Tialla was standing in a small room with General Aldyn and Eranor, though Eranor was standing off to the side as she wasn't part of the rather tense conversation between Aldyn and Tialla.

"Are you sure about this Tialla," Aldyn said sternly. "I must disagree with your plan here. The Aeon Worm is our ancient enemy. Its presence warrants action, and with its presence the rest of the Beastkin will rally to us."

"I appreciate your input general, but I've made up my mind," Tialla said crossing her arms. "And it's because the other leaders no doubt see things as you do, that they cannot know the truth. Our best chance here is to let the Worm's plan progress to an extent and strike when both it and the Elve's forces are weak. If the other leaders know, they will try to intervene before then."

Aldyn crossed his arms in disappointment, but then gave a half smile.

"You really have grown up," his half smile turned into a full one.

"Why thank you," Tialla nodded in acknowledgement.

"Guess I'm losing a lot of my power. No more de facto leader general Aldyn our queen's got scales now."

"She sure does," Tialla smirked.

"I'm proud of you. Your folks were stupid to want to waste the potential you had." Tialla nodded in agreement.

"I do have one job for you though," Tialla said seriously. "We can't directly help Biscotti in the coming attack, but we can still help them indirectly. I need you to forward our research on our magic artillery to them, covertly of course. If Card's plan is to run the Elves into a wall let's give them a sturdy wall to bash their head against."

"My queen," Aldyn bowed with a salute, an official sign that the order was received.

"Are you two done flexing on each other," Rosewood said entering the room.

"I wasn't flexing," Aldyn said defensively.

"Sure," Rosewood said in disbelief as she stood next to Aldyn, wrapping her arm around his. "You ready to do this Tia?"

"As I'll ever be," Tialla sighed. "How do I look?" Tialla directed the question at Eranor. Eranor looked Tialla over. She was wearing a regal looking purple top with a white undershirt that fanned out into a small white skirt, and some blue pants.

"Very stately," Eranor nodded. "I think the onesie this morning was cuter though." Tialla brushed Eranor off with a small blush.

"I'm still not sure this is the best thing to do either," Aldyn said mostly thinking out loud. "I mean it's the right thing to do, but to make such a major change in a time of crisis is risky."

"There's no half assing this, we gotta go all the way," Tialla assuaged Aldyn. "And it's something that's long overdue."

"Agreed," Aldyn nodded. "I'm just worried is all."

"It is a risky time," Rosewood agreed. "But we've raised our queen right. She can get us through it." Tialla smiled at the praise.

"Let's do this," Tialla said with determination.

A large crowd had gathered in the public area of the central Pyramid, a group of dignitaries and officials were in the front of the crowd. A small stage had been set up and the crowd was expectantly waiting for their queen to give her address.

Tialla unceremoniously exited from her room behind the stage, though the crowd was too tense to offer more than a small applause at her entrance. Scary things were happening in the world, and the people knew that this address wasn't likely to be a positive one.

"Thank you all for coming," Tialla spoke officially into a magical device used to amplify her voice. "We are in the midst of very trying times," Tialla went right into her semi prepared speech. "I know you all feel it. The Elven Empire has attacked Pal Miqo, and are making plans to conquer more Beastkin lands. Their goal is obvious, to take slaves to fuel their industry. Though I have secured our safety for now, we must prepare for the eventuality that we will be marched upon next. We must take the time now to set ourselves apart and against our aggressors."

Tialla glanced nervously at the crowd for a moment before continuing. "The truth of our situation is that it is one of our own making. The Elves are conquering for slaves. They are participating in a system that we have not only created, but have been profiting off of since our earliest history. It is a system that has been deeply ingrained in our society, and it extends beyond slavery."

"Even as a princess I would have been a victim of this system. In our highest levels of society, we trade our children off as spouses, though really, they are trinkets, objects, and pets. We do this for our own benefit; trading people for power. If my parents had not died, I would be a collared, meek, toy to some else, instead of the queen I am today."

"And yet I am not innocent in all of this either. Our government runs on the back of these systems, the life I live is fueled by these systems, and I've leveraged these systems for my own gain. Though she is a free person now, my dear confidant, Eranor, came to me naked and in chains, as an object to be used and a toy to amuse me. I'm glad that, instead of treating her like a pet, or like the arm candy I would have been treated as, I've allowed the freedom to be her own person, and we are both all the better for it."

Tialla paused another moment to take a deep breathe. She scanned the audience, who were enthralled but waiting for her to get to her final point. "This system," Tialla continued with conviction. "Is a poison that is corrupting every part of our society, and we are all either beneficiaries, victims, or both. The Elves are seeing us for what we are, a society weakened by this poison. If we are to stand against them and their conquest, we have to stand against them on this fundamental level; we have to purge this poison from our society to make us stronger."

"That's not something that will be easy, but it is something that needs to be done. People are people. They are not objects, they are not tools, they are not pets; they are people, and they should be treated as such. We won't get to that point today, but I am taking a big step in that direction, and removing the most destructive part of this poison."

There was a pause for effect, to make sure everyone listened to this part of the address. "Starting today," Tialla's tone shifted to a more demanding one. It was not unlike the dominant tone she used with Eranor, and she would have to appreciate the irony in that later. "The acquisition of new salves is illegal. Further, within ten days, all current slave contracts must either be renegotiated or dissolved."

With her big moment dropped Tialla stopped to gauge the crowd. The reaction was subdued. The higher ups in the front had their faces awash with concern at the gravity and consequences of this decision. Further out in the crowd the reactions of the common people were more mixed. All were astounded, but some of those had that mixed with excitement, some with fear, and some with an air of uncertainty. In the crowd Tialla could spy a scant few people wearing collars. Even on these people the reaction was mixed. Tialla wondered how many of them were like Rosewood or Eranor were to her. Rosewood and Eranor were once her own slaves, and yet they were also some of the most important people in her life. Even Eranor, who willingly chose to keep her role, agreed that this was the right thing to do. Thinking of this steeled Tialla's determination that what she's doing was the right thing to do, despite the mixed reaction of the crowd.

"I also want to say here," Tialla spoke again quieting the murmuring that had started in the crowd. "That Vas Naga will not leave these newly freed peoples behind. I will do my best to create a system that will support these people as they come into their own. A system that will allow them to be the best person they can be."

"But the burden here is not entirely on the state," Tialla shifted her speech to address her people directly. "This type of change will only be effective if we are all work together on it. We can only grow as a society if everyone in it moves in the same direction. So, I ask all the citizens of Vas Naga to join me in this effort. It is on you to treat each other as people, as equals. That is the only way we can purge this poison."

"Officials will start visiting all of the slave holders we have on record in the coming weeks," Tialla's tone shifted to a more explanatory one. "If the contracts are not renegotiated by then, then they will do the renegotiating there. They will also be the first point of contact for newly freed slaves. Reach out and get the resources you need. Thank you all. I hope you will work with me to make a better Vas Naga." The end of Tialla's speech was met with more general applause then her entrance, but still the mood of the day was trepidation. Tialla exited as unceremoniously as she had entered.

Tialla let out a long exhale as she reentered the waiting room. Releasing all the anxiety and tension she had about delivering that address.

"You did great Nana!" Eranor congratulated.

"Thanks," Tialla said while looking around the room. Rosewood and Aldyn had both left, both would have a lot on their plate now since Rosewood insisted on helping with the renegotiating of contracts, and Aldyn would soon be off to Biscotti. "Do you think that satisfies our requirements for our treaty with the elves," Tialla mentioned one of the conditions of their alliance, that the Naga were forbidden to take Miqo slaves after the elven conquest.

"I'd say so," Eranor nodded. "And then some."

"It needed to be done. It's a shame that this is what it takes to get us to change things."

"Whatever works," Eranor shrugged.

"I'm ready to head back home," Tialla stretched. "How about you?"

"As long as I get to go with you," Eranor said coyly. Tialla laughed a little and took Eranor's hand.

"You're so cheesy, it's cute," Tialla smiled.

"Since we are going home now, and you're done being the big girl queen, we need to get you in a diaper," Eranor stated playfully.

"Oh really?" Tialla played along. "I think maybe someone has forgotten that they are the Kitten here."

"Oh, come on Nana," Eranor had switched to whining. "I wanna read more of our book together. Don't you wanna get all cozy with a diaper with me."

"Well," Tialla looked into Eranor's face. Eranor was giving her best cute face to convince her. "I'll give you that does sound cozy. I suppose when we get back, I can get into a diaper jus to be comfortable. After we get your diaper changed of course."

"You don't even know if I'm wet or not," Eranor pouted.

"It's a safe bet," Tialla teased. "You work on a bit of a schedule you know; you're usually wet by now. In fact, you're due to be messy soon." Eranor donned a deep blush.

"I do not have a schedule!" Eranor complained in vain.

"So, your diaper is dry then?" Tialla asked. Eranor looked away. "And you aren't going to be messy when we get to our room?" Eranor blushed and pouted more at this question. She could arrive at the room in a not messy diaper, but she would be holding it in to do that, and that would be dishonest to the role she had chosen to play.

"No Nana," Eranor admitted.

"Precious," Tialla cooed. "Well don't hold it in on my account. Go ahead and use your diaper sweetie, I'll change you as soon as we get home."

With a deep blush Eranor stopped her movements. Despite her efforts she still couldn't mess her diapers quite as easily as she wet them. She looks at Tialla still holding her hand and smiling, encouraging her on. Under her Nana's watch she squatted slightly and gave a tell tale grunt as she pushed out a mess into the seat of her diaper. With a sigh Eranor found herself in the increasingly familiar position of being in a messy diaper and needing a change.

"All done?" Tialla said in a teasing tone.

"Yes Nana," Eranor answered in a submissive voice. With a devilish grin Tialla lifted up Eranor's skirt and pressed Eranor's diaper, and the mess inside, against her. Eranor couldn't help but squeal in a particular mix of embarrassment and arousal.

"You sure did. Right on time too. Good girl. Filling up your diapers like a good little kitten," Tialla heaped on the praise, which only increased Eranor's embarrassment and excitement.

"Thank you, Nana," Eranor replied.

"You're welcome, Kitten," Tialla started walking again and Eranor followed. "I should have brought your leash with me," Tialla mused. "Little Kittens in full diapers are just begging to be kept on leashes don't you think?"

"Yes Nana."

"Such a good girl," Tialla said with contentment.

AUTHORS NOTE: Ok everyone this is the last full chapter of Prisonr of progress, here a little early even. Basically this chapter is Tialla's big speech that is supposed to drive home the final message of this story. We do get some final cute moments with Eranor and Tialla to. Stay tuned though, there's an epilouge coming and also at least two bonus chapter a while after that. Or you can skip the wait and subscribe to me over on ream or subscribe star, check my linktree for those links https://linktr.ee/bigred0603 I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have enjoyed this story.