5When they arrived in the throne room, also called the Room of the Topaz Light, the guards, very well-meaning people, tried to keep Ibian out. But very quickly, almost animal fast, he threw back his hood and the guards bowed before him.
Ibian followed Stasha to the throne where the Empress sat, her face painted in the royal symbols of the Tar Dashan family, her dress, rich fabrics sewn with precious metals and her eyes reflecting the deep gold of the topaz windows. Her name was Kitana and she was ruler.
All of them bowed to her. Stasha started to speak but the Empress Kitana held up her hand.
"Ibian Malachi Tar Dashan. Run away Prince-King. How dare you show your face here again. You ran away from your duties as the next ruler of this empire." He tried to speak but her eyes glinted in rage and he stopped, "I will deal with you in a moment." Then she calmed herself turned toward Stasha,
"Anastasia Harwett. You were summoned here because i have a task for you that needs a certain amount of feminine touch. Since your the best female warrior I have, well the choice was obvious." She snapped and a page boy ran in with a paper. "Here are your orders." She gazed around, "Dismissed."