Chapter 9 Moriah's Plans
Jason Diablo sweated in nervousness as he waited for Princess Moriah to appear. His family was on the lands on the edge of what was considered the nobilities of the western territories. So, he grew up closer to the central nobles and their ideals. Still Jason really couldn't believe his luck that the Princess would recruit him at one of her birthday parties. This was a chance. His chance, and his families to rise back up to prominence and if he performed well for the next Empress of the Empire, he could see his family gaining a bigger territory and title.
"Announcing her imperial highness, Princess Moriah."
Moriah walked in with only what could be countered as swagger. She walked like she was already the Empress. Before taking her seat and looking around.
"This is not a formal occasion. There is no need to be tense."
The years had gone by, and the young girl was now a teenager whose beauty was only ever increasing. Before she was a cute kid but now at the end of her second and going into her third growth phase the cute kid was turning into a beauty. Her dreadlocks were kept to a length just slightly past the neck and she worn a fiery red dress accentuating her modest bust and developing hips. Her eyes once amber turned golden and they pierced through every singly participant in the room. Her bloodline strength was increasing.
Jason Diablo, a young magi human talent of 11 close to the capital but still far away enough to be considered a western noble. For the little number of resources in his family's territory the boy had done well in increase his physical cultivation to tier 3. Mariam Alvarez, the girl genius, who using tech that the M-TRI (Magical-Technology Research Institution) deemed junk and had dumped near the slums, built a bathhouse. By not only making a pump that could draw water but making a stable engine that fed off fire crystals to heat up the water. A local gang had provided her the funds and they were making a killing until Moriah took notice.
The Empire was several decades behind in technology and were struggling to catch up yet the dwarf and gnome secrets where not so easily pried open. Moriah had seen a demonstration of what a gnome 50-year-old blast cannon could do, and it would cripple the Empire to purchase their models from several decades ago.
If the wanted to arm the entire Wall with the cannons to keep the orcs out the Empire might as well sell itself entirely. No, man, flesh, and golems would do for now and Moriah would look and cultivate talents. Talents like Jason Diablo and Mariam Alvarez. She was specifically pleased by Jason, who had informed her that Amaya Kan had reached out wanting to invite the youth to join the small force of her cousin. Jason the only son of the Diablo family, alerted the Princess immediately before his response and Moriah could help but laugh with glea internally. The gods were helping her. She would get a few more of her people in this force as well.
She observed the two youths in front of her. Mariam was fidgeting in her seat. Moriah had used her power to enroll Mariam into the institutions as they not only created magic tech but taught young and promising scions as well. When would they figure out how to make the trains the gnomes and dwarves used? That's when their countries really accelerated in growth and Moriah hope the Empire's same acceleration would happen.
Jason sat as straight as a running rock. The sweat that poured down the youth's face came in rivers, and he could barely look at her without blushing. Moriah smiled. These weren't the only two she recruited but they were the most noticeable. A pawn to sneak her into Aegis army before they set off and a genius to accompany her into building new things. New innovations maybe even weapons of war.
*
"Princess Moriah greets her Empress Mother."
Moriah gave out a curtsy as her mother entered her chambers. Only to receive an eye roll as a response.
"That's not the little girl who would come running to me for hugs and kisses."
Viviana gave her daughter a smile hoping to reconnect some of the lost warmth between them. Ever since she had to punish her daughter for what happen to the Kan scion, she had become more distant. No longer calling her mommy nor rushing to embrace her.
The girl was only 8 yet she appeared to be a 14-year-old girl and was quickly acting like one as well.
"Empress Mother, I have grown up and become more mature in the same fashion."
Viviana frown. Her daughter was stubborn just like her, but Viviana knew the exact way to get around it.
"Call me mommy and I'll allow you to go on that Kans boy expedition."
Moriah stared at her mother in astonishment not even bothering to hide the look that appeared with it.
"What expedition?"
"Trying to recover after making that face just confirms it for me."
Moriah groaned and flopped onto her bed face down. She should have known she wouldn't be able to escape from her mother.
Viviana came and sat down beside her daughter gently rubbing the small of her back like she used to do, to lull her child to sleep.
"You were close, but you messed up when you showed to much interest in what Aegis was doing.
If it where me I would have recruited several small families from each dukedom to confuse anyone who's watching."
Moriah lifted her head up and gave her mother a teary-eyed look.
"You are young, and I've been alive over 200 years. It's not so easy to fool my eyes child."
Viviana continued to rub her daughters back.
"I once had the same ambition as you."
Moriah sat up and looked at her mother eyes widening.
"You feel it too? The call for battle? The hunger?"
Vivian stroked her daughter's hair as she looked over the girl.
"We all do. It is worse in the males which is why the Empire only has Empresses and no Emperors. Well, that an a few other reasons."
A realization came upon Moriah as her younger brother picked up the sword at 3 and hasn't once set it down since. Originally, she thought he just was obsessed with it but now things started to click into place.
"I can let you go. You still have two other sisters and a third on the way. You would need a journey anyway to temper yourself. Moriah just remember not everything is in your control maybe being underneath the command of another will help curve you like it did for me."
Viviana had a faraway look in her eyes as she said this and glanced out of Moriah's window which was facing west before returning her attention to her daughter.
"Only if you call me mommy however."
"Yes mommy!"
Moriah said while tightly hugging onto her mother smiling.
*
Viviana left her sleeping daughter and proceeded to her throne room. The moment she stepped out of her daughters chambers her expression of a caring and loving mother instantly disappeared and her Empress Aura surrounded her. Her personal retinue of guards snapped to attention and proceeded in step behind her. Without even turning her head she began speaking.
"Summon the Watchers. I need a few junior Watchers to enter Aegis Kan's gathering force."
One of the guards seem to shimmer before disappearing entirely while in the same step another figured shimmered into his spot before stepping in tandem with the rest of the guards.
"Prepare the throne room for long range communication and make sure all jammers are in place and the receiving end is ready."
The same thing as before happened as they moved through the castle.
Viviana contemplated as she made her way through the halls. She wasn't sure if allowing her daughter to conquer a minor world with the Kan boy was the best idea however, their bloodline only grew increasingly worse until they became mindless beast or were put down beforehand. Part of the reason the Angelo Family had become to rulers of the Empire was this bloodline and another part was their supporters who put them on the throne. Those legendary figures who now all resided at the boundary. Her heart palpitated in excitement although the most likely one she'd end up talking to would be her own mother. That still didn't stop her heartbeat from speeding up.
A few more minutes of giving out orders and Viviana arrived at her throne room and the seat of power of the Empire. The throne room had been reinforced so many times by the generations of her family that it arguably became an artifact. Taking a seat on the White Throne, Viviana Angelo prepared for the upcoming meeting with her mother.
She watched as a large crystal orb was brought in front of her and Viviana reached out her mind to connect to the orb before activating it. Several of her generals and retainers where here as well but they would only be here to listen in for the most part. A spark seemed to ignite within the center of the large scrying orb and before long a 3D projection entered their view.
"We formally greet the ancestors."
A chorus of voices rang out Viviana's included.
A charming woman with long white dreadlocks with a few silver streaks in between appeared. She smiled as her eyes focused on her most prized daughter.
"Viviana it's so good to see you! Have you been eating well? Your eyes look slightly downtrodden who has been bullying you let mommy know and I'll come back and take care of them. How's the kids? Moriah should be 9 by now she must be a fine young lady send me a drawing of her once you get the opportunity. How is your pregnancy? How is-"
"MOTHER."
Viviana interrupted her mother with a slight blush on her cheeks. Thankfully none of the generals or other retainers seem to mind or even look surprise. This was an occurrence when it came to contacting her mother at the boundary although it didn't help with Viviana embarrassment.
Aurora rolled her eyes at her daughter before settling down and allowing her to speak. Once Viviana recovered her composure, she started to explain what was going on in the Empire.
"We estimate we are behind in magi tech by roughly 58 years. Although the Empire has made advancements in living conditions, farming, spells, and other fields we cannot seem to build a reliable engine for this train concept. This is also mostly just in the capital and central nobility. Although I've made a push for the East, North, and South to move further along in their progress. Only the West seem to heed my call and have already begun to implement changes starting with their capital."
"I'll give a talk to their mother's and father's and see if they cannot knock some sense into their descendants' heads. Why don't you just buy the beginning stages of this train technology from the dwarves or gnomes."
"They're asking for too much. If all the territories of the Empire polled in resources, it would ease the burden but well…"
Aurora nodded in understanding. Although they were all humans and on the same side as one another that did not mean that support would continue. Each dukedom was already big enough to form its own kingdom if not for the pact binding the ancestors together the Empire may have spilt long ago. Perhaps why the Middle Kingdoms still existed to this day as well.
"I could not even get their ancestors to agree to that. The moment we came to the boundary we relinquished all holds on our power to the younger generation. Enough time has passed for each of you to have long solidified your strength. Soon you will join us anyway."
Moriah nodded to her mother and continued to explain smaller matters that concerned the Empire with a few inputs from the more knowledgeable retainers on some matters.
"Now before we end this session tell me. What of the orcs."
The room grew silent as Aurora asked this question and Aurora's face grew grim not only hers but Viviana's and several others.
"Duke Vasu has been notifying us that the orc invasion will most likely happen sometime within the next 70-100 years."
"Shit. Right around the time the next generation would be settling in. Can we invade first. Have we considered the option?"
"Yes…" Viviana said in a soft whisper and Aurora knew it would not be good.
"If we invade to cull the orcs rising number all our efforts in catching up to the magi tech of the other two races will come to a near halt as most of our resources are being poured into that direction. We believe if we can overcome our technology issue that the odds of defending from an invasion will have increasingly higher chances of success than invading with our own force."
"You have already come to a decision. I see."
Viviana looked at her mother and sighed. Her daughter would have a much bigger obstacle which was the most significant reason she would allow her to travel to a minor world with Aegis.