The Red Queen

The full moon alone lit the quiet streets of Whiteport on a still night. It illuminated the filth and grime, while the common beggar, doomsayer, and street rat hid from its celestial glow. Two lone figures made their way through the streets with no fear, despite the inherent danger involved from wandering around the port city’s streets in the dead of night.

“You know,” one of the figures said to the other in a feminine voice, “this city was once Kalendyne’s first bastion of defense during the war against Doldra.” She was making no effort to remain quiet, speaking as though she were having a lovely stroll in the daylight.

Her companion, also a woman though considerably taller than even most men, said nothing but simply listened.

“Many key battles were fought here during the war and won. The King at the time renamed it Whiteport to show that it was a symbol of purity, and that it would not be corrupted by invaders.”

The two of them stopped at their destination, a run-down tavern by the name of “The Lunar Lady” nestled away in a corner of town that the guards rarely patrolled, especially not during the evening.

“Oh how far it has fallen in one-hundred years, right my friend?” The woman smiles to her towering companion.

“Aye.” Was all she said in a deep, coarse voice that echoed behind a steel mask that covered her lower face.

“Most people call this city Greyport these days. I’d like to give it a new name. But first, I need to have a home.” The woman grinned beneath her wide-brimmed cap with a single red feather in it. This feather was the only spark of color in an otherwise completely black, leather outfit that covered her from neck to toe. “Be ready for trouble my dear friend, they won’t just let me do as I please because I’m pretty.”

The towering companion nodded beneath the hood of her black cloak that concealed her entire body save for a rather large bust.

The two entered the tavern to find that it was mostly empty. A few patrons sat around a table in the corner playing cards and drinking ale from their mugs—two humans, a halfling, and dwarven woman. A portly old innkeeper was standing behind the tavern’s bar cleaning a mug.

“Welcome to the Lunar Lady, what can I get for you?”

“A new home.” The woman replied as she removed her hat, revealing chin-length jet-black hair cut in a bob with straight bangs and gleaming icy, blue eyes.

“We’ve got soft beds and lockable chests in every room. Will you be taking two?” The old man gestures to the silent companion.”

“Actually,” the slender woman gestures to the taller woman who produces a rather large bag of coins from her cloak and slams it on top of the bar, revealing a very well-toned arm. “I’ll take all of the rooms, the bar, and all of its stores. I am the owner now, you’re welcome to stick around and tend the bar if you like, I’ll even pay you for it, or you can leave with the money. The choice is yours, I don’t care either way.”

The old man looked flabbergasted. The bag was easily a full half of a meter in diameter and it was filled to the top of golden coins. “I-I can’t let you do that, lass.”

The taller woman took another step toward the bar, not saying a word but glaring down at the man with strange silver eyes, making him audibly gulp.

“Shibito, my friend here, doesn’t like hearing things like that.” The slenderer woman replied. “Tell me, what’s your name?”

“Dane.” The man said nervously.

“Dane, got it, nice to meet you, my name is Elise. Listen here Dane, you have three choices to make right now. You can either take the money and walk out that door, take the money and answer to me from now on and get some nice coin for your loyalty and trouble, or I can have my friend here snap your neck in such a way that you’ll desperately hope can be fixed but will be disappointed to discover that your remaining life will be instead filled with pain and suffering.” As she gave this ultimatum, Elise simply smiled in a pleasant and affable way, and she spoke with a tone to match.

Dane was beginning to sweat now. “I’m sorry, I really can’t do it.”

“Really? I’m giving you an opportunity of a lifetime here. You’d have to be a fool not to take it. Unless you don’t have the authority to hand it over.” Elise cocked an eyebrow. “May we meet the actual owner of this establishment?”

“I can’t take you to him. He’s in…” Dane stopped suddenly when he realized he had said too much already. “I just can’t. Please leave.”

Elise sighed, rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers.

With lightning speed Shibito reached out with her arm and grabbed Dane’s neck. The other patrons were now looking on at the scene with curious looks.

“Do you see how quick that was? All I have to do is snap my fingers again and you’ll have a sudden but wonderful view of the wall behind you. I won’t ask you again, take me to the owner of this tavern.”

“Okay, okay! I’m sorry! I’ll bring you to him.” Dane seemed to buckle under the pressure, his knees were shaking.

Elise nodded and Shibito removed her hand.

“Follow me.” He said walking out from behind the bar and into the storeroom.

He led them into the cellar of the Lunar Lady where they found a hatch leading into the basement. The hatch was locked but with a quick turn of the key, it snapped open. Dane suddenly stopped before opening it to look at them.

“Just tell me one thing.” He said.

“Why not?” Elise shrugged.

“You aren’t justicars are you?”

“No, I hate them just as much as you fear them. Assuming you have what I think you have down there.” Elise grins at the man.

He opens up the hatch to reveal a staircase leading down into the ground. “Watch your head on the way down. ‘Specially you.” He nods at Shibito. After making their way down the steps, Dane lead them through a long, well-lit hallway with wood paneling on the walls. “Back during the days of the war, some of the taverns of this city had these little bunkers built into them. That way the civilians could hide in case the dock was breached instead of having to evacuate the city.”

“Seems pretty smart. I take it you had a better idea for it now that the war is over?”

“Wasn’t my idea.” Dane shakes his head. “I just tend the bar.”

He finally led them to a door. “Listen, I have to go back to the bar, I’ll open the door but you’re on your own from there.”

“Thank you kindly. Just one more thing,” Elise starts, “give me the key. I doubt anything will happen to me, but just in case, hide the money somewhere and if you’re asked, just tell him I stole the key from you.”

Dane nods and hands her the key, she smiles and pockets it before opening the door.

Inside was a small room with a desk and a rather attractive woman sitting at it. There was also another door leading out, and next to it was a burly man dressed in full leather armor. He had a short sword and a sap at his side.

Before letting either of them react to Elise’s entrance, she tossed a couple small bags of coins onto the desk. “We’re going inside. Take the gold and leave, or try to stop us and my friend will break your skulls open. She’s good at that.” With confidence Elise continued to walk, unsurprisingly, neither of them tried to stop her and simply let her and her towering companion walk through the door without issue.

Elise knew exactly what she would find in the basement of this tavern. In fact, she knew everything that Dane told her, it was the reason she chose this tavern to begin with, she knew how secure and secretive it was. So, when her eyes were met with gorgeous people who were barely clothed of all races and genders mingling with many other patrons who looked like they were wealthy, she was surprised only by how beautiful many of the barely dressed individuals appeared. She knew that the tavern upstairs was merely a front for a bordello being run in the basement.

The room was large, big enough to serve as a general greeting area for the patrons, at both of the walls to the left and right of the room there was an archway leading to corridors where Elise assumed the private rooms were. At the back wall, there was a rather fancy chair that was currently occupied by a bald man with a thick, brown beard and a scar across the top of his head. To either side of him was a human and elven woman sitting on pillows and leaning against the chair.

“Nice.” She commented, staring out into the crowd. “Shibito, stay close to me.”

“Aye.” Shibito said.

“Hello there, good sir.” Elise said in a loud voice getting the attention of everyone in the room.

“Who the fuck are you?” The big boss asked, sitting forward in his seat.

“My name is Elise, and I assume you are the owner of this brothel?”

“I am.” He says, narrowing his eyes.

“I have a deal for you that you won’t be able to refuse. In fact, it’s not so much a deal as a statement.” Elise began to unbuckle her jacket and leather gear piece by piece, letting each one of them fall to the floor around her. As she removed her outerwear piece by piece she revealed a skintight cloth shirt and leggings beneath them, as well as belts and bandoliers covered with daggers and throwing knives. Not just around her waist and chest, but around her ankles, thight, biceps, and forearms. She removed those too, letting them fall around her with loud clunks. “What’s your name?”

“Evund.” He said, confusion evident on his face as he watched Elise strip before his eyes.

“I like this place, and I am going to use it as my base of operations from now on.” Elise said frankly as she started to unbuckle her boots. Now that she was wearing only skintight clothes, A few of the room’s occupants had begun to notice a rather unusual feature of the woman.

“On what authority?” Evund asks after a slight chuckle at her bluntness.

“Hold on a moment, I’m getting to that part.” Elise grabs at the bottom of her shirt then turns around so her back is facing Evund and pulls it up over her head before tossing it to the ground.

The amusement on Evund’s face drains away as he sees what is tattooed on Elise’s back across her shoulder blades. A blood red depiction of a crown. A few gasps escaped the lips of the other people in the room when they saw it. They knew what it signified.

The Red Queen. The most notorious crime lord in the western kingdoms, and the one who dominated the black markets of Kalendyne. She was responsible for selling illegal weapons, artifacts, artwork, magic items, potions, and herbs; as well as illegal services such as prostitution. Nobody in Kalendyne had any kind of underground operation without first going through the Red Queen or one of her operatives.

Elise turned back around to face the boss, not at all ashamed to be baring her petite chest and soft pink nipples on alabaster skin to the entire room. “So, I’ll say it again, with my authority as the Red Queen, this is my operation now. You have two choices, Evund.” She gestured to Shibito who tossed another large bag of gold onto the ground. “You can either take this bag of gold and leave, never to return again; or my friend here is going to ruin that very nice chair by impaling you with it.” She put a hand on her hip and gave Evund a cocky smile as she awaited his reply.

With a bit of sweat on his brow he stood up and wiped it away. “My apologies everyone, she’s in charge now. I’ll be on my way.” He then nervously walked out of the room, gold in tow.

Once he was gone there were murmurs among the crowd.

“Shibito, go around to all of the rooms and kick out the patrons.” Elise then stripped off her final garment, the skintight leggings, letting them slide down to the floor. By now everyone in the room noticed her unusual feature. A penis hung down between her legs. She proudly displayed it as she crossed the floor over to the chair.

Once she was sat down she looked over the whole room with her legs crossed and her elbow leaned on the armrest. “They once called this city Whiteport. Now they call it Greyport. I think I’d like to call it Redport.”