"My Queen..."

Crimson-fire wings swayed by the railing to the right of the throne, two golden orbs stared deeply at the Queen who smirked almost cunningly raising her arm ever so gracefully, the staff below her feet glancing up.
"Come, Dragana."

Hooked claws rested on the arm of the Queen, the gentle clings of metallics meeting gently filling the silent room as the phoenix bowed its head to her ear. Whispering half-truths and secrets that seemed endless, the voice was as gentle as a burning feather.
A low growl at the feet of the throne emitted loudly as a hand with metallic-like claws reached down and eased the spiked fur, its amber pelt glowing in the light that peeked through the castle.

"Hush my pet, it seems as though an interesting development has risen."

The Queen glanced at her maids beneath her while raising her hand to rest under her chin, each of the girls feeling the power that radiated from her, it was as if at any moment the Queen would have excuse them all.
Her hand weaved through the air as both the phoenix and wild cat morphed into a human form, kneeling before their Queen.

"Mother."
"Your Majesty."

Both began to rise with the previously phoenix leaning against the arm of the throne, the cherry feathers ablaze yet unburned tucked behind her ear while the leopard, now human, crossed her arms.
"I still don't know why I'm stuck as a spotty feline while chicken on fire over there gets to be a majestic firebird."

The Queen's eyebrow twitched as they locked gazes, the leopard's eyes narrowing as she swallowed realising she probably shouldn't have complained about her conditions. Yet, the Queen barely flickered an eyelash.
Dragana glided her nails around the belt resting above her thighs, sliding her hand into the cylinder compartment and pulling out a rather well-preserved parchment gaining the attention of her Queen.

"Mother, the strategies for the counter-attacks by the Kings."
"Well well. good work my little Firebird."
The Leopard girl started tapping her foot as she raised her arms,

"Why does she always get the praise!? I always stand by your side my Queen and you hardly ever say anything to me for wha-"

Faster than a wink of an eye the atmosphere changed around them as the Queen spoke without a hint of resenting, yet, chills still slithered down every member of the audience's spines.
"My Poor Kittyosis, are you jealous? Fear not, my little pet. Dragana may be my daughter, but you? Are my security, my special spotted knight."

Kittyosis felt a boiling flush flood her cheeks as she leaned down to the Queen, not caring if the emotion in her eyes was fake or not; Kittyosis felt pride in knowing that she was valued, that she was a hero at least in her mind. The space between them closed as the Queen grazed her fingers through the distressed kitten's hair, the metallic claws encasing her hand almost scraping in the result.

"Who do you serve?"
"My Queen Thorn."

A ghost of a smirk appeared across Thorn's face before she raised her hand to every other maid, dismissing them wanting only for her two accessories to be alongside her. When alone she twisted her hand, the sounds of branches crackling like bones being crunched beneath stomping boots, not even Dragana or Kittyosis could resist the instinct to react.
Queen Thorn, however, stared as a table weaved itself with lifeless branches to create a table in front of the three. The plans of the rival kingdoms being spread across it exposing plots of poisoning, assassinating and having a spy infiltrate the empire.

Chuckling quickly turning to a cackle emitted throughout the room rooted from the Queen, her face lifting slightly as the emotionless eyes seemed to spark with amusement. The aroma of earthy roots started to fade as the branches began to unwind leaving the paper parchment to fall into Thorn's hand, only to crunch it into a ball and throw it into a fireplace.

"Let them try their ultimately useless plans, They will dance in flames before they can even realise whom the Devil is."