When Fire meets Ice

    In the lush and spacious throne room the mood was heavy. The padishah of the Omaian empire Haled The First was looking gloomily at his favourite concubine Ivana, who was trying to lighten the mood with her dancing. He wasn't paying attention to anything in particular - the quite murmurs and half-hearted conversations of his closest circle of advisors were just a soft background noise and the beautiful lights that were forming on the walls from Ivana's embedded dress were left unnoticed. Even the concubines were anxiously waiting, their usual noise and beauty looked dimmed and more sober than usual. When Ivana's dance finished she went to her reserved place next to the emperor under the sound of weak applause. She let down her long blonde hair and sat next to the emperor casting a glance at another one of the concubines with her bright blue eyes. Her gesture was not needed - Ruana has already taken Ivana's place in the middle of the room and started singing. The concubines were giving their best efforts to lighten the mood while everyone waited.      Suddenly a guard hurried in the room, pushing away one of the servants. Everyone's eyes locked on him and Ruana stopped her performance. The guard kneeled in front of the emperor and said:  - "Padishah, sun of our existence, a messenger has come. "  - "Let him in at once! "- the padishah ordered.  -"Yes, padishah. I will bring him."  The guard bowed and went back to escort the messenger. All the councillors and concubines started hushed and tensed conversations. Haled the First looked back at one of the women behind him - a dark haired girl with sun-kissed bronze skin. At the gesture she moved next to the emperor together with a huge bengal tiger, who laid invisible at her feet until now. When the messenger entered the throne room all the conversation stopped. The man bowed deeply in front of the emperor, keeping his eyes on the tiger.  -"Speak quickly! I don't have patience for pleasantries!" - barked the padishah.  -"My lord, I shall be short. The war has ended. We won the battle of Shakarah."