We made our slow return, being as discreet as possible, meeting with the supply mission at the midway point as intended. My new husband was named Dillon of the house af Regulus, which, apparently, ages in the past, was the royal line, but having no female heirs of the direct line, a granddaughter had become Queen with a new family name. Even if I had the thought of it being weird, the Bond made it impossible to care.
Once we arrived at the Castle, we wasted no time in announcing the fact that I had my King Consort, and would be considered as already married from that point on. We would hold a ceremony once the nation was whole once more, but until then, it was already official in every important respect. Translation, our Husband had not one, but two women to please, and he didn't disappoint.
With our newlywed coitus taken care of, and both I and Lyssrah happily sore in all the right places, I decided that we needed to plan out our next move, even if it wasn't going to be for months to come. Jenna, and her entire force were gathered in the main hall, as we discussed the future.
"My Queen, surely we should push to vanquish our foe now, not wait for months! Why are you delaying things?!" Asked one of the new rule morons.
"What good is it to defeat our foe, and die of starvation or the elements?! The delay is required; we need food and shelter established before we pursue any further action. Without those in place, our people will starve and die. They may not be far above starvation, and I hate leaving anyone in that predicament, but they will survive until we are ready to house them. This meeting is to discuss which settlement, of the remaining seven, we will strike next, and why. Further, you new rule morons aren't even involved, as you know full well. Mind your place, that you earned by your own actions!"
"My Queen,... " Jenna spoke out. "We should, in my opinion, attack the furthest settlement next. If you look on the map of the grasslands, it might take nearly a month to reach, but that's going straight across the plains; the Lizardfolk, without our assistance, can't manage that, and it would be almost impossible for them to suspect we came from the castle. Also, if you cleared the construction sites and then stack the blocks first, then the housing situation can be solved by the time the force returns, while you are tending to the blocks, we can work on food production. Theoretically, this would allow us to begin our mission in two weeks, rather than waiting for months. The trip there being a month, or perhaps slightly less, then the trip back being at least a month, if not more, with the Lizardwomen and their eggs, it should work out."
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I deliberated for a moment before facing everyone else. "That sounds much more reasonable, anyone have anything to add? I'm tempted to agree with this proposal, but I want any concerns aired, and addressed before we progress with anything." There were some whispers, but ultimately nobody had anything to say.
"Huh, maybe I should find the resistance, then maybe something would get done!" Stated the idiot from before.
With a snap of my fingers, he was seized. "That was a treasonous statement. I, in just these last two months, with amnesia, have already liberated not one, but three settlements. You morons have had centuries without one of my bloodline to lead you, and what have you accomplished? Living like dogs in a camp deep in the jungle, barely surviving, constantly being hunted by the Lizard Filth investing my nation?! Being dissatisfied is perfectly allowable, but your comment is a bridge too far. We can not allow any news of us to reach the resistance until after the war is over, not before. There is no reason for me to take the risk of allowing one such as yourself to wander free any longer. The question now is, do we imprison you until the end of the war, or execute you to save resources, and set an example of some things being fatal to utter? Show of hands, all those in favor of imprisonment."
Only a smattering of people raised their hands, but when I called for execution, all the remaining hands went up, including those who were standing outside the discussion. I knew that it was a dangerous precedent to set, just killing everyone, and allowing the people's voice to choose in this case was the only correct choice. I pointed to one woman, and on the spot appointed her as the legal executioner. She bowed and went to the armory to retrieve the executioner's ax, which nobody had reason to touch prior to this occasion. The last few New Rule morons, all three of them looked on in shock as one of their member was beheaded in front of the entire populous of the Castle, and surrounding city. His crime of intended treason was read for formalities' sake, and the ax came down.
The final three idiots, I think, finally understood that their thoughts were idealistic at best. Only by following me would they ever know freedom and have the chance at happiness. I spent the better part of two days clearing out the rubble and stacking the good blocks to be reused. Even I was surprised at just how fast I cleared and stacked everything. My lovers kept me amply distracted each night, and we all slept in a heap on my bed in the royal bedchambers. It would be no wonder if I ended up pregnant, and only slightly less of a wonder if Lyssrah did as well. Was it even possible for a Human male to impregnate a Lizardwoman?
I woke up one morning in somewhat of a cold sweat. Flashes of memory flooded my dreams the night before. Vanessa, a name I once knew. Tears flooded my cheeks as my husband and wife attempted to comfort me. Vanessa, that was who had kept me alive in that wretched boat. Letting loose wracking sobs, I released my grief at the loss of my personal maid. Rage was there too, as I saw a man's face, one I had trusted, but he was the very one who had tried to kill me; only Vanessa's quick thinking allowed us to flee on that stupid boat. I knew what he had been to me, even if I didn't remember his name, the title would do, BROTHER! "If I ever get my hands on you, BROTHER, you will wish you had died at sea!!!"
