In the Name of the Queen

Tobias and Ghostlight, like so many others, waited for the Queen. They stood in a prettily decorated area that had once been used as a courtyard of sorts, somewhere for human staff to gather and mingle during midday meals. It was tiered, a higher and lower level separated by a concrete and metal railing. Plants were everywhere, though they appeared to all be ornamental and decorative and were meticulously cared for, rather than those that had an appetite for flesh that grew in the jungle beyond the boundaries of the Court.

The pair stood at the fringes of a small crowd of islanders in the lower level of the courtyard, some of whom were giving them plenty of space. The Atlanteans, especially, seemed outrightly wary of them, and rightly so. Ghostlight knew that they had seen them at the banquet. She knew that they had seen what had befallen Tobias, yet here they stood, unharmed.

Outside of the Atlanteans who stood to bear witness to the ceremony, they had all gathered for the same purpose that they were here - to swear their loyalty to the Queen of Atlantis, to offer their services to protect and defend the dome, those within it, and all Atlanteans without that were braving the surface to try to establish a comfortable home for themselves should the dome be swallowed by the sea.

Foolish, Ghostlight thought, though she kept her judgment to herself. It was obvious to everyone with an ounce of critical thinking that those things that the Atlanteans were spreading across the surface of the islands weren’t merely for comfort. There was plenty of food on the islands for herbivores already. No, the plants that they spread were machines of war meant to make Atlantean takeover easier. They had been intent on conquering at least a portion of the islands since they had realised there were islands to be conquered.

Yet here she was, ready to bow her head in service of the Queen.

Tobias believed it was the right thing to do. He might not agree with their methods - those methods which had already cost him dearly, though he didn’t realise it - this was ultimately the more kind of two difficult choices. No one would be happy to lose a portion of their home to strangers, but if they didn’t at least try to help the Atlanteans, would more lives not be lost? An entire population of species new to the islands, potentially swallowed up by the ocean because they chose to stand idly by and not even attempt to help save their home?

Ghostlight knew that he was correct o technicality. She would do better to try to guide lost souls from inside the Court, rather than out. This did not mean that she liked any of the Atlanteans. And now she knew what happened to those that stood against the Queen. If you weren’t explicitly with them, you were against them. So many had died already. Would Rhys really dare to take on the entire population of the Kiama isles? Somehow… she suspected that yes, the young queen would.

The harmonious bugle of a pair of iguanodons announced the Queen’s approach. The dull lull of chatter from the islanders quieted as they watched and waited. Some were fearful, some eager, some hopeful, uncertain or earnest or determined. Only the Atlanteans appeared reverential as the young Queen of Atlantis approached, striding along the large, smooth paving stones that lined the ground of the upper level of the courtyard. She stood framed by plants, the picture of authority and power as she gazed down at the gathered islanders.

“Honourable few who have come here today,” she greeted them after a moment of silence. She spoke with a calm sort of confidence, the kind that demanded respect. Ghostlight lifted her muzzle slightly, the lantern hanging from her jaws swinging back and forth and creaking quietly as Rhys continued.

“You, like others before you, have chosen to attend this ceremony, and be anointed as knights of Atlantis. Undoubtedly, you will have heard about the regrettable events that transpired the other evening at the first of what will hopefully be many banquets in honour and celebration of your presence here in our home.”

Queen Rhys’s voice was tinged with mourning and regret, and Tobias was hit by wave after wave of true, painful grief. Claws of fear gripped and tore at his hide as his breathing started to quicken. So many lives lost. It was senseless, unprovoked. The whispers, the screams. It was all he could hear, all he could see - until he felt Ghostlight’s warmth beside him.

“Yet you have still come. Whether it is to hear what transpired in my own words or because you know already in your hearts what happened.

“It was an attack that came unprovoked.” The Queen’s words echoed the ghosts of events that Tobias had never seen. The truth, but not. Twisted in Her favour. “It is my understanding that the attack against my knights came from the misguided belief that our ascension to the surface comes from a place of malice. That we intend to claim more than what we need to sustain ourselves, that the kingdom will try to impress its rule upon all of you who already claim and call the surface ‘home.’

“As more joined the frey, my knights were left with little choice but to defend themselves. This assault left many of my knights with serious injuries, and, unfortunately… several of the dissenters were slain in an effort to control their violent rebellion.” A slaughter. A massacre.

Both Ghostlight and Tobias knew the Queen’s words to be false, yet still, they were here. They knew that not everyone in Atlantis followed her rule. Not all of them deserved to die a wretched, crushing watery death. They could be saved.

“Which is why it warms my heart to see you all gathered here, now.” Queen Rhys looked down upon them, her expression kind. A mask, a lie. She expected obedience. She expected subservience. They should bow to their Queen.

“Atlantis needs your help now even more. Not just to help our efforts at rebuilding and repairing that which we are already losing. You are needed now to bolster the ranks of my knights which have been diminished by this attack. You are needed to defend Atlantis against those that would do the kingdom harm. Those that would attack us without reason, or try to destroy what little home we are trying to make for ourselves on the surface, should our home here suffer the worst fate, though I still have hope that it will not come to pass.

“If my answer displeases or upsets you, if my explanation is not enough to satisfy you or if you cannot find yourself working alongside those that have harmed your kin, you are under no obligation to stay. Leave, for this ceremony is not for you.”

She would remember their faces, though. Those that left, those few that were leaving, looking uncertainly towards her and one another as they climbed the stairs and left the courtyard. Disloyalty. They would be sought out and cut down, just like their faithless brethren that had been slain at the banquet. There was no room for uncertainty. Her claim to the islands would be absolute.

“Those of you that would accept this calling, if you would bow your head to swear an oath to me to support Atlantis in whatever way was asked of you, step forward, and be named a Knight of Atlantis.”

Slowly, the remaining islanders approached the foot of the level that the Queen stood upon. Tobias and Ghostlight were among them; while Tobias bowed deeply and respectfully, Ghostlight stared ahead, her lantern swaying slowly and quietly creaking when she had come to a stop. It caught Queen Rhys’s attention as she spoke the sacred words that proclaimed them champions of Atlantis, and the iguanodon narrowed her pale, piercing gaze almost imperceptibly.

The cryolophosaurus looked to be entirely blind, the male beside her likely acting as some sort of guide to help her navigate through her life. She likely didn’t even know what it was to bow. Her transgression would be permitted.

“All hail the Queen!” The proclamation came as a resolute roar from the courtiers surrounding the islanders.

The islanders followed their example as they straightened once more. “All hail the Queen!”