RISE OF THE PHOENIX (The Queen’s Quiet Steps)

The Queen’s Quiet Steps

The morning sun pierced through the palace curtains, but Queen Kaen sat by the edge of her bed, eyes distant—still replaying last night’s meeting with her beloved Raiku and the divine phoenix. Her thoughts raced.
Should I tell the council about the North King's plot?
But then she whispered to herself, "No... This is the chance I’ve been waiting for. I will escape quietly."

Suddenly, a sharp knock jolted her back to reality.
Knock knock!
She jumped in panic. "Ah! Who—?"

She opened the door slightly and exhaled deeply when she saw her personal maid.
“Oh... it's just you,” she said with a faint smile.

The maid looked concerned. “My queen, are you alright? You seem startled.”

“I’m fine,” Kaen said, smoothing her hair and composing herself. “Is there anything?”

The maid nodded politely. “The council elders are requesting your presence. They said it’s urgent.”

Kaen paused. This was it—her chance to start slipping away.

“Tell them...” she glanced around for a believable excuse, “that I won’t be attending today. They should carry on without me. Just make sure to give me the full report after.”

The maid hesitated. “Yes, my queen. But... may I ask why?”

Kaen smiled, that graceful but weary queenly smile. “I just need... some space.”

The maid bowed respectfully. “I understand. I’ll attend on your behalf.”

As she turned to leave, Kaen called out, “Wait. Have Renji and Arya woken up?”

“Yes, my queen,” the maid replied. “Renji said he’s going to train... with Arya.”

Kaen blinked, surprised. “Train? With Arya?”
(In her mind: Whoa. That’s serious. That boy’s finally letting Arya join in? Impressive.)

“Yes,” the maid confirmed. “He said it would be good for both of them. Oh—and your food is ready. I’ll bring it to you after I attend the meeting.”

Kaen softened. “Thank you... truly.”

As the maid left, Kaen slowly closed her door, leaning against it. Her heart beat fast—not from fear, but the anticipation of the journey ahead. Everything is beginning now, she thought. But first, I must act like everything is normal.

Whispers in the Hall………

The grand meeting hall of the South Kingdom buzzed lightly until the doors creaked open. The queen’s personal maid walked in, keeping her head bowed with grace and respect. The council members turned, curious.

She bowed deeply. “Esteemed council elders, Her Majesty Queen Kaen sends her apologies. She is currently resting and has requested that I attend and report on her behalf.”

The elders exchanged glances, murmuring among themselves, but gave a collective nod of acceptance.

The meeting officially began.

An elder—one with silver-white hair and a scar across his cheek—stood up slowly. His voice was calm, but his eyes were sharp.

“There is a matter of grave importance we must discuss,” he began.

The air in the hall shifted instantly. The light hum of side chatter faded. The room became tense.

“Our battle with the North Kingdom may have ended... but the war has not.”

Gasps echoed softly across the room. One voice, loud and agitated, broke the silence.

It was the Chief General, a tall, broad man with fists like iron. “What do you mean, Elder Togan?” he barked. “King Raiku drove them out himself! They wouldn’t dare return unless they want to die!”

Elder Togan sighed deeply. “That’s what I thought too... until I received this.”

With a flick of his fingers, he drew a glowing circle in the air. A flash of golden light followed, and a small bird materialized—delicate yet glowing, with a scroll tied to its leg.

Gasps again.

The bird flapped its wings once, hovering over to Elder Togan. He removed the scroll, unravelled it, and handed it to the Chief General.

As the general read the message, his eyebrows furrowed deeper with every line. By the time he was done, he was pale with rage and shock.

He slammed the scroll on the table. “This—this is not a rumor! How did you obtain this?!”

Elder Togan straightened. “I feared something like this after our king fell. I secretly sent spies to the North... to track King Zorak’s actions and gather intel. This message came just last night.”

The hall erupted in murmurs. The atmosphere turned stormy with fear and disbelief.

Then the Royal Advisor stood. “Enough,” he said firmly. “We must end this meeting for today. Let us reconvene once the Queen is well enough to guide us. Until then... silence must be kept.”

Everyone nodded solemnly and began filing out.

Later...

The queen’s maid walked swiftly back to Kaen’s chamber. Knocking gently, she entered and bowed.

“My queen, I have returned with the meeting report.”

Kaen, now sitting by the window, turned slowly. “Speak.”

The maid recounted every word, from Elder Togan’s warning to the spy’s scroll, to the final decision to wait on her command.

Kaen listened quietly, but inside her heart thundered.
So... it has begun.

The Hilarious Phoenix Summoning…..

As the maid bowed and left with the empty dishes, Kaen stood silently for a moment. She closed the door gently... then locked it.

Her heart pounded.

“They’ve found out,” she whispered, her eyes darkening with thought. “If the council knows, then my chance to escape freely is slipping. I can’t wait three more days… I have to leave tonight.”

Without wasting a second, she threw on her traveling robe and quietly snuck down the hallways, careful not to wake anyone. Like a whisper in the wind, she slipped into Renji and Arya’s room. The two were fast asleep, still tired from training.

She smiled briefly.

“My children... forgive me for the silence,” she whispered, gently gathering their things and stuffing them into a cloak bag. She carried them to the old hidden passage near the edge of the castle walls—the secret place she hadn’t visited since Raiku was alive.

There, she tucked the bags away and returned just as quietly.

As night fell, Renji and Arya arrived at her chamber with excited looks, talking about new techniques and training ideas.

Kaen stood at the center of the room with a soft smile.

“Mother, we were thinking—” Renji began.

But she raised her fingers and snapped. A warm blue light shimmered around her fingertips and, within seconds, both of them yawned uncontrollably and dropped into a gentle, magical sleep.

Kaen caught Arya before she hit the ground and helped Renji slump against the wall. “Sorry... but I can’t risk you waking up halfway.”

She carried them both—one on each shoulder (thanks to a strength spell)—back to the secret place. The moment she entered, everything was silent… until the entire chamber dimmed. Shadows closed in like a thick fog, and a soft, golden flame flickered above.

Kaen looked around, annoyed. “Okay... not now, Phoenix. Please not one of your dramatic—”

BOOM.
A sudden flash lit up the chamber. Fire erupted around the edges in a spiral, and a majestic, glowing creature descended with a fiery entrance more over-the-top than a stage magician.

“FINALLY!” came a voice dripping with sass and drama.

Kaen sighed. “Really?”

The Phoenix appeared with a burst flames flaring, wings stretched wide, glowing like a celestial sunrise. Its long tail feathers sparkled with fireflies of light. But her face yes, her face was pouting.

Solaryna’s voice echoed in the chamber like a dramatic diva.

“What in the flaming feathers were you doing up there? I’ve been trying to call you for hours!”

Kaen blinked. “Uh—sleeping?”

Solaryna narrowed her eyes. “That was magic sleep! You knocked those kids out cold and didn’t even summon me! I’m part of this escape plan, remember?!”

Kaen crossed her arms. “Well, big bird—”

“BIG BIRD?!” Solaryna gasped like someone slapped her with a feather duster. “How dare you! That’s Phoenix Royalty you’re talking to!”

Kaen raised an eyebrow. “...You still haven’t told me your name, by the way.”

That stopped Solaryna cold.

There was an awkward silence.

“…Huh?” the phoenix finally said, tilting her head dramatically.

“I said, you’ve never told me your name,” Kaen replied. “We’ve been through a life-and-death bonding ritual, and you never told me what to call you. So yeah, I’ve been calling you ‘big bird’ in my head this whole time.”

The Phoenix gasped again—louder. “EXCUSE ME?! You’ve been calling me what?!”

Kaen nodded, half-grinning. “Yup. Big Bird.”

Solaryna flailed her wings and spun around like a soap opera actress mid-breakdown. “Nooo! That’s so insulting! I—I’m majestic! I burn with the fire of the gods! I am Solaryna! SOLARYNA!”

Kaen burst into laughter, nearly falling over. “Wow... Solaryna? Why does that sound like a shampoo brand?”

“WHAT?!” Solaryna squawked.

Renji, still in magical sleep, rolled over and mumbled, “Is the bird fighting Mom again...?”

Kaen wiped her eyes, grinning. “Alright, alright, Solaryna. Let’s finish this escape before the guards discover we’re missing.”

The Phoenix huffed. “Fine. But call me Lady Solaryna the First of the Flame Sky Kingdom next time.”

Kaen walked past her. “Big Bird it is.”

“HEY!”