Chapter 30

Seated on her throne, one leg over the other, the Queen of Vinoli gazed down at the figure prostrating itself in front of her.

"Arise".

Ursula, the female rabbit obeyed; grateful that she no longer had to remain in such an uncomfortable position. She looked up at the throne and the person occupying it, wondering why she had been summoned.

"Do you know why you're here?" The Queen asked.

"No, Your Majesty, I was only told to come."

The Queen shifted in her seat, the throne was not very comfortable today and she wondered if she shouldn't have asked for an extra cushion.

"You are aware, We trust, of the fires that have devastated a large part of Our city's oldest neighborhoods?"

"I am, Your Majesty."

"As you know, some of the houses there dated back to the beginning of the old king's reign. Unfortunately, the fire consumed them all. A great loss for Our city, wouldn't you agree?"

"I do, Your Majesty. Not to mention all the people who perished in the fires."

The Queen nodded solemnly.

"Indeed and We can't help but feel somewhat responsible for their fate. As monarch, the death of any of Our subjects weighs heavily on Our conscience." Here, the Queen paused and turned her head sideways.

"Still", she continued, resuming her old position. "There's no magic that can bring the dead back to life, at least not to my knowledge and in any case, that is not why you are here."

Rising from her seat, the Queen took a few steps until she was so close to Ursula that their noses almost touched. The rabbit suddenly felt very small, she swallowed down a lump in her throat.

"There's no need to be nervous", said the Queen, squeezing her subject's shoulder. "We are not going to eat you; not in any way." She relaxed her grip. "No, you're here because We are going to offer you a job: You are one of the Kingdom's most promising young architects. We want you to rebuild the parts of the capital that were destroyed by the fire."

Ursula's heart skipped a beat: A job and not just any job, but a commission given from the Queen herself! This was it, her big break! On her head, her long ears twitched; something they always did when their owner became excited. With an effort, she calmed herself. Play it cool, act humble.

"Your Majesty's confidence in me is flattering", she said, lowering her gaze modestly. "But surely, there are others who are more worthy of this honor than myself?"

The Queen tilted her head sideways and crossed her arms.

"Are you questioning Our judgment?" She asked, a hint of danger in her voice.

Ursula hurriedly shook her head, putting her paws up in a disarming gesture.

"Not at all, Your Majesty. I am grateful for this opportunity. I just wondered: Why me?"

The Queen shrugged.

"We have seen some of the buildings you've designed and found them to Our liking, that is all."

"I understand, and Your Majesty does not wish for me to simply dig up the old plans and re-build the burnt-down parts as they used to be?"

"Absolutely not. Those parts are gone forever, they belong to the past now and one should not try to reconstruct the past. Instead, turn your eyes to the future and envision a new, more beautiful city, rising from the ashes of the old."

As she spoke, the Queen wrapped her arm around Ursula's slim waist, while making a sweeping gesture with the other.

"Can you see it?" She asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty" Ursula replied excitedly, contaminated by her ruler's enthusiasm.

"Good."

The Queen went back to the throne and sat down. Something told Ursula that the audience was over. She bowed and left the throne room, her heart swelling with pride and happiness.

Left alone, Argath felt a rumbling in her stomach.

Be Quiet! She thought. I fed you not three hours ago.

The rumbling continued, this time louder and more insistent.

The Dragon Queen threw her hands up in exasperation.

Fine, you win. I give in to your demands.

She called out to one of the servants standing by the door:

"You there, go to the kitchen and tell them that We crave something to eat."

"At once, Your Majesty."

The Servant was just about to leave when he stopped.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but what shall I tell them to prepare for you?"

"Tell them to surprise Us. Oh, and tell them to deliver it to Our quarters."

At that moment, the door opened and another servant peaked in.

"Forgive the intrusion, my Queen, but there's a messenger here to see you."

"A messenger? From where?"

"From the north, my Queen."

Argath leaned forward excitedly.

"Show him in."

The servant gestured to a person that had been waiting in the hallway and the messenger stepped inside. Argath looked at the messenger, surprised to find that "he" was actually a female: A hedgehog, clutching a scroll to her chest, while her eyes nervously darted back and forth.

"Y-Your Majesty", she stuttered, kneeling before the Queen's feet. "I have a message to you from..." She swallowed. ...."General Jeraddin."

With that, she handed over the scroll. Argath took it, unrolled it and began read. As she did, a wide grin gradually started to spread across her features.

"Oh, this is a marvelous", she chuckled and turned her eyes toward the messenger, gesturing for her to stand up.

"You've brought Us some really good news", she said. "I think that deserves a reward of some sorts. Here."

As if it had been conjured up, a gold coin appeared in the Queen's hand. The messenger gazed in awe at it, having never seen one before.

"Your Majesty, this is really too much", she said.

"Nonsense", the Queen replied jovially.  She looked at the young soldier, whose clothes were covered in the dust of the road.

"Are you hungry?" She asked.

The Hedgehog nodded timidly.

"Tired as well, Your Majesty. If I have your permission to be so?" She added hastily, thinking that it seemed the appropriate thing to say.

"Go to the kitchen than and tell them to feed you. If they refuse tell them its a royal command. As for sleep, I'm sure we can find a bed for you to rest in, before you head back."

Her well of generosity depleted for the day, Argath dismissed the messenger with a wave of her hand.The hedgehog bowed deeply and left the throne room in a hurry. Later, as she sat in the kitchen, dipping pieces of bread in a bowl of cabbage-soup, she realized that the Queen had never asked her about how many died during the battle.
As for the Queen, upon finding herself alone, she rolled out the scroll and read it from top to bottom again, savoring every word.

Why, I do believe its time to summon the Royal Council and share these news with them,but first: Dinner.

As she left the throne room, the Queen took a few dance steps, while whistling merrily. The Melody she whistled was that of a ballad, which had been popular during the last war between Vinoli and Frigonia.