[Queens Paradise: Prologue - Queen of the Forest]

[11:42] <!Emilybroshoujo> [Queens Paradise: Prologue - Queen of the Forest]
[11:43] <!Emilybroshoujo> BANG BANG BANG
[11:44] <!Emilybroshoujo> Aldeas and Lucia's dinner is interrupted by a loud banging on the door of the throne room.
[11:44] <!Emilybroshoujo> "... Shouldn't the guards have stopped anyone from reaching the door like that?" Lucia says with slight concern.
[11:44] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Open it." Aldeas says with a grin.
[11:45] <!Emilybroshoujo> Servants open the double doors and a large oak tree is hurled at Aldeas' throne like a spear.
[11:45] <!Emilybroshoujo> Lucia cowers but Aldeas doesn't even flinch as the tree is instantly vaporized by Zephros.
[11:46] <!Emilybroshoujo> The smoldering ashes of the tree still swathed in blue flames are whisked away by the wind.
[11:46] <!Emilybroshoujo> Standing at the door seething is a small girl with green skin and dark green hair.
[11:47] <!Emilybroshoujo> Her grown of daisies and dress of woven grass give her a simple appearance but her monstrous strength and the fact all the guards are bound head to toe in large roots that erupt up from the stone stairs leave no mistaking in who she is.
[11:48] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Greetings lady Asho-" Aldeas attempts to say as with a yell a wall of razor sharp thorns erupts forward from the girl as if conjured from her body.
[11:48] <!Emilybroshoujo> The wave of dangerous pointy plant things is of course quickly reduced to ash by Zephros who sighs.
[11:49] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Greetings Lady Ashora." Aldeas says with a smile as he finishes his tea.
[11:49] <!Emilybroshoujo> The small girl stomps up to Aldeas and holds her invitation to the peace talks up to his face.
[11:50] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I'm here, now STOP CUTTING DOWN MY TREES YOU JERK!" She says with her cheeks puffed up.
[11:50] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It's not that simple of an issue, we need wood."
[11:51] <!Emilybroshoujo> The small Alraune screams and the ground shakes as she prepares to crush the entire capital under the roots of a great tree.
[11:51] <!Emilybroshoujo> "However, I did invite you here to discuss a conservation program and the protection of the sacred groves."
[11:52] <!Emilybroshoujo> Ashora stops with her hands still in the air and her face still contorted with anger.
[11:52] <!Emilybroshoujo> Aldeas sips the tea just refilled by Hilda.
[11:52] <!Emilybroshoujo> Ashora drops her arms and sighs.
[11:53] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Fine, I'll listen."
[11:53] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Wonderful." Aldeas says with a grin.
[11:54] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I'd like to fully stop all deforesting in the sacred groves but we need clear borders of where they are to do that."
[11:54] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It's certainly not our goal to kill helpless Alraune or make dryads homeless."
[11:55] <!Emilybroshoujo> Ashora puffs up her cheeks and sits cross legged.
[11:55] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Then what about the bunnies and squirrels." She says poutily.
[11:56] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Of course the cute forest creatures are a concern to, I'd like to begin a reforestation program to replant trees in any area we harvest and prevent harvesting in the same area more than once every few decades."
[11:56] <!Emilybroshoujo> Ashora seems to soften her expression.
[11:57] <!Emilybroshoujo> "That's a long term solution but what will you do about those machines..." She says, her green eyes appearing more hopeful.
[11:57] <!Emilybroshoujo> "... Machines?" Aldeas says.
[11:57] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Big metal things that smash up the forest and strip away the trees.
[11:58] <!Emilybroshoujo> They're solid metal so I couldn't smash them myself."
[11:58] <!Emilybroshoujo> ...
[11:58] <!Emilybroshoujo> The room grows deathly silent.
[11:58] <!Emilybroshoujo> Zephros twitches and clenches his fist as if suppressing anger and Kendrick sighs and places a hand on his shoulder.
[11:59] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It's her." Aldeas says as he sqeezes his hands together in front of his face tightly.
[11:59] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I will see to it the machines are stopped as well. At any cost, if you are our allies we will not allow your homes to be destroyed." Aldeas says, a terrifying conviction forming in his eyes.
[12:00] <!Emilybroshoujo> Lucia makes a pained expression and Ashora seems to understand.
[12:00] <!Emilybroshoujo> "They're not your machines then... okay..."
[12:01] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I'll stay here for the peace talks, but at the rate they're going they reach the most vulnerable sacred groves in a few months and clear miles of forest in the interim..."
[12:01] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Then we'll need to hurry won't we." Aldeas says as he forces a smile.
[12:01] <!Emilybroshoujo> Ashora shakes her head.
[12:01] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I might be simple minded, but I'm not a child... I can see how delicate of a situation this probably is."
[12:02] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I don't want your people to suffer either."
[12:02] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It's not a matter of my people or your my lady, the purpose of this gathering is so that no one has to suffer." Aldeas replies.
[12:03] <!Emilybroshoujo> "We all have to share a world, right?"
[12:03] <!Emilybroshoujo> Ashora smiles and nods.
[12:03] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Kendrick, show Lady Ashora to her room."
[12:03] <!Emilybroshoujo> "You got it Al-" SMACK
[12:03] <!Emilybroshoujo> Zephros punches Kendrick in the head.
[12:04] <!Emilybroshoujo> "I mean.... yes your majesty." Kendrick bows and motions for Ashora to follow him.
[12:05] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It would seem Aleira is becoming emboldened, the war balloon you saw was only one of her machinations..." Zephros says solemnly.
[12:06] <!Emilybroshoujo> "She always was good at building things..." Aldeas says with a listful grin.
[12:06] <!Emilybroshoujo> "How many men do you think she's gathered?" Lucia asks the question everyone is thinking.
[12:06] <!Emilybroshoujo> Zephros stands silently.
[12:07] <!Emilybroshoujo> "Why don't you ask father how many men she has?" Aldeas says.
[12:07] <!Emilybroshoujo> It's true...
[12:08] <!Emilybroshoujo> How many racists, or zealots, or soldiers still loyal to the old king are following her in her selfish rebellion?
[12:08] <!Emilybroshoujo> Beyond that how many has she swayed with her charisma?
[12:09] <!Emilybroshoujo> "It can't be enough for an all out war can it?" Lucia asks again innocently.
[12:09] <!Emilybroshoujo> No one says anything but they all know the answer.
[12:09] <!Emilybroshoujo> It could...
[12:09] <!Emilybroshoujo> [Queen of the Forest - End]