I went to a meeting to discuss public approval, I open the door to see a blonde woman and a man clad in armour, "sorry, we couldn't find you, we didn't get a chance to introduce ourselves" she smiles "I'm Maléna Ristikos" she gestures to herself "this is Davin Dachou" she points to the armoured man, the boy, whose name I now learned to be Lyle looked nervous, Delilah looked stressed. "why are you here?" I asked
"we're here to help you with Kentrikos" he speaks, he has a bulkier build, with stubble
"So what do you suggest?" I ask
"first, you lift the anti-mercenary law," he says "my nation needs money and the Barons won't be suspicious of my men if they know how we gain" he smiles
"I don't thi-" I say before he cuts me off
"I met with the Barons, it took some convincing but they agree it would be the best with how people see you," he says
"so five million Golden Suns then"
"Do you really think that you can threaten to take my throne away from me and then demand my money?" I said, clenching my fists and digging my fingers into my palm as I did so. "you pushed me, I'm pushing back, I won't be going anywhere, I could go directly to the Barons, they'll be more than happy to accommodate me, except for the fact you won't be getting the credit, I'll- sorry" he looks at Maléna "we'll go through with the plan, Bouvach isn't fond of you, Chrysia would support Ristikos, the only nation that you can be certain of supporting you is Skotash, I heard that the Skotashi aren't the most numerous of people" he moves around the table towards me "and they'll support you because of your wife's family" he leaves, Maléna leaves with him. "who let them in here?" I look at the boy who I appointed as my Right Hand, then to the woman who was my Left ever since my coronation. "they were already here" Lyle said
"they wouldn't leave" Delilah looked at me "they wanted an audience with you" she said.
I left the meeting to find that they were gone. I went to my chambers to find that Provira wasn't there. I grabbed some paper, I got my quill and ink,
Dear Oniris VIII
In the coming war, I'm choosing to give your house and your nation my support, now I may have to ask something of you, I need your weapons to save Sevalia and as an alternative for the Bouvachian Army, I invite you to the court to discuss further details
Sincerely Your King
It's been days, people are now praising the Houses of Ristikos and Dachou and not me, they plan on signing the Dissolving Act, they're going to take my people, take my throne. I needed allies Skotash would usually be enough but they aren't for this situation and news about the ship hasn't reached me yet. The prisons are now empty, my wife is now angry thinking that it wasn't the right way to go about things but when someone is threatening you, a show of force is the best way to get them back in line, you make them afraid, I did just that, I made them afraid, at least for long enough until I find a way to appease them.
I go onto the balcony and look at the view of my nation, I see the sunlit horizon, the Spire Inn, The Prison was to the right of my castle, now empty and lifeless, hopefully, the heads that rolled were cleaned up. I go to see Lyle "how has Sevalia been doing?" I needed to know that my nation was alright, that I wasn't going to lose it along with my crown "we're getting nothing back from the Barons, so we have no way of telling unless we go there" he said, he seemed nervous all of the sudden. I walk away on my way to the couriers, "Your Highness" the old man could only bow to a certain point, he seemed to struggle to bow at all let alone move, "there's a letter here for you" he handed me the letter, his movements always had a slight shake to them, like he was struggling to like his bones in place. I hand him the letter "send this to House Kasfi" I hand him the letter, he hands me one "this arrived yesterday" I open it.
Dear King Claudvius
We, the servants of The New Angel believe that people need ascension, that they deserve it, but it won't be possible if they cling to The Old Angels, so we ask that you destroy the Angellium, we need a sign of support from the King if our demands are not met we will burn down any village in sight and take Sevalia from you
Sincerely a humble servant
They, a sect of madmen have the audacity to try and take my nation and then make demands of me, no I won't comply, I'll kill every single one of them and string them up, myself. My wife comes in "what's wrong?" she asked, she was always so empathetic and she knew exactly what to say
"the cult they have the audacity to send me this" I hold the letter up to her face, I feel it leave my fingers "this isn't something bad, this can be used to your advantage and you can always build a new one" she suggests
"my people probably have lost faith in me, I can't have them thinking that I'm an unworthy king"
"Exactly, send your men in, now they have access they can win the settlements back they'll destroy it themselves anyways"
"No, I can't have them thinking I endorse these heretics," I said, my wife smiles and placed a hand on top of mine "I understand" she gets up, smiles and leaves.
It was night and I haven't heard anything else from the Cult. I go to the balcony to see people shouting at the gates shouting for justice, for the removal of "Sevalian criminals", I don't listen. I see them storm past the gates, trampling the guards. They're in the castle, at least a hundred of them, maybe even more so are in the castle.