Chapter 21: The Bandits of Pride City

"How bad is the situation?" I ask Gert. He was using his magic to observe the area, he nods his head. As I thought, the bandits were somewhere nearby. "So this is the reason you decided to bring the fanciest carriage you had." Rock says his arms crossed. "Yeah, it's to draw them here. So, how many?" I ask as I slip off my gloves and the carriage came to a full stop. "Roughly around twenty? Seems they are waiting to attack as we speak." Gert answers. I open the carriage door and step down, Gert and Rock followed behind me. I pulled my hair into a ponytail so it wouldn't be in my way and unsheath my sword. "Not a bad number."

"Might as well just come out, we know you're there!" Rock yells as he too unsheaths his sword. The sound of rustling was heard as a woman with short brunette hair steps out of the bushes. Slowly men follow behind her, swords drawn and ready to fight. I swing my sword about, a method of stretching. Gert releases his magic power into static balls. "You hooligans have some nerve to be attacking this carriage. Do you know who you are attacking?" He asks. The woman smirks as she glances in my direction, well the redhead definitely didn't have a normal aura about her, that's for sure. "Should I know? I don't particullary care." She says with a shrug.

"How about this? You hand over the goods. And my men and I will let you go, hm?" She asked her empty hand raised. Is this woman really trying to negotiate with the Queen in this manner. Wow what a ballsy and ignorant person? Rock thought this as he thought of something from the past. Normally when someone spoke to her like this it never ended well for that person. This, he doubt, would be any different. "Stand down..." I say as I walk towards them. Well I have been itching for a fight, "I'll take them all myself." The woman looked at me and began to laugh, she raised her hand to stop the other bandits from stepping forward. "I got this. Looks like someone will have to show this noble how big her ego is." She says with a smile that says she was ready for a fight.

Hmph, did that woman think she could defeat the Queen? What a naive person. The side of the bandits; that noble has another thing coming if she thinks she could defeat our leader. She ain't no pushover. Both sides believed their leader would win the fight, who do you think will come out on top? A sword goes flying and lands in the ground. After an hour long sword fight, someone finally lost. It was a battle that was both powerful and proved that both women were exceptional in battle. But only one could come out on top, that was always the rule. Since neither side felt their leader would lose against anyone, no one expected that it wasn't the case.

Breaths are being held as the sword was pointed in the loser's face and the one who was defeated was kneeling before the winner. "How is it possible? There's no way she would lose!" The surprised voices said. "Hmph, I knew that this was going to happen. After all, Our Queen was always an exceptional swordswoman." Rock says to himself his arms crossed. Though he had been a little worried during the battle just a bit. "How is it possible? Our leader lost, and to that noble?" A bandit says in shock. The other bandits stood there, not sure what to do at first. They then dropped their swords one by one, "hm? well would you look at that. They gave up so easily." I say with a bright smile.

The woman stares around her and then she bursts into a dry chuckle. "Wow, to think I'd be defeated by this little thing. I'm a little bit disppointed and embarrassed." She covers her face with her hands and continues to chuckle. "I think she went crazy from the lost." Gert says with a frown. She looked really sad to me. Even though she was laughing it off like it was no big deal, life as a Queen taught me how to read the situation. I sheath my sword, "let me ask you something. Are you the citizens of this city?" I ask. The woman stiffens, I see. So I was correct. All this time I believed all the cities were empty. If I see Mangola now I'll be sure to punish her for forgetting to tell me something so crucial.

I reach my hand to her and give her a gentle smile, "I like you, it seems that you're able to match me in a fight. How about you become the official leader of this city?" I ask. The woman stares at my hand suspiciously, "who...are you?" She asked looking up at me. "She dares make Her Majesty hold her hand out that long?!" Rock burst out. Gert grabs him as he tries to unsheath his sword, I look back at him and gave him an icy smile. "Rock." I say. He stiffens, and drops his hand. The woman was too busy being a little shocked at what she just heard. Her Majesty?

I turn back to her and smile, "I do apologise for the late introductions. You see I don't like when I'm caught off guard." I place a hand to my chest, "I am Queen Ranessa of the previous Fallen Kingdom. I renamed it Golden Dragon Kingdom, I'm quite surprised to see that some people live in this city. I thought everyone left." I was still talking as the woman sat there completely taken aback. Her Majesty repeating over and over again in her brain. "Won't you stand?" I ask as she finally accepts the hand of a royal and forces herself to her feet. All around Venna there were whispers from the others, they too seemed just as surprised as she was to be meeting the Queen under these circumstances.

"Why?" She found herself asking. This was the supposed Red Demon Queen? The one who abandoned her people and left them to die? Why did she come back? Why was she here smiling at her as if everything never happened? She clenches her fist waiting for an answer. Any answer would do. "Why you ask. It's because I am Queen." I say simply. Venna looks up at me, the anger in her heart boiling into rage. "You abandoned us! And then you come back as if it never occured?!" She bit her bottom lip as everything around them was silent. Rock kept himself in check, but he was not liking this woman one bit. "What is your name?" I ask her.

She looked at me as if she expected an answer. Honestly, I didn't have one. I was a selfish Queen back then. In every single one of my past lives I did not change. This time I will fix all my mistakes. The same ones that caused these people hurt because of them. "Venna Cosley." She says her body trembling a bit. I place a hand on her shoulder, I want to get rid of the burden that she carried all this time. "I am finally here, Venna." I say. She stare at me and after some time finally burst into quiet tears. Even the others around her began to cry as well. "Your Queen has finally returned. For now own I will not abandon my people. So hold your heads up." I say.

Venna finally manages to pull herself togeth before curtsying deeply, "I will do my best as the new leader of Pride City." She says. I smile, so that's the name they chose for this city. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Lady Venna." I tell her turning away. "Gert send a message to Brim. I need her to get together a huge selection of food and supplies for Pride City. Also tell her to get in contact with Count Rodger so that Lady Venna knows the other leader." I add. Gert bows, "Yes, Queen Ranessa." He says before using his magic to send out the message. The citizens looked around each other excitedly, "by the way, I hope you will drop this bandit nonsense. I don't condone such behaviour in none of my cities." I say.

They all bow or curtsy before me, "we will follow our Queen without fail!" They all said. I nod, "good, make sure the rest of the city knows then. I'll have Chancellor Lexor and Gert meet Lady Venna about the state of the city. They will make sure everything is in top shape." I tell them. I pause for a few before speaking again, "also I'll be sure to visit once the city is back to it's full glory, be ready for my arrival in a few weeks." I add before turning and climbing back into my carriage. Rock tosses the woman a glare before he and Gert climbed into the carriage as well. "What's with that guy?" Venna asks as she turned to return to the city.