The sun glinted off the shiny metal of Lady Gallandria’s sword as she raised it high in the air. Her horse Super Blackie rose up on his back legs, raised his head back and whinnied. He pawed at the sky as Lady Gallandria’s long, blond hair fluttered in the breeze. Wearing nothing but the shorts and top of her golden body armor, her tanned skin glistened with sheen of sweat.

Behind her, her army waited for her signal to attack, confident in her fierce strength and keen ability to wage war. Below them in the valley, thousands of orcs howled and brandished their crude knives, eager to taste her blood, but today she vowed they would only taste their own as her sword carved a victorious arc through their foul, evil bodies.

“I am Lady Gallandria,” Lisa chanted to herself, eyes closed, hand on the door to the conference room. “I am Lady Gallandria. I am the warrior princess, proud and mighty. No mere mortal man can touch me. They will all kneel before my beauty and sexual power.”

Thus encouraged, Lisa took her hand off the door knob, adjusted the hem of her blue business skirt, combed her hair in place and then grabbed the knob again. She smiled, feeling confident, at peace…and then the doubt and terror came galloping back, she could see it heading her way. Quickly she opened the door before they came crashing against her bulwarks and knocked them into pieces.

Ten male faces stared at her a she entered, nine of them with bald spots, one with a mustache, all in expensive hand tailored suits, all executives at the Firm. None of them smiled, though they weren’t really frowning, but they looked definitely like they had one ready if she failed.

She attempted a smile, wondered where that dryness of the mouth came from, it wasn’t there two seconds ago. And was it warm in the room? It felt like the inside of an oven set on broil, no air movement at all.

As she strode to the front of the table, her side began to itch. Her mind went blank, causing a panic attack that she didn’t have time to fight just then.

“Miss Fundebacker. I understand you have a new idea for the fall line that you’ve asked to share with us.” The way he said it implied, ‘let’s all listen to what this little mousy girl from the fourth floor has to share, it ought to be wildly entertaining, and we just can’t wait to totally annihilate her and send her running out of the room in tears, tail between her legs so she never dares to be so impertinent again.”

Lisa cleared her throat, a loud, uncomfortable sound that was like sending up a red flag telling everyone she was nervous. She set her folders on the table and once again gazed into the blank stares.  “You are Lady Gallandria…yeah right.”

“YOU ARE.”

Lisa narrowed her eyes. “I AM!”

Suddenly Lisa smiled. Then she gave the best presentation she had ever given in her life. The next day, her boss offered her the job as Vice President in charge of New Product Development.

Lady Gallandria was victorious.