The first order of business was for Marta to start cooking a large soup. Many of the Humans we rescued hadn't been fed nearly enough, and for that matter, the Lizardwomen hadn't been fed properly either. Once she and the healthier women had started on that, Lizards and Humans alike, I led the rest of the Lizards to where I thought would suffice for their nursery, or hatching grounds, it's hard to decide which term is apt. "Thisss isss perfect for the eggsss, but where will the Ssssanctum be?"

  I looked at her, somewhat stunned. "There will be no Sanctum, you aren't property, you are people. You have the exact same rights as any other. You will have rooms; if you prefer to have others with you, you can share rooms. I'd suggest choosing rooms on the North side of the Castle, as it will receive the most sun throughout the day, regardless of season." Their slit pupil eyes grew wide at this notion.

  "Majesty, I think this will be an adjustment for them; they've always been property up till now. I'll tend to helping them settle in." Jenna took charge of the Lizardwomen and led them away to pick rooms. Meanwhile, I looked at the human crowd that still ambled around, looking nervous.

  "How can we trust this WOMAN to protect us?!" Said a grisly-looking man. "She looks as weak as a twig! Surely I'd be better to lead us than HER!" I strode forward, picked him up bodily, and tossed him lightly, for me, into the air. The man soared upwards for roughly half the height of the Castle Tower, then began to fall back down, screaming the whole while. I moved a few paces to ensure I could catch him safely. He lay there in my arms, panting and whimpering.

  "I trust that will be the last thought of that sort you EVER have! Treason will not be tolerated!" The man, once released onto the ground, grovelled at my feet. He knew that his life was mine to take. I then smiled at the rest. "Had my Ancient-Ancestor not been deathly ill at the time of the Lizard Uprising, there is no way she would have fallen; her daughter was too young at the time to carry the power of the crown, and the very land itself. It is the LAND that decided that the WOMEN of my bloodline are the rulers of this land, it empowers us even without the Royal Combat Atire. She was sent away to grow stronger, and I can only imagine she had been traumatized by the sights she saw before she managed her escape. I know not what happened between then, and my own arrival in the land, but even knowing nothing, and being naked, I was already stronger than any pathetic filth that have oppressed my people for I have no clue how long. The laws of the past no longer exist, WE will forge new laws, but only I can rule, the land will permit no other."

  The rest of the people now looked much more confident. My display of power was something concrete they could understand, and I hadn't killed the man, THIS time. I helped them in finding rooms for themselves, and though we were few in number, it felt MUCH more homely now.

  The soup was portioned out in small amounts at my insistence. "This isn't me being cruel, Marta, I don't want them throwing up by trying to eat too much at once. Let them have as many refills as they want, but only small scoops per trip. Pace their eating so they will know when they are actually full, instead of eating too much and throwing it all back up. They'd lose more energy than they'd gain." Marta nodded a little sullen.

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  "I suppose you're right, My Queen, it just doesn't feel that way. I know they're all hungry, and were before they walked all the way here. Besides, Lyssrah was good to me, and even helped me escape with Tessa!" I gave her a side hug.

  Looking out across the room, I noticed Tessa sitting by one particular Lizardwoman. "Would that be Lyssrah?" I pointed to where Tessa was sitting, and Marta smiled warmly.

  "Yes, that's her; Tessa adores her. She told me you found her with the Headman, she was surprised you didn't kill her too, but very grateful. Thank you, My Queen, for sparing her." I shook my head.

  "I don't kill innocents. The females of the Lizardfolk are innocent victims, I freed them along with our own people. Now they ARE our people. Their hatchlings will be raised to respect others, and ESPECIALLY their Mothers!" Marta smiled at me, returning the side hug. I excused myself to join Tessa and Lyssrah.

  "We meet again, and I see little Tessa clinging to her friend." Lyssrah looked a little tense, no doubt thinking I wouldn't approve of Tessa's affections. I leaned in and gave Lyssrah a tight hug. "Welcome home!" Slit pupils wide in shock, Lyssrah soon returned the embrace. "Just curious, but how do you feed your newly hatched?"

  Startled, she soon laughed. "Believe it or not, we are Mammalsss too. Our bodiesss know when an egg SSSSHOULD hatch. It'sss actually more of a problem if the egg doesssn't hatch, asss our milk will ssstill ssstart flowing, regardlesssss of the fact our egg hasssn't hatched. Unlesssss there isss another hatchling to feed, it can be quite painful." I marvelled at that fact for a moment. Egg-laying mammals, the thought hadn't crossed my mind.

  "Would you prefer staying nude, or maybe some sort of cloth coverings would be in order? We humans are endothermic, huh, wonder where I learned THAT word, anyway, we make our own body heat, but we are more sensitive to the cold in some ways. We can keep moving just as fast as always, but at a certain point, it becomes fatal."

  "We don't make our own body heat. Your choiccce of roomsss wasss perfect for ussss! Thank you, My Queen, for your consssssideration!"

  "I suppose I'll move to the Royal Bedchambers. I don't really want to yet, but the room I put you in was the one I had chosen before. So I guess now is as good a time as any to move."

  Lyssrah shook her head violently. "No, pleassse! I chosssssse that room, becaussssse I knew it wassss yourssss! I wissssh to be by your sssside, to sssshare your bed, even when you are mated. I undersssstand if you can not return my affectionssss, but my heart beatssss for you, and no other! If you were willing, I'd assssk that you take pleassssure with me, and allow me to pleassssure you assswell!" Lyssrah seemed frantic to make me understand her feelings, and at least accept them from her, even if I couldn't accept her touch. "You musssst underssstand, that for my kind, we only mate once. It issssn't a choiccce either. When we find our mate, male or female, and apparently Lizardfolk, or human, we are bound at a deep level. The malesss didn't want to rissssk mating with usss, assss it would give usss power over them. The Headman of every Ssssettlement could tell which malesss would be mated to which femalesss. He paired people who wouldn't mate, ssso they could keep ussss contained. If I can't ssstay by your ssside, I will die. That'sss not me being melodramatic either, it'sss how my kind are. I wasss yoursss the moment we met, it'sss part of why I wasss ssso ssshocked, I never knew we could be matesss with a human."

  My eyes had popped open, but when she finished talking, I found myself kissing her passionately. I vowed in my heart that whoever my husband would be, he would be husband to my wife as well.