‘Lord Neutral, movethose trixies.’ demanded Darkmantle gruffly.
‘Princess Gemelica isalso a contender.’
Lord Neutral quicklymoved to the trixies with two guards and asked them to move. Theyrefused to budge waiting for Miranda to approve. She thanked themfor their support and asked them to move back as the contest wasnot yet over. They reluctantly left and Gemelica with her favourite‘Bird of Prey’ glamour covering her strutted towards thethrone.
The moment she reachedthe line on the floor the four pools of metal from the statuesbegan flowing across the floor and pooled together in front of herreforming into a large bronze cobra snake, which raised its head upin an aggressive striking pose, blocking her way.
She stopped dead inher tracks. She disliked snakes as they reminded her of her motherwho revelled in them. She saw this as the spirit of her motherblocking her way to the throne. Her mother must have guessed inthose last few seconds that she had been setup by Darkmantle andher daughter.
‘No mother.’ shethought, ‘neither you nor that other bitch are going to block mefrom my birthright.’
She pointed to theground in front of her and her glamour slid off her body reformingin front of her as a snakebird. These were tall gangly birds withlong bony legs that were the natural enemies of snakes.
‘Destroy that metalobscenity.’ she commanded and the snakebird stalked off towards themetal cobra. The snake struck at the bird but it was surprisinglyagile ducking out of the way and kicking the snake on its bodymaking a solid metallic thud.
After an entertainingcouple of minutes of strikes and bone jarring kicks the bird won.It strutted back and flowed back over Gemelica’s nude bodyreforming the ‘Bird of Prey’ glamour.
‘That’s a neat trick.’said Aquitain. ‘How did she do that?’
‘The glamour isn’t aglamour.’ replied Yllandril.
‘The royal family havepersonal guards that are particularly skillfull shape changers.They literally wear their shape changer guard as a glamour.’
Gemelica walked to thethrone and the fire on the unclaimed throne arm stopped. This istoo easy she thought as she reached to touch it. Instantly a snakeappeared wrapped around the throne arm and its head struck outbiting into her arm.
She let out a yell andpulled her arm back pulling the snake off the throne arm. Itimmediately wrapped itself around her arm with its jaws bitingdeeply into her arm. She could feel the poison flowing. Her arm wasthrobbing and hurting. She commanded her guard to pull it off.
The glamour flowed offher body reforming into an Elendari female who then tried to grabthe snake to pull it off but her hand passed through it.
‘It’s an illusion yourhighness,’ shouted the guard, ‘I can’t get hold of it.’
‘Damn you mother.’said Gemelica and totally ignoring the illusory snake walked to thethrone and slammed her other hand onto the throne arm.
‘I submit to testing.’she shouted and the snake disappeared.
‘You are acceptable!’boomed the throne’s mindspeak voice.
‘I thought you didn’tknow much about illusions.’ said Aquitain.
‘I told you I havejust unlocked a lot of hidden memories. It seems that I did knowhow to do impressive illusions!’ replied Terrin with a chuckle.
‘How did you make themetal snake seem solid.’ asked Aquitain.
‘I formed it out ofhardened air. Like an airshield and cloaked it in the snakeillusion. Quite effective eh.’ replied Terrin.
Darkmantle’s factionerupted. They cheered and yelled stating that their Princess wasthe true Queen.
Gemelica turned to thecrowd and stated, ‘I pronounce that by virtue of the fact that LordDarkmantle holds the Queen’s Champion’s sceptre, he is Queen’sChampion and as such has precedence over the Royal Mage. He willofficiate from now on.’
Llalorax quicklycountered with ‘Only a Queen may name a Royal champion and you arenot yet a Queen. However, you may name him your champion but theother contender also has the right to name a champion.
There was silence asthe onlookers wondered whom Miranda was going to name as herchampion.
‘Hello my love, I’llbe your champion.’ said Aquitain through the mindlink. Miranda wasstartled for a moment then concentrated on the link and saw anothermind was present.
‘You sound likeAquitain but I know his spirit aura and it’s not like yours.’
‘I’ve changed alittle.’ he replied and he sent an image of the passion flower.
Miranda went weak inthe knees. She needed no more proof. She held that image andfeeling sacred in her own mind.
‘I name Lord Aquitain,Warden of Moonmist as my champion.’ she announced in a regalvoice.
There was absolutesilence for a few moments as her statement sank in, then a buzz ofexcitement swept around the room. It was true. A new Warden hadbeen chosen. The first in hundreds of years and this new Queen wasclaiming him as her champion.
The trixies jumped andyelled ‘Yes, Yes. Lord Aquitain the new Warden of Moonmist is ourChampion.’
Darkmantle almost hada heart attack. Could it be true? Had a new Warden been appointed?Why hadn’t he been informed? But who was this Aquitain fellow. Heremembered his name had cropped up a few times recently… it can’tbe true.
‘That was your cue Ibelieve.’ said Terrin into Aquitain’s mind.
‘Better make aspectacular entrance.’ and Aquitain looking through Yllandril’seyes telekinetically floated down onto Miranda’s shoulder.
‘You called my Queen.’He blasted out using mindspeak to everyone.
There was absolutesilence for several seconds then someone began laughing. Suddenlythe whole crowd began laughing. Darkmantle was quick to capitalizeon the situation.
‘This is yourchampion? This is the Warden of Moonmist? Surely this is your dildothat you use during your fantasies?
Everyone exceptMiranda, Yllandril and Llalorax laughed.
‘Action speaks louderthan your crude attempt at comedy.’ said Miranda. ‘Do you wish tofight my champion? Since you challenged my champion he has theright to select the weapon. Is that correct Lord Darkmantle?’
‘You are quite correctmy Lady.’ replied Darkmantle.
‘You will addressQueen Miranda as ‘Your Highness’ at all times Lord Darkmantle.’demanded Llalorax acerbically.
‘My apologies, YourHighness.’ replied Darkmantle bowing deeply and sarcasticallysaid.
‘Does your championselect pikes or great swords.’
The crowd roared withlaughter.
Aquitain replied ‘Theweapon will be illusion.’
Darkmantle couldn’tbelieve what he heard. He was considered the best illusionist inthe kingdom.
‘Done.’ he repliedquickly without thinking.
‘I accept. Name yourterms.’
‘Your beast versusmine, winner takes all.’
‘Done.’ agreedDarkmantle suddenly
