Pairings: Mariah May/Toni Storm, Toni Storm/? and others may appear throughout the story
Rating: Rated M for gore, graphic violence and any other mature themes if they are present.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for any OCs that I use and the story itself. All the other characters belong to themselves obviously and Impact Wrestling/WWE/whatever promotion. This story is complete fiction. AU (Alternate Universe)
No One's POV
Earlier the same day..
Emberfair, Montecarlac, a nearby cave outside of the castle
Queen Mariah May walked alone on a stray path leading away from the red sunset and scarlet maple trees have now taken full bloom. The blonde used to love walking down this general path with her wife but that is no longer possible. All because of greedy monarchs that decided to cast their unfair judgment onto Toni. They deemed that Queen Storm deserved to perish and they were potentially hoping to take Mariah out as well. Already dawning her royal armor and her weapons already sharpened and secured, there was only one piece left to obtain before she departed for Wrencuria.
After another five minutes of walking, Mariah deliberately walked off of the dirt path and into the wooded area that turned into a dense forest. The blonde continued to stray off the pathway until she came across a large cave opening that was about ten feet tall. Mariah smiled at the pitch-black darkness and took a couple steps into the cave. 'Who dares disturb my slumber!' A deep female voice questioned behind a snarl. The blonde monarch didn't move as she saw two glowing eyes burst open in the distance. The growls grew louder, and footsteps started to sound heavier with every step. Mariah wasn't fazed in the slightest whenever a massive black paw was visible from the limited sunlight reaching inside. The unknown creature stopped in its tracks; the glowing blue eyes widened immensely. 'You-. Master, is that you!'
"Yes, I dare to disturb your slumber. Are you growing senile in your old age, Ruse?" May asked as the creature continued to emerge from the pitch-black darkness. The creature stood to be about eight feet tall with a pitch-black fur coat. A one for one almost carbon copy of a dire wolf but doubled in size. Wolarthes are known as Titans of the forest, these wolf- like beasts stand at eight feet tall, with antler-like appendages that are used to ram into prey. Wolarth are descendants of hellhounds and are known to be durable and powerful, rumored to be infused with the power of Lucifer himself. Wolarth are intelligent creatures and can only be bested in combat by dragons, so packs have had alliances with dragons in the past and worked under them.
'Master, please forgive my foolishness. I've had some residents attempting to explore my home, I've scared them away and have not harmed a soul as instructed.' The Wolarth stated apologetically, bowing her head down in front of the Queen. 'What is it that you desire of me, Master?'
"All is forgiven, Ruse. Tragedy has befallen the kingdom, and war is on the horizon. …Queen Toni was tragically taken away from me, Ruse. I.. I am requesting you by my side as I destroy those responsible." The Queen placed her right hand gently on top of the beast's head, petting the creature that has been her companion for years.
'Oh Master Mariah, I am terribly sorry about Queen Storm, I know how you loved her so.' Ruse began to speak, nuzzling her massive head closer into her Master's body. Mariah continued to pet the beast, fighting back the tears in her eyes. 'Have you discovered those responsible?'
"Yes, the kingdoms of Wrencuria and Mortadel."
'Then those kingdoms shall be destroyed, I will lend you my power, Master. You know my condition for such a task.' Ruse walked past the blonde monarch and out of the cave for the first time in what felt like years. The massive creature looked to the sky through the trees before turning back to Queen May. The black Wolarth that was towering over her master laid down on the grass.
"All the men, women and children that you desire. Those corpses will be your feast." Mariah responded adamantly, hopping onto the back of the beast that will now be her war mount. The blonde continued to pet Ruse, even embracing her lightly on the beast's back. With her Master safely on her back, the Wolarth cautiously stood to her feet. "My army has already been assembled at the front of Emberfair, that is our first destination." With the Queen's instructions delivered, Ruse obeyed and dashed in the general direction that the pair needed to travel in. Emberfair is not as big as other capitals, but this population density is higher. Loads of people love the location, being a couple miles away from the Brentrich Sea which means it's a decent tourist attraction.
Queen May and Ruse managed to capture the attention of all onlookers that they passed. Those oblivious to the upcoming battle were worried and confused as to why Mariah had dawned her royal armor. No one was foolish enough to ask for the reason. The blue-green eyes of the queen scanned the area in front of them, hundreds of soldiers in their armor and travel mounts stood in formation. The chattering amongst the soldiers ceased as some gasped out at the massive creature that their queen was riding on. Ruse growled as she faced the soldiers. The Wolarth despised humans, or any supernatural creatures but Master Mariah is the one exception. "House of Black!" Mariah shouted, three men on their Glekrauds stepped forward. Glekrauds originated from the demon realm, the closest living relatives to Hellhounds. These pitch-black canines are about seven feet tall; their mane and other parts of their bodies glow bright orange like a rampaging fire. Each one of the demonic beasts breathed out a small flame. "Where are Julia and Skye Blue, have they not returned from their mission I assigned them?"
"They have not, your Majesty." Julia and Skye were the other two members of House of Black, the latter being the newest addition to the group. The man that spoke had a white eye and his face half-painted black. Wearing black leather vest and covered in tattoos, their leader Malakai stood at six feet tall.
Mariah let out a displeased grunt, folding her arms across her chest. Sending them countries out was not the wisest move on her behalf, but they will have to make do with the sources in front of her. "I see, we could have never predicted such a tragic outcome. But their absence is hindering the House of Black's manpower, you three and Athena will lead the first onslaught. You will burn everything to the ground." The amazon knight with the black and red hair smirked, approaching the three men. Athena was on her smokey gray horse, its eyes, horns and tip of its tail were made of raging flames. Undeninal was the creature's name, and they were horses used by Lucifer and his minions during the fabled Holy War thousands of years prior.
"As you wish your Majesty." Brody King was the one to respond.
"Have you made the call I requested, Matthews?" Queen Mariah turned her attention to the third man of the group.
"That I have Queen May; they agree to the terms and will aid us in the upcoming battle. I sent a crow with our plan to go after Felleko first." A wide smirk crept the blonde woman's lips, everything revolving around this battle was going mostly to plan. Having those two with them was going to up their manpower exponentially, King Corbin wasn't going to stand a chance.
"You have done an amazing service to your Queen. Death Riders, step forward!" All five members of the elite group stepped forward; all of them had Dire Wowls as their mounts. These creatures were comparable to Wolarthes but smaller, they had two massive horns on their head and brown, black and white fur. "You five are going to be circling me and protecting your Queen from harm. I'm entrusting my life to you."
"You got it Boss, come on you fucks, get into formation." Moxley motioned for his team to follow, he took the front of the formation. Claudio and Pac moved to each side of the Queen, Shafir and Yuta would handle the back. "I'm ready to snap some necks and bash some skulls."
Queen May stood up on Ruse, keeping her balance steady, she turned to face the hundreds of soldiers behind her. "Today is the start of Wrencuria's downfall, they will pay from taking our beloved Queen away from us. I am thankful for every one of you here in front of me today, such a battle is not winnable without each and every one of you. I know that not every soldier will be returning home with us, hell, I might not too. All of those that fall in battle will be remembered as heroes. Your power will forever aid us going forward. For Emberfair, for Montecarlac, for Toni; we will put our lives on the line and make King Corbin pay for his crimes! Who's with me!" The screams of her fellow soldiers pleased her, she quickly sat herself back down onto Ruse and Queen Mariah signaled for their march to start. The House of Black and Athena were the first to take off, followed by the Death Riders and the blonde monarch herself. The other soldiers followed in their assigned formation; their first stop was Ivorpoint to speak to the Queen of Ashor.
Present time…
Ivorpoint, Ashor, Throne Room…
Polished braziers attached to one side of each of the fourteen marble columns light up the entire throne hall and shroud it in a dark orange radiance. The relatively modest chandeliers hanging from the curved ceiling dance in the flickering light while statuettes and carved images look down upon the marble floor of this grand hall. An ebony rug splits the entire room in half and is matched by the thinner ones on either side of the hall while rounded banners with burnished fringes cover parts of the walls. Between each banner stands a tall candle, almost all of them have been lit and in turn illuminate the paintings of heroes and leaders below them. Hefty, stained-glass windows depicting past rulers are framed by veils colored the same ebony as the banners. The curtains have been adorned with intricate embroidery and gold leaves. A ceremonious throne of mahogany sits atop a balcony overlooking the throne hall and is adjoined by four similar, but less ornate seats for the royal highness' direct family. The throne is covered in gilded emblems and fixed on the backside is a crystal tree. The light pillows are a dark silver, and these too have been adorned with gilded margins.
A woman sat upon her throne, her eyes narrowing in intrigue at the person walking down the ebony rug. Unlike other traditional monarchies, this queen wasn't wearing a traditional royal gown but instead a pair of black leather pants and jacket. Her attire seems more rebellious than the royal daughter of the former king of Ashor. The woman was almost six feet tall with light brown skin, her hair was long, curly and black with red streaks at the front. Ava Raine was the youngest and newest monarch to ascend to the throne in the neighboring kingdoms at the young age of twenty-three. "Your Royal Highness, Queen Mariah May of Montecarlac is requesting an audience with you."
'Queen Mariah, what is she doing all the way out here? Is she by her lonesome? This has to be urgent or else she would have sent a messenger.' Ava thought to herself. The young queen knew that May wouldn't be traveling to another kingdom without her wife by her. "Please allow her inside, I wish to see her."
"Right away, your Majesty." The unnamed knight bowed their head and dismissed themselves out of the throne room.
Not even a minute had passed since the guard had exited the throne room, the doors creaked open once again. A look of surprise came across young Ava's face as she noticed that Mariah didn't have a human companion by her side but instead a massive Wolarth. Ava smiled, walking down the steps that were in front of the thrones. "Queen Mariah, it has been a while since we last saw each other."
"That it has, Queen Ava, congratulations on ascending to the queen of Ashor, it suits you perfectly. I hope that former King Dwayne is well." The blonde monarch approached the slightly taller woman, and they shared a quick embrace.
Ava's smile widened and she nodded her head. "Ah yes, my father is quite alright. He had no intention of ruling forever and saw that I was ready to lead our beautiful country. Father is currently traveling the world as we speak. He was never a man to sit still, he's all action."
"I remember him and his kindness fondly. I wish him all the joys and fortune in his travels." King Dwanye had always shown both Queens of Montecarlac such kindness and often invited them to ceremonies and parties. At least three times a year, the happy couple would travel by horse to Ivorpoint.
"Thank you, I am sure father will be grateful. But I am almost certain that your congratulations weren't what warranted such an impromptu visit." Raine was being straightforward and wanted to know why the queen of the neighboring kingdom had come out this way. This trip had to be at least four-five hours without flying, maybe more.
What was once a beautiful smile on May's face had quickly faded. The blue-green eyes of the monarch saddened immensely. "You are correct. This visit is one... of tragic news." A shaky sigh left Mariah before she continued. "A couple days ago, there was an attack upon my castle. The culprit was originally thought to be just a dragon, a white dragon that shot lightning from its mouth. Toni, my beloved, her life was claimed by this dragon."
Ava let out a gasp, she wasn't expecting such an extreme circumstance to transpire. The Queen of Ashor could see the sadness and pain growing behind the normally kind eyes of May. Raine grabbed onto the hands of the blonde, doing her best to comfort her. "Oh Alphin, Mariah my dear, I am terribly sorry for your loss. Toni was such a kind and gentle woman and was always so sweet to me." Tears formed in the corner of Mariah's eyes and slowly rolled down her cheeks. It's been true hell without her soulmate by her side and that BITCH was responsible for taking her away. Ava thought back to the reports from a few days ago. "This dragon was the same that was reported spotting flying over our skies. Witnesses explained that they saw it flying with storm clouds around it and heading to Mortadel territory."
"Originally, this attack seemed unorthodox to be a random attack. Dragons are not native to my land nor to yours. Upon entering our chambers, I saw evidence of the dragon destroying my room. Blood covered the floor and the only thing of my wife that remained were torn fabric from her dress, her crown and one lone finger, the finger that I placed our ceremonial band on whenever we got married." Mariah opened her clenched fist and stared down at her left hand. A carbon copy of Toni's wedding ring was still on her finger. A couple memories flickered in her mind back to whenever the pair first got married. She once again found herself wiping stray tears from her eyes. "I can't even bury my love properly; the most damning evidence was the two pieces of armor I found in my chambers. It belongs to Wrencuria and Mortadel."
"Wrencuria and Mortadel, those two kingdoms really orchestrated such a horrible thing…" To say that Ava was astonished by such a terrible revelation was an understatement. She's known Queen Charlotte most of her life and the blonde never seemed like such a horrible person. She didn't have much information pertaining to Wrencuria's king and queen. Ava remembered that Corbin strongly disliked her father.
"I didn't want to believe it myself, but the armor was in my chambers, that beast turned on the people trying to control it and ate them." That was the main theory that Queen May wanted to think about. No one in her kingdom would commit such treachery, right? Mariah squeezed Ava's hands. "I'd be cautious of King Corbin and Queen Charlotte from now on, they might attempt to manipulate you to their side. People like them are going to see you as naive and inexperienced which I know is the exact opposite of what you are, Ava."
The younger queen nodded her head in agreement. Such a caring and kind woman that Queen May had turned into, Ava hated that someone caused her such pain. "Mariah sweetheart, I've heard everything that I need to know. Communication with them will be limited." Dwayne used to warn his daughter about how scummy that former King of Mortadel was. Ric Flair was the scummiest man on the planet, but Charlotte felt the exact opposite. Was that all a facade?
"Wrencuria and Mortadel must not go unpunished for their crimes. I would never ask for you to get involved with Ava, but I do have a request."
"What is it, Mariah dear?"
"I plan to wage a battle with Wrencuria and Mortadel, my wife must be avenged, and I hope you understand that. All that I am asking from you is permission to travel through your country. My army is waiting on the outskirts of the city, but I came to personally seek permission from you, Ava. Please help me in my quest to avenge Toni." Mariah's tone that was once filled with determination and vengeance was sounding more like a plea. She needed to be able to travel freely on Ashor land in order for her goal to be possible. Only other option would be sky travel of magical prowess, but May doesn't know anyone that could teleport an entire army such distance.
"If that is all you are requiring of me, I'd be happy to oblige that request. Those responsible should not be allowed to go unpunished." Avoiding conflict was in the young queen's best interest however she wasn't going to deny the right for Mariah the right to punish those that wronged her. Ava could only imagine a fraction of the pain that the older blonde must be experiencing.
"Thank you, I would never ask for your soldiers to aid me or for you to supply me in any way. This is something that I must do on my own." Queen Mariah stated, giving the younger monarch a slight courtesy bow. "I am in your debt, Queen Ava. I simply cannot thank you enough."
"Be safe on your journey, remember what Toni used to always tell me."
"Chin up, Tits out and Watch for the shoe." Mariah used to think that catchphrase was utterly stupid, but it's really grown on her over the years. Never again would the blonde witness Toni dramatically utter out her phrase while tossing her flat at an unsuspecting noble. "Whenever I return, I will be dispatching invitations for my wife's service. I do wish for you to be in attendance. She adored you so much." The memorial was the afterthought on the Queen's mind, she wanted her mind to be much clearer before preparing a beautiful ceremony for Toni Storm.
"Of course, I'll be there in a heartbeat. May Alphin watch you, Queen Mariah."
"The Goddess of Fury, Alexa, is guiding me as well. Thank you for everything." Knowing how brutal Alexa's wrath could be bestowed on an unsuspecting individual, Queen Raine knew that this might escalate further than a battle of vengeance. The blonde turned her heels and started making her way back down the center aisle.
'Yes, Queen Ava, you have my sincerest gratitude for your kindness to my master.' Ruse surprisingly spoke to the queen of Ashor, giving Ava a bow before following behind the blonde monarch. Mariah's saddened expression would slowly change into a more neutral one, occasionally a small smile would appear on her face. She was thankful that Queen Ava was such a kind leader like herself.
One thing really stuck out to her; it was the advice given to her by the young queen. Perhaps that's the piece missing, Mariah's smile turned more into a smirk upon leaving the castle. "Chin up, Tits out and watch for the blade that's going for your neck, King Corbin. I won't stop until you're dead."
Toni's POV
Nehanora, Mortadel, Flair castle
I remained in complete silence following behind the five people that had an idea of the danger rising in the distance all because of this blasted dragon. After traversing the second flight of stairs, we were inside the castle belonging to Queen Charlotte herself. There wasn't much time to take in all the sights, I didn't wish to anger anyone or cause trouble for Daisy or Deonna. Despite the horrible beating that Doctor Mero endured by the hands of Lady Mercedes, she was still able to keep up the pace with the others. Lady Bayley healed a majority of the injuries, but I can tell the pain still lingers. Hopefully the brunette is able to finish healing Daisy after the meeting is concluded.
Walking down the hallway, there was a woman standing in front of a massive set of reinforced doors. Her hair was long and blonde, pulled back into a ponytail and braided; this woman was dawning similar armor to Deonna. "Your Majesty, all members of the council are present."
"Very good, Dana. You know I don't like to be kept waiting." Queen Charlotte spoke in a stoic tone as she looked over at the large doors separating us from our destination. The smaller blonde understood what the next course of action needed to be. Dana pushed open the doors and on the other table was a room that had a massive table in the center of it. Several unfamiliar faces immediately scooted out of their chairs and bowed in the presence of their Queen. Bayley, Mercedes and Dana walked around Charlotte and went to their respective seats. There was one pompous throne at the end of the table which I assume is for the high elf herself. My suspicions were confirmed whenever Charlotte walked to the throne and placed her hand on the back of the seat. The angel and dryad took the first two seats on the left side of the table. Dana had taken the third seat on the right side.
Deonna grabbed a hold of my hand and followed behind Doctor Mero as she walked to the right side of the table. To my surprise, Daisy took the seat to the left of Dana, the two of us were supposed to remain behind her from what I have gathered. That must be the assigned seat for guests to the council unless it is the brunette's actual seat. "Those who have seats, may be seated." The other members that remained standing were quick to sit in their designated chairs. The raven-haired woman and I were the only ones left standing aside from Queen Charlotte. "It has been quite some time since all of us had to gather in this room and I'm sure that each one of you knows why we are present here today. Dana, please provide the council with the brief rundown."
"As you wish, your Majesty. Two days ago, on the outskirts of Hazelgrave in the Chilkasing Meadow, three eyewitnesses saw a white dragon flying in the distance. Two of them are in this very room before us Lituanent Deonna Purrazzo and Lady Daisy of Hazelgrave. The three witnesses deduced that this dragon was none other than the Champion of the White Vyrolo herself." Oh, I didn't know that Purrazzo was a Lituanent, that's pretty cool. As Dana was giving the initial report, my eyes glanced over to the seat to the right of Daisy and across from Mercedes. It was the only chair that was vacant, if I had to guess, this chair must belong to Becky. Why isn't she here, perhaps she has a mission outside of Mortadel?
"Thank you, Dana." Charlotte looked over to her friend with a smile. She continued. "First things first is that we need to confirm Vyrolo's whereabouts. It was stated by Doctor Mero and Miss Purrazzo that the beast was seen coming from Ashor and heading north back to Quven."
"So originally Vyrolo had to have come from Ashor or Montecarlac which is not her native homeland. She's known to reside in the Quven mountains." A male demon with short, scruffy white hair said. He had two massive horns on his pale blue eyes. His pale skin contrasted against the striking red trench coat that he wore; he was also wearing black vest and black dress pants.
"What business would such a beast have in those lands? Dragons are not native there." Another man spoke, this one had short black hair, blue eyes which showed extreme fatigue. This one had a staff with him that had what looked to be a human skull at the top. That isn't real, is it?
"That's what we need to uncover, Vikras." The white-haired demon replied.
"Vyrolo has not been spotted at all since the war, what has awoken her from her deep slumber?" The next person to ask a question was this beautiful ebony woman that had to be a little taller than I am. Her hair was black, extremely long and braided into a thick singular braid. She was wearing a fur vest that exposed her muscular shoulders and arms.
"We aren't sure."
"Are we one hundred percent certain that this is even the Champion of the White? This could be hearsay to stir up controversy." Another man questioned which got a couple heads to turn his way. The majority of his face was black with red around his eyes, what stood out the most to me was the black and red appendages that were on his head, they looked like ribbons, but they were moving like they were living. His neck was pitch black with what looked like two white teeth, one on each side. Is this paint or his actual skin? His piercing blue eyes glowed as his attention drifted down to the horsewomen. This uneasy feeling is starting to come back the more I look at this man, I'm feeling some sort of intense magical presence again. My eyes quickly darted to Lady Mercedes, who was shooting a glare at him.
Mercedes and her presence are going to weigh me down again. I'm anticipating a fight to break out here shortly. Instead of the blue-haired woman doing anything, Daisy abruptly scooted her seat back and stood up. She growled, slamming her fists onto the table causing me to flinch. "ARE YOU DOUBTING ME?!" Doctor Mero shouted angrily which seemed very out of character for her. The brunette pointed to herself and then to the unnamed man. "If anyone knows that bitch, it's me, what do you know about Vyrolo, huh Finn?!"
"..." The man known as Finn didn't utter a single sound, as Daisy stared daggers into him. Those hazel eyes are burning so fiercely and with true hostile intentions. What is this character shift? It has to do with Vyrolo, doesn't it?
"Tell me!" Once again, the brunette snarled angrily at Finn. None of the horsewomen or even Queen Charlotte is asking her to cease the yelling. They don't seem happy with Finn's stupid theory either. The man remained silent but those weird ribbon appendages were moving sporadically in Daisy's direction. Is he wanting to attack her? "That's what I fucking thought, 'Demon King'. Shut up and let those with actual intelligence talk." Wait, this man over there is the King of the Demons!
"Daisy is our only reliable source with information regarding Vyrolo. We should all believe her without hesitation." The queen stated adamantly as the brunette scoffed over to the so-called demon king holding up her middle finger at him. Doctor Mero finally sat back down in her seat; I released a small sigh of relief. "That being said, Daisy…" That tone, I'm not sure if I like this.
"What is it, Charlotte?"
I heard a couple members of the council scoff hearing Daisy address her Royal Highness in such a casual manner. Charlotte's brow lowered and looked to the doctor in almost a sympathetic manner. "You are the only one that's encountered the dragon and survived. With that knowledge, you also remember where said battle took place. It was the last known location of her den." The only one that has survived a face-to-face encounter with a terrifying beast such as Vyrolo.
"...You.. You aren't asking for me to return there, are you?" I couldn't see the brunette's face but even I knew that she was terrified as she asked the queen her question. My eyes looked down to her hands resting on the table and I could see the very slight shaking that Daisy was trying to stop from happening.
"Char, we can't make Daisy do that!" It was Lady Bayley that objected to the proposal. Why would they want to subject Doctor Mero to whatever caused her trauma? All of this for the sake of locating the dragon. Why can't the brunette just tell them?
"It's a sacrifice that needs to be made. I'll go with Daisy, traveling with me would be fastest." Lady Mercedes spoke in the calmest tone I've ever heard her talk in. She suggested traveling with Daisy to go there. Not even thirty minutes ago, I was trying to talk you out of beating my friend to death and now you are all casual with her. I don't understand. What's the dynamic between the two? Doctor Mero trusts her.
"...I… I don't want to go back there. I'm not ready. I'm a husk of myself compared to before." Her breath was shaky as the brunette wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing her biceps tightly. She's terrified. They are really wanting to subject her to whatever torment she experienced. Is there something that I could do or say to help her in this situation? Queen Charlotte instructed that I should only speak whenever spoken to, but I can't allow something like this to happen to my friend. My lips parted to speak whenever I felt someone softly touch my forearm. It was Deonna, she gave me a sympathetic look but shook her head at me. I see, the raven-haired soldier and I were thinking about the same thing.
"Have they not returned yet?" The blue-haired angel asked.
"No." Has what returned yet?
"I see. There was no physical explanation as to why that's the case."
"We have only four horsewomen here and another that is not in the right condition to battle. Is it wise to send Lady Mercedes there given the circumstances that happened last time?" The demon with the white hair questioned. The four horsewomen that are present in the room are Queen Charlotte, Lady Bayley, Mercedes and Dana, there is a fifth one in Nehanora. That still leaves one not accounted for. Is Becky injured and not able to fight or participate in meetings?
"Locating Vyrolo is a priority, Dral'gores. With Mercedes and her speed, she would be able to escape if things spiraled out of control." The angel had speeds that my eyes couldn't really comprehend, I hardly ever saw her. I guess it makes sense for her to be able to protect Doctor Mero.
"If Quven decides to wage another war, with the Champion of the White's powers once again, Mortadel will be doomed for destruction." Dana added in.
"Daiz, I need you to help us, and you know only you can right now." Queen Charlotte looked back to the brunette. I can't imagine what's going through Daisy's mind right now. She's trying her hardest not to completely shut down.
"..." She remained silent, glancing at the three horsewomen in front of her. Bayley looked to be the most sympathetic out of the bunch. Charlotte had softer eyes but she's the one asking such a massive favor. Mercedes, on the other hand, kept a very neutral face as she stared at the brunette diagonal from her. Daisy sighed. "As much as I don't want to, I understand my duty not only to Mortadel but to the Horsewomen as well. Alright, I'll go to Quven."
The Queen was pleased with that response, the dryad was the next one to speak. "Someone has to keep Cedes in check. You two are the best combination to get this mission done quickly and effortlessly." Mercedes scoffed, folding her arms across her chest.
"Mazoga has some armor and a weapon for you, Lady Daisy. She has been holding onto it for quite some time. It shall aid and protect you if a threat emerges." The blonde next to Daisy spoke. Wow, they were prepared to send her out regardless. Doctor Mero isn't a soldier so giving her a weapon whenever she doesn't know how to fight. No, Angel, I shouldn't worry. She's going to have one of the horsewomen with her. Lady Mercedes will keep her safe.
"...Very well then, Cedes, when are we going to do this?"
"Tomorrow, that BITCH isn't going to hide from us forever. I'm going to destroy her!" The blue-haired angel stated confidently. If anyone is going to be able to take down such a powerful threat, it's the legendary four... or is it six now?
"Cedes, this is a scouting mission. If you happen to encounter Vyrolo, you both have to retreat at once." The brunette with light green skin had to remind the angel.
"Should one of the captains join you both? Your Majesty, I volunteer myself and Cargill to accompany them." The ebony woman with the long braid asked. I have no idea who this Cargill person is, but they are captains for a reason. The more people that are on this mission, the safer I would feel for Daisy's wellbeing.
"That's not necessary, you two are exceptional warriors but you would only slow them down." The dryad stated, completely tossing my thoughts into a cauldron and melting them away. Well fuck, I guess that would be too easy.
"Bay's right." Lady Mercedes turned her attention down to the braided warrior. "Bianca, I already have to pick up the slack for 'Doctor' Mero, I don't need two more people to worry about." She's still insulting the brunette, and it makes me dislike her even more. She's not better than such a kind person. I am unsure of the history between the two, but the dislike only seems to come from the angel.
"If they needed more manpower, they would probably want Judgment Day." Demon King Finn retorted. What in the hell is Judgment Day?
"I believe Legado is more suited for the task." Another man spoke with an accent, he hadn't said anything this entire time. He had short black hair that was slicked back with the sides of his head shaved. He also had a clean and trimmed goatee and was sporting a white suit.
"No. We already established that we are not taking any risks. That's what Charlotte wants. If the queen wanted you to go with Cedes and I, she would order it." The brunette looked back to the men with an annoyed tone in her voice. She did have a point.
"Andrade, Bianca and Finn, I appreciate the concern, but Mercedes and Daisy are going to do this mission alone." Charlotte made everything clear to the three that volunteered their power and aid to the two women. They didn't protest things further.
"Your Majesty, do you think that King Hunter might be planning another attack soon?" Vikras asked. King Hunter, that must be the king of the country Quven. That's where apparently Vyrolo resides. Are you telling me that someone is powerful enough to creature such a titan to their every command?
"I hope not but it is suspicious that Vyrolo is roaming outside her home country." The high elf released a sigh, resting her hands against her hips. She looked to be thinking about something and waited a couple seconds before continuing her train of thought. "Perhaps I should contact Queen Ava as well as Queen Toni and Mariah to touch base with them and see what information I can gather." Wow, there are so many queens around here without a husband. Are those the rulers of Ashor and Montecarlac? If Vyrolo had been in those countries for hostile purposes, those people might be in danger.
There was one man that has remained silent the entire meeting so far, I noticed that his gaze was lingering on me a bit too long. First thing I noticed about him was that a raven was perched on his shoulder. His hair was long, dark brown and pulled into several braids. Brown eyes that continued to stare daggers into me. Why is he looking at me like that? "I'd like to shift the conversation for one moment, you mentioned Queen Toni and well, Lady Daisy's friend does certainly have resemblance to her." He spoke, gesturing over to me.
Wait, is he implying that I look similar to a queen? That's impossible, I am nothing of the sort. There was a sudden sound of a chair scooting back, my attention drifting over to the blue-haired angel who had stood up. Mercedes slammed her fist down into her palm. "Wait a second, that's why I thought you were familiar! Mondo has a point; you do resemble Queen Storm."
"Lady Daisy, care to explain the story behind your friend there." Andrade gestured over to me as well. I felt my stomach start to do flips as more eyes turned and fixated on me. Why am I the center of attention now? I thought this meeting was about the dragon.
"She's more than capable of introducing herself and telling her story." Doctor Mero said nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders. Her body shifted and her head turned back to me. A smile appeared across her lips as she looked at me sweetly. "Go on, you can do it."
Wait, she's wanting me to speak to all of these strangers. I am nervous but I need to tell them my story. "Uh okay. My name is Angel, at least, that's the temporary name that I have been given. A couple days ago, Doctor Mero, Lituanent Purrazzo and Nurse Shirakawa found me bleeding, poisoned and barely clinging to life in the Harmony River." Someone really made an attempt on my life. A sick fuck thought I deserved death. "I don't remember my name, my home or anything about myself. Lady Daisy has been overseeing my care and doing her best to help me remember my past life."
My explanation of how I ended up in Hazelgrave and how I am standing in front of them in Nehanora, it caused a couple gasps. "Oh, you poor girl." Bianca's eyes displayed sadness, I could tell that she was very sympathetic toward my situation.
"Actually, an interesting thing about Angel here is that we found her moments after seeing Vyrolo." Daisy stated.
"Seeing Vyrolo leaving Ashor land and finding a woman that could pass as Queen Storm's doppelganger. Is there a chance that they are connected somehow?" The gentleman known as Mondo questioned, his attention still focusing on me. I'm starting to feel uncomfortable with all of these eyes staring at me.
Lady Bayley continued to study my appearance further, she was also another one that said I looked familiar. Now I understand why that is the case, apparently, I look similar to a queen of a distant land. "Queen Storm's mannerisms and accent are completely different to Miss Angel." Okay good, now we can put this foolishness to rest. As cool as it would be, there is no way that I am a literal queen. That's ridiculous.
"There have been numerous attacks in the Chilkasing Meadows and near the Chelmsbron Thicket especially recently. There have been no suspects, and I assumed that Angel was initially a victim of that." Doctor Mero reported, the Chelmsbron Thicket is that ancient forest that she warned me about and said to never go near. These strings of attacks have happened many times in the previous week from I recall what I overheard with Daisy and Mina.
The meeting was essentially wrapped up with a rundown of the mission for Quven. They will be departing early tomorrow morning after Daisy gathers some supplies for the trip. Part of me wishes that I can travel alongside them to be any sort of support for them, but Queen Charlotte made it crystal clear that no one was to accompany them. The three of us left the castle with the objective of heading back to Doctor Mero's place. It made me sad that I couldn't sightsee the capital a little more, but I understood that we were here for a reason, and it wasn't to explore. Much to my surprise, Rascalz is staying at the castle with the horsewomen for the night. I'm frankly surprised that the brunette would leave him there. Instead of heading to the central plaza, we took a different road that led to a couple of nicely built houses, three others to be exact.
From the outside this house looks posh and extravagant. It has been built with white stones and has cypress wooden decorations. Tall, large windows add to the overall style of the house and have been added to the house in a very asymmetric building is very circular-shaped and has a patio surrounding the front half of the house. The roof is low, and pyramid shaped and is covered with red wood shingles. Two large chimneys sit at the side of the house. Large, skylight windows let in plenty of light to the rooms below the roof. On the house's right was a gorgeous flower garden that extended to the neighboring house. Between the two houses in the backyard was a pagoda, a small pond. Wow, these houses are gorgeous.
Doctor Mero had been completely silent since leaving the meeting room, judging by the look on her face and pale complexion, she's utterly terrified. I'm still furious that they are making her go back there, that's obviously where she got some of those scars. Sending someone that isn't a soldier to find Vyrolo, that feels like a death wish. The brunette reached into her bag and grabbed a key. Turning the doorknob, I realized that this was the home she was talking about. Wow, she has a house here in the capital too!
Deonna opted to immediately go see if there was work that the raven-haired soldier could do. I believe she also mentioned wanting to go train with some of the knights here. That left Doctor Mero and I alone in her house, but the brunette hadn't really said anything, she barely looked my way. I did my best to try and make small talk with her, anything to get her mind off of the mission. Nothing. If Doctor Mero wanted to make conversation about it, she would. All I can really do is be here if the brunette chooses to. She never did. I remained in the house for the rest of the evening and nighttime rolled around. Deonna had brought home dinner for all of us, some really delicious beef stew and some rolls, a simple delicacy. Daisy never ate or left her room.
Hours passed and I was able to fall asleep, but the slumber was premature, I found myself awake not long later. Looking out my bedroom window, the moon was directly above so that means it's a little after midnight. Why was I awake? The sound was mostly silent but there was a faint sound that I couldn't decipher what it was. It sounded like it was coming from the living room. As I opened the door to the guest bedroom, I recognized the sound right away, it was the sound of muffled sobs. The guest room beside me had the door wide open and Purrazzo was asleep in there. Making my way into the living room, there was surprisingly a little lantern turned on and placed on the small table beside the couch. On top of that table as well was a stack of old and wrinkled papers. "Doctor..?"
No words were given back as an answer instead I heard more choked and muffled sobs. Making my way to the front of the couch, I was finally able to see what was causing all of this noise. It was Doctor Mero; she was laying down on the couch. Her face was partially hidden by the pillow she was holding onto. Through the very sparse amount of light, I noticed that her eyes were bloodshot, but yet no tears were in the bottom of her eyelids or on her cheeks. The sobbing sounds continued as I noticed her instinctively pressing the pillow closer to her to muffle the sobs. Her body was shaking, and her breathing was frantic, I noticed something in her other hand, it was a piece of paper.
What can I do? There has to be something that I can do. Back in Hazelgrave, Deonna originally wanted me to leave the brunette alone after Chelsea mentioned Vyrolo. Last time, I was able to make her feel better, so I have to at least make an effort. "Daisy, it's going to be okay." I cooed softly; I didn't want to scare Doctor Mero. I waited for any form of acknowledgement but never received even a glance in my general direction. "Doctor, please, what can I do?" I asked, making my way over to the opposite side of the couch; I gently moved the brunette's legs and sat down. Once again, the brunette never acknowledged me, it was almost like she was in a world of her own.
A few minutes passed of nothing but small whimpers from Daisy, I studied her further. There has to be something I can deduce from this. Tears were nonexistent almost like there were none left to cry. How long has she been out here? What's the piece of paper in her hand? Is that the source of this pain? My chest hurts really bad, it's like someone is constantly stabbing a knife into it. It's a very sharp pain. Am I having sympathy pains? Is this only a fraction of the pain that the brunette is feeling right now? "Doctor, it's okay, I'm right here." Reaching over, I used a majority of my strength to lift the brunette's torso off of the couch, forcing her to sit up. This still caused no new reaction of Daisy. I readjusted her further so that her head was resting in my lap, and her legs were slightly dangling off of the couch. "You've already done so much for me. I appreciate all of it. I'll be right here if you want to talk about it." There was nothing left for me to say, and I hope that Doctor Mero heard me. All I can do is attempt to comfort her.
My hand automatically was running through the long and thick tresses of her hair. She never moved from the position that I placed her in. Daisy clutched onto that pillow and that paper for dear life. My curiosity as to what that paper's contents are is growing but I am not pressing anything. If she wanted me to know, Doctor Mero would tell me. Minutes turned into hours and something in between the brunette had actually fallen asleep with her head in my lap. Her face looked more peaceful now and I couldn't help but smile. I wasn't going to move from this spot and shut my own eyes as the pain subsided and sleep managed to take over.