The envoys stood at the edge of Drakarra's shores, the weight of their mission sinking in as they prepared to leave. The moonlight shimmered across the sea, casting long shadows over the vast forest that hid the kingdom of Drakarra.
The leader of the envoys paced back and forth on the ship's deck, his thoughts heavy. Their time with Zhalira had been brief but powerful, and the queen's message was clear—she had not rejected their king's proposal but had made it known that for Loria to engage with Drakarra, they would need to offer something far more substantial. What exactly she meant by "worthy," the envoys did not yet know, but they had no doubt it was something beyond the reach of mere riches.
As the last of the supplies were loaded onto the ship, the younger envoy approached the leader, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"What do you think she meant by 'something worthy'? We offered everything we could, but she just wants more."
The leader glanced back toward the palace, where the shadow of Zhalira loomed large in his mind.
"I don't know, but it's clear she sees herself as more than just a political pawn. She's not just a queen; she's a force of nature." His voice dropped as he spoke. "We need to report back to the king. This won't be solved easily, and Loria might not be ready for what she demands."
Another envoy joined the conversation, his eyes darting nervously toward the dense trees where the dragons had been sighted.
"Did you see those creatures? Those dragons—are they even real? I've never felt such power in all my years. The queen's hold over them is... unnatural."
The leader nodded slowly, his expression darkening.
"She commands beasts the size of mountains. What she can do, what she controls, it's beyond anything we've known. This isn't just a kingdom we are dealing with. Drakarra is something else entirely. And we must go back to Loria with that in mind."
The envoys gathered their belongings, still shaken by their encounter with Zhalira and her dragons. They had no answers, only more questions. But one thing was certain: the king's desire to engage with Drakarra had just become infinitely more complicated.
As the ship began to pull away from the shore, the leader of the envoys stood at the helm, gazing back at the fading silhouette of Drakarra.
"We'll return with something more worthy," he muttered under his breath, "but what that is... I don't know yet."
Behind him, the rest of the envoys silently agreed, the weight of Zhalira's words hanging in the air. They could only hope that Loria had something powerful enough to match the demands of the queen.