Eileen sat on her throne and watched coolly as foreign men broke in the door to her chambers, tossing the large battering ram to the ground as they entered, completely surrounding her, steel brandished and anger clear on their faces. The queen had received word weeks prior of the invasion that was being planned on her castle. If they had been paying any attention, they might have questioned why they did not encounter any resistance as they stormed the castle, or that the doors to her throne chambers were not actually locked or boarded. They could have merely used it like normal people instead of busting through with a massive battering ram. And perhaps they would have thought it odd that it took only a single blow to blow the doors open, but they were too busy reveling in their manliness to notice.
The first began hurling words at her, but she looked at him, not understanding. She had never bothered to learn their language. She knew what he was saying regardless. Accusing and insulting her for her actions, those that were draining his people and their land, taking their resources and their power. He had no idea what it meant to rule a kingdom, what kind of things were needed to rule so many people under a singular rule. He was mad over things that no other kingdom would blink at. Things like taxes and a regulation of economy. It seemed as though every primitive culture she took under wing was so callous and rude. But they would learn.
She did not flinch as the man pointed his sword in her face, threatening to take her life if she were not to free them from the shackles and bonds that she had placed on them without their consent. Never mind that they had signed the treaties stating that they agreed to join her kingdom, or that they had more food than they had ever had before. They would claim not to have been told the full truth about her rule. But they had been informed.
Eileen lifted the staff that had been in her lap with one hand, staring the man in the eyes as she did so, his sword pointing directly between her eyes and hovering only a few inches away from her face. Every eye in the room was directed on her, watching her every movement. They were prepared to stop her if she chose to fight back. To rip her life away from her body and reclaim their home as their own.
They would not be fast enough. No one ever was.
The man lunged forward the instant he saw her staff begin to glow, but his sword couldn't pierce the shell that was before her face. As if in slow motion, he looked up to see the massive dragon that had simply appeared in the room, encircling Eileen and staring down at him with death in his eyes. Fear drained everything else from his body, and his sword clattered to the ground.
If only they knew how many were in the air around them at all times. How they watched the people in their homes, waiting for them to falter and fall. She was merely trying to protect them. But they always had to fight back.
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