Ruby sat on the cushioned throne the craftsmen wolves had made for her. Currently, she's receiving people who were seeking an audience with her in the massive throne room where the sultan had previously met with her. She did a little redecorating on the place, put on more red banners, removed some suggestive statues, and placed more furniture where she can sit down with anyone to have a peaceful conversation.

Instead of a monarch who sits above everybody else, she wants to be the kind of ruler with whom everyone can speak to as an equal but still respect as a leader. So her sofa has a bit more flair than where the guests would sit. She decided that a comfortable sofa will allow her to have a more intimate conversation with the people she's speaking with. Plus sitting on the throne all day is kind of painful on the buttocks.

She does sit on it from time to time to feel taller and more powerful since it was elevated in its marbled dais. However, some not very pleasant memories would resurface in her mind about what she did with a certain demon prince on the throne. Every time she remembers that incident her cheeks would be flushed bright red and she would be unable to follow in the conversation.

"My queen, are you ready for your next audience?" asked Fragarax.

"Yes, please send them in." Ruby replied with a casual smile. The Centaurial Wolf nodded to the guards near the door who immediately pulled them apart to allow the next people to enter.

Ruby was astonished to see some familiar faces who grinned at her with sincere happiness, making her abruptly stand from her seat to greet them.

"Queen Urduja, Datu Lapu-Lapu, Princess Liwayway. It's a pleasure to see all of you again!" she exclaimed in joy as the familiar faces warmed her heart.

"It's been quite a while, young queen. We have come here when we heard the news of your victory and ascent to the throne. We would like to congratulate you for your achievements." greeted Lapu-Lapu.

"Yes, we have a lot to talk about, my friend. I heard that your battle strategies were spectacular. I would like to hear about it all." added Queen Urduja who had a charming smile on her lips.

"And we also brought gifts for you, Diwata!" said Liwayway with obvious excitement.

The three visitors took their seats around the table where the maids set several bite-sized dishes for them to enjoy.

"Can you open mine first?" Ruby nodded as the girl excitedly presented her with a long dark box. It was carved with several flowing patterns that seem to depict the movement of the wind but the most prominent figure of all was the intricately carved image of a bird. She popped the lock and opened the lid and was amazed to see very colorful plumes styled as hair clips studded with jewels. The one that caught her attention the most was the largest one probably even longer than the span of her arm.

At first, she thought that it was a kind of peacock since the colors are mostly green and blue but then when the sunlight was reflected on its surface the feather glinted gold and sometimes even purple.

"What bird has a plumage as magnificent as this? I don't think I've seen anything remotely as pretty as this one even in the previous sultan's menagerie." mused Ruby in awe.

"These are retrieved from the last known nest of the Ibong Adarna. Liwayway accidentally stumbled upon it while playing in the forest. It's a mythical bird that resides in our island whose song is said to cure any disease but its shit can turn anyone into stone or so the story goes."

"Has anyone proven that before? Are there any shreds of evidence of its magic?" questioned Ruby thinking that such a creature could help Dyrroth's situation.

"I'm afraid that no one has captured it before to test its effectiveness. Everyone who pursued it well... Didn't come back and were discovered later as statues so we guessed that the story holds some truth after all. But as for its healing powers, it might not be true at all since myths like that are spread by tribes to the other tribes they are in conflict with so it might only be propaganda." explained Queen Urduja.

"I see..." Ruby mumbled mournfully before mustering up a smile on her face.

"Then how about we talk about trade instead? I've been craving for your mangoes for quite some time now."

"Ahh, yes. We brought tons of fruits for you as gifts but it would also be rather interesting if we can create a specific trade route."

"I agree."

And so her morning passed by quite eventfully as she conversed with the foreign king and queen.

They soon parted once lunchtime came and the three promised to visit her again after touring the city. Ruby agreed merrily, bidding them farewell, before deciding to have her lunch in the sunroom.

A month has passed since Ruby conquered the city of Gomharra which she renamed Raizenhal meaning the "radiant city" from the old dialect of her people. Currently, she found herself surrounded by an avalanche of paperwork due to the projects she is advocating for the oppressed people of Gomharra as well as her official coronation as queen. The people who she liberated persistently petitioned that she should be queen and her wolves supported this idea.

Ruby initially planned to give the position to someone more experienced and knowledgeable since she didn't originally plan to stay for long but the people seem to like her very much even though they are still wary of her identity and the army she came in with. Now that there's no turning back from her position, Ruby saw it fit to oversee the progress of the country till it can sustain itself. She's not a very great politician but she's willing to do her best to help these people as much as she can.

Her first project as queen was to free the slaves of the old city and return them to their families. She is also establishing a Repatriation Program for those who were abducted from their homeland and they will be given five Sedaris coins as financial assistance. She knew very well what it feels like to be imprisoned somewhere very far from your home with barely any hope of ever going back. Not everyone can have a Dyrroth who would love them and protect them from all the dangers of their new world so Ruby did her best to help those who are in need.

Other than that, she's also planning on distributing more care packages to her people because she knows that a lot of them barely have anything to go by due to the unjust system the previous sultan imposed on this beautiful realm. Speaking of that fat bastard, Ruby had him tending to the stables as one of the laborers. It's high time he experiences the hardships of life from the lowest possible positions and be treated poorly because of his station.

"My queen, we'll only need your signature to approve of the budget we need to finance the non-monetary package assistance for the poor. Please sign here."

"Alright."

Ruby sighed as she finally accomplished her tasks in a large conference room where she asked her wolves to install a large rectangular table that can accommodate at least 20 people. She sat on the head seat tending to the most important issues and documents along with some of her most intelligent wolves. She also included several human scholars and department heads who originated from the city to gain their perspective and knowledge about how things operate.

Although the general pyramid system of Gomharra's society is incredibly disagreeable, Ruby found that some of their systems of operation are actually brilliant and practical.

She segregated the different tasks of running and sustaining the city to different teams of people she knew could handle them well after a thorough interview and screening. She noticed that there's some tension between the humans and the wolves and she did her best to mitigate any conflict that may arise.

The humans clearly distrust the wolves and fear them, she noticed a lot of her congregation members flinching at the slightest move of the wolves. Meanwhile, her wolves aren't that friendly with the humans. They have their equal share of distrust and wariness toward humans. They fear that any of them could betray their precious mother at some point which is not entirely without merit.

Ruby could see the point in both perspectives and as a leader, she cannot overlook the fact that there's conflict within her chain of command. She feared that a civil war might arise if she didn't do anything about it so she decided to address the problem before it even escalated. She created a peace treaty between the two races and she made her wolves distribute the care packages as a sign of goodwill. They were instructed to be patient and polite as per her orders and a few may have slipped from that rule but overall the outcome was splendid.

The new people of Raizenhal don't fear the wolves as much and now they are living under peaceful coexistence. Ruby was really proud of what her city has become in such a short period of time. Truth be told, she has no prior experience regarding all this ruling stuff and warfare. All her knowledge about politics and economics is limited to the books she's read in Dyrroth's little library so she had to take a few classes every day to learn how to be an effective leader.

Sure, she doesn't know all the specifics about ruling unlike Dyrroth who was born and raised to be a prince but she doesn't have to figure stuff all on her own. Skoll and Hrod were there for her along with Runa, Alaska, Fragarax, and all her other wolves.

Ruby doesn't know if Fenrir has some influence over this, but she somehow found strength within herself to lead. Before she was just a follower, she was a huntress who diligently did her task by abiding by the rules of her employers (not always, she purposely disobeyed some commands just for the sake of being naughty) but now she's the leader of a pack. Her life is becoming more and more unpredictable and yet it also brings endless fun and excitement. She just wished that she could share this momentous experience with Dyrroth. How would he react if he saw her now? Would he be proud and happy?

"More coffee, my lady?" Shera offered as she pushed her cart of snacks and beverages to distribute around the room.

"Do you have iced tea?" asked Ruby as she paused from her work.

"Of course, I prepared some beforehand for you, my queen. Would you also care for some cookies?"

"Yes, you can set up the food table near the wall. We'll just take snacks whenever we get peckish. Also please give Alaska some mutton ribs to eat. I don't think she's eaten anything yet since breakfast. She's too workaholic."

"I will inform the chef immediately." Shera said as she took her leave.

Even though Ruby had already declared that she can go back to her family and home, Shera still decided to stay in the palace to serve her as a lady-in-waiting. Needless to say, she's become more like her caretaker since Ruby could barely take care of herself due to the insurmountable amount of tasks she must accomplish. Thankful, Shera is very diligent and caring. She always made sure that Ruby eats properly on time and sleeps enough to rejuvenate her energy.

The woman seemed to idolize her because of the dedication she's pouring into her work and not simply because of the high salary. Since Shera basically acts not only as her handmaiden but also as the head stewardess of her side of the palace (there's actually the east wing, west wing, and the central palace with three different stewardesses to take care of them) Ruby saw it fit to give her a high salary which she seems to be using to provide for her family and indulge in a bit of luxury she was never able to avail.

Ruby shuffled through the documents checking if she did the right thing. She's not accustomed to handling critical decision-making regarding state affairs but it seems that her comprehension skills have been enhanced tenfold since she gained a deeper bond with Fenrir.

She sighed in relief once she finished checking every document for any errors and slumped against her cushioned chair to rest her tired back. She drank a little hot choco while observing her comrades do their individual tasks. Some were discussing in groups with graphs and numbers and some were slacking off like her after finishing their job.

"Good afternoon, Despoina."

Her attention was captured by Sorca who entered through the double doors holding a bunch of papers presumably about the mines. The demon general recently found her a week ago with her squadron. They appeared in her court seeking an audience but the wolves didn't allow them because they looked suspicious.

When Ruby heard the commotion she immediately asked the wolves to let them pass. She was astounded to see Sorca looking ragged and exhausted, panting wearily along with her soldiers who looked equally beaten up as if they just emerged from the battlefield.

"Sorca!" she exclaimed at the sight of her friend.

"I... Finally found you." the demoness mumbled, relief brimming at the corner of her eyes along with unshed tears.

Those were the last words she uttered before collapsing on the ground due to exhaustion. It took her three days to wake up from her mini coma. When she finally rose from her much-needed slumber, she immediately encased Ruby in a tight and loving embrace and wept on her shoulders.

The maiden could only hug her back awkwardly while gently patting her hair saying sweet things to comfort her. It took her a solid hour to get back to her original self. She forced Ruby to keep her breakdown a secret unless she wants Araignee to have her for dinner. The huntress could only nod profusely vowing to keep it a secret since she doesn't want to be the snack of Sorca's spider wife.

Ruby asked the servants to provide food for the demoness and they conversed casually while they ate. Sorca told her that they immediately embarked on a journey a few days after Ruby was abducted. She and her squad scoured the whole Land of Dawn and the entirety of the continent of Indra just to find her. They were pointed in the right direction when they visited the markets of Arvina although they had to take a perilous path just to reach Gomharra by going through Mount Mahardhikka. There they encountered various monsters and peculiar enchantments which is the reason why they became so worn out.

Anyway, now that Sorca is by her side again, the demoness is helping her to accomplish her goal. She agreed that it is a very bold and dangerous move that can cause an uproar and conflict with the other demonic factions. But, it is necessary to maintain Dyrroth's position and safety in the Abyss. The demoness reported that so far there aren't any troubles regarding the prince's well-being however he still hasn't shown any signs of rousing anytime soon. Ruby was the most saddened by this information but she decided to focus her attention on her duty instead of stressing herself with the things she can't control.

"I have some good news, Ruby. We have restocked our rations for the Abyssal expedition by 50% while we have mined approximately 57% of the ores needed for the weapons and armor manufacturing. The blacksmiths have reported that they already have 500 armors for us. And with the continuous supply of metals, they'll be able to finish manufacturing by the end of the month which means after three to four weeks." Sorca reported without missing a beat.

Ruby is really impressed by her skills. She's not even looking at the report which means that she memorized all of that. If it was her, she would have forgotten half of that. She guessed that Sorca had sharpened her skills since she's been working for Dyrroth for more than a decade now.

"Huh, those dwarvish wolves really work very fast."

"Yes, no shit. If it were those humans they wouldn't even be able to make that much in five years. Oh, no offense mom." Aethros the druid wolf commented.

"What did I say? I said that you shouldn't underestimate other creatures. Can you hunt as efficiently as a shark in the sea? Or climb as good as a monkey? Remember everyone has their own talents." Ruby gently reprimanded as she stacked papers she had finished.

"Oh, sorry, mom." apologized the wolf.

"Anyway, what else do we have to do?"

"Other than that, we don't have much to do besides the day-to-day operations. We just need to receive the orders and stock our rations properly. After that, we can initiate our Abyssal expedition. The other departments are hectic, but they'll be able to pull it off given a few more weeks."

"I trust that you can handle the rest from here? I'll be taking a bath now. This heat is really getting to my head."

"Definitely, please take some more rest after your bath. You barely slept just to launch the Liberation and Repatriation programs." reminded Sorca as she took her place on the head table to relieve her of her minor duties.

"Will do, but you should too, you know. You're even more workaholic than I am."

"That's because Lord Dyrroth is very strict when it comes to doing our duties. Don't worry, an hour of sleep is enough for me to function. I'm a soldier, remember. Compared to the Abyss, my tasks here are relatively lighter."

"Okay, if you say so."

"Oh, I nearly forgot. Ruby, can I have access to the treasury? I have a little side project to do. Will that be okay with you?"

"Oh, sure. But what is this side project of yours? Is it for the demons or the city? Maybe I can help you with it." questioned the maiden with obvious curiosity.

"No, I can handle it on my own plus, it's personal."

"Okay, I'll see you later then."

🌹

A crystal bird soared above the city of Raizenhal searching for a specific maiden. It reflected the light of the golden sun which made it glimmer under the clear sapphire sky. It flew over market stalls, rooftop gardens, and spun around the height of the grand turrets of the palace just to find its target.

A cry erupted from its jeweled throat as it detected a familiar presence within the palace walls.

Falcon Polaris flew towards one of the verandas of the palace and perched on the terrace to look inside the grand chamber. It released a squawk that alerted one of the people inside the room.

Ruby looked up from the colorful bath salts the maids are offering and stared at the crystal bird. "Raven Polaris?" she blurted.

"But no... You're a falcon." she mumbled under her breath as she analyzed the appearance of the magical being.

"Is there something wrong, your majesty?" questioned one of the one of the maids. Ruby turned her attention towards the maid who asked her and shook her head.

"It was nothing... I was just distracted by a familiar bird." she replied as she looked back at the veranda only to find the bird gone. Perhaps it was only a figment of her imagination. Maybe it was only the light of the golden terrace which reflected on her eyes.

"Ah, yes. Gomharra— I mean Raizenhal, have very beautiful birds that are only endemic to our land. Perhaps you'd like to take a look at the menagerie later?"

"Yes, I will." was her distant reply as she thought about the bird.

"Shall we begin your bath, my lady?"

"Alright."

Meanwhile, the crystal bird flew back to its master. Some wolves actually detected its presence and tried to shoot it down but the magical falcon was very agile so it swiftly fled from the palace walls. It flew outside of the city towards the nearest hill of the desert a few ways left of the main road where many caravans are driving up to enter the blooming city.

On top of the hill, a cloaked figure looked over at the city while riding a brown stallion. The person dismounted his charge and held out his arm to allow the falcon to land. The bird landed on his forearm and turned into a darker shade of blue which means that he has located his target.

"You found her?" The bird released a screech of approval before ruffling its crystal feathers.

"Lead the way. We must not waste a second." And so the traveler descended the hill and ventured towards the city.



Here's our new cover made by my friend Francine! \ (^w^) /