We found ourselves in a tense standoff, a frozen moment where neither of the parties involved dared to make the first move. The guards remained rigidly positioned on the walls above, their guns trained steadily on me, while I stood motionless below with my hands raised in peaceful surrender. There were definitely significant flaws in this particular plan of ours—I could acknowledge that readily enough—but those flaws didn't necessarily mean it shouldn't or couldn't work. We had discussed the risks extensively before I had hidden myself in that chest, and this was always going to be the most dangerous part of the entire operation.
In any case, I was reasonably confident I could get myself to safety if things went badly wrong. Or at least, that's what I kept telling myself to maintain my courage. My ability to escape depended primarily on whether I could react fast enough to teleport or shield myself before any of these nervous guards decided to actually shoot me with their relatively new innovation—the gun. The weapons represented a genuine threat even to someone with my abilities.
I had only seen guns demonstrated in action one time before—when Arvid had displayed what the weapons could do during our time in Draga, using them to impressive and terrifying effect. But since that initial demonstration, he had never really used them again in actual combat, even when it might have given him a tactical advantage.
When I had questioned him curiously about why he was so reluctant to employ such obviously powerful weapons, he had explained his reasoning simply: "Since our opponents don't have access to this modern military technology, using guns against them would result in nothing but a completely one-sided slaughter. It wouldn't be warfare—it would be an execution." And I had found myself agreeing wholeheartedly with his moral position on the matter. These weapons were genuinely dangerous, capable of killing from distances that made traditional defenses nearly useless. And with the incredible power of firearms backing them up, giving them military superiority over virtually any opponent, Selon had established itself as an empire that was truly a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.
For myself personally, I could confidently say I had the significant advantage of complete surprise on my side. Magic had all but vanished entirely from this world in the long centuries since dragons went extinct and their knowledge was lost. The creatures and most of the ancient races that had once been able to utilize magic effectively were also exceptionally rare these days, reduced to tiny populations hiding in remote corners of the world or gone altogether. Although the guards and common people called me a witch with fear and suspicion, even actual witches with real magical powers were considered mere folklore now—fantastical tales that adults told to young children to make them behave properly and obey their parents.
So in a world where magic had been relegated to nothing more than myth and legend, someone like myself had appeared bearing magic's full potential, wielding powers that hadn't been seen in centuries. The guards would be interested in what I represented, at the very least—interested and deeply curious, even though they were also undoubtedly terrified by the unknown. I didn't know exactly how much detailed intelligence that traitor Warush had managed to send back to Arpa about my capabilities before his death, but I was counting on the fact that nothing truly beats seeing something extraordinary with your own eyes. Written reports could be dismissed as exaggeration, but a living demonstration was undeniable.
And if that angle of approach still didn't work to gain me entry and an audience, if they remained too frightened to even talk to me, I had another card ready to play—another approach that might appeal to different motivations.
But since the guards didn't seem inclined toward moving or making any decisions at all, remaining frozen in their defensive positions, I decided to go ahead and use that backup plan immediately.
"I am the Queen of Draga," I announced loudly and clearly, ensuring my voice would carry to everyone within earshot. "I am also the official fiancée of the Selon Emperor. I have come here specifically to meet with the Emperor Regent. I have a deal, a proposition of mutual benefit, that I wish to make with him."
---
It took some considerable time—perhaps fifteen or twenty anxiety-filled minutes—for the massive doors to finally open. But nevertheless, eventually they did creak open with the sound of heavy bars being lifted. A man surrounded by a protective detail of well-armed soldiers walked out confidently to meet me. He clearly wasn't an ordinary soldier himself—his luxurious clothes announced that fact loudly to anyone with eyes to see. He wore elaborate silk robes in rich colors, embroidered extensively with gold thread in intricate patterns. He had the same dark skin tone common to this region, and his facial features were distinctively shaped in a way that distantly reminded me of Arvid, suggesting shared bloodline. His black hair had been carefully braided in an elaborate style and was adorned with expensive golden ornaments woven throughout.
"You claim to be the Draganian Queen?" he inquired, his voice notably deep and carrying a lustrous, educated quality. He fixed me with a penetrating, questioning gaze, evaluating me carefully from head to toe.
"That is correct. I am she," I replied to him with as much dignity and composure as I could project while standing alone and surrounded by armed men.
He appeared to go into some deep contemplation about my answer, weighing it against whatever information he already possessed. He seemed genuinely doubtful about my claim, but at the same time, he wasn't entirely dismissive either. My distinctively pale Northern skin spoke louder and more convincingly than any official documentation possibly could here in the far south, where absolutely everyone had various earthen-toned skin in different shades of brown. The physical differences were impossible to fake. And their eyes were invariably black, brown, or occasionally amber—never the lighter colors common in the North. Their facial features tended to be sharper and more angular as well, compared to the softer, rounder features typical of Northern peoples.
"My brother is the current Emperor Regent," he finally said, apparently having made some decision about how to proceed. "I am named Sathish, and I am one of the emperor's many cousins, part of the extended imperial family. What exactly do you want to discuss with my brother? And more importantly—weren't you supposed to be outside the walls with Arvid's army? How did you possibly manage to get inside past our security?"
He let all of his accumulated questions spill out, unable to contain his curiosity about the mystery I represented.
"That's quite simple, really—it's because I can use magic," I answered him directly, speaking as if this were the most natural thing in the world. "The current Emperor isn't particularly fond of my magical abilities. In fact, he fears and distrusts them, sees them as dangerous and uncontrollable. But I'm absolutely certain the Regent will not view me or my powers that way at all. I believe he will recognize that I can be extremely useful to him, a valuable asset rather than a threat."
I paused deliberately for effect, then continued with my carefully prepared pitch. "I can give you the way to kill him—to eliminate Arvid permanently. I'm sure you understand that simply closing the gates and standing in passive defense won't get you anywhere in the long term. He'll find a way in eventually, or he'll starve you out, or reinforcements will arrive. But if your brother listens to my proposal, if he's willing to work with me, then I am willing to use my considerable gifts and powers to kill the Selon Emperor myself. I can end this conflict decisively in your favor."
His eyes immediately glistened with barely concealed interest and excitement at my bold offer. "My, my—aren't you quite a vile and treacherous woman?" he said, though his tone suggested fascination rather than moral condemnation. "The intelligence reports we received said that you were supposedly so completely infatuated with my cousin Arvid, practically in love with him. But now you're standing here saying something entirely different, offering to betray and murder him. How am I supposed to believe anything you say? What proof can you offer of your sincerity?"
He asked the question while scrutinizing my every subtle move and micro-expression, watching for any sign of deception. I realized he was deliberately feigning more ignorance than he actually possessed. He likely knew far more about the true situation than he was letting on, but was acting like he didn't have detailed information. It was a test, seeing how I would respond.
"The reason for my change of heart is quite straightforward—it's because I desperately need to survive," I said, allowing genuine emotion to creep into my voice. "I'm nothing but a weak woman who couldn't protect her own kingdom when it was threatened. I had no choice but to essentially sell myself to a complete stranger, agreeing to marry someone I'd never met, just to prevent a devastating war that would have killed thousands of my people. How could I ever truly love him under those circumstances? How could anyone?"
I let out a theatrical sob, and I forced tears to start falling from my eyes, running down my cheeks. The emotional display wasn't entirely false—there was real pain and frustration buried in my words, real grief for everything I had lost, even if my current loyalty to Arvid was genuine.
"All I have ever wanted, all I dream about, is to go back home—to return to my true home in Draga, to my own people and my own lands," I continued, my voice breaking convincingly. "I just desperately hope that the Regent can grant me this one simple wish, this one thing I desire above all else. In exchange, I will make him the undisputed Emperor of Selon, removing his rival permanently. Surely that's a fair trade?"
I let out another sob for good measure and wiped at my eyes with the back of my hand, the very picture of a desperate, heartbroken woman at the end of her resources.
His eyes noticeably softened as he watched my emotional breakdown, his expression shifting from suspicion to something approaching sympathy. "Dear lady, you need not weep so bitterly," he said, his voice taking on a gentler, more reassuring quality. "My brother may be somewhat rough around the edges in his manner and methods, I'll freely admit that. But fundamentally, he is a gentleman at heart. He will absolutely fulfill your reasonable wishes and grant you what you desire. Please, come with me. Let me escort you to meet him properly."
He extended his hand toward me in a gesture of assistance and alliance.
I grabbed onto his offered hand like my very life depended on it, holding on perhaps a bit too tightly, playing the role of the frightened, desperate woman to perfection.
The huge ornate doors to the imperial castle grounds opened fully with a deep, heavy groaning sound as ancient mechanisms turned. The overwhelming scent of flowers and various types of burning incense immediately hit my nose in a fragrant wave—jasmine, rose, sandalwood, and a dozen other scents I couldn't immediately identify all mixing together. And spread out before my eyes was an absolutely magnificent garden, more elaborate and beautiful than anything I had seen before. Carefully manicured paths wound between flower beds bursting with colorful blooms, elegant fountains provided soothing water sounds, and artistic sculptures were positioned at strategic points throughout.
The man named Sathish courteously escorted me inside, guiding me along the garden paths toward the castle proper, while armed guards followed at a discreet but watchful distance.
The trap had been set. Now I just had to spring it at exactly the right moment.