Shattered Moonstone

Taaffeite emerged from the cart to see Alexa and the newly appointed Saffron standing above an unconscious Hecatolite, a Babylon terminal flaring between the two as they argued.

“She is my sister, like hell I’m letting a perverted demon like you dress her.” Alexa snapped, as she moved to pick up the limp girl.

Saffron quickly blocked her with a wing, “it is my duty to watch over my mistress. This task should be left to her proper followers.” Babylon translated, though the robotic voice of Babylon failed to convey the force that Saffron put behind her voice. “How could I allow you who has sworn yourself to another god lay your *filthy* hands on her.” Taaffeite being the only one to read the terminal was the only one to catch that it had… omitted a word or two in its speech.

“Filthy! You have room to talk demon, I smell that stench from here! Or did you think no one would notice that wet spot.” Alexa attempted to push past the black leathery wall that separated them. Taaffeite may not know the demonic language but after hearing it for the past few weeks she knew that it tended to be a long-winded language, meaning that the short few grunts and growls that Babylon had emitted in translation could only have been a very abridged version of what had been spoken.

She silently thanked the skill for not escalating the situation as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Enough you two.” She did not yell, yet the two froze at the sound of her voice. “I will dress the two of them. Succubus, go clean yourself before the royal caravan gets here, Alexa have the guards set up a proper perimeter. When you both are done with that you can work together to set up a proper meeting spot, I assume you know where the spatial ring in the carriage is Alexa?” Both women snapped to attention as Taaffeite walked between them, neither of them willing to challenge her as she picked up her daughter off the ground. “Seriously, you both claim you want what’s best for her,”  she gently dusted dirt from her cheek, “yet you tossed her into the dirt without a care. What are you waiting for? Go!” She snapped at them, both of them looking rather ashamed of their blunder as they silently parted to do what was assigned to them.

Taaffeite felt a tingle in the back of her mind causing her to look up the dirt road, she brought a lot of knights with her. She thought as a wave of magical pressure washed over her. They must have sped up when they felt Hecatolite. She sighed realizing the royal guard would be here within the hour, “Index, if both Amethyst and Hecatolite are awake can you please tell them to quickly get back into their body.” The Babylon terminal that the two arguing women had left flashed in response, “and Babylon, please be more mindful with your deceptions, if either of them noticed they would be furious.” She chuckled as the terminal actually shrank a little in response. 

“I will keep that in mind matriarch. I simply believed it would be counterproductive for Saffron and Alexa to fight currently.” It replied as she made her way to the covered wagon. 

“Saffron, huh?” She wasn’t angry that the skill had developed the knowledge to deceive them, it was clear it had no intent to be malicious. She was actually relieved to see that it had enough self-thought to know that if Alexa and a demon lord were to begin fighting in earnest, it would have dire consequences for them all. “I agree, come, I have questions about my daughter’s newfound divinity.”

Nearly forty minutes later.

Five people stood in front of a large tent that had been erected in the clearing, Taaffeite shot a glance at the group around her.

Her husband’s jovial voice entering her mind, A archmage, a priest, and a demon lord walk into a bar. She grinned at the thought as she looked down at the fidgeting Amethyst, I pray this goes smoothly. 

She had done all the preparations she could, she had briefed every one of them on what she believed to come, even arranged the guards in such a manner to be attentive but not threatening. She went over every detail in her mind as the first sounds of hooves filled the air.

It took mere moments for them to be surrounded by dozens of horsemen who circled the camp several times before they sounded a sharp whistle. The sounds of hooves were quickly replaced by the uniformed rumble of hundreds of men marching.

“Be calm Amethyst.” Taaffeite spoke softly as the young girl began to look around, the clear signs of panic as she stepped back.

“It's... so loud.” She stammered as the ground shook. 

“It is an army.” Alexa said, straightening herself as the first few soldiers came into sight. 

Taaffeite nodded looking to Saffron, the succubus stood behind Amethyst, her illusion re-applied not in hopes to deceive anyone but simply to allow conversations to start before they had to explain a demon to the queen. “Irithyl is not one for needless flair, but I doubt her generals would allow her to leave the capital without at least a force this size. Even this feels small if you ask me, she is the Queen.”

“How… how do you know the queen is coming?” Amethyst asked as the soldiers began to take up an encirclement around them.

“It’s simple really,” Taaffeite smiled, “she would never miss a chance to take a stroll to meet me.” In a strange moment of pride, Taaffeite boasted to her daughter that Irithyl herself would always come to their family if they wanted but in truth, she had personally seen the queen when she scouted the approaching army, even from the distance of miles the queen had spotted her mirror in the sky and waved.

It was nearly a half hour later before the surrounding soldiers parted, allowing entrance for a group of men in flashy armor that took place kneeling on either side of the road.

“Who are they?” Amethyst asked, cocking her head, “Hecatolite says their armor looks… useless.”

Taaffeite couldn’t help but laugh, “they are ride alongs, simply nosey nobles who followed the marching army. She must have left in a hurry. Normally there would be more people on her heels. And she is right, those suits of armor aren’t meant for combat, they are designed to stand out to garner reputation, so some foolish nobles can be seen on the fields.”

The entire world seemed to change in a moment, all the surrounding soldiers slamming into an ear splitting salute as an enormous white hippogriff appeared, its enormous bird-like head eyeing the group as it approached. An oddly small open carriage being pulled behind it. 

“Oh wow.” Alexa muttered as the creature came to a halt a good way away from the group. Its giant talons digging into the soft dirt as it stomped its back hooves, it came to a stop with a sharp squawk and its large white wings fluttering as it lowered its head. 

“He’s grown since I last saw him.” Taaffeite said placing a hand on Amethyst's now shivering shoulder, “it’s perfectly safe…” her words were cut short by the muttering of the young woman.

“No.” she whispered, “we are not going to ask if we can eat it… it’s the queen’s griffon that’s why! It’s not a griffon… how do you know what griffons taste like!” Her face going pale at the implication of eating a magical beast.

Taaffeite let out an exasperated sigh realizing Amethyst had not been frightened by the magical beast before her. No, what had frightened her was her own sister, the newly minted devil of gluttony whispering in her ears as it laid eyes on the exotic meal before her.

It will be fine. She will learn to control these urges… I hope. Taaffeite thought as she shook her head.

The whispering was cut short as a man in what looked to be a rather nice, tailored suit appeared beside the hippogriff. “Introducing Queen Irithyl of Crown.” His voice carried over the clearing followed by another clamor of salutes, the group of them all bowing deeply. The man did not bother introducing anyone else as the queen exited her carriage, the only one to break the bow was Taaffeite who stepped forward.

“I am Marchioness of Navratna, Taaffeite Lapidary. It is an honor my queen.” She saluted the queen as she stood. “Though, I must inquire as to why you would ride out to greet us personally, your majesty?”

The armored man beside her clicked his tongue, he looked as if he were about to speak but thought better of it when their eyes met.

“Taaffeite,” The entire world seemed to halt at the queen’s words, the clearing falling quiet as the queen’s eyes flashed with power as she looked at Taaffeite with… concern? “We have much to discuss. But before that I must ask you, Taaffeite, have you betrayed our nation?”