Meet the queen.

You step down a great hall that leads straight to a throne. The inside of this building looks like you've walked into a castle. There, on a lush, red throne, sits a beautiful woman wearing an illustrious gold circlet inlaid with gemstones of various colours. Everybody begins to drop to one knee, and not to be awkward, you follow their lead.

She looks to be a little bit older than you, and shes quite stunning. Her hair is raven black, and curls down her head to lay over her fine, bare shoulders. A dark red and black dress begins around her arms, and is gorgeously tailored, with gems even lining parts of the fabric's trimming. It leads all the way down to her feet, which have slid into crimson heels. The dress is cut up the side all the way to her thigh, exposing much of her left leg. Her fingers are adorned in golden rings, and the nails at each end are painted red, which matches her rosy lips. She has a necklace as well which hangs down to hold the pendant of ruby wolf head--the symbol of the empire, by your assumption from the various banners and such you've seen around the city so far.

"You have returned, Lady Tesgella. And by sight of the missing scouts, I see you were successful. Please, stand."

Nyllia stands backup, and then her knights. Your party does as well, so you join them.

The paladin puts a hand over her chest. "I was, your majesty. The cavern led to a dungeon as we assumed. Much of it had collapsed long ago, but there were two rooms of interest. The one housed a great purple slime, but we were able to best it. The last contained a sealed lich, as well as a group of goblins that were supposedly his minions before betraying him. Thanks to my party, the lich fell, and we were victorious."

Queen Catherine II crosses her slender leg over the other. "Fantastic. I was right to hire you for the job, and you did so with only seven, correct?"

"Yes. I thought it would be in my best interest to find another adventuring party to bring. These folk are not veterans by any means, but they are brave and strong. I may have fallen to the lich if not for them."

There wouldn't have been a lich to fight if not for us.

Bill places the sack of treasure down onto the floor. "This is everything we found, your majesty."

The queen ponders. "I will handle the payment of you and your men after, Lady Tesgella. I think it would be appropriate to properly repay this other party separately. Do you have a leader?"

You look between your group, and then swallow your nerves to step forwards. "That's me, your majesty."

"Name and origin, if you will."

If I tell her I'm from here, and I get literally any question a regular person from Tivera should know, she'll know I was lying to her, and I could get thrown in prison.

"My name is Kyle Warren, and I hail from a place far away. I have since renounced my origin, your majesty, but I wish to join the Empire of Tivera as one of her citizens--a place much greater than this place far away--if you will allow me. That is my wish."

The queen raises her brow. "A fascinating answer. So be it then. I will consider you to be of Tivera. It isn't so strange for adventurers to be from various places, yet consider themselves truly from none. If considering yourself a part of Tivera is your wish, then you may. I assume you're eager to obtain a reward though, yes? For clearing out this dungeon, rescuing two of my citizens, and slaying a lich, along with Lady Tesgella of course, I reward your party with two hundred gold pieces to distribute as you wish.

If we split that up even, that'll be fifty! How much is that? Food and bedding for months, and some near gear, should be achievable.

"Your majesty. May I make a request?" Nyllia says.

"You may."

"I wish to reduce my own reward for this quest in order to bestow an additional reward upon the party that helped me, if you will allow it."

"As expected from such a noble paladin. What would you have me bestow?"

"A home."

You raise both your eyebrows at that. Just as you start to speak, you see Amara put a finger to her lips.

The queen brings her leg back down, and moves to cross them the other way now. She leans on the armrest of her throne, and appears to be deep in thought. Finally, after a moment of complete silence, she speaks. "You will have your request fulfilled. Warren and company, you shall have a home here in Avana. One large enough to comfortably house you all. This land will be yours, which truly will make you citizens of Tivera. Congratulations, and I hope you will continue to help her citizens as you have done here. Now, I must sleep. You are dismissed."

Guard escort you back to the street. Night really has fallen now. You don't have a clock, but you imagine it to be nearing midnight.

You look to Nyllia in shock. "Y-You didn't have to do that!"

"I am aware."

Unable to hold it in anymore, you swing your arm into the air and cheer out loud. "We just got a god damn house! Not a small one either, by the sound of it. No more sleeping in smelly inns. We can buy our own food, and have an actual life here in this world!"

Everybody watches you curiously.

"Well, I guess that means our party really is official," Niki says, and gives you a nudge.

Nyllia puts her hand on your shoulder. When you turn, you're greeted with a dead-serious face. "Just behave yourself," she whispers. "You better not do anything bad to this party of yours. I am sure we will cross paths again."

A chill runs down your spine. But before she pulls away, you see her playfully slip her tongue out through her lips, but nobody sees it except for yourself. She turns and begins to walk.

"Well, now you'll know where to find us," you say.

"Be safe," she says as she goes. "It is a scary world out there."

You have obtained +50 GP, and +1 house. Not bad for my first real adventure.