[center][b][color=ed1c24]Queen Lamia[/color] - Cauldron Keep, Northern Yrdring[/b][/center]

The sound of fabric shuffling awoke her from her deep sleep. Lazily, slowly, she began to stretch her spindly limbs in an effort to regain her bearings. Towering columns of smoke dominated the landscape that was revealed, as well as the cold sun who only brought moderate warmth to the land. Yet, inside the chambers of the Queen, the heat that permeated the rock of its surroundings made Cauldron Keep a place to rest, even if one could never rest for long, given how the black volcanic stone castle was sitting under an active volcano. 

Some kings in the past had detested it, but for Queen Lamia? It was the perfect power base. Close to large gatherings of mana, with an ashen setting good for her children. Her eyes rested upon the maid who was now trying to brush her hair and offer some clothes to change from her nightgown from. Would she ever suspect that who she was serving found her almost as tasty as useful? The irony made her chuckle so slightly.

Several high pitched roars were heard, as reptilian creatures, larger than any bird took to fly over the hot air and fumes of the mountain, in energetic acrobatic displays. The young and small were always so full of vitality. Surprisingly the maid did not even flinch. She had grown up used to the creatures, and even under their roars she kept on getting her Queen ready.

When all was said and done, however, Queen Lamia's breakfast was rudely interrupted by a man who desired a hearing urgently. Normally this would have warranted a hefty punishment, but men who claimed to speak on behalf of the Gods were afforded courtesies that a lot of other folks would have found hard to receive. He stood in front of the throne room. Rude and with a sense of empowerment. Lamia did not break her stride as she walking elegantly and sat on the throne, now dressed in a regalia of red silk, pelts and gold. Her piercing golden eyes met that with the other man.

He was redder than some of the stones that lied in the belly of the volcano. His robes could barely contain his ... ponderous presence as his bald head shone in the light of the morning. His double chin wobbled ominously as meaty hands covered in rings pointed accusatory fingers at herself. He was being exceedingly rude.

"YOU SORCEROUS HARLOT. KNOW THAT YOUR TIME IS NIGH. THIS HUMBLE SERVANT KNOWS. REPENT AND CONFESS YOUR SINS." He denounced, in a booming voice.

[i][color=ed1c24]Humble? Any more gold and he would be a crown.[/color][/i] Lamia thought to herself, before mentally steeling herself. She felt cold and cramped. Restrained in such a small uncomfortable form. [color=ed1c24]"So...Bishop Bard, is this about the tithes?"[/color]

"THESE TITHES WERE THE CONTRITION OF THE CROWN TOWARDS THE CHURCH, BUT THEY ARE A MERE PART OF IT! NO PIOUS MAN CAN STAND THIS FARCE ANY LONGER. A HEIRLESS QUEEN SHALL NEVER SIT ON THE THRONE! BE GONE WITH YOU! OR YOU WILL FACE THE WRATH OF THE GODS!"

Lamia rested her head on her hand, eyeing the furious display. Ferocious indeed. It was no secret the church had taken kindly she was playing with the big boys in what was otherwise a male-dominated society. She also knew that some of the extended family of the king, had taken this chance to erode her standing, in order to seize the crown themselves. An admirable goal, but they should have chosen their opponents more carefully.

[color=ed1c24]"Will it help if I make the payment?"[/color] Lamia said with a dispassionate interest.

"IT WILL NOT SAVE YOUR STANDING, BUT IT WILL BE SEEN AS ACT OF CONTRITION." The portly man said. Without further prompt, the Queen stood up, her eyes fixated on the priest.

[color=ed1c24]"All right, I will give your gold. Follow me to the vaults, Bishop. Brandt, escort us and close the door afterwards."[/color] The queen said, grabbing a torch and indicated where to make the descent. It was done in silence, among a corridor of black stones that sank deeper and deeper into the earth. Underneath the castle, a massive dome of a cave had been made a vault, a thick steel door covering its entrance.

Oddly enough there were no guards. The bishop did not notice even as the door closed after him. He saw the glitter of gold in the distance. He began to move pretty fast for a man his size would allow, the queen thought. She then started to discard her pieces of clothing silently. He also failed to notice that.

He was too engrossed counting the coins. Something fast and scaly tackled him. A dragonling, one of the most young, was inside the vault. A quick reveal showed there was an entrance on one of the walls near the ceiling. Impossible for a human, but not for a young beast.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!" The bishop seemed furious, as he eyed the darkness. The queen was gone, her clothes had been set aside. Her voice, however, coyly spoke from the shadows of the vault.

[color=ed1c24]"Oh, technically because the gold is his. The young ones like to play with the glitter it seems... It calms them down."[/color]

It was then when the cleric put two and two together. "This...is no vault." The raging inferno of his voice "It's actually a [i]lair[/i]..." He said, as he then eyed the exit. The darkness was encroaching him. He could not see a thing. Frighteningly, he invoked the gods for more light. And he immediately regretted it. 

[color=ed1c24][b]"Took you long enough to realize, you fool."[/b][/color] said a booming monstrous voice, before a mouth full of sword-like teeth, black as a night, closed upon him.

Upon her exit, a few minutes after, the guard was awaiting. "Your Majesty?"

[color=ed1c24]"Search and destroy every single of these insurgents. I want them reduced to cinders. Thyrax will assist you if need be. But I want people to know this is the kind of thing I do not forgive."[/color] She commanded her thrall firmly. And then she recalled something. [color=ed1c24]"I will send Ulf and Carexes once they have finished the diplomatic mission in Wanderneir."[/color]

"Ulf? Pardon me your majesty, but isn't he unsuitable for diplomatic purposes?" He answered.

[color=ed1c24]"Exactly. He should be making a mighty fool of himself at the court soon."[/color]. Queen Lamia grinned. She only needed a reason to do what she liked to do the most. Conquer and raze.