>>5759929She retorts with a sniff and a quick , hidden smack with her tail, though you feel her squeeze your hand in appreciation at much the same time.
“Well… You have a history of making suboptimal choices, you know,” she notes, albeit without venom, then smirkingly asks, “Was last night such a great relief to those overburdened loins, Degenerateborn?”
“My choices are not so impetuous,” you sigh. “Give me SOME credit, while I am giving you status, will you? You have helped safeguard this realm in my absence—to protect it, to expand it, and to solve its problems with mystical and diplomatic skills that MORE than qualify you.”
She demurs, turning her head and shifting under the abundance of praise.
“And more, obviously. I AM the best candidate,” she murmurs, then glances up at you and adds, so quietly you scarcely hear her: “Thank you… For noticing.”
Glowie hums thoughtfully to the other side of you, listening to the conversation and watching the little display. You wonder what she thinks of this… But then, the Greatworm and Serpent Queens have long gotten along, much more than you ever would have expected from an arrogant high-caste scholar and a truly-omnivorous, expansionist insect sovereign. You consider how this came to be, and what might come hereafter with your choice of one queen and lineage ‘over’ the other… But not for long. The rest of the council, after all, still wait with bated breath.
You turn to the others, and raise your voice so they might hear clearly.
“The Serpent Queen, daughter of the northern forward base’s Operational Chaplain, Serpent Priestess of the College of Fleshweavers, shall be my appointed successor. She and her line—that of her egg, soon to hatch—shall wield my authority, and be my heirs. She has proven herself worthy of the role, again and again, beginning with her invaluable assistance in conquering this realm, in interpreting and mastering the ancient king’s library and relics, in settling our refugees, and in preventing our starvation. She has given us unity, stability, and prosperity! She is a queen of VISION, and WISDOM, and SHE has the acumen to lead. Our spawn shall be the Dragon Kings of Bloodrise—the Dark Prophets hereafter, to guide our peoples through the coming age, and to ENSURE it is a New Age of Darkness for one and ALL!”
