[Third Person].
Wanda walked through the palace corridor with long, irritated strides as she headed towards the banquet hall
Just then, a sharp sound—a buzz—humd beside her ear.
She jerked her head to the side almost imdiately. "A bee?" she muttered, swatting irritably at the air.
The insect darted away just before her hand could reach it.
"Get away from ," she hissed. But the mont she focused on it, the tiny creature shimred strangely. Before her very eyes, the bee changed shape.
Its body stretched, and its wings widened. And in the next blink, a butterfly fluttered lazily in front of her.
Wanda froze. Her brows furrowed deeply. "I clearly saw a bee," she murmured under her breath. "So how did it beco a butterfly?"
The butterfly hovered closer to her face, its wings beating gently. Then suddenly, it shifted again. Feathers appeared, and its body expanded. Then, a small green bird burst into the air with a cheerful chirp.
Wanda’s mouth parted slightly. "What the—?"
The bird darted down the hallway. For a mont, Wanda simply stared after it, her mind racing. Did she just imagine that?
No. She had seen it clearly. Almost imdiately, curiosity quickly replaced her confusion.
"What kind of creature are you?" she muttered. Without thinking further, she followed it.
The green bird fluttered ahead, always just out of reach. Sotis it slowed enough for her to almost catch it, then it would dart away again.
Occasionally, it would vanish for a mont and reappear as sothing else. A butterfly, a fly, or a bee.
Once, the bee even zipped close enough to sting her lightly.
"Ah—!" Wanda slapped her arm and glared furiously at the buzzing insect. "You filthy thing!" She quickened her pace. "Just wait until I get my hands on you."
Her irritation only fueled her determination to catch it.
The strange creature continued leading her through increasingly quieter sections of the palace. Hallways where few servants walked, and corridors that were dim and rarely used.
Each ti Wanda slowed, the creature would change again, catching her eye and drawing her forward. Her attention stayed fully on the strange thing fluttering ahead. So much so that she overlooked sothing important.
She had already left the palace.
The night air brushed her skin. Palace warriors stationed outside watched her pass by, yet none of them stopped her. None questioned her. It was as if their minds were elsewhere, completely unaware.
anwhile, the green bird continued its teasing flight ahead. At tis, it swooped low, almost letting Wanda grab it. At other tis, it turned into a bee again, darting past her ear just to irritate her further.
"You irritating pest," Wanda muttered angrily. "Once I catch you, I swear I will crush you into dust."
Finally, the creature veered toward a stone structure standing a short distance from the palace. The royal armoury.
Then the bird shot forward with sudden speed and slipped through the open doorway.
Wanda hurried after it. As soon as she entered, she stopped sharply. The creature was gone. Instead, soone else was standing there. redith.
The Queen stood in the centre of the armoury, her expression calm and unreadable. Weapons lined the walls around her.
Wanda blinked, her confusion deepening. "Where did that thing go?" she muttered under her breath.
Before she could think further, redith spoke. "You left the banquet early." Her voice was quiet and controlled.
Wanda recovered quickly, folding her arms as a smirk crept onto her lips. "And you didn’t?" she scoffed. "Shouldn’t the Queen be enjoying her celebration right now?"
Her gaze slid across redith mockingly. "So, what are you doing here?"
redith let out a faint scoff. The sound carried a cold edge. "This mont," she said calmly, "will be the last ti you speak so boldly."
Wanda frowned slightly. "What are you talking about—"
Just then, the armoury door opened again, and five ard warriors entered the room. Their weapons glead under the lamplight.
Wanda stiffened instantly. Her instincts flared as her body tensed while she shifted into a defensive stance. Then, her gaze snapped back to redith.
"What are you trying to do?" she demanded sharply.
One of the warriors stepped forward. "Is that how you address the Queen?" His voice rang with authority.
redith lifted a hand slightly, and the warrior imdiately stepped back again.
Wanda’s eyes flickered between them nervously now. But redith remained completely calm. She gestured casually toward the weapon racks lining the walls.
"Choose a weapon."
Wanda stared at her. "What?"
"You have one minute," redith continued coolly. "Choose whatever you wish for attack and defense."
Her gaze hardened slightly. "After that, you cannot claim I did not give you a choice."
For several seconds, Wanda simply stood there, trying to process what she was hearing. Then realization began to dawn.
Her eyes widened. "You..." she snapped, pointing accusingly. "Are you trying to make fight your royal warriors to death?"
Her voice rose sharply with disbelief. But redith’s expression didn’t change at all.
Wanda’s accusation hung in the air, sharp and uncertain, but redith showed no reaction. Instead, she turned slightly toward the warriors.
"As soon as one minute is up," she instructed calmly, "it does not matter whether this fellow here has chosen a weapon or not."
Her gaze briefly flicked toward Wanda before returning to the warriors. "You will escort her to the training ground."
The warriors imdiately saluted. "Yes, Your Majesty."
redith then looked at Wanda once more. Her voice was calm and cold when she spoke. "Your opponent is ."
For the first ti since entering the armoury, Wanda’s eyes widened.
"So, choose your weapons wisely." Then, redith turned toward the door. As she walked past Wanda, she muttered under her breath just loud enough for her to hear. "It’s not like it would make any difference."
Then she left the armoury, and the door closed behind her.
For a mont, Wanda stood frozen. Shock flickered across her face. Then slowly, that shock hardened into anger.
"So, it’s you," she muttered as her lips curled slightly.
Though she still didn’t understand why redith had suddenly decided to confront her like this, the challenge ignited the warrior inside her.
If the Queen wanted a fight, she would have one.
Wanda turned toward the weapon racks lining the armoury walls. Her eyes scanned the choices quickly. Within seconds, she selected her weapons.
The warriors watched silently as she prepared herself. Then one of them gestured toward the door.
"Move."
They escorted her out of the armoury and through the palace grounds.
The night air had grown cooler, the palace lights casting long shadows across the stone courtyard. Soon they reached the training ground.
redith was already there. She stood near the centre of the open field, still in her elegant gown. Her long silver hair flowed behind her like moonlight.
A servant stood beside her, respectfully holding a sheathed sword.
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