<span style="font-family: 'Didact Gothic', 'sans-serif'">The warm morning glow was always something Illyria enjoyed. It was a glimpse of freedom from the darkness that consumed the castle and her mind in the late hours. The young woman hadn't been prepared for the trials she knew she now had to face, and it was daunting. Her father, Joviah, had been a great king. He was strong and determined, unyielding to his enemies and eternally generous to his allies; he had managed a balance that most didn't. The only issue she had with her father was that he had died too soon, he hadn't prepared her enough for the challenge of becoming queen. There wasn't a way she could simply pass over her crown, she had no siblings, and nobody suitable to take the throne, aside from her.<br/>
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It felt like just another morning to her as she rose from the lavish four poster bed that was far too grand for one person to make her way across the lavishly large marble room. The structure of the castle was perfectly done, mesmerising and glistening in the light. The frame for the bed had been carved from sapphire, much like the throne. Each monarch would have a new mattress, covered in white, slightly luminescent, silk sheets. It took a long time to make such fabrics, but it was truly a piece of art. Long blonde curls cascaded down along her petite shoulders and down toward her elbows. All she wore was a silk gown that graced the marble floor, due to the queen not having grown into the height her father had planned.  It had his gift to her when she was a teenager, but now a woman it just reminded her of how little she sized up to what her father had dreamed for her.<br/>
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"My queen!" A voice bellowed from behind the heavy double doors lined with traces of sapphire, "My queen!" The female immediately rushed to the doors, only to see several  handmaidens rushing to the man who stood before her. He was an older man, dressed in clean, lavish garb. His beard was fully grey, as was his well kept hair. Roderick. He was one of her most favoured allies, as he had been with her father. "Sir you cannot bother--" The handmaidens were silenced from one look from Illyria. The blonde cast her arm up to allow the male entry, despite the silk gown barely covering her ample mounds, but it did cover her curved figure. Clearly the reason he'd come was important, and she had no desire to take an hour to dress before addressing it.<br/>
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"What is wrong, Roderick." Her voice was as harmonic and gentle as it had ever been. "My queen, we have had reports of deaths throughout the city. It has been happening over the past two days, three people are dead, we may still find more." His voice shook with concern as he handed her a few pieces of scroll, they were notes of an eyewitness and the deceased. "They were found in grotty little holes. They've been dead for over a week at least. We will know more when the doctor begins his work." Illyria felt her body tense. If someone thought they could bring destruction in her Kingdom they were sorely mistaken. "Fetch me the spymaster, and the Lord General. We need to alert them. Keep this quiet, we do not need the townspeople afraid." The blonde's illuminating blue orbs focused on the man before her as she handed back the scrolls. "Yes my queen. And may I say, your father would be proud of you, there is a strength in you that was in him, and I see it." It was the sweetest thing he had said to her, and it called for a warm embrace. Roderick didn't know how to take the queen's warm, swift hug, he simply returned a squeeze before disappearing. She was like a second daughter to him, after all.<br/>
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Illyria didn't hesitate to slip from the silk, swiftly striding toward the small room that linked to her own. It was filled with dresses, corsets, shoes. To Illyria, it was more distracting than lavish. Instead of taking one of her usual dresses, the female picked a dress that was a deep blue, not quite navy but similar. It glistened in the light as if the material had been covered in gems. It was a slender dress, fitting along her curved, petite figure. Next, she drew out black corset, it seemed fitting. The dress had sleeves that were slit, allowing for glimpses of her pale skin to be seen. It completely covered her  chest, with enough room to show a gem she wore around her neck, a gem her father had worn. It wasn't sapphire, it was a diamond. He'd always said it reminded him to be pure of heart, and now it was her turn.<br/>
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The queen didn't bother to tie her hair back, she simply brushed the long, light curls and set off to the throne room. Her shoes weren't fit for a queen, they were flat and comfortable; they were shoes she'd trained in many times. Since she had work to do, Illyria saw no use in wearing something for the sake of it. She'd removed the handmaidens from her direct sleeping chambers for that reason; they fussed over things she could do herself, and wished to do herself. <br/>
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It had been an hour that she remained seated on the throne in the beautifully lit room before she heard a hint of the men she'd requested. The anger from one voice made her angry. Did he not understand that she had a valid, and perfectly sane reason for requesting his presence? When the men made their way in, the female remained expressionless. The spymaster continued his rant, but she let him speak. The female simply rose her delicate hand that was bare aside from one ring, it matched the necklace she wore. It was intended for her wedding ring, but she chose to wear it because it had been her mother's. Finally, when he scoffed the female rose to her feet, which caused some turning of heads. Her staff were not used to a monarch who was... active.<br/>
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"Are you finished, spymaster?" Her voice may have been soft, but there was an iron in her tone that was as fierce as any dragon. "Mention to me one more complaint about being woken at a decent time to save the lives of others and I will make an example of you. Do you understand?" Her piercing blue orbs focused on him as she took several steps down from the risen platform where her throne sat. The long dark dress she wore trailed along the marble stairs as she turned her gaze toward Ama. She knew him far better, and offered a hint of a warm smile. "I have a task for both of you." The female placed her hands behind her back, yet maintained a well defined posture. "Bodies have been found over the kingdom, I want to know who is  doing this. We know little about the killings, there was mention of someone having seen something... But I need facts, not here say." Her gaze rested on the spymaster as she summoned Roderick with a tilt of her head to hand him the evidence. "I need to know why these people were targeted. I will not allow this to continue to my people."<br/>
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After taking a slow breath, she continued.<br/>
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"Go and find out what you can." She ordered the spymaster before turning to Ama. "My father worked with you quite often." There was a genuine fondness in her voice. "You will train me. I'm fairly strong with a sword but I need to fight without one, I need to be fully prepared. You will also take rest in this castle, you are required here in case something is coming." She knew how silly it sounded, she had guards.. But she didn't trust them all. Illyria didn't even know all who worked for her, so how could she trust them? This man, her father had trusted, and that was good enough for her.<br/>
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"I suggest we begin in the courtyard. Do you accept?" She wished to know he would accept her offer of training, little did he know the rewards she would bestow him for providing her the training she sought. <br/>
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