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Post by Kyubey on Mar 29, 2013 16:32:18 GMT -5
When Matthias bowed his head to Elvia and Gotz, the Princess returned the gesture, in an awkward and unpracticed motion, that showed just how unused she was to bowing for anyone. In most cases, she managed to get by through keeping her head turned up to all, but even one as self-focused as her knew to show respect to a fellow royal.
"Oh, we have never thought anything wrong of your son... Don't worry yourself."
Gotz did not outwardly react to this, and kept a stern, stoic expression, his thoughts on the matter bound as if by iron.
"Thank you."
Claudia nodded with acknowledgement as Roderick entered, knowing that he would be coming, but still dreading it somewhat. To think that she would be forced to speak to such a man as an equal still made her wince a little, for she was forced to go completely against all that she knew as Queen. As he went around the room, doing his normal ritual of shaking everyone's hand, Gotz stepped forward the moment the shackled man began to approach the Galateans, and, acting in every way as his son's substitute, forcefully gripped Roderick by the wrist, gave him a hard look that lasted several seconds, and then let go.
"He's safe."
"That's good enough, Sir Gotz. And did I not say that we are to treat them as allies?"
Unlike in the previous meeting, Claudia did bring herself to firmly shake his hand. Elvia, however, when he got around to her, actually stepped backwards and gave Roderick a look of absolute disgust, like he was some kind of disgusting creature.
"Here we are Matt, for better circumstances or worse. We're here for you, to fight beside Regala."
"Well said. I can be sure that everyone here will prove their loyalties to each other on the battlefield."
"That, and our strength. Isn't that more important?"
"Loyalty is also strength, Princess. We do share a common enemy, that is why we're here. And as long as we share that enemy, our blades are yours, our might joined with the will of the Regalan king."
"But..."
"And it is all you need to concern yourself with at this moment," she said, snapping at her daughter in a hushed yet firm tone.
The Galateans sat down, Claudia sitting first, followed by Gotz and then, somewhat reluctantly, Elvia. They listened as Stacy explained Matthias's abilities. None of them fully understood what his powers were, but Claudia, who had seen them firsthand, at least had a better idea of how much potential was present in them.
"I wouldn't say a weapon is perfect if it has such an effect on the one who uses it," said Claudia thoughtfully, "A good weapon is one that lasts, and stays true to its wielder. Your gift, Matthias, might be fearsome, and might do a fair amount of damage, but a single tool such as that is useless, if not bonded with a strong army as a foundation. That is why I'm here. We've all made clear our involvement in this war. I fully mean to destroy those who stand against me, and I am certain the same can be said for Regala and Vengeance, and yet, I know nothing of your abilities. What is it your nations can do? How is it that we can be able to assist one another? That is what I mean to learn here today."
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Apr 1, 2013 23:36:27 GMT -5
"Whoops, I got a little carried away there. Now, where should we start?"
"Sure, though I don't see why we should want to use his... powers, if there's any risk towards the King involved."
After shaking the hand of everyone whom did not snub him, Roderick moved to sit down. He heard some of what the Galateans were saying, but even so, already her preferred the company here to that of the last meeting. That is to say, at the very least, he did not feel that he needed to worry about having his head smashed into a table or anything.
"I fully mean to destroy those who stand against me, and I am certain the same can be said for Regala and Vengeance, and yet, I know nothing of your abilities. What is it your nations can do? How is it that we can be able to assist one another? That is what I mean to learn here today."
"Bellum omnium contra omnes... that is what we are dealing with here. If at all possible, I would like to not destroy anyone or anything, although my generals believe otherwise. I suppose they never really got over that mindset, still thinking the revolution is happening."
Part of the problem of going through a revolution, is that some people never gave it up. Whether they liked a state of anarchy, did not support the same goals as the rebels, or simply became accustomed to war, there were always a few whom did not welcome peace as readily as everyone else. Unfortunately for Roderick, many of those people were the ones whom found themselves in positions of power in Vengeance. Be it in the military, or in politics, some people just wanted to go on fighting. When they couldn't fight each other anymore, they'd simply fight the rest of the world. It was hard for Roderick to try and reform a country and create a paradise for the free, when these sorts of people were always looming at the periphery, some of them tugging on his sleeves at all times.
"Thanks to the change in the focus of labor and means of production, I would say that Vengeance is a bit more prepared for war than your average country of the world. If not in strength at least, then numbers certainly, and modernization. Old habits die hard you see, the last thing we want is someone coming along and taking away the freedom we fought so hard for."
It was no great secret, that his country had undergone nothing short of a miracle in the short time between the transition from Myrysaea to Vengeance. It was only about a year at best, and not only had they reconstructed their to its former state, but even beyond what it ever was. They had put so much effort, focus, and money into advancing that compared to the average country in the world, Vengeance could be seen as perhaps a glimpse of the future for some. The omnipresent NEW LIFE slogans and posters indicated that probably the largest impetus for this advancement had been to be ready for the grand reopening of the country, so as to showcase it to the world as a reformed place of freedom and progress. An lesser known, though no less important reason (as was Roderick's main goal behind it), was to focus on over-advancing so that budgeting and public attention would not have to be diverted to advancement for the foreseeable future.
"I imagine that the armed forces can handle whatever is thrown their way fairly well, though the navy is the strongest suit. That said, as small as our airforce may be, to my knowledge none of the belligerents in this war are technologically comparable. As well, I may have a new development or two I'd like to see fielded. Anything really, to keep the common people out of war, and their minds off conflict."
The last part he spoke, with a degree of humorous caution, as though he were trying to laugh it off altogether. Anyone whom knew a bit about Vengeance would know that its undeniable greatest strength came from the people. A fanatical populous when stirred up, reaching suicidal heights of devotion to upholding their beliefs and the ideals of the land. Probably the main reason the revolution was so bloody, was because anyone of able body more or less took up arms and threw themselves at the loyalists, eventually overwhelming them. The massive losses of life unfortunately, only served to drive them farther and harder than before. It was no great secret that Roderick never had control over the people at this point, and it was only the end of the revolution that they eventually stopped.
It was clear to see then, that perhaps chief among his concerns, was that this never happen again. Whether it was because of his care for the people and not wanting them to throw themselves into the massacre, or because he feared not having control again, was unclear.
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Post by CJ on Apr 12, 2013 14:29:45 GMT -5
Matthias looked toward Claudia but quickly turned and held his head down. His hands twiddled as though he were folding paper in his hands.
"It's no secret Regala's down in the dumps," Stacy grinned at Claudia and the other representatives of Galatae. "We're deep in debt from the aid we've received from some of our trading partners. There's virtually nothing we have to offer you incentive-wise for helping us."
Her eyes rolled at the Matthias sitting near.
"Of course, you know Matty here. I mean, my King. He's our most obvious assest. However, there is a hidden one Regala has obtained quite recently."
Stacy pointed at her grinning smile.
"Me!"
Pulling her purple hair back, she laughed in a fit of fake nervousness.
"Well, not me, more or so my associates. I'm not going to say it bluntly. You wouldn't believe me otherwise. Let me say now that we have an army of about 100 individuals who, well, individually could take out about 50 on a sunny, rainy, or dry day. And that's when some of them are at their worst condition!
"Most aren't good in the air or on sea like Vengeance Town but as soon as you get them on land, I can promise equal or more to Regala's devastation."
A hint of deception abd exaggeration was on Stacy's grating voice. But why would she lie to her allies?
Matthias, meanwhile, kept turning his fingers and pressing his hands together. The Regala comment made him cringe but he otherwise kept to himself.
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Post by Kyubey on Apr 15, 2013 21:40:00 GMT -5
Claudia rested her chin on her thumbs and intertwined her fingers as she thought about the strengths of Regala and Vengeance. A couple of things said by both other parties caught her attention. From Vengeance, it was the naval force and the revolutionary spirit that was sure to be effective. Although she cared very little about any aerial forces. Just how did Roderick expect people to be able to fight in the air? As a firmly traditional warrior from a nation locked in a flightless age, such things just seemed like whim and fancy, to be subsequently ignored. Meanwhile, Regala continued to be filled with pleasant surprises, with many things left to be discovered. For Claudia, who was used to getting help from strange places, this was not a problem for her. However, there was a limit to how much she was willing to let herself be surprised. Stacy seemed to be withholding a little too much, which set off several loud warning signals in the Queen's head. Not only that, but the woman's tone was suspicious, on top of being infuriating. No one with any sense of loyalty would speak to their king that way, and in order for Claudia to fight with someone with such little respect on completely even terms, she would have to be very desperate. She wasn't upset enough to act on her annoyance just yet, but if she couldn't make everyone's standing completely clear by the end of the meeting, then the nature of the alliance would be very difficult indeed. Next to her, Elvia was mentally picturing herself ripping out Stacy's tongue.
Claudia wanted to further press both Roderick and Stacy on their armies and anything they might still keep hidden, but it was now time for her to speak of her own nation.
"Mother," said Elvia with a touch of excitement, "Mind if I tell them about the strength of the Acis forces?"
"No, Princess. I shall do that." Dejected, Elvia quickly looked away. "The people of Galatae have had the reality of battle forged in them for centuries. The only thing that may satisfy many of us is war, and pride. In times such as these, when an enemy makes itself clear, there is no question that our warriors will strike at them with rage unmatched. My kingdom has a reputation of sparing no quarter to it's foes, and while we might not be the largest nation, or the most advanced, no foreigner can best a Galatean in an even duel." She ceased speaking, and withdrew her prized sword, letting both Stacy and Roderick take a good look at it. "Our steel is unmatched. Whatever stands before us, no matter where it comes from, we will cut it."
"Or crush it," Elvia said quickly, "I'm good at crushing."
"When it comes to victory, Galatae is more than willing to do whatever it takes. We fight with honor, of course, as Sir Gotz can easily demonstrate, but there are quite a few of us who are willing to be less than honorable, if it can better lead to the enemy leader's head taking its proper place on a sword. There is but one weakness in our forces, and that is a lack of knowledge. For eight hundred years we Galateans have been fighting constantly, but our only opponents have been other Galateans. Our skills are bred for fighting one breed of warrior, and unfortunately, now we do not know how these other nations will even go about this war. Now that we've established that we'll be fighting together, I would like council on this. How can we expect Arkady and Coryphaeus to fight, and how best may we counter it?"
Though she spoke words of friendship, Claudia was far from relying on the other nations. And while she did ask for advice, she was far from taking any sort of instruction. Rather, she planned on taking what they knew, and, assisted by the power Regala and Vengeance could potentially add to her own army, would sweep through her rival's lands in her own fashion. For the moment, that was her plan.
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Post by Mise™ on Apr 19, 2013 15:52:55 GMT -5
A few days has passed since the meeting took place in the royal palace of Coryphaeus and finally after bunch of golfing and wasting their time on other unimportant things the Coryphaean war machine was finally almost ready to go. Sun was setting over the kingdom of Coryphaeus and the sky was now reddish orange as night was just a few moments away. In the castle courtyard of the royal palace of Coryphaeus king Aclys and another, much older, Coryphaean man were chatting. Like most of the locals this man was really big, around the same height as Aclys, though not quite as buff. As to be expected the man had quite a few scars on him, most prominently one over his right eye, which was partially covered by an eye patch. However, unlike most Coryphaeans this man was actually quite adequately clothed, with clothes covering most of his body; the clothing was ragged and dirty though and that made him look like a bum; his poorly kept beard and hair did not help with that either. While Aclys was sitting on one of the fancy benches that you would expect to be in the palace, the other man was sitting on a cheap and old folding chair, which was covered in scratches. "Why the hell did you come back, old man? No one had heard shit about you in fucking years. We all thought you had fucking kicked the bucket years ago." "I thought it was finally time to visit home and see what is going on in here. And I won't die that easily, no need to worry about me." The man spoke in slow and calm voice. "And don't swear, kiddo... Or call me old; at least address me by my name... It's Sedes." "I know what your fucking name is, if I didn't I would have never fucking let you in here... And don't fucking call me kiddo." His Royal Majesty did not care about the criticism that he was receiving. "...So what the hell did you fucking do all of those fucking years?" "I traveled and saw the world. I'm an adventurer by nature. Apparently your brother did the same, though he seems to like the spotlight a lot more than I do. I hear news about him all the time." Sedes said as he pulled out an old flask, took a sip and then took a look at king Aclys, clearly thinking something. "I'm sorry. Not for kids." "I'm twenty, for fuck sake!" Aclys was getting frustrated with his unexpected guest, but then again his behavior was not that different from that of his generals, who liked to get on his nerves as well. "Sorry. Maybe in three or four years... And quit the swearing, I can't stand listening to it." Sedes said as he took another sip from his flask and then put it away. "So what's up with that war with Arkady I heard about?" "Oh that... This fucking asshole declared a war on us... and some other countries I don't give a shit about. No fucking idea what the hell is the big idea behind that No one has ever fucking declared a war on us before. We will go and fucking burn that shithole to the ground soon." "What about the kid that hurt Liene?" "Oh that fucking little shit? I want to beat the crap out of him for that..." Aclys said and then had an over dramatic pause for few seconds. "And that's exactly what I'm going to fucking do! I'll challenge that asshole to a boxing match and in the ring I will fucking show him who's the man!" "Boxing? Ehh..." "Such a fucking noble sport. A royal boxing match between two fucking kings will certainly bring a huge fucking crowd." Aclys sounded very excited about this and even showed off his boxing skills by boxing his own shadow for a second there. "Like father like son, I guess. That's so silly that your father might have done that." After having said that Sedes got up and folded his chair. "Well there are places I gotta go and people I want to meet... When you go to the war, I'll join you." "Why? What the fuck are you going to do there?" "We'll see. And stop the swearing." And so Sedes left the castle courtyard carrying his folding chair with him. By this point the darkness of the night had finally fallen to the kingdom of Coryphaeus.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Apr 23, 2013 23:52:16 GMT -5
"Now that we've established that we'll be fighting together, I would like council on this. How can we expect Arkady and Coryphaeus to fight, and how best may we counter it?"
"Arkady? I've done business with them, simple enough. I already know what to expect, though it isn't pretty. Lots of metal, lots of steam, lots of destruction. Not a very subtle way of approaching things, something I saw of their force and sought to refine for that of Vengeance. Still though, the possess a certain level of... prudence. As a company more than a country, they'll try to solve any issue in the most economically sound manner possible, and this extends to war."
Roderick spoke matter-of-factly on the issue, as probably more than the others there, he had a personal understanding of the workings of Slythe's empire. Were it not for the man himself, why, they would still be allied and Vengeance would not be gunning for his head alongside Regala and Galatae. Part of the benefit of their dealings and sudden severance however, was that while Vengeance had taken everything A.I. had to offer, the technocracy had not done the same in turn. Perhaps it was simply that none of them cared for what Vengeance had to offer, but they would soon care when they faced such forces in the field, bolstered by their own weapons which had been given.
"In cauda venenum... if nothing else we can rely on them to approach this conflict the way they approach every other; the cheapest way they can. I am not aware of something that matters more to them, than cost effectiveness. What I can't speak for is Ibaia, whom if I understand correctly has now allied with Arkady Industries? While I am of a mind to write off this isolationist crater, it is not by chance that a nation and its people last a thousand years."
Was Roderick concerned about A.I.? Of course, he knew better than to just write it off. Particularly when they had on their side, that strange, small land built around the worship of metal. He had been paying thieves and sending some of his own for whatever they could loot from that place, long before there were thoughts of war. From what little he had gathered he was certainly concerned, if only because while he could steal as much as he could from Ibaia, it would never match open trade that the country had with A.I. now. Together, they could make for a formidable enemy.
"As for Coryphaeus... the only thing I can say is what I have heard from rumors. Of that, I hope that none are true, otherwise this war may already be decided."
On this last point, he hesitated for awhile before speaking, trying to find the right words to say. Unlike A.I., his knowledge of Coryphaeus was based solely on hearsay. Rumors, of that immovable force lying in wait at the end of the world, preparing for the day it could rise unstoppable. It all sounded like a load of fear mongering, something generals told their kings to drum up support for their military. Roderick knew better than to pay heed to rumors, but when he was going to war against that very place and rumors were all he had to go on...
He was glad that Coryphaeus was on the other side of the world, to say the least.
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Post by CJ on Apr 24, 2013 20:04:20 GMT -5
Matthias kept rotating his fingers over and over. His eyes looked straight forward and blinked rarely. Every once in a while, he would move his right hand in an arc and pull it back. Was he listening to the meeting? It was hard to tell.
"In candy venue?" Stacy asked Roderick with a confused look.
She began to pick her nose and roll her eyes at the others at the table. It didn't make a difference whether Claudia or Elvia were talking, Stacy couldn't care less whether Gatalae would do whatever it took to stand above the fight. To her, the other countries were as weak as the ones of the representatives sitting before her.
"Those other countries have nothing on us. Why should we even be talking about them? Let's destroy them already. Let's pit our forces against them or wait for them to come to us."
Stacy's tactics were clearly the best around.
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Post by Kyubey on Apr 25, 2013 2:57:11 GMT -5
Claudia leaned far backwards, considering Roderick's words from every angle. So much of what he actually said was too vague to use, but in her mind she began to get an image of the legions of opponents she would be facing. More and more, it seemed as though a direct, straightforward assault might be foolish. When facing one much larger, it was unwise to battle on their terms. The question was, how best to force the armies of Arkady and Coryphaeus to an even match?
Ibaia joining with Arkady was completely new to the Galateans, and only proved to Claudia how reliant she was on her allies, to have access to such vital information. It was a shame, really, for she hoped to be able to ignore that particular nation. Still, knowing that they were friends of Arkady could be twisted to her favor, if she played things right. But how, though? Coryphaeus was another matter entirely. Roderick's thoughts on the country were ominous, but also showed that he was truly not a warrior. No man who lived by the sword would speak with such fear. It hurt her somewhat to think that such fear could also be vital to her. A scared man tended to be craftier than bold one. In the world of tactics, it was better to have a coward than one who overestimates his strength. Claudia, it seemed, had both on her hands. Just like at home...
"So if you're so frightened of the Coryphaean bastards," Elvia scoffed at Roderick, "Why are you here? I don't need anyone allied with me who thinks so highly of scum like them! This is disgusting. We came thinking we would fight alongside you, not to find you sniveling before we even set foot on the battlefield. And what do you intend to do in this war, if you're so afraid of mere rumors? Betray us in exchange for the safety of your own country? I won't fall for that! You keep this in mind now. There is only one who will decide this war, and they don't live on the other side of the world. Mother, this peasant is a waste of our time. What do you think we should do with him?"
Claudia did not admonish her daughter again, being too deep in thought. As it was, there were two possibilities regarding Coryphaeus. The first was, the rumors were absolutely untrue, stirred up in order to frighten other nations, or the second, that the posturing she had seen during the meeting was justified and she was up against a frightening adversary, much like the ones she had fought long ago, but on a grander scale. It was worrying, either way. But no matter what, she was far from afraid. Whatever the risk, she was willing to take it, but that didn't mean losing more than she had to. She had to know the truth of it before the nations came to clashing.
Stacy seemed to be a complete fool, not worth putting too much thought into. Her confidence was good though. While Roderick might drive his men to retreat when Claudia needed them the most, Stacy at least was the sort of foolish that would hold onto a cause long after it was lost. A good tool, if used right. But her lack of sense was still troubling. Something would have to be done about it.
"It seems we are in the presence of a power high above any of us," she said in response to Stacy's boasting. "How ridiculous it was for me to think of tactics! Perhaps Acis and Vengeance are not needed in this war after all, with such a great ally in this room? Here's a strategy. Stacy, you fight our enemies alone, on their home islands, while we sit back and witness your incredible might. Perhaps we will put you in blindfolds, to make it truly fair. From the way you talk, I have little reason to doubt that is possible. Is it decided then? Or do you want to think on these things further?"
She shot Stacy a condescending look, half wanting to actually leave the woman to fight on her own. Then, she turned to Roderick.
"Roderick, you said that Vengeance excels in naval strength? Tell me, in your experience, what is the most effective way at dealing with an opponent who, in order to fight you, must first approach from very far away?"
"Mother, are we really asking for advice from this..."
"Yes. And I forbid you to speak until he has answered."
Elvia looked shocked, nearly betrayed, but kept her mouth shut, seemingly obeying her mother's orders. Claudia stared at Roderick intently, plans already shaping in her head. Gotz was attentive, and appeared to be listening, but still did not seem any closer to contributing, choosing instead to be a spectator.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Apr 25, 2013 12:16:38 GMT -5
"Those other countries have nothing on us. Why should we even be talking about them? Let's destroy them already. Let's pit our forces against them or wait for them to come to us."
"Well I think that's the plan, I mean at least-"
It was Roderick's intent to get across the general idea he had in mind to Stacy, as despite her limited involvement in the conversation, she more or less had the right idea which was what counted. There was just some confusion about the enemy, or at least, what their role was in this war. Before he could try to explain his standpoint though, Elvia's scoffing intensified.
"I... apologize your highness, if I have offended you. I would never dream of betraying anyone, I simply am concerned for for the sake of our troops. We just came out of one bloody conflict, I would like it if this one was as bloodless as possible. Surely none of our soldiers dying is better than even one of them dying?"
Roderick spoke in as conciliatory manner as possible. He had been completely blindsided by Elvia's criticism, but he wasn't intent on arguing with her or refuting her points. If that was the way she felt, then he couldn't change that. If anything he should have had the forethought not to draw her ire on this matter. Instead, he only sought to redefine his position, as though maybe his previous words had been misunderstood.
"If our help is unwanted however, we don't have to fight on the same front..."
Sitting down defeated, Roderick went over in his mind battle strategies without the involvement of either Galatae or Regala. Vengeance had fought on its own before, but in an alliance without any help from its allies, the approach would have to be different. He didn't have the heart to tell them that whatever situation they might work out, he still wouldn't be fighting with them anyway. That is, he hoped that they didn't expect to see him on the front lines, fighting alongside them in battle at least. That was simply not going to happen.
"Roderick, you said that Vengeance excels in naval strength? Tell me, in your experience, what is the most effective way at dealing with an opponent who, in order to fight you, must first approach from very far away?"
"Well I would... I mean in that kind of a situation..."
When Claudia actually addressed him, Roderick didn't respond at first, looking up in surprise to make sure he was hearing things correctly. When he realized that she was indeed, speaking to him, he spoke up suddenly in an attempt to make up for the delay and in so doing stumbled over his words and choked. Leaning back in his chair and taking a deep breath, he started again. More controlled, with thought to back him up.
"Air superiority is always the greatest strength in any battle, but failing that... bombardment. Artillery on land is bigger, but boats can move. You can hit the enemy from over the horizon, and never have to see a single one."
He wasn't sure if they even knew what air superiority or artillery were, but she asked a question and he gave an answer.
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Post by CJ on Apr 26, 2013 0:27:19 GMT -5
Stacy smiled contently at Claudia. She traced her finger in a circle on the table, as though stirring up a cup of tea.
"Good idea," she nearly giggled. "I'll go right after this meeting and show that meany Arkady who's the real boss around here! Your brat daughter's right. This is a waste of time. I can take care of this myself."
Flicking one of her boogers nearly into Matthias's hair, she yawned and rolled her eyes toward Roderick.
"Really? Take them all out before they get close? What's the fun in that? The whole engagement would be so impersonal."
If anyone had just entered, they might have thought Stacy to be talking of a party or sport rather than a war. Matthias lowered his head and turned away from her, keeping to whatever he was doing with his hands.
For a brief moment, he looked right at Claudia. With such accuracy, it might have been somewhat farfetched to think he was blind. He quickly glanced in Stacy's direction and then looked to a corner.
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Post by Kyubey on Apr 26, 2013 2:39:32 GMT -5
Claudia's expression became a bit perplexed as Roderick further explained himself. His reasoning was a little strange, and it became more clear as he spoke that war was much more different on the outside than she had thought. Bloodless? Killing the enemy without seeing them? Ending wars in such a fashion was what was told in myths, fantastic stories she was told as a child. It had little to do with real wars, which were direct, dirty, bloody, and painful in every second of combat.
Elvia, in particular, seemed put off by Roderick's naive way of thinking, to the point where her eyes gleamed with rage and the urge to severely hurt him, but that was hardly the fault of Roderick himself, and more a result of the way she had been treated by her own Mother during the entire meeting. She audibly seethed under her breath, but, obeying the Queen's orders, she kept her mouth shut.
"Bloodless?" Claudia asked directly. "Do not speak of war as though it were a game. Soldiers will die. Blood will spill, and it will spill abundantly. Don't think I care not for my warriors, for I do, but if their lives were not on the line, they would not be warriors at all. The reward of our fallen will be the pride of our nation. For hundreds of years, that has not changed, and this fundamental truth will not fade in this war either. This, Roderick, is how we of Galatae fight wars."
Claudia, though ruler of an isolationist kingdom, did know of artillery and gunpowder from the travelers that passed through her nation, though anything involving the air was still lost on them. The problem was that Galateans, very stuck in their ways and firmly distrusting of the craftsmanship of any weapons not made by Galatean hands, did not use any sort of guns widely in their units. Roderick's great strategy was useless for her. This did not concern her, for she was confident she could find a way to handle her end of the war on her own, but it was the knowledge that her enemies would likely use similar tactics that most occupied her thoughts.
"Sir Gotz. How strong would you say our archers are?"
"The archers of the Acis Royal Army are well over five hundred strong, and are as well trained and equipped as any other unit, Your Majesty."
"Are they a match for the artillery of these other nations?"
"No force can stand up to that of Acis. But I cannot speak with certainty on this matter. There is much that foreign cannons can do that we cannot."
She knew as much. "Can our bows hit a target from over the horizon?"
"There is no weapon I am aware of that can do that."
She turned to Roderick. "Then I must find a different means."
Stacy was a completely different matter, and, to Claudia, a truly baffling one. The ruler of Galatae, going into this meeting, expected to be the proudest person there, but here was a woman so unreasonably haughty, it was insulting. There was no reasoning with her, it seemed, no civil way to get Stacy under her control. If this woman continued in such a manner, the Queen expected Regala would already be lost. Claudia wanted to tear this woman to shreds, verbally or otherwise, for her self-assured comments, but one thing stopped her from doing so right away.
"Brat?"" Elvia screeched, bolting to her feet and stepping forward at Stacy. Claudia knew her daughter well enough to see what would happen without intervention. In the Galatean courts, her ways were bad enough, but in here, she knew it could start a war. Especially because Elvia wouldn't have stopped after Stacy.
"Elvia. Stop." Elvia took another step forward, but then stopped, seemingly stopped by a powerful force of some kind. For the first time, the Princess looked as though she was afraid. "You will get your chance to kill. Wait until the war. You will have blood, you will have all the blood you like, but it will not be shed by anyone here right now. Remember why we are here, and remember your place. Do not touch her." Her tone stayed resolute, but here and there wavered slightly, as if in worry.
The Princess spun around and shot a mad glare at her mother. "But... they... you... UGH!" in a hateful fit, the girl began to storm out of the room, her head tilted downwards.
"Come back now, Claudia barked. "You are showing weakness."
Elvia angrily sat directly on the ground where she had stood, still not facing her mother or anyone else.
"Forgive my daughter for that. Now then, back to what you were saying." She turned to Stacy, and coldly stared the woman in the eye. "It seems that you do not think highly of others, but that should not stop you from paying attention, at least, to this. Stacy, I do not care about you. Your boasts only show to me just how unprepared for war you are. You want to try and kill Arkady yourself? Very well, none of our armies have any use for one so simpleminded. You are not the person I came here to meet. I came expecting to speak to King Matthias. He is the one who rules Regala, no? Therefore, his opinions are the only ones that mean anything to me. He cannot speak now, but I am certain that if he could, he would not say anything close to the nonsense you blather. One last thing. Do not speak to my daughter or your King with such disrespect in my presence again." That point being made, she now turned back to Roderick.
"We of Galatae do not have the artillery you do, nor do we have the knowledge of seafaring you do, but we are far, far from helpless. Our blades will have to compensate for what we cannot do at a distance, but that has never been an issue for us before. Think of the Acis Forces as a great spear. Whatever opponent there is, we shall cut through them, but first we need to make contact. I want to destroy Slythe Arkady and his armies, and I recognize I cannot do that without the appropriate strategies. Roderick of Vengeance, Matthias of Regala, I have decided to place my trust in the both of you completely. Where best do I begin?"
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Apr 28, 2013 1:41:24 GMT -5
"Really? Take them all out before they get close? What's the fun in that? The whole engagement would be so impersonal."
"War is the most atrocious thing any person experience. Why then, should it be personal? The mass destruction of land and life, show me the person who enjoys that, and you'll have shown me my enemy."
Roderick was not sure that he liked how the Queen had interpreted his opinion. Things like that were bound to happen, but he liked to correct them when they arose. Unfortunately he didn't get the chance when Claudia began a discussion with her general about their technological capabilities, and after that Elvia got supermad. In more ways than one, it was a very real reminder as to why he and the people alongside him had overthrown their monarchy.
"Roderick of Vengeance, Matthias of Regala, I have decided to place my trust in the both of you completely. Where best do I begin?"
"Alea iacta est! If war is a game, then I'm playing to win. We can begin, by sending Slythe a message, and hitting him where it hurts. I say we take that castle he chose to hold his little meeting at."
Slapping his hands on the table and standing up in response, Roderick gave a resounding agreement to Claudia. Lifting one of his hands up, underneath there were three playing cards, though it was unimportant if anyone actually noticed or saw them. After all, they were only a Queen of Clubs, a King of Hearts, and a joker.
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Post by CJ on Apr 28, 2013 12:27:43 GMT -5
Matthias looked to Roderick solemnly. He agreed completely with what he was saying in response to Stacy. Meanwhile, the ambassador merely ignored Roderick and laughed hysterically at Elvia getting mad.
Sticking her tongue out at Claudia sheepishly, she didn't have any concern for her warnings. Stacy was all too confident.
"I'll say what I want," she muttered under her breath then spoke aloud. "Oh, looks like Matty's got something to say. Why didn't you say it to me in the code I taught you? Seriously, it's like I'm wasting my time here."
Matthias jerked his hand back when Stacy grabbed onto the paper in his hands. He had been writing since Claudia asked her question. She pulled it up to her face and looked disgusted.
"Augh, you spelled a bunch of stuff wrong. I can't even read this. Makes sense though, I guess. You are blind. You guys can read it."
Stacy carelessly tossed it on the table. Despite being blind, Matthias had written the note very neatly and carefully, with practiced cursive.
It read:
Queen Claudia and Roderick,
I hould like very much for tha horrible plce to be gone or at least in our apable hands. M troops and I ave been and will be redy to trike whenever necessary. Yo have no reaon to trust in my abilities but I feel I ave becme more succesful every ime I use them. I cn only uess at this point but I think I will b OK.
Regala's king was looking extremely nervous now, gripping his hands tightly.
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Post by Kyubey on Apr 29, 2013 2:08:01 GMT -5
"Alea iacta est! If war is a game, then I'm playing to win. We can begin, by sending Slythe a message, and hitting him where it hurts. I say we take that castle he chose to hold his little meeting at."
"An easy task. My talents are suited to the taking of castles. Princess Elvia, Sir Gotz, your thoughts?"
"I have not seen this castle myself, but I agree with Roderick. Taking that location should do well to demonstrate to our enemy that we are to be feared. A siege is a simple matter. I have no doubt that it can be done."
"...I don't care." Elvia was still bitter over what had previously taken place, and was still perturbed by Stacy's behavior. Her mood would improve, Claudia suspected, once there was a good battlefield for her to lose herself in. If war did one good thing, it was excellent at clearing the senses.
As for herself, Claudia pondered the idea of that potential battle carefully. Sieges were one thing, uphill battles were another, and snow just complicated things further, but she remembered to stay confident in her allies. She did say she trusted them, and wouldn't betray that by doubting their plans.
Claudia glared at Stacy once again, regretting her choice to prevent her daughter from attacking the woman. Her attitude could be disastrous if she was given too much power, and the Queen couldn't imagine that she would be too faithful to the cause, once loyalties were tested. Mentally, she calculated how difficult it would be to arrange for a stray arrow or bullet to tragically find its way into Stacy's neck. Still, nothing could be done right at the moment, so instead, she focused her attention on Matthias. She looked over the letter, forgiving the spelling errors, and smiled. Though she once doubted the boy, during their first meeting, it seemed he was growing into a fine ruler. Such development at such an early age could only prove to be a good thing. Privately, the Queen was proud of the boy, though she also knew she had to be careful to not let Elvia see this. She did not know if he was truly ready to lead troops to battle or not, but if he wasn't, it would be no issue to step in and take charge of them herself, if need be.
"This is good, King Matthias. I shall be honored to fight alongside you, as will your men. If you remain as brave during the battle as you are now, I see no reason to worry." She turned her glance away from the paper, and addressed the group. "Roderick's suggestion was a fair start... but we need to plan further than this. I suspect that this will be the last time the three of us will speak directly before the first blood is shed between nations. There are many matters at hand to talk of."
---
Elsewhere, in a darkened room on a cloudy island...
A well-dressed gentleman reclined in an armchair, facing a window overlooking the grey sea that stretched out before him. In one hand was a full glass of wine, and next to him, rested on a mahogany nightstand, were a Den-Den Mushi and the most recent newspaper. The clouds shifted before the gentleman's eyes, and he smiled, as if through that window he could see the entire world.
"Pay close attention, my dear friends," he said to the snail, "What we are fortunate enough to witness now will be but a glimpse of what will be to come. From this war, we shall all see what direction the winds are taking this world of ours! Rejoice! For not everyone is blessed enough to see such change, all at once!
Live, and Flourish."
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Post by Mise™ on Apr 30, 2013 16:36:47 GMT -5
"I guess this is it... I really haven't looked forward to this..." The mysterious traveler, Sedes, spoke to himself as he walked down a long circular staircase. It was dark and cold in there, very dark and cold and Sedes could only see in front of him thanks to the lantern he was carrying. Sun never shone in here so it was impossible to tell whether it was day or night. It did not take the traveler very long until he arrived in a large chamber. It was hard to tell with the weak lighting in there, but the chamber had several hatches on the walls and some decorations around them. "Let's see." Sedes thought as he took a look on the hatch straight in front of him. There was a large 'X' carved on it. Apparently this was not the one he was looking for as Sedes passed by it and the next few hatches until he got in front of one that read 'XVI', then took a few steps away from it, set up his trusty folding chair and sat down. "Pops... bro... gramps... It has been a long, long while, but finally I'm home." As he said that the man took a look at the two hatches next to 'XVI', that read 'XV' and 'XVII', the latter which was the last one that was numbered; there were more hatches further down, but nothing was carved on them. "I know I'm a bit late... With all of you lying there like that next to each other. Ka...ha...ha...ha..." The laughter sounded very awkward and forced; Sedes really wasn't having any fun here and just sounded sad more than anything. "You know, I never really felt like I did fit in here very well. Everyone always thought I was weird; especially you, bro. I wanted to see the world, go on adventures and you just wanted to be the greatest, be number one. Pops and gramps, both of you had more in common with bro than me. I'm glad that I'm not the older brother. Thanks to that I had no responsibilities I didn't want to deal with and I could do as I pleased. Kaha...haha..." After some more awkward laughter, Sedes took a quick took a pause as he pulled out his flask and took a sip. "Ever since I was a lil' kid I told you that there is a wide world awaiting me and I would go one day... and when mom kicked the bucket that was just what I did. I was sad; I didn't want to be here at the time so I set out to explore the wide world... ... ...And that was the last time any of you saw me. Eventually I felt like coming back and started to head towards home, but then I heard the news that you had died, gramps, and that changed my mind. I wasn't coming back for a few years... Or so I thought, but for the next decade I didn't even think of home a lot and when I finally thought that it was time for me to return here your time was over, pops... And once again I postponed my return a few years and then it was your turn, bro. I never saw that coming and apparently no one else did either..." A short moment of silence followed as Sedes took another sip from his flask. "And in the end it took me 27 years to get back here. It really didn't feel that long, it felt like I was gone for just a few years and that I'm still young... But that ain't the truth. I'll turn 53 soon, no matter how I look at it I can't call myself young anymore. Kahahhahahah..." This time the laughter sounded more genuine, even if just a little bit. "When I finally got here, I found out that you three weren't the only ones whose time had passed them. Saule and even lil' Acutus had gone recently. As expected their kids have taken their places... It seems like most of my generation has passed the torch to their kids, even those who are still alive. Only Liene still has her old job... And the old bastard too, but he really isn't of my generation... It's funny... When I was a kid I always wondered why he was like that... His family and friends... All of them have died a hundred years ago, now that I look at you lying there I feel like I understand him, even if just a little. I know why he is so damn jaded." "Out there people always asked me if I was from Coryphaeus. No wonder, we do look very unique... I always introduced myself as just Sedes, I can't remember the last time I have mentioned my last name to anyone. In the big world out there the name Sedes doesn't mean anything. No one knows much about Coryphaeus... But if I would have just called myself Sedes Valdiensk people would have thought of me differently; some would look up to me, some would want to test me and many would be afraid of me. After all a lot of people have heard the stories behind that name. I didn't want the attention that's why I'm rather 'Sedes the adventurer' instead of 'prince Sedes Valdiensk of Coryphaeus'. I never really cared about being a royalty. You guys always were much more regal than I was." After having a little more of his drink the reluctant prince of Coryphaeus continued talking: "I met your kid for the first time yesterday, bro. He is very cocky, bossy and thinks way too highly of himself... so he is exactly like you. Kahaha... I wish he just stopped the damn swearing. He certainly got that from his mom. I heard your other kid went adventuring like me and that he is one awful hellraiser... I hope I'll meet him someday. I never settled down so despite being so damn old, I haven't got a wife or kids. The fleet has been already prepared to leave for battle tomorrow. I wasn't really surprised to hear about that, I know lil' Aclys likes to do things like that. But apparently he didn't declare the war on the enemy, but it was the other way around this time... Anyway I'll be going with them; I want to see if anything has really changed with how they handle the things in here... Even if have never really been one for events like that." Sedes took another sip of his beverage, a big sip. "Damn... It's empty. Ka... Ha... Ha..." A long silence followed, lasting for several minutes until the adventurer opened his mouth again. "I'm sorry... That's what I really come here to say to you... I'm sorry that I never was here for any of you... I just kept on running away not having to see you like this... ... ...Even still... ... ...I don't regret leaving this island behind. I'm an adventurer by nature, that's my calling. I hate spending too long at one place. I have seen all sort of things during my travels... Things that I would never believe to be true if I hadn't seen them myself... There are still places I want to see. I'll stay here for a moment and then head back to the seas. I should have at least another 27 years left in me... I'll visit home more often that's for certain, but I can't just settle down here, at least not yet... ... ... ... ... ...It's a wonderful world out there..."
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