"And so people fought against the Queens of Remnant, but after failing many times over many gave up. Some continued resisting in smaller ways."

When their airship land Elic was the first to climb inside. He promptly walked to the middle of the ship and sat down on the floor. His legs and shoulder brushed the sides of the ship, but he was able to sit straight up because of it.
"What happens if the ship is smaller than this?" Tecaelis asked as he climbed in beside the giant.
"Then I crawl inside on my hands and knees and lay down on the floor," Elic grunted. He shifted to a more comfortable position and the whole ship rocked. Stark banged his spear against the roof to signal to the pilot they were ready. He didn't expect trouble, Mistral would be busy taking back Newons and Grimm would be attracted there, making it even more difficult for Mistral to take the small town.
"Are you all ready for The Choosing?" The pilot asked through the intercom.
Stark allowed a smirk, "I got Picked fifteen years ago."
Tecaelis snorted at him, "This will be my first time going to The Choosing."
"Damn, how young are you?" Lucas asked rudely. Tecaelis shot him a look.
"What about you Elic?" Stark asked. "Had any luck with The Choosing?" The massive man stroked his beard in thought.
"I used to go to them things, but I think I'm just too much man for anyone to handle. I stopped going 'bout three years back and just take the time as leave."
"My copilot got Picked last year. Tell them about her." The heard some shuffling over the intercom as the pilot hustled his partner. "Ah, Jim is just shy. Got Picked by a Royal."
Tecaelis' jaw dropped. "A Royal! Like a real inner-circle-of-the-Queen-type Royal?"
"Ayup, he sure did. Won't talk to me about it, though." There was some murmuring on the other side of the intercom. "Well don't tell me that, tell them." The intercom clicked off as the two of them began bickering.
"Hey, Stark," Lucas grunted. "You never told us who you got Picked by. You get a hot one?" Stark eyed him warily.
"She's nice enough."
"Bah, there ain't no 'nice enough'. Either she's hot or she ain't. She use you as her boy toy or what?" Stark shot him a look.
"Maybe if you didn't drink like every drop killed a Goliath then you might have your own girl to talk about instead of leeching off others." Lucas scowled and tipped his flask up with his middle finger.

A few hours later and they saw Mantle through the windows of the ship. Even in broad daylight it glowed from the decorations that had been put up for The Choosing. The Hunter academy, the seat of The Queen, was by far the most lavishly decorated and was covered in bustling people as they prepared for the festival tomorrow. Banners for each kingdom were presented high on Atlas Academy's tower. White and blue for Mantle, red and gold for Vacou, grey and purple for Mistral, green and black for Vale. Each banner was facing in the direction of each of the respective kingdoms.
Stark leaned back into his seat as the airship banked to the side as it came in on the landing pad. The military base was probably one of the few places left in Mantle that wasn't decorated for The Picking. Soldiers walked about making sure that all the security would be in order for tomorrow. The Goliaths tend to act up during the festival and the other Grimm act up when hundreds of people wake up with hangovers and soul-crushing regret.
But one group was standing still. A group of soldiers standing around their escort, a woman in an elegant dress. She had a large weapon strapped to her side, but the way it was folded up kept Stark from seeing exactly what it was. She was also carrying plenty of Dust. She gave a thin smile as the team left the airship. She had silver eyes.
Tecaelis immediately looked down to avoid her gaze. Lucas took a sip from yet another flask and looked anywhere but at The Royal Guard. Elic didn't seem to care, judging by how he laughed and greeted her.
"Hes! I haven't seen you since that Hydra took a bite out of you back there." The Hunter's, apparently Hes, smile became fixed on her face.
"You all are to report to debriefing, except for squad leader Ironwood."
Stark stepped forward."And what are my orders?" Stark stood at attention and waited for her response.
She looked him up and down."The Queen would like to debrief you herself, I've been ordered to take you to her immediately. After you've turned in your weapon."
Stark gave a curt nod, first to the Royal Guard and then to his team. Elic had already wandered off in the camp and was causing a racket with his laughter elsewhere. Tecaelis and Lucas did not hesitate to get away from the Hunter.
Stark turned in his weapon, Dust, and any other supplies he might have into the Sergeant Quartermaster and was promptly escorted out of the base. Hes wasted no time guiding him through the city and into Atlas, where he was shoved into an elevator and sent up to the throne room. Again, she hastily guided him all the people and checks until he was in the private throne room.
When the Queen entered, the atmosphere changed. Everyone, including Stark, fell on one knee and bowed their heads. Stark only caught a glance of her before he had bowed his head to the ground.
A smooth voice filled the chamber, "Rise."
Everyone got to their feet and Stark got his first good look at The Queen. She wore a regal dress decorated in the kingdom's colours of white and blue. The bottom of the dress was cut at a sharp angle, revealing a long, smooth leg. Her face was done up in simple, but elegant make-up. Clearly, the intent was to make her as beautiful as possible without distracting with large portions of makeup. He golden earrings matched her stunning golden eyes. Black hair draped down her shoulders as she relaxed back in the throne.
"Tell me, Stark, what did you find at Mistral." The Queen purred out the words as if trying to coax him to speak. Stark took one step towards her and held his hands behind his back.
"My Queen, what specifically are you asking for? Or why are you asking, so that I might give a better answer." The Queen considered him for a moment then said,
"While you were away in Mistral, the tensions between them and Vale have been growing higher and many fear that open hostilities are not far behind. Mistral has been asking for our support if it does come down to that." Stark immediately tensed as the memory of the child being ripped from another child's arms flashed through him.
"My Queen, if I may be so bold as to speak my mind…"
"Continue."
"What I saw in the staging town of Newons… it was the worst thing I have seen in my entire life. People were afraid, abused, and tortured. The entire town had been turned into some portion of hell where the people were in constant fear of their lives."
The Queen considered him a long moment. "Are there any specifics you could provide?"
Stark nodded, "When we hit the first radio relay we found that when the most recent Queen took over she began radically reforming the kingdom. Changing the government, the industry, and the people. They had built this 'Correctional Facility' at Newons. I am not sure, but I believe they would torture people that didn't comply with what the soldiers said. Tortured them until they thought they way they wanted them to think." The room had grown silent.
Slowly the Queen asked, "But the people listened, did they not?" Stark started at The Queen. She was curious, but for all the wrong reasons.
Stark shook his head, "I had taken control of their intercom system and told the everyone to jump. They jumped without hesitation, without any confusion, with no questions asked. And then I told them to be happy, and they were happy. They didn't just act happy, they were actually happy. So yes, they listened. And they did whatever they were told with every ounce of effort they could put. I saw the torture machines, I saw people getting beaten in the streets, I saw children taken from their homes and getting loaded into a cart taking them to some other terrible place. That is the kingdom I saw." The Queen nodded, not sadly, or surprised, just a simple nod.
"That is… impressive to be sure. We have reason to believe Newons is a special sort of town under the reforms The Queen had taken. A labour society, I believe they called it." Stark stood with his mouth open, not quite believing she was saying this. "An interesting revelation, that the criminals they put in the labour society would be so devoted to the word of their Queen." Stark continued to stare in disbelief as The Queen spoke wistfully.
"My Queen, you are not seriously admiring the town, are you?" The Queen shot him a look.
"Whether I admire it or I despise it is none of your concern. I wouldn't expect you to understand what this means for me or my kingdom." The Queen tapped her fingers against her throne seat. "Mistral has gotten rid of almost its entire homeless population ever since these reforms started. Not to mention that their crime is almost nonexistent as well, so it must be considered the good that these labour societies do. The good sending all the criminals in the kingdom to them would do."
Slowly, Stark spoke, "My Queen… can a child be a criminal?"
She blinked and looked down on him, "I suppose…"
"How about an infant?" Stark stared at her, "I saw infants in this 'labour society' and I doubt they were guilty of any crime. Which makes me doubt the children carrying them, or the noticeably absent parents, were an more guilty."
The Queen bit her lip and thought. "Well… enough. I have learned what I wanted to know. Now onto you." The Queen quickly slipped out of her annoyed tone and back into her purring voice. "It is a little early yet, so I don't wish the public no know about these revelations just yet. Clearly, being a black-ops mission all of this is classified, but I need you to swear to me not to tell a soul outside this room."
Stark raised an eyebrow, "My Queen?"
The Queen smiled, "Normally we can trust that you and your team would keep this a secret, as with all mission you have done. But we need a little extra insurance because of the sensitive information. So, while you were going to be promoted to Master Sergeant and given a pay raise for retrieving ShieldBreaker, I would like to trade you swearing that your team will keep this to themselves in exchange for a larger promotion."
Stark swallowed, the next rank was Privateer. That would guarantee his place in the military and gave his children some much, but…"You are very generous my Queen, but might I ask why I was called into your Royal presence for such a simple exchange?"
The Queen frowned, "I needed a first hand account. And you said it yourself, that this was the worst thing you had ever seen. I needed to be sure the situation called for such a measure." The Queen offered him her sweetest smile. "And swearing yourself directly to your Queen tends to make people a bit more true to their word."
Stark swallowed, "Then I swear that I will not give up a single word of what happened on this mission."
"And your team?"
"The Schnee boy is too young and naive, even if he felt the need to tell someone he wouldn't know who. And Black… He likely doesn't care. He only cares about doing his job and nothing else."
"Mhm, and Elic."
Stark fixed her with a look, "I get the feeling you have heard enough about Elic to know that he will do as he wishes, regardless of his orders. But so long as he is convinced that keeping this to himself is for the greater good, he should be fine."
"Good, good. Then by my Royal Authority, I promote you to 2nd Lieutenant, Ironwood, you will be permitted to pick a new weapon at the armoury or order a custom one. You are dismissed." Stark turned to walk away in stunned silence, it was more than he could have hoped for, but still, something was missing. Suddenly he stopped and looked back at The Queen.
"One more thing, My Queen. Our lives, the people's lives. They are hard no matter where you live. And sometimes the only thing that gives people in solace is the knowledge they come home and listen to a new song, or read a book, or admire a painting. But I didn't see that in Mistral. Not a single painting, and one book, and certainly nothing that could make music. And if you still think that that is a good thing, then I fear for the kingdom."
"You are dismissed." The Queen replied coldly. Stark nodded and walked out.