals for our excess crops there. We're about an hour away right now, if you were wondering."

Church relaxed back into the cart, grateful for his fortune in being found by Mirim. "You're a very responsible girl. You must be a great help on the farm."

The girl in question looked a little downcast as she answered. "Actually... I'm the one doing this because I'm really clumsy. I always mess stuff up when I try to help at home, so it's my job to do this kind of thing. This is all I can do right... so I'm not really useful at all..."

"Come on, that's not true. After all, you saved my life. Or at least saved me from a lot of trouble. And besides, this job you're doing is actually very important. This is how your family gets all of their money right? If you didn't do this, you guys would be in a lot of trouble! In fact, this might be the most important job of them all. Besides, being clumsy doesn't mean you aren't responsible. I'm sure if you were just a little more careful, you could help out a lot. Low self-esteem is actually even worse than being a klutz, so have a little faith in yourself."

These words of encouragement brought an extremely wide smile to Mirim's face. "Wow, you're a really nice guy! Do you really think all of that stuff about me?"

"Sure I do. I bet you'll be the biggest helping hand your parents have for years to come."

"Oh, I don't know... we're gonna be moving soon, so we might not even have a farm in a few years."

Since Church had nothing to accomplish during his trip to Alabaster Town, he was more than happy to participate in this conversation. "Really? Where to? And why?"

"Mom and Dad said they think it would be better to live in the Queen's Lands instead of here. So they want to live closer to Gainos. They say Count Vance has been enforcing a lot of unfair taxes lately. I don't really think that's enough of a problem to move away, but... I'm sure Mom and Dad know what they're talking about."

"I see. Well, since we have the better part of an hour to talk, why not tell me more about yourself?"

Bleh, short chapter! I wanted to include another 3-4000 words, but I'm getting swamped by END OF YEAR FINALS OF DOOM. So, Give me about a week or two to conquer the EOYFODs, and then I'll get back to you with a chapter that includes bar fights, soldiers, wanton destruction, jailbreak, and Nyx. What more could you ask for?

P.S. Mirim is not going to be a major or even minor character. This was a cameo appearance only. If you're wondering why she is thirteen instead of as old as she is in Rebellion, it's because I stretched the time between QB and Rebellion for... "sequel" purposes. Anyway, after I'm done with END OF YEAR FINALS OF DOOM, I'll get back to you guys. So for now, be patient. Until roughly... two weeks from now, give or take.