ACT II: The trouble they cause recoils on them, their violence comes down on their own heads.’

Several days have passed, and the kingdom has received the news that Prince Dar of Xenian had sent out his advisers beforehand to offer the queen's hand in marriage. What the Xenians didn't know is that something has been waiting for them and their ship.

The Queen soon ordered all her subjects to dig a hole near the castle walls, big enough to fit a large battleship in a day. Soon everybody got to work, from dawn till the last sunset finally there was a hole large enough to fit more than 50 people. The Queen's advisors were confused as to why they were ordered to dig up a hole.

"It is to burn the beasts." is what Queen Adna had said. Not wanting to question anymore, her advisers soon find themselves accepting the situation.

The next day, the Xenian Prince advisers finally arrived near the coast. They found the queen had been waiting for them. They had offered the recently widowed Queen Adna to be married to Prince Dar, as he was smart and was a good leader, that Adna should come to the land of Xenian and marry him.

When Queen Adna questioned why they had come to visit when they could have sent a letter. The advisers also told the Queen that they had killed her husband. The Queen, who already knew about the news from her spies, had pretended to be shocked hearing the grave news.

"Why have you killed my husband?" She questioned.

"For he was like a wolf, crafty and ravening. If a wolf came among the sheep, he would take away the flock one by one. Had we not killed the king, he would have destroyed us all."

Soon the Queen easily accepted the marriage offer, as she told the advisers that they should wait in their ship, and have their ship carried into the castle, saying that they should have their deserved welcome. Enthusiastic the Xenian advisers waited, as their ship was carried by the people of Dewyth.

By that time they had arrived near castle grounds. The people had brought them to one of the castle walls, where the big hole was dug up. The advisers were confused but were not fast enough to act. Had themselves and their ship dumped inside the hole. They cried in outrage, how could these peasant people dare attack an adviser. Where was the queen when this was all happening?

The advisers all look up to find the Queen and her subjects all above the hole, looking at them with rage. The Queen ordered one of her men to light a torch on fire, and burn the hole.

The Queen's advisers could only look shocked at what the queen had planned. Not only did she trick their enemy to believe they will be welcomed, but she had also wiped out half of the great leaders of Xenian.

"Do not leave anyone alive in this hole, so all that I see are ashes." The Queen told her courtier, not once her gaze leaving the wailing screams of the advisers being burnt alive.

Calliope nodded, as she yelled out the orders towards the soldiers to guard the area. Queen Adna, finding her duties to be finished that day, went off to spend time with her son Aldr.

"Mother, what is that giant smoke near our castle walls?" Aldr, still at a young age, had been curious as to why there was a black smoke covering near the castle.

"It is nothing, my dear. It's that some beast had angered their ruler." That is all the Queen said. "Now, you have to stay here. I will be traveling to the lands of Xenian. Will you be a brave young man and protect the castle?"

"Of course mother, please come back safely." Queen Adna only smiled, and kissed him on the forehead, greeting him goodnight as she left her son's bedroom.

"Your Majesty, the fire has finally reduced. It has been reduced to nothing but ashes." Calliope informed the Queen. Queen Adna gave no indication of answering, but she continued on walking.

On her next campaign, Queen Adna sent a letter to the prince, she agreed on visiting the Xenian land, if Prince Dar would send his own distinguished men to come and bring her to their land. The Prince, being a gullible man, agreed to it and sent out his finest men.

When they arrived in Dewyth, the Queen demanded that they bathe before she could meet them. The Xenian men instantly agreed and followed one of the Queen's advisers to a bathhouse. Not long, the Xenian men were all inside the bathhouse, when they heard a lock on the door.

"What is the meaning of this! Let us out," they cried. What they did not know was that it would be their last cry. As the queen ordered to burn the bathhouse down, leaving nothing but dust.

After her second campaign, she ordered Calliope to write a letter, to not send suspicions to the Prince of Xenian.

"Send a letter to the Prince, that I want to hold a funeral, as my husband's remains are still in their lands. For then I will accept the marriage. After that, I will leave before dawn with some of my men. Calliope, you and my army will leave after the morning, lay silent amongst the waves."

"As you wish, Your Majesty. What will happen then?" Calliope questioned.

"My wedding will be held, and the fall of Xenian won't be so long."

The Queen prepared half of her men and three advisers to set sail to the lands of Xenian. The letter had been sent the night before by a carrier pigeon, by the time the pigeon went back by dawn. The letter sent back by the Prince was just filled with his arrogance and his gratefulness for her arrival.

The sun had been setting when they arrived in Xenian. The Prince had greeted her with joy, as he announced there will be a celebration for their wedding ceremony. While also promising the queen for her husband's funeral.

It was hard for the people of Dewyth to see some of the Xenians ridicule their queen for preparing a funeral for her husband. But they had to stay on guard, and not provoke the tribe. Not long after the celebration began.

The Xenian people had begun partying, singing songs, and dancing. Some were drinking mead, getting drunk, and boasting about their achievements. Only Queen Adna and her people did not drink nor partied, they had only checked the area.

"My Queen, may I ask where my advisers are?" Prince Dar had drunkenly asked.

"They had informed me they will leave the coast the next day, wanting to spend more time in our lands." The Queen smiled as she poured more mead onto his glass. "Come, dear, drink more."

The Prince didn't find anything weird nor suspicious and continued drinking. On the sidelines, one of the Queen soldiers signed to the queen that Calliope and her army had arrived. Not wasting time, the queen pulled out a dagger hidden in her dressings and stabbed the prince.

Soon, the massacre began. The Dewyth annihilating the Xenians as they all died at the hands of the Queen's subject. The Queen, even partaking in a few murders, had initiated a perfect red wedding. By the time dawn came, the Dewyth had counted they had killed at least 5.000 Xenians.