A Sunflower and a Dragon (Lost Druid)

Queen Zera passed away at the age of 67 due to an illness. The crown was now on Kira's head. The country of Kamo observed a three-day mourning period. Kira mourned for a week. Kamos never stopped mourning.

During Kira's coronation, a political group called the "Roylaws" interrupted the event by shouting "FAKE! FAKE! This woman is not legitimate. For she is a daughter of Katose the Traitor! The former High Druid!" Most of the court and foreign guests were shocked by the news. "Yet I am still the daughter of Queen Zera. Which makes me more legitimate than everyone here. For I am a Sunflower and a Dragon. I'll continue to rebuild Kamo and reenforce our fractured alliances with our neighbors. I'll ensure the White Valleys never get enough bodies for another invasion. I'll also take the money they give us to help build our great nation," said the now Queen Kira.

"And how do we know you're not going to implement your father's plans for Kamo? From his diary, it seems that his goals were around having Zera give birth to a child who would be raised in the White Valleys and become ruler of Kamo, and bring the White Valleys under our control. You were meant to be that child. In fact, I would go as far as to say that you are that child. Which means that the traitor's plans are still in motion even after death," said one of the Roylaws.

"Then answer me this, how is the plan in motion if I was raised here my whole life? In fact, I've grown up with most of the people in this court. If I was taught anything about the White Valleys, it was why I should not trust them, to hate them, to reject their ways. Also, I am a druid. My very magic despises necromancy. Not to mention I read that very diary when I was 12, which means I know the plan, and that plan is dead. Katose failed. My stepfather's party ensured it when they rescued my mother. Kamos also made sure the plan didn't happen by reading the diary years before you got your hands on it. He raised me using the diary as a reference. He knew what to look for, he knew what to do if I acted a certain way, and he knew everything he needed to know to ensure I didn't do what Katose wanted. He knew what it would take to make me a much better person than Katose. That is how you know." Said Queen Kira.

"That's not enough for us. Because, as you have attempted, you know the plan, and also you know that it has to change. So, what if you are stalling so that later you can talk to some White Valley cult and have them talk with the other cults and lich lords, then at some point you go and give them all the valuable information about this castle. So that they can come in undetected and kill all of us?" asked another Roylaw.

"Do you not realize how overly complicated and stupid that sounds? Do you really think I am capable of pulling such a stunt off? I have a loving husband and 3 kids. I am too busy to be forming conspiracies with a foreign power. Also, if anything, I'd turn the White Valley cults into slaves and have them mine in the quarries. I might even have The Lich King Riter watch over them. There, will that make you happy? Do I need to banish you all to the White Valleys so that you may ask how they know me, and what weaknesses of the castle I gave them, or the shift changes for guards? Maybe YOU can be the ones who bring the necromancers here and be the ones who burn this place to the ground. Hmm? Maybe the things you are accusing me of are, in fact, the very things you are doing? Now tell me. How do you know that YOU haven't already had a meeting with our enemies to ensure Katose's plans succeed?" asked Queen Kira.

"Kira. These idiots are just trying to make you look like a fool and a weak ruler. Don't let them bait you into saying something you'll regret," warned Kamos. The court fell into silence. His frame still loomed large despite his old age. Kamos had a long white beard. He still wore Kamo's guard armor, but with some of his old gear from his home country of the Green Swamps. Despite him being just Zera's widower, everyone respected him. Even the Roylaws stopped talking. For they knew he was a war hero too. Similar people tried to paint Kamos in a terrible light as well, but failed as the servants, Princess Zera, and many others fought by his side. His moral compass and genuine love for Zera ensured where his loyalties lay when the Green Swamps betrayed Kamo during the Three Deaths' War nearly 50 years ago.

"My apologies, great Kamos, but we, the Roylaws, are uncertain that Kira will be a good queen. Perhaps if this were a more peaceful time, we would be more willing to accept her, but due to the events of the last several decades, trust is hard to gain. Ensurance is even more rare. So, please see what we see. We see the daughter of a traitor about to take the throne. A daughter that was supposed to be yours, not the traitors. That was the part of the deal that was broken and then further broken when Queen Zera murdered your child."

"Do not bring up the horrors of that night. I was there, not you. I have had to bear the loss of so many people. That child was meant to be a blessing, Kira was meant to be a blessing, but Zera saw them as curses. That is what I don't understand about you, foolish humans. You punish children for the sins of their fathers. You avoid their names, call your rivals by those names. You take a tragedy and make it more evil, more tragic by learning the wrong lessons. Yes, Kira is the daughter of a traitor, but when she was a child, did she see malice in her eyes, or joy? When she was sparring with me, did you see a monster or a guardian? When she went down to damaged walls, do you think she was trying to weaken them or trying to help your people feel peace once again? Now I ask you this final question: What has my stepdaughter done that makes you so afraid of her?" asked Kamos as he walked slowly to the leader of the Roylaws.

"Everything, sir. We see what Katose sees. A sunflower that stands taller than all the other flowers, and a dragon whose power shakes our souls. We are afraid because we didn't think a being like her could exist. We only thought it was a tale to inspire us as kids. Now here she is standing before us. In all her power and glory. We have nothing to stop her from getting drunk with power. We have no checks. Nothing."

"Ah, so this is all about keeping power in check? Well, too bad you're part of the problem. Guards! Take this filth out of my sight," said Kamos as guards came and took the Roylaws out of the throne room. The rest of the court was dismissed.

"You didn't need to do that Dad." said Queen Kira. "Well, even if I can't fight in battle anymore, I'll still fight for my baby girl til I die," said Kamos. The two hugged and began to rebuild Kamo.