Winter Ball V

The woman looked around embarrassed, pulling at the neck of her dress as others smirked at that response. The soldiers guarding the palace really didn't hold any respect for anyone beyond their empress. "Leave my precious Fifi here? Why, the nerve! I have never had such issues before! Bring your empress here; I'm sure she will understand that my little girl goes with me wherever I go!" she spat out as her hands played with the fur of a Pomeranian. The dog barked a few times at the guard, who didn't show any fear of the small creature. To their side was a greyhound on a leash, sitting proudly next to his master.

"It is not a question of allowing them in, these are her majesty's wishes written down. There is a guarantee that your pets will be considered prey for her own pack."

The countess looked at her husband, who tried to appear as posh as he could with a cane and long feather hanging out of his hat while holding the leash. "My Andre and Fifi are strong enough to hold their own against such pale… such pale…" she shut up immediately as her eyes bugged out of their sockets, her husband doing the same. Bouncing around the corner was Blue with a rabbit found and killed, being chased by Ash, who was playing with him. These two wolves showed up that could very quickly eat Fifi in two bites or less, or snap Andre's neck in no time. Following them as she slid into a stack of boxes and knocked it over due to her size was Luna, the massive white lupine charging after her siblings with her tongue hanging out, easily the size of a large horse. Behind her were two drakes enjoying the fun, watching the wolves go right past the front door and back around the palace, dragons following. There was no doubt the greyhound would be outclassed in speed by Luna or Blue, with the latter capable of teleporting.

To top off all of that, the harem that the empress owned was trying to keep up, loving the exercise as they chased the myriad animal group playing havoc in front of the palace. An elven concubine was bouncing behind, her enormous bust swaying with her arms pressed to the sides. "Oooh, why do I have to wear these? It's so much easier to just go without this leotard!" she whined. The minotaur dashed right past her, wearing nothing more than a speedo and a big cricket bat on his shoulder, giggling.

"Try and keep up!" he laughed out as if it was a game to chase the wolves. The rest of the royal ladies and men of the evening carried on right after them, one dwarf giving a crazed waggle of his eyebrows and a massive grin on his mouth while he passed the ex-countess.

Both aristocrats blinked, with Fifi soiling her owner's hand immediately while whining. The greyhound pressed against the leg of the husband.

"You will protect them, yes? Surely there can be an exception?"

"We will not. We've already told you that pets are restricted from entering. If left unattended, they will be killed on these grounds."

"The empress doesn't control her own… her own…" the countess couldn't even finish her sentence.

"They are wolves, Mrs. Marton. The empress is their pack alpha. As far as a wolf pack is concerned, your two pets are prey. The royal harem is not a group of pet sitters for you. Remove those creatures from the property, you are not allowed to enter until that is done."

Everyone else continued filing through the main entrance, watching what was happening, a few of the other houses trying to stifle laughter at what was transpiring before them. Genevieve decided to try and regain some composure and turned around, heading back to the carriage in a huff with her nose in the air. "She will not get the chance to see such a spectacle that we are in the ballroom then. The empress will just have to go the night in shame."

"She does not care, Mrs. Marton. Your presence will not be missed," the security commander replied. There was laughing in the background as others within the woman's level of wealth just shook their heads. She needed to follow the rules… or else. It was surprising that the guard commander, an automaton of the empress's creation, was so gruff with the woman. He didn't show respect for removed titles, didn't care who was supposed to be wealthy. They were visitors to his creator's home, they would show respect to them instead. There was a small conversation going on in machine language silently between all the soldiers. These flesh bags were not worthy of their maker's presence. They were not worthy of the presence of even the wolves that had assisted the dev in surviving the first month, or the concubines that had just become a spectacle.

Once everyone was inside, the gates were closed, and festivities began. Drinks were given to all, with no sign of the empress just yet. It was to be a reveal of what she was wearing, to enter the throne room and sit down, allowing everyone to continue to enjoy the buffet.

Some of the ex-nobility were surprised to see Melsia and Donovan there, though they were shown great respect… at least to their faces. The lower tier aristocracy flocked to them, "new money" as they were called, talking about the laws helping them get on their feet and build small companies. Donovan praised them, while the old houses chastised them for jumping to lick the shoes of the new ruler so quickly. The disdain for each side seemed palpable, with a division in ranks. A few of the older generation weren't that bad, even looked towards wrangling their peers in finally. Whether that would happen remained to be seen. Some of the old houses from Silvinholm stood with the Riktors, receiving scowls from one side of the ballroom.

One Hour Later

"Ok, time to head out to meet and greet," Selene muttered to herself as her daughter held her hand, with Dahlia and Adesha right behind. She had been playing with the girl to calm her down, as Eve was nervous about what to do inside. Cameron was opening each door with a flick of his hand, with a magic spell keeping the path clear of obstacles, a point man for everything as Jeeves kept things under control in the kitchen and the ballroom. Zaza and Nara were waiting at the doors to the throne room main entrance, with both of their children standing prim and proper in a suit and white dress, completely different from running after the wolves in their scaled form. Tariq and his parents were already sitting as guests of honor, with another smaller throne prepared for Eve. The mayors, governors, even the police and fire chiefs were all present to support their ruler. The numbers were substantially in the empress's favor.

"Ma'am, you still have your meeting in the red room," Will whispered to her as he walked out of a side room to catch up with her. The rest of her cabinet were already mingling, keeping everything that was a secret from ever being revealed. A few times, they denied anything being done by the empress for specific issues arising, making it seem like nothing was wrong to keep panic from washing over the masses. If they became aware there were still some demons hiding in the shadows and attacking villages, multiple fleets were heading their way with unknown intentions, or that there were still massive creatures underwater posing a threat, there could be hysteria. Propaganda was an art form for her administration now, as Gala informed a duke that favored Selene's rule that everything was fine, with plenty of trade routes opened between their neighbors.

"Yeah, are they all inside already?" she asked.

"They are waiting for you right now." The dev looked at Adesha and Dahlia, her order already plainly seen. They'd follow little Eve and help her get whatever food she wanted, protecting her along with the security detail. Meanwhile, the empress would go speak with the top aristocracy and see what they had to say. If the princess ever wanted to leave at any point, they would escort her out, keeping everyone else away from her beyond Sultan Gazi and his family or those sitting next to him. He was already acting like a godfather to the young girl.

"Okay. Eve, honey, go with Dahlia and Adesha. I'll be out there in a few minutes."

"Okay," the princess let go of her mother's hand as the maids led the girl through a side door.

"Dominic and Grey want to also inform you we've found six more caches of the drugged barrels with magical explosives on them. They've also caught multiple teams of mercenaries paid to plant them. There is now a signal that can be detected that links all of the ones we found, proving there are no more. All warehouses are under surveillance, but there is no chance of any others cropping up," her chief of staff told the woman.

"Good. Any of the mercs crack?"

"All of them took poison, all of them were resurrected. None wish to talk."

"Considering they're terrorists now… have them sent to ARC. They just volunteered to be guinea pigs. Maybe Robert or Nikola can pull something from their brains with the Limbo Vats."

"It's getting easier to deal with things like that, isn't it?" Will questioned.

"Considering they've had their rights revoked and what they were doing, yes. Treason against the empire on that level, accepting what they were doing and getting paid for it… I don't consider them human or even alive. If they wish to harm so many, it's safe to say we can do the same to them. I've come to the conclusion since my science advisors came up with that thing."

"Understood ma'am, I'll let Dominic know to cart them off from their cells." Selene nodded as they walked away from each other. "Oh, one last thing. The first space station is about to finish phase 2 construction tonight as well, just like the elevator. There are still quite a few amenities needed, but as a launch point and small dock, it functions. Juliet is in the ballroom right now with Romeo, they just wanted to get you up to date."

"Sweet, it might be fun to at least head up there for a visit. The others?"

"Just reached their points, moon base 1 will be coming online tomorrow just about noon. The remaining stations are in pod construction now, should be in position by tomorrow, then phase 1 construction can be programmed." The phases set up for the star bases were 1, 2, and 3, with a proposed phase 4 for Battle Stations. Currently, phase '0' was just the pod launched and barely habitable; at best, an emergency survival location to get out of the harsh void of space. They were getting faster at building them now, with the first finally able to assist in the construction of its sister stations. Building in the solar system would quickly snowball soon, without the rest of the new world even realizing it. While they were figuring out gunpowder, her empire would be zipping from planet to planet.

"Okay, that's good news."

"The first mining facility is working hard. You… you may want to skip checking inventory slot twelve…" he told her, worried she'd flip out at the massive piles of metals and resources. Just one asteroid out produced all the mines in the continent right now. Having multiple refineries and mineral excavation sites upstairs meant never worrying about supply for manufacturing again. What they needed now were things like noble gasses and liquids, which the other four would gather.

"I'll take your word for it. The third batch will be built after for… what was it… ice?"

"Correct. The second batch is for noble gases."

"Good." Selene stopped at the door to the main hallway that headed towards 'the red room,' a notorious conference area. The dev sighed and shook her head. "I just want to cancel this meeting and get this night over with."

"They won't learn unless you show up and let them know you won't cow to their requests. Oh, I'd hold off on heading to Star Base 01 before it hits phase 3. Gravity plating hasn't been installed yet. You'd be enjoying some null-grav for your trip, which I've heard can play havoc on your stomach." Will continued on, checking in with security in other rooms as the empress took a deep breath and headed down the hallway. She didn't know what to expect, just that the meeting wasn't going to turn out very well. These ex-nobles needed to be told what's what, and she wasn't going to take any crap. They were about to learn not to mess with her anymore.

I have the Zero-G skill… it shouldn't be a huge problem… still, probably a good idea to wait like he suggested…

"Ok… let's do this." Selene walked forward with the double doors opened for her, laying her eyes on the array of people all sitting around a circular table in the middle of the room. Every single one of them had a smug look on their face that she wanted to wipe off with a smack. "Greetings to you all. You've called for this meeting during the winter ball, and I have agreed to show up. Now, what is it you would like to discuss that couldn't be sent via missive?" she asked as the empress sat down and clasped her gloved fingers together.

The monocle might be a good idea, after all. I should ask Gala for it.

"Oh, I think this requires your physical presence, your majesty," Alain said, the head of house Reysor in Silvinholm, the very same who warned the king of the rebellion. There was a gleam in his eye as he motioned for a stack of papers placed in front of the empress for her to read. "These are… things we would like you to oversee in changing how the empire works. We have many… er… concerns that need to be addressed. Please."

Selene picked through the pile, skimming her eyes across the requests – no, demands – as quite a few alarmed her. After ten minutes, she flicked the last sheet onto the table and tried to remain calm. Her eyes raised a few times as she stared at every face for a moment before descending back to the ludicrous needs of the entitled sitting in the room.

"My son will not be ignored in this, you've read that part, right?" another woman in the room said as she held the hand of a young man grinning at the empress. There was a demand for marriage to the ruler, to produce heirs. Selene already knew dirty thoughts were going through the boy's head. The only thing the dev did was put up her finger for them to be quiet as she continued reading silently. The woman, her name apparently being Karen, looked at her in disgust.

The main requirements were marriage, reinstating titles, slavery reintroduced, diplomatic immunity, and payment for all the losses they had incurred during the war. Others involved lowing taxes for the wealthy, making them non-liable for any harm that comes to any workers under their employ, and doing away with the basic wage law. Previously, any boss could set what they paid their people, even if it wasn't livable. 5 copper a week was standard, now set to 8 a day as a bare minimum. If she didn't accept, they had unanimously signed the last page, informing her that they had secretly placed caches of chemical aerosol explosives around the empire, the very same that her troops had dismantled previously. There was a huff coming from Alain as he rolled his eyes. "Hurry it up." The empress glanced at him before returning her attention back to what was in her hands.

"Are you going to sign or…" her finger rose one more time. Any other government would have collapsed in on itself to abide by their demands due to not being able to find the caches. Luckily, the Clockwork Empire wasn't just any other government, with her automatons, androids and battle maids never sleeping and having a machine network connection to transfer information near-instantly amongst themselves and to her due to {Communication is Key}. Their sensors were able to pick up the key ingredients and track where they were going now, similar to those trying to make homemade explosives in the United States. They weren't used to doing this just yet, not expecting such an event to happen so early in the development of the nation.

As she continued in silence, her left eye started to glow, bypassing the first stage. Everyone else in the room seemed oblivious to what that meant, her temper all but dashed as she did what she could to keep her silent composure, her blood pressure skyrocketing in anger. Selene continued to flip through pages, occasionally picking up the previous one to compare with a slight nod in understanding; it wasn't a move to accept the settlement, but agreeing with a choice she had now made in her own head on their fate. The nobles in the room all looked at each other, now quite concerned they'd need to explain things in-depth to make the empress understand their needs, believing the woman to be slow in the head. She wasn't acting like they expected, with many others caving in given this ultimatum. The chances of stopping such a threat were almost nil, right? The dev just kept silent.

[Selene: Will, I'm scanning a copy through my Hud. You reading this?]

[Will: We all are ma'am. They're acknowledging terrorism. Do they realize what they've signed? Are they that sure they have us that they would admit such a deed?]

[Dominic: I'm reasonably confident their brains couldn't figure out the pointy end of a sword, let alone the fact that it's dangerous. The same goes for this. They're boasting that they are supervillain wannabes. Ladies and gentlemen, we are looking at the "League of Extraordinary Stupidity" here.]

[Orlo: Given a quick psyche eval from how their body language is through the cameras in the room, I'd say high stats in narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. They don't care unless it gets them what they want.]

[Gala: They don't understand how the real world works, just what is inside their bubble.]

[Selene: I'm in agreement.]

[Will: Ma'am, your eye is glowing in stage 2. That's… are you alright?]

[Selene: I can see the pages lighting up. I'll check a mirror after this. Hold until I give the signal.]

"You aren't going to sign, are you?" the head of house Treeyul from Silvinholm asked in a matter of fact tone as he now knew… things were about to turn bad. "You know we will activate our trump card, don't you little empress?"

All she did was shake her head slowly, not even looking up.

"Perhaps this should have not come to be…"

Selene nodded at that.

"This can come to an end easily if you just sign."

"Nooooooo, no it cannot. I'm afraid all of you are well beyond that point by now," the empress finally said in an indifferent tone.

"You need to understand how the world works around here, you cannot just come here thinking that Artinia has fallen and your empire can change –" That was when soldiers walked into the room and aimed their rifles at each of them. The empress put the pages back into a pile and lightly tapped the bottom on the table before placing the stack back down. She looked utterly calm despite the one eye glowing bright blue.

"Use the passphrase! Now!" Duchess Enel shouted.

[Grey: I should warn you, ma'am, the activation sequence is flawed. We just had an advanced EOD team check over the dispersal and ignition… none of it actually works for inorganic objects. The detonation sequence won't prime.]

[Selene: Why did it take so long to get this information?]

[Grey: Backchecking through the wizards in Aureos. The spells used to respond to vocal recognition don't work that way. They were meant to dispel summoned creatures and remove wards. What they tried to do was a basic sleeping pill protocol on the barrels, removing one of the defensive wards to cause the offensive to melt the sides.]

[Will: So… they're all duds? We responded so quickly for something that, for the most part, is crude storage for volatile chemicals?]

[Grey: Good practice for when a real terrorist threat appears. For the most part, just be amused that these people thought they had the world in the palm of their hands with such an absurd plan. A for effort, F for enacting it.]

"You really shouldn't try it," the empress said calmly.

Alain opened his mouth. "Victory for the houses longing for eternity!" he yelled, his vocal cords seeming to emanate what looked like a specialized sound pulse due to a collar around his neck, the gem embedded on the front chipping apart. He simply laughed maniacally as cuffs were put on his hands. The vibration of his voice impacted the walls but was blocked by the noise-cancellation systems emplaced within the past few days. Nothing happened. "What's done is done. The people will follow us now. All of this could have been avoided if you had just done as we asked, but instead –"

"The caches of explosives never worked, and even if they did, we found them all. The mercenaries caught delivering them have been interrogated, more than likely cracked by now, and spat out everything connecting to you… not that we need any of it. Your supply chain has been destroyed. Your stupid shit never even WORKED! You do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars, you go straight to hell." The dev stood up, adjusted her suit jacket a little, and left without another word. Outside the door, Dominic and Grey jogged over. "I had a hunch they were causing all this, we just didn't have all the evidence until recently," her director of intelligence said.

"Fucking… waste… of time… and energy… they're actually lucky… so damned lucky that I don't just kill… and resurrect them all… again… and again… and again… god damn it…" the empress seethed openly. Psionic energy was crackling around her; had anyone beyond her creations been nearby, one of the arcs might have clipped them and cause spontaneous combustion. A single strike carved a large divot in the wall as she did her best to calm down.

"What do you want to be done to them?"

"Limbo Vats. Their minds will be stuck in simulations while we get some good data on them. A living hell fit for what they just did, never able to reach their goals." The empress continued on as both turned around in worry at her mentality right now, watching her leave. "Torture them on occasion, put them in a horror movie or something once in a while."

"Should have ended their existences a dozen times over in that room," Dominic advised.

"Did they really think they could get away with it, against a woman that a religion popped up around? Who built this empire from the ground up?" Grey responded in a dumbfounded tone.

"I want the rest of tonight… to go by… without a hitch… not one…" Selene said as she tried to calm down with gritted teeth as she spoke down the hallway over her shoulder.

"Are you… angry, ma'am?" Dominic questioned. She closed her eyes and stopped for a second, taking a deep breath to reply.

"I'll answer that question after the ball, right now there are guests I need to go have a chat with. I'm not going to let this ruin tonight; they've been dealt with finally," she replied with her hands gesturing slowly in the air, pushing her middle fingers against her thumbs to try and reach a zen mode… somehow. As the woman passed a mirror, mumbling and grumbling obscenities under her breath, she stopped for a second and noticed what everyone else had seen firsthand. One eye, a bright blue halo light emanating from the iris and appearing to be bleeding into the pupil. She made a slight sucking sound with a click of her tongue and nodded at herself, heading off towards the throne room where everyone else was ready for her arrival. While she hadn't seen the supposed stage 1 glow yet, this was now making her wonder what was happening.

[Selene: Gala?]

[Gala: Yes, ma'am?]

[Selene: You still have that monocle, or was it never made?]

[Gala: I've now put it in your inventory.]

[Selene: Good, I need to hide my eye.]

The double doors opened to the massive room with a grand entrance made by the ruler of the Clockwork Empire, as Selene strode forth with the new monocle as everyone was silently watching her. "It's her! She's finally here!" a few whispered. Once in front of her throne, her daughter waving to her with a small plate of cheese and fruit as her mother sat down next to the girl, the empress surveyed everyone before her bowing down or curtseying below the dais. Hrist sat on her opposite side, looking as if she could give Elsei a run for her money in looks and a somewhat revealing blue dress, with Brynhildr at the makeshift bar in a bright green halter top. Hundreds of faces all watched, waiting for her to speak, including Gazi and his wife with prince Tariq.

There weren't just ex-nobles in the massive crowd, but also those who understood what she was doing and controlled the towns and cities. Commissioners saluted her, standing at attention to show their undying respect. Even adventurers were invited, at least the highest ranks. Dina seemed to be in the mix alongside the Receptionist Tilly, who looked like she was trying to keep the guild master for Aureos from touching her rear. Giles raised a glass to her with Abby, grinning warmly with small plates in their hands. The look of those who wanted her there helped immensely to settle her temper down below the boiling point, the energy surrounding her body dissipating mostly at the doors, with all of it finally gone.

"Ahem…" Selene cleared her throat as the sultan leaned forward slightly, nodding at her with a smile. "Continue." The festivities started back up once again as she watched those dancing on the ballroom floor.

[Will: Those were the only ones who had disagreements with your rule.]

[Selene: That's it? Seriously? All the others are ok with what we're doing?]

[Grey: Yes, ma'am. They cut ties with those 12 in the red room due to the over the top reactions and idiosyncratic natures. Most of the ex-nobility that caused the destruction and corruption before the war are now dead due to the demons, with almost all of them turned into undead or considered MIA with no corpse found. For the most part… ding dong the pricks are dead.]

[Selene: So we're in the clear?]

[Grey: It seems likely. Out of the two thousand faces here, very few, if any, have a problem with the laws. The economy was rebuilt from the ground up after being turned to ash, after all; they're happy with being able to make small fortunes over the past months by investing in their workers and their own low-level research. They aren't oblivious or stupid; most just had to go along with the way Artinia ran things. They adapt quickly, at least those who want to. The next few years could see a massive expansion of companies turning into megacorporations that aren't against a living wage here.]

[Selene: I know what happens when those crop up, Earth had too many lessons from history of keeping those from appearing. Let's curtail some of that if possible.]

[Will: Was that wise allowing them to try and activate their trump card? There may have been caches we didn't know about yet.]

[Selene: I had faith in all of you getting it right. Besides, I was pretty sure the noise-cancellation systems blocked everything.]

[Grey: We're happy to hear that, ma'am.]

[Gala: Here here.]

An Adamantite adventurer party walked up to the first step and bowed deeply towards her as she came out of her com channel. "Your majesty, we are honored that we have been allowed to come here as escorts for some of the guests. If there is anything you require of us, simply ask," the leader spoke as he kept his eyes focused on the floor.

"Continue to enjoy the party," she responded. All five of them stood back up, walking by Dina as she watched them. The empress met her gaze and simply nodded, continuing to observe the party with her select few sitting next to her, a table being set up before the throne for her to eat at. Eve attempted to pull on the woman's sleeve as her mother seemed to be in a daze, coming back to reality as she picked her daughter up. Her demeanor changed to warm and soothing for the girl, but inside she was a swirling tempest of annoyance with what had just happened.

I should have executed them when I had the chance long ago! I've been too weak-willed when it came to absolving people of their crimes against others, especially the idiots that do that. I keep sitting back and hoping for people to embrace a new future, but in the end, it holds me back at the same time. I keep restricting myself from taking lives that need to be taken unless absolutely necessary. If anyone causes the same disturbances as those twelve again, it's Limbo Vats or death. I'm not waiting for another terrorist attempt. No more waggling my finger and calling them naughty.

Her smile seemed entirely fake, even though Eve was unaware. Hrist could tell something was off, but the empress didn't want to scare the child. Behind the monocle, the blue glow still going, barely contained behind the specially prepared glass.

Gazi leaned over and cleared his throat. "You know your maids are quite protective of the princess, right?" he whispered to her.

"Oh?"

"One of the young noblemen amongst the guests asked when she would be old enough for marriage, with his intention unknown for if it was a request for him or his son. He's not here anymore, taken to see a doctor due to this one right here," he explained, pointing at Dahlia while smirking. The battle maid sent video footage of the question asked to the empress, followed by a palm strike that launched the man across the room, nearly collapsing his ribcage. The dev could already see it was a light push, not even her full strength. She had evidence, worrying that she might be punished for causing a small scene.

"I'm pretty sure I abolished arranged marriages…" Selene groaned out. She looked up at her daughter's instructor, who simply kept her head bowed. "Good job Dahl, I appreciate that. You did well."

"Always your majesty. She will always be protected." While she was being praised, many of the visitors were now very much afraid of the ladies who doted on the royal family. They were not to be trifled with. No one else dared approach the princess again beyond a very select few, including Giles and his wife.

Another nobleman, an ex-archduke, walked up to the bottom stair and bowed to her. "Greetings, your majesty. I would just like to thank you for this incredible evening and allowing us to partake in it here. I'm so happy that we are among the citizens of the empire, with no more of that pathetic king. May he never find rest in hell, along with his soldiers."

Selene put her finger up to stop him. "Those soldiers weren't all bad, many have had to fight away from their families for long days, months, years."

"But the travesties they have committed –"

"Not all of them engaged in rape and pillaging. The rest… they were orders, young man. The hell that goes on in their heads after those wars is almost never-ending. Their consciences are still functioning, compared to the now-deceased mad king or a small number of his generals. You should feel pity for them instead because they returned to a land that seems like it doesn't want them, even when they fought to protect it. Do not forget that one of those soldiers is now the mayor of Silvinholm, and rebelled against Artinia to protect its population." A fat older gentleman by the name of Richard Fornower walked over with a glass of bourbon.

"I apologize for listening in on your conversation, your majesty, but you are correct. My shops are hiring these young men and women, now that they have no jobs. Their training allows a certain control over their emotions when put under pressure, with strong backs and keen minds. They are paid well for their service, and their faces are known to intimidate those who would try and steal away with goods."

The ex-archduke looked between both of them and smiled, nodding as he stood corrected. "My mistake for believing they were standing on the same level as our overthrown monarch. Perhaps I was too harsh in speaking such poor words about them. I am sorry." He took his leave with the older man back to their table, trading stories about what they did for their companies.

Tyran was congratulating the Orc Destroyers on leaving the trade for new jobs, speaking in hushed tones as to how they might prove themselves to the ruler, and get a chance at candidacy for the Einherjar. Selene leaned over to talk to Hrist. "What do you think about this name for Morlan's agency?" she asked as she jotted it down on a small piece of paper. The Valkyra looked at it with her blonde sister sneaking a peek. Her generals glanced at her and blinked.

"Elite warriors. I think they should be honored to be called that. I… that is a worthy name to use on their behalf," the raven-haired woman replied. She then turned her head almost mechanically to look at Bryn wide eyed for a moment, sharing a thought between them.

"Finally, seeing some living instead of dead. I hope their fates don't continue in the direction they did alongside Odin," Bryn commented as she sipped from a glass of Champaign after. Hrist tried to keep her composure as her sister waggled her eyebrows and smirked on the lip of the glass.

"Neither of you object?" Selene asked.

"Not in the slightest. I don't believe Skuld would either," Bryn told her.

"Where is she, anyway?" her shorter sister said as her green eyes scoured the large room.

"Keeping some of her students in check at the back of the ball. A few were rambunctious, having won the raffle to attend this party with chaperones. They just want to show off." A few guests shifted in the crowd to show the headmistress indeed scolding two young men, with their uniforms having food stains on their chests. Three others were joking in a corner, one of them taking another in a headlock and getting a noogie as he said something about winning the empress's hand in marriage eventually, and they'd all be sorry.

Selene just watched the crowds move and sway throughout the night, the dancing continuing on as thousands of faces enjoyed the winter ball that had been planned for weeks, finally going off without much of a hitch. That was when the ruler found out the harem she still owned had caused a scene in front of the palace earlier. She simply facepalmed for a moment as her daughter patted her hair, thinking she had a headache, receiving a kiss on her forehead, and having her back rubbed in response. That band of misfits would have to be talked to… on a later date.

10 pm

"Ugh, I should have never joined in a drinking contest with General Brynhildr," Morlan moaned out as he lay on a couch in a large living room, one that had the walls knocked out to add in eight others. While the aristocracy was now gone, the remainder were the people handpicked to help lead the lower government, all sitting around and talking the night away. These people, those who fought fires and caught criminals, were allowed to stay in the White Palace for the next two days. They were heroes, even if they didn't go dungeon spelunking or fight armies of monsters.

"Why anyone would think they could out drink a Valkyrja, I have no idea," Selene quietly said as she patted him on the shoulder while walking past. Liyana and her brother Davin were passed out on a pile of cushions, a few different desserts half-eaten nearby.

"You kept up with her… where do you store all of that? Not trying to be rude or anything, majesty," Donovan mumbled out while draped on a love seat, with Melsia dabbing at his forehead with a washcloth. He, too, was well beyond just inebriated.

"Hollow legs."

"Is… is that so? That's a thing? I mean, I don't… don't exactly question…" the man burbled out.

"I'm joking, Don. I have a high resistance to alcohol; it doesn't affect me anymore."

I wish I didn't tonight. I wasn't trying to keep up with Bryn, I was trying to get my mind off of the meeting. Funny how some things that protect you instead feel like they harm.

"Indeed, a fine advantage to have… oh, where is the bucket again, dear…"

The dev tried to focus on what was next on her agenda, the night not yet over for her as she saw the array of misfits that tended to hang around, all of them having some charm to them. Ex-Commander Alfred from Silvinholm helped move a few more onto waiting chairs, all too sloshed to get to their bedrooms just yet. He had somehow managed to kick the habit of drinking, not one drop reaching his lips. That had something to do with Marin, the sergeant that used to be under his command. The place almost looked like a triage hospital, with plenty of patients being tended to, some receiving small tonics to ease the symptoms or getting magic cast on them to cancel the alcohol enough to move.

"Your madjedgy, it has brin a pressure to… hic… preasure to… be hrer…" Duncan said, mixing up his syllables as he looked about ready to drop on the ground, KO'd from the party.

"Glad you enjoyed yourself. You should go rest, the door is right behind you," she replied as Selene picked up a closed top coffee thermos being served by a regular auto maid and started heading out. "Not there, the door is to your right. That's a WALL!" she suddenly snapped as the man wobbled towards the obstruction, was stopped and turned by the empress's hands, nearly ran into a table, altered his trajectory and stomped through the exit with his head lawling back and forth on his shoulders while he tried to keep balance. "Someone, please make sure he gets safely to his bed and isn't passed out in a hallway. I'd rather not find puke stains on the wall, nor do I want to give the human maids here a horrible job of cleaning up that kind of a mess."

As the auburn-haired woman followed after him, she caught sight of Bronze Team. "You guys! You two specifically." Deacon and Ethan both stopped midstep as Jorge pushed them forward with his massive paw of a hand, pointing at each other. "Don't try and swindle the adventurers who were guests here. They nearly got themselves in a world of trouble when you started mouthing about taking them all on in an arm-wrestling championship. Spirits are being served here last time I checked, and those tend to lessen inhibitions."

"Woulda nearly had them on it too, ah" Deacon laughed out as he slapped some metal with Ethan in a weird brotherly handshake. "Buncha pussies."