It wasn’t a meeting so much as a melee.

Representatives of every intelligent beast from the Silver Woods had flooded into the High Queen’s halls. Tails whipped and teeth gnashed. Fists beat against chests or slammed the ground. A few nearly came to blows.

This was typical for most of their disputes: Raised and heated cries with a modest amount of violence. Nevertheless, whether the group was pacified through intimidation or they decided to resolve their disagreement through a real fight at a later time, an agreement was nevertheless usually reached in the end. 

Sadly, today’s meeting required a bit more intervention. A territorial dispute between monsters rarely passed beyond their own lands, but a handful of them had petitioned High Queen Carina herself. They were all of weaker species; wild dogs, goblins, and so on. The Silver Wolf Clan was expanding its part of the woods into theirs. Even then, she might’ve left the matter alone had the leshy—who were known for their deep care for their forests and little else—not also spoken up.

Reclined on a throne carved from the large, stone wall at her back, the draconic monarch observed the group in silence.

“Your hunters keep stealing prey on the west edge,” fumed one of the dogs, “It was agreed long ago that that area would be our territory! Why can’t you honor that?”

The wolves flatly denied it, “There was no agreement! We have always had dominion over the woods—it is our namesake! Just because we’ve been lax with you until now, you think you can have what you please!”

“And you think you can take as you please?”

“We take what is ours from the start!”

“Including rights to the river?” one faun lowered his horned head as he glared across the chamber, “We were chased off!”

A second wolf moved toward him, “You were being pests!”

The wolves said little to their own favor… With so many voices against them, ordering them to back down would be a simple matter. However, it would do little good. Law and order—or whatever substituted as that among beasts—meant nothing without strength, and the Silver Wolf Clan were the strongest monsters in their lands.  Whatever was argued here, in their own domain, they were the law.

At last, the fight turned vicious. The shouting rose to a crescendo. A handful of beasts threw themselves across the chamber, some on four legs and others in humanoid form. They wrestled along the ground in a heap, those standing by either cheering them on or distancing themselves while tossing a worried glance her way. Within a minute, blood was drawn.

The High Queen beat her tail once against the stone floor, the harsh sound echoing throughout the wide chamber. Every monster instantly fell silent. They knew they would only get the one warning.

Here, she was the law.

After the group had separated themselves, an elderly goblin cleared his throat before speaking, “All that aside, your upstarts have even attacked humans—ones that were no major threat.”

Someone growled, “You’re defending those intruders?!”

“No. I don’t like them any more than anyone else, but they might retaliate. You’ll invite mercenaries or soldiers into the forest next. You’ll endanger us all.”     

A jeering, deep-throated chuckle drew the group’s attention to a muscular wolf lounged against a stone pillar. Though a little older than Queen Carina, his dark eyes still glistened with the naïve confidence of youth. “And why should we fear them? Soldiers or not, humans are humans. My clan can take them easily.”

It didn’t take the ruler long to recognize his face: Shard, the leader of the Silver Wolves. He’d taken over after his father’s passing. Standing a good head taller than most of his kind, with a rough, herculean body, the sight of him alone was dominating.

“If anything, the fact that humans have been pushing themselves further in is all the more reason for us to secure our authority. We wolves have always protected the forest. If we don’t spread out, then what?” he continued, “It’s not a matter of if they’ll send soldiers, but when—and when that happens, do you think you can protect yourselves?”

For just a moment, the other monsters couldn’t argue against him. No, most of them couldn’t fight off humans, not with their armor and weapons of war.

Taking advantage of the silence, Shard stood a little straighter and continued, “It is the duty of the powerful to defend the weak. However, for all that work, that also makes it the privilege of the powerful to enjoy the greatest of the spoils. Don’t you think so too, My Queen?”

Catching her by surprise, he did what very few dared: He raised his gaze to meet hers. In most cases, a direct, prolonged stare like his would be considered an act of defiance. Nevertheless, there was no treason in his eyes. The only thing channeled through them was a sense of understanding between two apex predators. Two equals. 

Though that alone was arrogant enough.    

Crimson eyes narrowed and she drew her lips in an almost playful grin, “That’s true… But I do fear that your clan isn’t the same as it was so many years ago. Or even in your father’s time.”

“Under me, we Silver Wolves are the strongest we’ve ever been.”

“Really? I’m curious whether or not there’s actually some bite to all your barking.” Queen Carina leaned forward in her seat and hummed thoughtfully, “Tell me, have you ever heard of the Basilisk’s Eye?”

Thrown off by the sudden change in topic, Shard hesitated to answer, “I haven’t.”

“It’s a very rare gem,” she explained, “A large, yellow tourmaline that was only found recently. The humans have it now. It’s rumored to be in the hands of some baron on the eastern border.”

Satisfaction pulled at her lips as she noted their audience hanging onto every word. Whatever Shard’s response would be, it would not be forgotten.

“I want it. Go with a team if you feel you must, but fetch me the jewel and I’ll recognize your clan’s authority over the Silver Woods,” she offered. “Depending on your success, well, who knows… I like capable men.  Maybe I’ll consider granting you an even better reward.”

Shard rose to the bait, flashing his canines, “I don’t think I really need to prove myself, but if you’ll truly make it worth my while, then that rock is as good as yours.”

With little left to discuss, the rest of the meeting was swift after that. If anyone thought it was an unreasonable gamble to make over so many lives, they said nothing. No one wanted to risk angering the High Queen a second time.

Carina waited impatiently for them all to file out of the throne room. When only her steward and two aides were left, she relaxed her shoulders.

I think my butt fell asleep… Eager to leave the barely cushioned seat, the queen pushed herself up and pulled her arms back in a long stretch. She looked at the steward, a wizened old man whose beard was long enough to tickle his stomach, “That was the last chore for the day, right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Good. I’m too tired to deal with anyone else.”

The trio followed behind her as she marched down from the throne’s polished steps. While all three servants had a deep respect for her, they’d formed enough of a bond with their mistress over the years to talk freely in her presence. Despite that, for now, they were silent.

She glanced back at them, “What are you concerned about?”

It was one of the aids—a humanoid with a pit bull’s face—that spoke up, “About the Basilisk’s Eye… Isn’t it in one of the territories where the Vaghn Knights were dispatched?  That’s practically a death sentence.”

She knew that. It’s what she was hoping for.

Carina had done her share of research about the Silver Woods well before the meeting started. While it was true that the Silver Wolf Clan had risen in reputation since Shard took over, it wasn’t a good reputation. If Shard was really as legendary as his ancestors, she might’ve worried. In reality, the young alpha was nothing more that a bully and a braggard. He was strong, but even the weakest of the Vaghn Knights could have his hide for a wall decoration.   

“Let him fall by his own ambition,” said the queen, “Better that than if I were to punish him. Instead of blaming me, the clan will blame him for his own mistakes and pick a new leader.”

To many beasts, it was a devious and unnecessarily complicated plan: The easy and honest answer would be to just kill Shard outright. However, if given some thought, her logic made sense. She didn’t need to exert a fraction of authority over the wolves. This way, it would be Shard’s fault for taking up such an insane challenge in the first place. The strength he ruled by would prove itself worthless.

There was still just one issue. The second aid voiced his concerns next, “Will the humans know we sent him? The border is a bit far from the Silver Woods.”

“You heard everyone: The wolves have gotten bolder all on their own. And there will only be the one attack.” Even if someone else wanted to earn her favor by stealing the jewel, no one would be dumb enough to take the risk the minute news of Shard’s failure reached them. “I doubt they’ll think to blame us.”

The castle walls were dimly lit not only due to the blackness of night, but also from its few windows and deep, cavernous halls.  Before Carina could leave for her private quarters, the steward called out to her, drawing out a folded collection of papers from his robes.

“Before you retire, Your Majesty, it came today.”

It was a newspaper.

The queen immediately paused. At once, the serious mask she’d been carrying for hours melted away, replaced with an almost ticklish glee. She snatched the parchments away, flipping through their contents until she came to a large, black and white portrait of none other than Duke Garrick Vaghn, the leader of the Vaghn Knights himself.

While everyone under his command was a skilled warrior, the duke was not only a war hero, but a ferocious monster hunter. He was the savoir of humankind and the bane of beasts. As powerful as a dragon was, he could even kill her—and probably would, if given the chance.   

Carina liked him anyway. Nevermind his fighting prowess; broad shoulders with an impressive build, dark hair that could rival the midnight sky, and piercing blue eyes as brilliant as any gem… He was perfection.     

“He’s still so handsome,” she murmured with delight, cradling the image against her chest. Her tail swished through the air and it seemed she could hardly keep herself still. In that moment, the fiercest monster in the Empire was revealed for the young, hopeless romantic she still was.

The trio of servants looked on, barely hiding the fact that they were cringing on the inside.

The dog-man lowered his head, “My Queen, while I applaud your earnestness to find a worthy mate, I encourage you to pick literally anyone else.”

She frowned, “I don’t want him for a mate. I just like him.” She then looked back at the steward. “Tell someone to have my dinner brought to my room tonight. I want pork.”

“Winter nears,” the second aid cautiously interjected, not wanting to upset her further, “You must fast.”

I must stash… Carina pursed her lips, but only corrected him in her mind. Last year, anytime she’d tried to sneak a meal, the two aides did nearly everything they could to stop her. She wasn’t about to tip them off this early.

“Then bring me something light on the stomach,” she pretended to relent, already planning to raid the kitchen later.

As the steward walked away, Carina unconsciously gave the papers in her hands a small squeeze.  Her expression softened into something more bittersweet. She looked at the aids before the two could split off to finish their own affairs for the day, “And did my family get my last present?”

Their answer came to her in an equally quiet voice, “It was delivered safely, Your Majesty.”

“That’s good…”

“Would you like to hear how they’re faring?”

“No, that’s enough.”

She bid them farewell and then stared once more at Duke Vaghn’s portrait. This time, however, her thoughts weren’t on him, but on others she’d shared the secret of her long-held crush with. In a simpler time and place, before the burden of the throne was ever known to her.