Dastardly Deeds.

Lauthal lifted herself delightedly into the saddle of a gloriously decorated white mare. Royal purple with gold trimmings as decoration made the necessary saddling appear flashy, but luxurious, perfect for someone as beautiful as herself.

To her right, Raelis and a vast selection of proficient soldiers were preparing themselves for the journey ahead. Of course, none of them had horses; she was making them walk.

Suddenly there was a shout in the distance on her left and the advisor she'd spoken to earlier in the hall could be seen jogging awkwardly towards her. He reached Lauthal red faced and puffing madly, the run had been too much for his age and tubby weight.

"Empress," he huffed, "Your Greatness...." Evidently he couldn't even get a complete sentence out.

"What is it?" she snapped back, picking up the purple laced reigns in her hands, "I haven't got all day. You can be incompetent on your own time, not on mine!"

"Of… of course," the advisor replied, catching his breath, "please forgive me Your Excellence." Lauthal rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Your Perfectness," the advisor continued, "one of your spies on your sister has something important to say. I thought you should hear it before you left." Lauthal considered it for a moment with a distasteful look on her face. Well, it couldn't hurt. If it was bad news, it would send her off on her journey feeling even better. If it was good, well, then she'd be able to leave orders to turn it bad, and go off on her journey feeling even better.

"Alright," she agreed super sweetly, "but quickly, the more time I spend here, the less of that time I spend travelling to my Dragon's breath, and you know how that can make me cranky." She tugged tightly on the reins with a dark look in her eyes, causing the horse to whinny in shock.

"Y-yes, Empress," the advisor stammered, and indicated that a cloaked figure nearby should step forward and address the blonde-haired beauty. Immediately the spy stepped forward and drew back its hood, revealing a snake-like face and claw-like hands.

"Misssstressss," the creature hissed to her and bowed its head forward causing Lauthal to smile sweetly once again.

"Yes, you may tell me your information," she told the spy regally and it lifted its ugly snake features to address her.

"Your sssissster is heading towardssss the woodssss in the posssssesssssion of a rather large gemssstone," the creature hissed and blinked its reptilian eyes. Lauthal's pleased smile immediately dropped into a deadly glare and the top of her lip twitched in agitation.

"What?" she questioned through gritted teeth. Her nostrils flared and she began to mold the reigns aggressively between her fingers.

"Aaah," the snake sighed in exhale, "but I sent the original ownerssss in pursssuit," it explained, "they will not be to pleasssed when they finally catch up with her." Lauthal gave him a look of distaste, but it was slightly less fearful than her angry glare. She chewed on her bottom lip before replying.

"I want her to be the one held responsible should the fae discover we've trespassed on their land, do you hear me," she growled, infuriated, "when we go in, I want the fae to be looking in the opposite direction. I want them to be watching the distraction my sister is going to provide them with, you understand!?"

"Of courrsssssse," the snake creature hissed in reply, "I will endeavor to do assss you have commanded, Misssstressss."

"Of course you will, do whatever you have to," Lauthal replied distractedly. She was suddenly bored with this conversation, "now go away." She turned her attention back to her horse and soldiers and, with one flick of the reigns, urged her horse to leap forward. Soon... Very soon she would hold the power of the world within her grasp.