19.04.2019
Dressed in a finely woven, yet simple, robe, Queen Lyssa of Amazonia steps into the plaza at the foot of the huge temple to Rigg. Steeling herself, her eyes scan the open space. On the raised platform at the stairs leading up to the shrine itself, a smaller group of women stand waiting for her: Matriarchs Tisiphone and Calypso. Of the queen's councillors: Spymaster Tatiana and Court Priestess Feidlimid. With them is also Harmothoe the chief priestess of the Shrine of Rigg. Filling the rest of the plaza, a throng of onlookers crowd the short stairs leading up to the platform where the council has assembled.
Flanked by two bodyguards, Lyssa makes a point of paying them no heed as she brazenly strides past them all and takes up position a few steps up the enormous stair leading up to the shrine. Effectively standing a few heads taller than her would-be accusers, she can see her subjects fill the plaza.
“Good afternoon,” the queen says calmly, but loud enough for her voice to carry. “I believe you had something to discuss with your queen?”
Tisiphone looks around the congregation, dismayed to see two of her fellow Matriarch allies still missing. However, before she can voice any kind of protest, Tatiana steps forward and announces loudly:
“The foremost ladies of the realm, Matriarchs, councillors and the faithful, have found reason to question if the queen is fit to rule our people.”
Lyssa swallows, but is mostly successful in hiding her reaction. She did expect something like this, but to hear it spelled out... Clenching her jaw, she clearly struggles to keep her response level:
“Care to elaborate?”
“The Matriarchs of Amazonia,” Tisiphone clarifies to share the blame, “disapprove of the queen's conduct.” She looks around for more of said Matriarchs, but the watchful eyes of the Sisterhood on the steps above force her to continue:
“On their behalf, let it be said that the queen has abandoned her fiery Amazon spirit in favour of hedonistic pursuits. Drunkenness and excess is not behaviour befitting an Amazon, much less a queen.”
“Foreigners still roam our shores with impunity,” Calypso throws out, leading the conversation towards matters more meaningful to her – and that do not hit as close to home.
“And yet, the queen is content to languish in her palace, too indolent to lift her sword in defence of her country,” Harmothoe intones, encouraged by the others. “Even worse, this decadence has spread to the queen's daughters. What does it mean for the future of our realm if the royal children are unable to even complete their rite of passage? A generation of lazy brats? Gorging themselves on game hunted by others and lusting after feeble men.”
Tatiana doesn't say anything but nods solemnly. Maya's failure and Lyssa's handling of the matter has bothered the proud huntress very much: She is not a woman who appreciates tenderness.
Lyssa's lip curls as she looks at the dignitaries in turn. She expected attacks from some of them, but judging by their faces they are all turning against her. So far, Feidlimid has not said anything, but to Lyssa the priestess looks ready to join in the second she feels the need to distance herself from the fallen queen.
“Is that all?” Lyssa asks, doing her best not to let her wounded pride show but unable to keep from affecting a haughty tone.
“Don't you have anything to say for yourself?” Calypso blurts out, obviously upset that the queen does not even acknowledge any of the accusations. She does manage to keep her voice low enough to keep the crowd from hearing. As much as the Jaguar of the Sea is surprised, she does not wish to cause Lyssa undue embarrassment either.
“We're still waiting for... more dignitaries to arrive,” Tisiphone protests, since Lyssa's unexpectedly early arrival seems to have robbed her of two important allies.
Tatiana nods in agreement: “We should have a full council before the queen defends herself. I have sent my huntresses to fetch Belyse and Concordia.”
Tisiphone breathes a sigh of relief: Escorted by the highly principled spymaster's fellow warriors, at least the queen should not be able to harm her fellow Matriarchs.
“Good, good,” Lyssa says evenly. “After all, these allegations are not made by individuals, but the council as a whole, right?” She tries to put on a conciliatory smile but it turns into more of a smug smirk towards Tisiphone.
“Yes, in fact it is Concordia and Belyse who–” the Matriarch of Tetla ventures before she is cut off by a shout from the plaza:
“Get yer handsh off me... hav'ya got any idea who –
hic – who I am??”
Kept on her feet by two burly huntresses, a sloshed Belyse stumbles towards the assembled council. Following not too far behind, Maya gives her mother a sly look before disappearing into the crowd – her work here is done.
“H-hey! Didya shtart with-without me??” the undignified steward fumes indignantly as she is more or less carried up the steps – lest she trip and and fall.
“What are you doing??” Tisiphone hisses back as Belyse unsteadily takes up her position beside her.
Realizing all eyes are on her, an inkling of how much she is embarrassing herself slips through Belyse's drunken haze and she blushes: “Sh-shaddup...”
“So this is the kind of person who accuses the queen of drinking too much...” Lyssa muses, making sure to raise her voice so the crowd hears her clearly. “Obviously the honourable council has been treated to some fine hypocrisy here. You say you speak on behalf of all of the Matriarchs, but I find it hard to believe that Calypso, who knows me so well, would entertain such two-faced accusations.”
The queen gives the Princess of Quetzlpan a disarming smile, offering her a way out that absolves her of wrongdoing. Making sure she has her attention, Lyssa continues:
“The Easterners continued presence is indeed disconcerting, which is precisely why we must remain united. It will take a large number of war canoes to overcome their ships and allow all of our warriors to honour Rigg by crossing the sea and taking the fight to the interlopers. And as the Jaguar of the Sea will tell you, building so many boats takes time – which is why we have yet to take the fight to them.”
It is something of a white lie: Lyssa truly does not see any way of realistically evicting the pirates from the Triad Islands without several more ships... but that has hardly been the reason she has not made war yet.
The queen glances around as if waiting for something before continuing: “Indeed, if anyone supposes that my –
our – realm has been weakened, the strife this kind of controversy engenders would go a long way to explain why it is so. Now, I would not immediately assume that Amazonia's state is in such a way compromised...”
Lyssa goes on at length, almost as if she is stalling with her increasingly empty words. All the while, her eyes scan the crowd with increasingly concerned anticipation. Finally she seems to see something she likes, happily abandoning her waffling mid-sentence.
“But not only do some people suppose that the queen is weak. They disparage my children. I see my daughter Inanna has just returned from her trial, so I shall let her answer these accusations.”
The crowd parts reverently as the powerfully built princess marches towards the temple. Covered in muck and blood, a hastily butchered hide of thick scales is draped across her shoulders. Behind her, she drags three large reptilian heads tied together with sturdy vines.
Inanna doesn't seem to pay the expectant stares any mind before she dumps her trophies at the stairs leading up to the shrine. Looking dumbly at the crowd, she is about to blurt out something in her confusion when her mother grabs her and pulls her to her side.
“Just stay silent and let mummy handle this,” Lyssa whispers sharply.
That whole “suitable heir” business is a “best of three” kind of deal, right?
“Is
this a lazy brat?” the queen asks rhetorically, making sure everyone gets a good look at her bloodied daughter. The crowd satisfies her with their reaction. Taking it a step further – and literally taking two steps further up the temple stairs – Lyssa raises her arm as if to get everyone's attention.
“And by the same token...” she roars with the crowd's approval. “Is this...”
Lyssa tugs gracefully at the cord around her waist. Undoing the knot, she lets it fall and grabs the hem of her robe – and with a flourish throws it open and lets it fall from her shoulders.
“Is this the body of a slovenly hedonist?” she asks the audience, showing off the taut muscles and chiselled features of her naked body. There is a gasp from the onlookers, not out of prudishness but admiration.
Hey Tisiphone, do you even lift, bro?
Spreading her arms just in case someone doesn't get the hint, Lyssa's gaze lands on each councillor in turn. “Now... perhaps the council can reach a verdict?”
Tisiphone averts her eyes, gritting her teeth as she sees the reaction of her fellow councillors.
“Damnit... hey! You said we had to wait for everyone,” she calls out to Tatiana. She tries to feign concern for due process in her tone, but she cannot help but sound exasperated. “Matriarch Concordia is still not here.”
Unseen by the vexed Matriarch, Lyssa makes a subtle gesture. Out of the crowd steps the thin Amazon who met with the queen earlier that day. Apologetically, she silently begs the council's attention.
“You may speak, Azu,” Lyssa instructs her, feigning curiosity about the woman's purpose. With the queen's permission, the newcomer turns to address everyone, her voice barely carrying over the crowd's confused murmurs:
“My fellow Amazons, it grieves me to tell you that my lady and mistress, Matriarch Concordia Pythona of Cuauhlotl passed away in her sleep three days ago. The swamp fever hit her swift and hard and none of our prayers or remedies could help her.”
“Why didn't she tell ush??” Where Tisiphone manages to hold back a similar outburst, Belyse has no such restraint. “Uhm...
anyone. Why didn't she tell anyonesh...”
“I'm afraid the Matriarch became bedridden and delirious as soon as the fever struck...” Azu says softly, so only those on the platform can hear.
“While I would no doubt have appreciated Concordia's... input in this decision, I suppose we must nevertheless conclude this farce,” Lyssa interjects. Before anyone can pre-empt her, she calls out to the whole plaza:
“Now... who here questions the queen's strength and vigour?”
The drunken Belyse is about to raise her hand when Tisiphone brusquely stops her. The others might have followed a strong display of unanimity by three Matriarchs, but hardly a minority of one Matriarch and a drunk.
Lyssa can't help but smirk at the two before continuing, even louder: “And who here supports the rightful queen of Amazonia and wish to follow her to battle and glory?”
A spontaneous cheer erupts from the crowd. Calypso cheers with them, raising her fist to the sky. Tatiana bows reverently and Feidlimid pragmatically follows suit.
The women in the plaza start kneeling as the euphoria spreads. Caught up in the moment, the councillors do as well – with Tisiphone and Belyse grudgingly coming in last.
Lyssa basks in the attention, awe and adoration, letting it wash over her bare skin. The sense of relief alone is almost unbearable, but this sudden about-face... she feels like she might burst from pride alone. The queen watches her subjects gleefully. This is as things should be.
Beside her, Inanna blinks as she looks around, still very much confused by the whole thing.