Today at the conference hall was the beginning of the negotiation between Silfridia and Remloah. On the side of Silfridia are me and Lillian and the side of Remloah is the Queen and two of her advisors.
Sally who doesn't have any experience in negotiating and Karla that doesn't have any affiliation with Silfridia stood behind me. Surprisingly I saw Ruby behind her mother. Maybe the Queen is teaching her?
"So are we ready to start Mr. Felix?"
"We are."
"So your wife is joining in?"
The Queen asked me.
"Actually I forgot to tell you but she's the Princess of Silfridia."
"Princess of Silfridia!?"
Her two advisors surprised by the news while the Queen was calm, her poker face not wavering. She's good.
"Let me introduce myself again. I am Lillian Kinston Dane."
"That was surprising, to say the least."
After that small delay, we started the negotiation.
An hour later we talk about multiple things like trade, border laws, and the military. I then review the condition of the alliance.
Trade:
a balance of export and import goods
A tariff of 10% on regular goods and 18% on special goods.
Restricted goods are illicit drugs and slaves.
Regulated goods are weapons and potions unless granted a one month pass by the government.
Border law:
Borders are open between Silfridia and Remloah.
People can immigrate with no restrictions.
Any known criminal who passed through the border must be caught and directly sent to their original country unless committed a crime in the country they stayed.
Military:
Any attack on Silfridia or Remloah will be immediately supported in the defense and/or reclamation of enemy-occupied land. Any attack outside the border will be stated in the second term.
Any offensive assault planned only by one of the two said countries can choose to join the war or stay neutral.
If one of the said countries decided to join the war, they have to share 50% of the gains of the said invaded country may it be annexed land(unless close to the border) and plundered treasure.
If one of the said countries decided to stay neutral, they can choose to support them by supplies or/and send military personal. No more than 5,000 troops are to be sent or the said country will now shift to the third term and considered part of the war.
"Are the terms on the alliance agreeable Queen Isabel?"
"Yes, it is."
We both sign on the parchment signifying that both our countries are now in an alliance. We then stand from our chair and shake hands.
"Mr. Felix, would you like to have a tour of the city?"
"That would be nice."
[At The City Center]
It's still bustling as ever. The one who will be guiding us today is Princess Ruby. Like I confirmed is that she's training under Queen Isabel and touring us in the city is part of it, even though she's a bit intimidated by the crowd.
"Uh... this is the commercial area."
She then continued to guide us while we are walking through the crowd when suddenly she was shoved towards me and then a carriage passed through splitting us from the rest. Now that was problematic, how should I find them? Maybe I should return to the castle.
When suddenly someone tugged my shirt. Oh right! I was holding on Princess Ruby! I quickly let her go and distance myself a bit.
"Sorry about that Ruby."
My face, red from the thought.
"I-its ok, it was an accident."
Her face also red."
"Do you know any path to the castle?"
"I-I think we should go through that alleyway, fewer people are over there and a much quicker path towards the castle."
Hmmm, it might be faster but also not as safe as the main road if I have to guess. Well just quickly walk through it and hope that nothing will happen.
And I was wrong. While we got out of the alleyway we manage to went into the shady part of town. We got a lot of people giving us odd looks. A few minutes of walking, we made a turn and that turn led us to a dead end. When we try to return a few guys block the path.
"Look at what we have here, a fox couple in the underbelly of Mardelkholm."
They creepily chuckled.
Shit! Were between a rock and a hard place! Princess Ruby held my hands tightly, her ears and tails drooping, scared by the situation we got ourselves into.
"Do you guys want to teach these fools who went in our territory!"
"Yeah!"
Intimidation tactics huh? They're good at trying to scare people who haven't been into a tough situation before. But I already experience death before and fought in dangerous fights that could easily kill me so I'm not really affected.
The problem is Princess Ruby. I'm sure that she hasn't been in a situation like this with how she's acting right now.
"You!"
He pointed his finger at me.
"Do you like to get out of here unscathed?"
I have a bad feeling about this.
"Why are you asking me those questions?"
"Simple, I'm going to let you go."
"And what's the catch?"
"You're going to leave her here."
My patience broke when I heard that.
"We want to have fun with her, well let yo-"
"FUCK OFF YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!! IF YOU THINK I'M GOING TO DO THAT I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR THROAT OUT LIKE A FUCKING PIECE OF PAPER! I DARE YOU! I CAN KILL YOU IN THE MOST PAINFUL WAY IMAGINABLE!"
The bastards we're shocked to hear my outburst.
"What are you waiting for!? Kill him!"
They quickly got out from their shocked state and rush towards me, knife in hand. I then bend knees, my arms raised, forearms facing outward. My KA-BAR knife and M9 on their sheath and holster respectively. The adrenaline in my blood, making time seem slower for me.
The first attacker to arrive thrust his knife towards my stomach. I then caught it with my forearm, but the attacker was surprised that no blood came out. Good thing I was wearing Kevlar arm guards. I then quickly grab his wrist using the arm that he stabbed and punch his elbow as strong as possible, dislocating it.
"Rarrrgggghhhhh!"
After dislocating the guy's arm I kicked him towards the others, making them stumble on top of each other.
"You're fucking useless! You can't even stop a single guy! Gimme that!"
He grabs the knife from another thug and charge at me then slash the knife towards my throat but block it with my arm guard. I then twist his wrist, grab the knife then throw it away, I went around him, grab my KA-BAR and placed it on the side of his neck where his carotid artery and the spinal cord. One stab, his dead.
"I'm going to give you a chance to live, give up and you live, don't or you'll die a painful death, choking in your own blood."
"H-help me you, idiots!"
"Oh, and if your friends come any closer I can kill them, all of them."
I then stare at his fellow thugs, all of their faces gone pale seeing their leader's situation and the deathly cold stare I gave them, not a single one of them raised a finger.
"Yo-your bluffing!"
"Oh am I? Do I want to give you an example?"
I then sheath my KA-BAR knife then grab my M9, switch the safety off and aimed it on one of his friends. *bang* The face of the one I shot has a streak of blood trailing on his cheeks.
"Huh..? Arrrrrrgggghhhhhh!"
The thug held his bloody cheek with his hand.
"Do you believe me now?"
"Ye-yes... Le-let them through!"
The thugs shuffle to open a path for us.
"Ruby, follow close behind me."
"Ye-yes."
We then slowly walk out of the alleyway, the wall behind our back and my M9 trained on the head of the leader, reluctantly following me with my arm around his neck. When Ruby and I got out of that alleyway, I kick the bastard back to his friends. My M9 still pointed at them, until we're at a safe distance.
"Ruby, I'm sorry that you have to see that."
When I look at Ruby she was scared and tired by the ordeal.
"I-its ok... i-it was my suggestion that led us to that situation."
[At The Castle]
*Sigh* Were back. How should I explain to the Queen that we got into that situation? And lying is out of the question, it would be a diplomatic incident if the people know that the diplomat of Silfridia manages to drag the Princess of Remloah into that kind of scuffle.
When the main door of the castle opens to show Sally, Lillian, Karla, and Queen Isabel behind the door.
"Foxy!"
"Hubby!"
"Felix!"
They then quickly run towards to see Ruby holding into my arm.
"Oh, that's why you return so late Ruby, Mr. Felix, was it enjoyable? The walk?"
What? That was totally not what I was expecting. I thought she would be angry that we were late but she was surprisingly calm about it?
"No! It's not it Mother!"
She quickly let go of my hands.
"What is it then?"
"Uhm..."
She looks hesitant to talk about what happened at the slums. Well, that would be a short-lived alliance if she tells the Queen that she was almost, I'm kind of hesitant to say the word, raped by those bastards. They even want me to join in!?
"Nothing Mother, let's go back inside. It was a tiring day."
"Indeed it is."
That was a lucky day for me.