Chrysalis

The revered Queen Verita of Liria, second of her name, defender of the frontier and upholder of the Lion tenants of her ancestors was pissed.

Long had she puzzled over how the enemy had been able to gather so many more troops than she had been able to anticipate. Her closest advisors had worked with her on their strategy. The careful plotting, endless information gathering, debates and planning had been overthrown when her soldiers had been soundly defeated and outnumbered when the trap had finally been sprung and her enemies dashed out of the shadows into the light.

Where had all these fighters come from?

Seeing those organised warriors at the castle door was one thing and now looking at these disciplined soldiers dressed in mercenary gear arrayed against them before the dais of her own throne it all became clear.

These were not mercenaries or hirelings brought in to bolster the numbers for the fight. These were trained soldiers from a nearby kingdom! There must be a hundred of them there! This isn't a small number by any means. Someone must have wanted to interfere in the political situation in Liria desperately to commit so many of their people to a coup in another country!

Seeing the Andron ambassador standing beside Corrin as the filthy Mercenary Union lounged on Verita's throne she could easily guess who it had been.

"Great Queen Verita, how nice of you to join us" drawled Corrin, one leg dangling over the side of the throne, "we were just wondering when my coronation should be held. You wouldn't have any input on the matter would you?"

Verita disregarded the mercenary as beneath her notice and turned instead towards the ambassador Regix.

"Regix, so interesting to see you here. Incredible how quickly the kingdom of Andron has been able to adjust to the changing landscape here in Liria. One could be forgiven for thinking that you had known about all of this in advance" she said.

The ambassador smiled tightly and turned to Corrin, deferring to the Union leader.

Enjoying the display of her authority Corrin beamed at her former Queen.

"Don't be upset Verita. It turns out people other than me can notice how incompetent your reign has been. Our friends from across the border wanted to assist the people of Liria to have good governance, for once".

her eyes

thing you cared about was money and

wider. "It's important to pretend in front of the street rats though" she gestured towards the townsfolk nervously clutching their weapons behind their Queen, "I can't very well say to the public that I'll be rewarded with mountains of gold by Andron for destroying your rule and handing over the governance of our nation to a neighbouring country

Verita at those words. Her family had founded this Kingdom, her own kin had fought and died in the campaign to liberate these lands from the monsters. Since then they had tirelessly worked to raise this nation

risen so far and so quickly that their neighbour to the north feared they would be overshadowed and eventually absorbed. After all, it was Liria that was able to expand their territory by pushing south, Andron had nowhere to go. Rather than

admit it made sense. Had she been Queen of Andron she might

she was Queen Verita Leocor of the Leocor's. Liria was her kingdom and she'd be damned before she gave

to surrender yourself to me for judgement.

and chuckled to himself but Corrin was more unrestrained,

you got back inside the city but the only that did is save me the trouble of hunting you down in the countryside and putting you down like a dog. You're outmatched here, give it up and I'll kill you

the sadistic look in the others' eyes Queen Verita sincerely doubted a quick death featured at all in her

the front. As one the soldiers arrayed before her tensed and even Corrin's eyes widened in surprise. Without even turning Verita knew exactly who it was that was

to allow communication between her and the monster. As soon as the weave was done the cold and emotionless voice she had still not grown

are these worms?]

wasn't accustomed to being spoken to with the constant disrespect and rudeness she received from this monster but she

me and a century

feel the weary disinterest rolling off the creature in waves, confusing her.

face. "You've even allied with a monster in order to regain your throne Verita? What would your precious Legion say

I separate

toward

Those people all have to die and you will have your reward, are you

over again. The baffling magic that it was able to use continually surprised her,