For the moment

"It has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Alayna," you saw, bowing slightly from the waist. You are struck by a sudden impulse, and offer your hand. "With your permission?"

She smiles again, places her hand in yours, and you give it a brief kiss. There is strength in her hand even though her touch is gentle; it is a hand which has held a sword and used it as it is meant to be used. That strength does not detract from her femininity in any way, though; it is a woman's hand, not a man's.

"I look forward to seeing you tonight, Queen Alayna."

"And I you, King Xavier."

"What did you think of her, Lady Trina?" you ask as your small party rides the road back toward the city.

"She was magnificent," Trina replies, a bit dreamily. Then, she suddenly seems to realize where she is and who she speaks to. "Oh - forgive me, Sire."

"No need," you assure her. "I can certainly understand that there would be much about the Warrior Queen which you would admire; she is a woman who has risen to the very top of your chosen profession. I imagine I might feel similarly if I were to meet one of the great master blacksmiths of the world... had I not had the good fortune to be apprenticed to one of them." (It does occur to you that Lady Trina may have other reasons for admiring Queen Alayna, but there would be no point in embarrassing her further!)

"Of course, Sire," Lady Trina mumbles. "Truth be told, I did not find her to be as I expected. I had envisioned a woman of much more serious demeanor, as it would be necessary for her to assume an attitude of formidable strength in order to lead as she does. Soldiers do not generally follow women into battle; I cannot believe for a moment that she acts in front of them as she did in front of you today."

"Do you believe that she was putting on a show for my benefit?" you ask.

"On the contrary, Sire... I believe that she affects a Warrior Queen persona for the benefit of her troops, and that she allowed herself to relax in front of you."

"That may be an indication that she does not take you seriously, Sire," Duncan warns.

"Or perhaps, she wished you to see her as a woman, not as a warrior," Ferdinand suggests. "If she is indeed here to catch your interest as a potential Queen of Elyssia, she would want to appeal to you on that level, no doubt."

"And that, she certainly did," you say to Ferdinand. "Lady Trina is quite correct when she says that Queen Alayna is magnificent."

"I urge caution, Sire," Duncan says quietly.

"Fear not, Duncan; I have not fallen prey to the Warrior Queen's love spell, nor am I making plans to propose to her at tonight's feast. General Ferdinand, what did you make of the soldiers at her camp?"

"It is clear that she selected men and women with the intent to impress," Ferdinand says. "There was not one over thirty years of age, or less than twenty. All were in prime fighting condition, well-disciplined, and their armor and weapons likewise in peak condition. Those forty would be the equal of at least three times their number from any other army I have seen. It is likely that they represent the best of her people, but even so, it speaks very well of the state of her army that forty such soldiers could be found among the ranks."

"I observed that the men and women shared tents," Duncan adds. "That, in and of itself, speaks of their discipline. Most generals would not have women among their ranks to begin with, but to have them share quarters with the men is practically unheard of."

"With respect, Lord Duncan, I share quarters with the Kingsguard," Lady Trina says quietly.

"Er... yes, of course, my Lady, but that is also most unusual."

You know that a good part of Duncan's discomfort comes from the fact that he initially opposed Lady Trina's appointment to the Kingsguard; furthermore, at the time, one of his arguments had been that she would need separate quarters. Lady Trina had insisted upon being treated just as if she were one of the men, and that there would be no issue. Time has proven her quite correct.

"It is worth mentioning, Sire, that although the Queen's soldiers are obviously fit and battle-ready, they did not behave as an army does before an engagement," Ferdinand says. "There is... something in the air, in a camp on the eve of battle. It is impossible to describe, but this camp did not have that feeling; it was a camp that had prepared for inspection, not war. I believe we may safely conclude, Sire, that Queen Alayna's intentions here are entirely peaceful; or at least, that this is what she has told her soldiers."

As you ride Steelheart around a bend in the road and up a short rise, you can see that festival preparations in the city have progressed; banners and streamers hang from the windows, and the people have begun to gather near the square where the opening ceremonies will be held. You still have at least two hours before you need to prepare for your part in them.