Queen Lorna of Windere ruled her country alone for the better part of the century. Her challenges were many and varied. Restoring the Kingdom after the defiling magic of the Black Dragon King was the worst but just the first.
Sheltering the Kin. Keeping the Silk-folk away from the greedy hands of the other nobles and rchants that didn't see them as people. Helping her brother, now one of the "cloth people" to regain his levels in the Dungeon. Feeding a nation during the start of the Age of Eclipse. Staving off enemies from all sides.
Migrating the Eleons from Lonid as relations with that nation soured. Keeping the mutated monsters from the Dragonfall Valley from expanding toward their territory. Managing the interests of the nobility.
Although she ruled the country alone, she had people she could rely on. Her spymaster, the dark elf Kazuyran was superb. Many a conflict with the neighboring nations was won due to superior intelligence. Her brother Eric was the Kingdom's general. In his second life beca a frontline warrior, a juggernaut of hardened silk that neither bled or rested. Vanagon, a forr King in his previous life and the leader of the Silk-folk, her majordomo.
The living silk people's lifespan was around three hundred years. They still had two-thirds of that. Kazuyran might as well be immortal. But Lorna, in her frail beast-kin form, had no such benefits. A beast-kin had a lifespan between that of an animal and a human, seventy years. Her death was long overdue if she hadn't acquired a Perk that doubled her lifespan. She had twenty years to live.
In her loneliness, she eventually married again. Cedric III was a good man, tempered by his grandmothers and they fell in love even though their age difference was huge. She could never allow him to beco King. She knew the true King would one day return and she dreaded that mont every single day. Cedric III begrudgingly beca her consort. It was in the nature of his upbringing to wish to claim the throne. That, Lorna feared, would be a death sentence to both.
One day, the bird arrived. She knew who'd sent it. She heard about the ability. About all the hundreds of abilities that a person had. Locked in her room, she wept for two days. The letter was the sweetest apology she ever read. And also a terrible reminder that she had a mont of reckoning ahead of her.
The next letter ca and the bird didn't vanish. She got the ntal feeling the summoned critter would take an answer back. She couldn't. She didn't know what to say. Part of her longed for what once was, the rest scread to tell the sender to stay away. She did neither. A day later, the bird vanished in a poof of smoke. Then more letters ca.
Their tone beca one of worry. "Lorna, are you healthy? Alive, even? How did I miss you, my Queen! Please give an answer." Each letter that ca after the first was an [Assassin]'s dagger coated in a bitter poison that wounded the very soul. She received more than ten.
The last letter told her the person that turned her fate upside down would arrive in two days. She sent a rider to the main gate at the border to stop any lamias from entering. She loathed doing that but it was a test. She needed to know how Rosewise's reincarnation would react. Would she kill the guards? Would she dominate them? Giving up was a distant impossibility. If she did, it was an impostor.
She felt relieved when the report ca. Lakerta, her forr lover's new na, arrived with the ice train and destroyed the gatehouse but didn't draw a single drop of blood. She gave the orders and vacated the throne room. Cedric protested but she wouldn't have him anywhere nearby the throne room. Everyone was ordered to stay away no matter what happened. Aside from a God walking the land, nothing could stand between Lakerta and her goal.
Lorna waited on the trone. Soon, she saw King Locksley's armor float up from the floor. The armor vanished and a naked Rosewise appeared. All the anger and resentnt for being alone and old flared up as she saw the Eleon [Sorceress] as youthful as the last ti she saw her a century ago. Lorna stood up, flaring her nostrils.
"Please don't use Rosewise's form. She's dead. Show your true self!" She imdiately regretted the tone she used. It was her "Queen voice" she practiced with Kazuyran at the start.
Rosewise shifted into a lamia. The ocean blue and pale yellow scales of her serpent tail were gorgeous. She put on a silk brassiere to cover her ridiculously huge breasts.
"Lorna, I..." Lakerta mumbled. That demure and contrite deanor washed over Lorna like a wave of cold. Lorna was drawn to that person. She longed for the warmth she once felt. As the Queen of Windere climbed down the stairs, Larketa mumbled "I'm sorry."
Hope. With a clouded mind, Lorna fell on her knees. There might be a way to stave off the worst. "Please don't kill my husband. Do with what you want but spare him."
I ignored the ping from {Detect Favored Enemy: Church of Bundeus} I got from the inner palace. That would be an issue for later.
I lowered myself and hugged her. I kissed her forehead and rested her head on my bosom. "Lorna. I'm sorry, Lorna," I cried and rubbed my chin against her triangular ears poking up from her head. "Please forgive ."
She was frozen stiff. Begrudgingly, I let go and pulled my upper body away from her.
"Lorna..."
Only the movent of her shoulders and the faint sound of sobbing told she was still alive.
"I won't kill Cedric's grandson," I promised.
She put her hands on the marble floor to support her. Her head was still hung down. The cat-kin's tears dotted the polished stone.
Adding all my lives, I probably had an Earth's century under my belt. But the last mystery of life still didn't show its solution to . Where were the damn keys to another person's heart? I had no idea if I should be forceful if I should give her space if I should just rip off my heart and die here. Approaching Lorna felt like trying to press a pincushion to my heart. But I needed her.
I moved close and hugged her again, pressing her head to the soft cushions of my breasts. Then I circled her with my tail and wrapped it around us. Two, three coils with the tail stretched. I caressed the back of her head, her cat ears. I poked her tucked in her tail with my rattle tugging and pulling until it ca free from underneath her leg. Then I poked, tugged, and pushed.
"Stop that!" Lorna protested. "I'm not a kitten."
"She talks!" I gasped with feigned surprise.
She huffed her indignation.
"Why are you afraid of ? I'm not an irrational monster."
Lorna punched my ribs. it caused 1 HP of damage after my mitigation. "Where were you?"
"Too busy getting reborn and slaughtered by Bundeus' fanatics. They got fourteen or fifteen tis. The count is blurred, I'm not sure. He was able to find when I was born and send his people to kill and my family."
"That's terrible," She whimpered and sobbed.
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"Every ti I was born, they would co and murder . This ti I was born as a lamia I got a bit lucky because the strike group that ca to kill died after wiping out everyone alive. Then I spent all my infancy in a blighted ruin among the undead. Only when I got access to the System was I able to co out."
"You... Lakerta grew among the dead?"
Lorna was calming down and coming back to her old self.
"Yes. I didn't even have a na before Nenandil gave this one."
I felt the fairy pulse inside . She decided to give us this mont alone.
"I understand," She gently pulled away from and got back on her feet. I uncoiled my tail to give her space and positioned my torso at eye level. "But that doesn't erase the fact you went away. To fight a God and die. I'm sorry. What we had is gone."
I'd spent two Unique Perk selections to be able to co back sooner. Three, if you count not letting Bundeus (or any of them) track . I shook my sulking away and looked at Lorna. She was climbing back to her throne.
"Leave Windere, Lakerta," She said coldly. "There's no place for you here anymore." With her arms close to her chest, she whispered to herself, thinking I couldn't hear, "Or here."
I was frozen in place. I wanted to reach out and touch her, But the fear, the terror her words brought to was too much. I could offer to give her a silk body. Turn her into silk-folk just like her brother. That would reset her levels but I could grind them back easily. And I could shower her with Perks because it would count as a new life. I would do that even if it wouldn't change her decision.
"Lorna, I can--"
"I know!" She shouted from the throne. "I know very well you can transform into a silk-person. You saved my brother after he died from the Black Dragon King's curse. Which reminds , that cursed lake you left behind is festering. Go clean it."
"Don't you?"
"No. I'm old. In both body, heart, and mind. There's nothing left for . I ruled my country, Windere not only survived the Age of Eclipse, but it also prospered. Go. Please let declare my husband King. Cleanse the Dragonfall Valley, go get your vengeance against Bundeus. Rosewise, my Rosewise, is dead. You're just soone with her mories."
I slamd my tail on the marble, cracking a stone tile. I could destroy half a continent with the fury I was feeling. "Is that what your heart truly wants, Lorna?"
Her face was unreadable. She spoke without any emotion, "You ruled two Realms and never learned this lesson. A Queen is never truly free to get her heart's wishes, Lakerta."
So be it. I couldn't force her. But there was one last thing I had to do. "Summon your husband. I have a trial for him. Should he pass, I'll go and you'll never see again."
"That's your price?" She asked, serious.
"That's my only condition."
Lord Cedric Albert III, consort to Queen Lorna entered the dimly-lit throne room with his gaze fixed on the scantily-clad figure in the middle of the room. The lamia Lakerta. The reincarnation of King Locksley, if he understood it correctly.
"You called, my Queen?" He asked.
As he approached the lamia, he appraised her.
{KIng}
Level 147
The title in blue was true, the level in red was not. {Improved Pierce Forgery} was well worth the Perk and the Profession specialization slot he used. But a female with the {KIng} title was odd. The snake-woman looked at him and smiled.
"Like what you see? Maybe this is better. {Appraise} again."
He did.
{Hero Queen}
[Royal Lamia Champion]
Level 105 female lamia.
HP 43,124,400
MP 14,023,125
All blue. All truthful.
"Haaaaaa!" Cedric groaned in despair. Archmages might reach half that much MP. And the HP?
"Cedric, stop embarrassing in front of the guests!" Lorna admonished him.
"What would you have do, my Queen?" He asked.
"Lakerta here has a trial for you. If you pass it, she'll go away."
The lamia waved her hand and a green tabard with gems and the Windere heraldry appeared.
"This is an enchanted living silk tabard. It protects the wearer but only those truly loyal to Windere can wear it. The others, they either die or pledge to bring the tabard back to its rightful owner. Wear this and be accepted by it. Then you'll be crowned King of Windere." She stretched her arm toward him. "Wear it."
"Do it, Cedric. I am sure you will pass this trial," Lorna said. Her voice was both hopeful and sad at the sa ti.
"Take off your other enchanted items, Cedric," Lakerta said. "They can cause resonance problems."
He removed a few but kept his {Ring of Mind Shielding}. It might fool the tabard.
He donned it, and nothing happened.
"Whisper sothing to ," Lakerta said. He did. She frowned, grabbed his hand, and yanked the ring off with his finger. "Do not try to cheat my trials, human," Lakerta hissed. She didn't let go of his hand.
"AH!" Cedric only shouted once. The stump of his ring closed and stopped bleeding. The pain was gone.
"That's more like it. A {Ring of Mind Shielding}! Interesting," Lakerta said as she separated finger from ring and tossed the jewelry down her mouth. "Thanks for the lesson. Hum. What a naughty artifact! But now the tabard should be working as intended."
Cedric felt his whole torso burn. His HP started to plumt. A voice rang in his mind.
BETRAYER OF WINDERE, HEED MY WARNING.
Pledge to return the tabard to its rightful owner and do as pledged, or perish.
"I pledge! I pledge!" He scread and writhed in pain on the ground.
The pain vanished. He knew he had to give the tabard back to either the lamia or Lorna. He quickly removed the cursed piece of clothing and tossed it at the feet of the snake-woman.
The lamia's voice was full of scorn, "He failed, Lorna. Let's see what your husband has to say when he can tell no falsehood."
An elven dagger found its way to the base of his skull.
You Died.
You Failed the Quest: Windere Takeover.
I killed Lorna's husband. He reeked of Bundeus' holy power.
Assassination Successful. Contract Fulfilled.
For killing Lord Cedric Albert III, level 93 [Royal Consort], you gained 303,933,998,709 Exp (Base 86,490 x 3,514,094)
And imdiately materialized his ghost.
"Tell , Cedric Albert III, what were your plans for Queen Lorna once you beca King? I'll let you live once again if you answer truthfully."
Ghosts were suckers. Promise them - but with no falsehoods - to make them alive again or to purify them, and they would agree to anything.
The forr consort looked at the horrified Queen and laughed. "I wanted to be King! Once I achieved that, Bundeus would grant great power! Perks! My yough back! But that filthy beast wouldn't grant my wish! Because of the promise of a dead King!"
"NO!" Lorna scread. "It cannot be!"
The throne room doors opened and both Kazuyran and Eric entered. "Good to see you, boys. Defend the Queen." I said with Rosewise's voice.
They walked past and took their place next to Lorna. Eric was holding her while I explained all that transpired here.
I had little ti to spare. After getting his body out of the item box, I shoved Cedric's soul back in his body and used {Last Chance}, then healed his damage enough to keep him from dying again. I didn't heal the brain damage, though. That he used little, he could do without.
"No! Lorna, please! Itsh all a lie! A twick from hisss treasherouss snu-wake!" Cedric reached out and mumbled.
"Tell the truth," I said with a {Royal Order}.
Brain-damaged Cedric didn't resist. "Yessh! I wanted to quill you! If it wheren't for twiss curshed elf by your shidhe all the ti, I would've dwone that already!"
"Ahhh!" Lorna scread. "Get him out of my sight!"
Assassination Successful. Contract Fulfilled.
For killing Lord Cedric Albert III, level 93 [Royal Consort], you gained 303,933,998,709 Exp (Base 86,490 x 3,514,094)
The Tabard of Windere has reached level 76.
Fox-Kin Disguise Kit has reached level 76.
The {Living Silk} items were purchasing their perks. I could project my intent of how they should grow, but the choices were theirs. They weren't intelligent items but might one day beco as such. The Tabard, for example, bought perks to increase its enchantnt bonuses and scale them up with the wearer's level. While my Disguise Kit now helped my stealth and to protect from Status detection better.
I took his soul and bound it to a silk puppet four centiters tall. Then I tossed the puppet in the item box. He wasn't "alive" like the silk-folk. That required a massive investnt of SP for {Fairy Godmother}.
I cleaned the blood and repaired the marble tile I broke. Lorna was crying in the cloth shoulder of her reborn brother.
I t Kazuyran's gaze and sent him a ssage.
The dark elf [Assassin] nodded. I bundled the tabard and threw it toward him.
I waited for long minutes until Lorna looked my way. Then I bowed. "Farewell, my beloved Queen. I'm sorry for everything."
She said nothing. Her eyes were empty, filled with sadness.
"No," I said to nobody in particular. "I refuse to leave like this. Lorna, please. I love you. Forgive ."
She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Rosie. I'm sorry. It's too late. Too late for us. Go. Live your lives, have your adventures. Rember as I once was, my love."
I turned invisible and incorporeal. Then I floated out of the castle.
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