The First Matters of Queenship
by D.S.Muthurajah
Story and Shakna (c) ~DarkAngelsGirl
Aleksandre (c) ~OniRoo

Shakna drummed her fingers against the table top as she listened to the delegates of some realm she'd never heard of discuss treaties she wasn't particularly interested in. The room about her seemed to grow darker, and the layers of her read sari felt almost as stifling as the dresses she'd been forced to wear before for weddings and Balls. The jewelry and headpiece felt ridiculously heavy, and she was exhausted from the shifting heat that seemingly appeared from no where. now, as her father had steeped down form the throne to allow her to rule, she was the Queen of Celestia, with a new set of rules and regulations to follow. her brother had been detained and crippled; any acts of violence from him would result in long horrendous hours of pain and suffering. Then, there was the matter of the homunculus attack.

"Your Highness." she heard someone, somewhere call. The voice was familiar, just barely. Why did it sound so distant?

"Your Grace?" he called again; this time, she felt something poke her waist. Asssoon as the object made contact with her skin, she shifted tiredly.

"Leave me alone..." Shakna grumbled tiredly. "I'm sleepy..."

"Your highness, they are proposing to tgo to war against Celestia - "

Shakna's eyes instantly snapped open at the word, 'war'. Her spine straightened and she was suddenly alert. Embarrassment flooded through her. An uneasy silence filled the Grand Hall while Aleksandre, her Advisor and Head of both Army and Elites looked as though he were trying to restrain himself from looking too sheepish.

"I apologize. It seems my mind must have wandered through what sort of problems both our nations would be forced to face with should we go to war. No, it would be best if something like this be avoided." Shakna attempted to cover up. It took all she had to restrain a tired yawn. The diplomats merely nodded in understand as they glanced towards Aleksandre. If they so much as insulted the Queen for falling asleep during the meeting without considering how much sleep she'd been loosing, well, they would no doubt be in severe trouble. Celestia was always aware of this , and now these new-comers were aware of the situation as well. The late king's appointment of the new Advisor proved to work to the greatest advantage.; Aleksandre's loyalty to the new Queen was cemented because of their friendship and it made it easier for the exiled prince to teach the new Queen the matters of the court.

Shakna did everything she could not to slump in her chair from relief. It wouldn't do for a monarch to seem so relieved easily. No, she would have appear calm and collected, poised and perfect - even if she'd shattered that image earlier by falling asleep during the meeting.

"Now, the matter concerning having an heir, your highness," one of the delegates began.

Shakna turned livid at this. Carefully, elegantly, precisely, she rose from  her throne, hands clasped behind her back in a death grip.

"There will be no such talk." she answered before the delegate managed to say anything else. She would not marry and she refused to have something like her mother happen to her. Her mother had been a merchant' wife, the wife of a man who was the close, dear friend of King Zahir Zarahk - until the woman became pregnant with the child of the king.

Shakna's love0life, however, was an entirely different matter. The thought of love or marriage or having an heir made her feel ill and pained.

"But my Queen - the people - " the man began to argue.

"You are insulting me, sir, if you believe I am not capable of aiding Celestia without marrying some man!" Shakna responded levely, her dark eyes a-light.

"But for the sake of cementing and alliance and to - "

"Are you, Lord Kyzah, implying her majesty to be a weak woman who is not aware of what is or what is not good for her own realm?" Aleksandre intervened. Even if their friendship began in a difficult manner, Aleksandre's loyalty to the new Queen was not uncommon knowledge. "Be wary of your answer, you are within Celestia and -many- allies and friends of her Ladyship will not take kindly to your insults against the Celestian Throne.

Already , guards bristled. Some of the winged men readied themselves to take flight against the delegate; their gloved hands rested on their sword hilt shile the priestesses froze in place, their eyes watching Lord Kyzah dangerously.

Lord Kyzah swallowed, doing what he could to ask his fear. his olive0toned face paled drastically before he ducked his head in apology; the single earing dangled from his left ear rested against his sheekbone before he straightened.

"My sincerest apologies, Lord Aleksandre." Lord Kyzah answered levelly, as thoug hhe were forcing himself to down some vile concoction for the sake of his health.

"ou apology should not be to me, but to her Highness." Aleksandre answered furiously. "You will beg for her pardon unless you wish to explain to your rulers whiy you've angered Celestia's Queen and her various allies.

"If there was one think Shakna managed to accomplish, it was to become Allies with the rulers of various other nations. She saw one of the nation's Queen's as a mother and as many people knew, angering the mother of an insulted child would result in havoc, especially when the insult was ridiculously tremendous and careless as the one thrust forward by Kyzah.

Shakna was tempted to turn away the apology, but nstead merely nodded. The Guards - both able and unable to fly - dropped their hand from the hilt of their blade. The priestesses, however, remained close to their Queen .

"Your apology is accepted, Lord Kyzah. You will not bring such matters to my attention any more, do I make myself clear? I am quite aware of the matterse, but I will not be reminded and paired with some man merely because he wishes to impregnate me and have power over this realm. Celestia is in peace and untili the proper time arrives, I shall neither marry nor begen an heir."

If she were to die heariless, then her half brother's bastard children - that is to say if he'd oimpregnated some poor, poor soul-of-a-woman - would take the throne. But, she was still going to be careful.

"As clear as the water that cascades form the Bearrer's Vessel." Lord Kyzah murmured, staring at the ornate, intricate design of the floor before him as he fell to one knees.

The priestesses smirked to one another when the man refered to one fot he Twelve Celestials. It sounded so foreign formthe mouth of someone not Celestian. Even if Shakna were saying something in reference to the Celestials it was because she was an Heiress , the Queen, the ruler who was pre-ordained to rule by the Twelve Celestials themselves. It was in her blood, in her mind, in her heart and in her soul. She was a pure Celestian woman. But from this foreigner...it was entirely amusing.

"I am glad then, you understand." Shakna, despite her calm words was still livid. "I suggest that you return to your home and leaders. Notify them that war wil not be necessary. We will be strong enough to protect ourselves and we sill not proveok their nation intentionally."