The Monster's Stratagem (Lesbian Story)

56: Sly Evaluations

Once introductions were out of the way, all Monstra within the room were allowed to mingle. Chatter filled the air, albeit forced for the first few minutes until Zyire stepped down from the dais to promote and encourage conversation.

While it was natural for members of the same nation to stick together, Dawn had to somehow find a traitor. She had a suspicion they were from the south given the fact that they had been allowed passage into Kaira's land easily, although she also knew that there were defector Monstra from the north.

She scanned the room from the dais, watching and listening as the buzz of conversation grew louder and louder. Zyire had now chosen to converse with Coralia about his daughter, Alani had disappeared, and Dawn was taking her time in deciding what to do. Should she head into the thick of it and suss out the guests? Or would that be too obvious? If the people she was trying to catch knew to be on their guard, they would certainly find it suspicious if Dawn only sought out people she did not know rather than converse with her own people to ease into this new role of hers. What to do?

She felt a presence beside her, and Dawn did not have to turn her head to know who it was. "I would've thought you'd be hiding in a corner by now."

Syrena, who was sticking to her promise of keeping by Dawn's side, scoffed. "I would've thought you'd be making grown adults cry by now."

Dawn's lips quirked upwards. "Give me three minutes."

"Where will you start?"

"Wherever the mood takes me, I suppose."

"Do you want me beside you?"

"A tempting thought, making you suffer this gathering rather than hiding from it."

"I wouldn't put it past you."

"I wouldn't put it past me either." She saw her guards standing nearby, watching her closely and listening to their conversation. She did not want to voice her plans to weed out traitors aloud in case they were amongst them and were paying attention, and it was likely that they were. She had to be subtle, today was merely about meeting the Monstra surrounding her; the real work would come later. "I'll be fine on my own, you can do as you wish."

Syrena observed her for a moment before sighing heavily and offering the girl her arm. "It would be a bad display if the Commander was to disappear right as the festivities start."

"Don't act as if that isn't normal for you, I've heard all about your tendencies from Leixa."

"Her and her big mouth." Syrena grumbled as Leixa saluted, having also been listening in to their conversation momentarily before turning to speak to Ricard. "Are you going to take my arm or not?"

Dawn, who had not moved since the offer was made, quickly linked her arm with Syrena's. Then she smiled big and wide, knowing that the Commander was forcing herself to do something she really did not want to do for the sake of Dawn. "Masochist."

"Shut up."

They left the dais and entered the fray, surrounding themselves with the chaos of merging and mingaling nations.

Most Monstra parted for them, watching Dawn with trepidation as though she was more of a spectacle on display. Keeping her head high and eyes ahead of her, she focused on feeding into their illusions. Let them think she was unaffected by their gawking, let them think she was nothing more than something to be stared at. As long as they couldn't uncover her true intentions, she didn't care how much they looked.

It did not take long for the first Monstra to approach, and Dawn found herself glad that she recognised the smiling face that greeted her.

"Spectacular work already, Your Highness." General Myla commended as she stepped forward and away from the other military officials of the Eastern Territories. Dawn spared them a glance, and they did not look as though they were displeased thus far with her performance. "You take to that dais like you were born to it."