The Dancer Prince
Chapter 2
Written by Ambassador Yrishna Wolf
The flag of the Segan Monarchy swayed from side to side, almost transparent as the star's light shone upon it. The flag was peaceful, standing atop a flagpole. The sounds of marching bands played around it, as it was soon to stand lone on a background of fireworks. The fireworks began shooting up into the sunlit sky, exploading into millions of bursting shells of varying colors, exploading in a magnificent firecracker sound. Nothing sounded like it, and nothing matched the light blue and yellow colors of the Segan Monarchy's flag. The flag was well prepared to be behind this background of fireworks as across from it the royal family appeared. Her Majesty Queen Rachel Rosbourg and His Majesty King Jean-Louis Rosbourg stepped into the court yard where the flag was centrally located. A walkway that led up to it was secured by the Royal Guard, who wore their best white and blue dress uniforms for the occasion. One by one, the Royal Family stepped into the court yeard. Mother and Father followed by their son the heir to the throne His Majesty King Charles Rosbourg, and his wife. Their 2 year old son was in tow for the occassion, filled with excitement at the occasion. Youri's first Royalty Day in the Monarchy. Once, every year, the Monarchy celebrated the joining of the Rosbourg, Denmont, and Defont families into one powerful dynasty that had kept the Segan Monarchy alive and well for 10,000 years.
Explosions, massive dirt clods flew as the ground was hit by explosive shells. Jumping into these new craters, men from the 5th infantry jumped into them. One of them carrying a batterered flag of the Monarchy jumped just in time to miss another artillery shell. The entire line seemed to move cautiously but quickly as they entered the craters that had been created. It was dark, terribly dark, as the enraged explosions continued to thunder down. The armed men grabbed their guns, and prepared to fire a return volley. Suddenly, the hissing of powerful rocket launchers could be heard as the dark battlefield was lit by shock grenades. From the forests on the left flank appeared a new flag, the Segan Monarchy flag. More men had arrived. Behind the men came two fightercrafts who fired rockets from the side of their wings, the rockets hit the hillsides that the 5th infantry had been expected to climb. Massive explosions could be heard as the ground shook from the tremendous force of the artillery pieces exploading. They would be heard no more as the fighters flew past them. The Segan Popular Unionist troops fired anti-fightercraft rockets to no avail, the fighters were long gone, and they weren't expecting any air cover for the 5th infantry.
The Segan flag collapsed, as the man gasped, his blue blood pouring out of the openings caused by the phaser wounds. He coughed blue blood out of his mouth, as the combat medic helplessly tried to figure out some medicine to help him out. There was nothing he could do, the flag carrier was dead. He looked around, hoping one of the infantry men would take the flag that led the assault. But he could find none that were brave enough to do this act. As some of the infantry gathered in a circle, in the middle of this hell hole they called a battlefield, the medic grabbed the tattered flag and moved out of the circle. He yelled an old Segan proverb as he charged towards the hill side, followed by hundreds of Segan marines and infantry. Behind them, more men from the 7th Marine division appeared from the forest, the reinforcement that had been promised for many months had finally arrived. The Segan Popular Union watched from the top of the base as he saw rows and rows of Segan royal troops approaching. He cursed and looked at the tactical maps, the actual strength of the Segan presence here was finally placed on the map and he could see he was seriously outflanked in two key areas vital to maintaining the outpost. He ordered artillery to be concentrated in those two regions, but he knew he would have a hell of a hard time maintaining position.
At the bottom of the hillside, 2 old Segan hovertanks flew ahead of the 300-strong army. They fired two opening volleys at the outpost walls as the Segan army tried to build trenches to protect themselves. As they reached the limit of the outpost defense line, they could see the anti-personnel guns mounted on all sides of the well protected wall. It would be an interesting tactical siege, one which none of these outposts had been very well designed for. The troops themselves were not trained to handle this type of combat, they were just out of the Academies and Bootcamps, forced out in order to fill in the vacancies caused by the dissapearance of the Ghost Fleet. Some of the volleys from the outpost hit well past their maximum range, the stray shots hitting some of the Segan officers, sending blue blood spurting onto uniforms. The young officers ducked harder into the ground, the blood sending pure trauma into the hearts of the young men. A few more mines of wait and then the scream... "Charge!"
Segan fightercrafts flew over the taken outpost, landing at the liberated strip of land that served as home to the 27th Segan Fightercraft division. Three hundred meters away from the landing strip, dead bodies of Segan both SPU and Royalist were being carried to a mass grave. There were just too many soldiers to cremate without creating toxic fume, and too many to bury in one grave. In any case, many were unrecognizable. In orbit of this loomy planet sat the S.W.S Yolanda and S.W.S Arrytrea, both battleships were fair veterans of war and their crews had seen action in the Styx War. Retired fairly quickly to get repairs, they had just recieved a fresh crew, and fresh orders, save the Monarchy. Alongside both ships flew squadrons of fighters, as shuttle after shuttle dropped onto the planet. In the cities of this planet, Segan citizens cheered as they saw their government finally in action. Something had been done, the young King's troops had just brought his first victory.
The birds chirped past the closed windows of the Palais de Chinon. The entire palace gardens were bristling with the life of morning, butterflies flocked, birds ate, and insects roamed this vast territory of land. Even the flowers celebrated with their most dazzling of colors, blues and reds clashed brilliantly with green. At the palace gates too there was life, people approached the gates cautiously, as on both sides of the gate stood two Royal guardsmen, perfectly still and watching the crowd build up. Inside the palace, at the gates were four more Royal guardsmen stationed there to make sure none would go past the gate. Inside the Palace, the doors that led to the Dauphin Crown Prince's quarters were opened quietly, as the Reverend Queen entered. She was donning her royal garments, her white crown shining brilliantly against whatever sun light would sneak in through the closed shudders. The Queen, wearied by age, opened the shudders herself, brushing away her entourage's help. She then turned, looking at one of the youngest members of the family, walking to him. A lean and a kiss later, the Dauphin Crown Prince was yawning and waking, hardly a morning person, he hadn't heard the news which the crowd was gathering for.
"Grandma.... what's going on?" Youri asked, as he was hustled out of his bed, "Is something the matter?"
"Nothing's the matter, honey," The Reverend Queen replied, smiling to him, "There are some people who want to congratulate you."
"Congratulate me? Congratulate me on what?" Youri looked confused as Maitre Wolf entered with his entourage.
"Tell him the news, Maitre Wolf," The Reverend Queen glanced to Youri, "He just got back from the Fleure Republic."
"Yes, your Majesty," Maitre Wolf bowed in front of Youri, "They have agreed to dispatch aid to us, it should assist in relieving our front near the Fleures... and we also recieved word today that we just won our first victory."
"I...I....I see," Youri offered a smile to the group assembled, "Who wants to see me?"
"Your people," The Reverend Queen motioned her head to the massive glass windows that beamed sunlight into the Dauphin's quarters.
"Oh ****, Grandma, I'm not ready!!" Youri nodded to his own entourage to start getting him ready, as he recieved a prompt scolding from the Reverend Queen.
- - - - - - - - -
The crowd which had gathered in front of the palace gates was growing larger and more expectant. They wanted to hear from the Dauphin Crown Prince himself that they had gotten themselves a victory. They were eager to get their raise of morale from the Prince. After what seemed like an hour, a fanfare of horns played the tune of the Segan anthem as the Prince stepped out onto the massive deck. He waved to the crowds as they cheered his arrival. He donned the most beautiful of his royal garments, trying to look as manly as possible. Here he was, just 17 trying to look as if he had ruled this nation for over centuries. Maitre Wolf had arranged a ceremony in occassion of the victory, he would have to go soon again to gather more allies to fight the Segan Popular Union. His next destination would be a dangerous one, taking him towards the United Federation of Planets. The transgalactic conduit that led to the U.F.P. had fallen into S.P.U. hands, it would be a difficult mission. Right now, however, this was not on anyone's mind.
Youri delivered a fine speech that evening sending the crowds into loud cheers that carried over into small celebrations in Chinon's capital. The celebrations lasted into the wee hours of morning. Inside the palace, the celebrations had ended much earlier. The peaceful palace was disturbed by the sounds of careful footsteps. The marble sounded after each one as the shadowy figure headed towards Maitre Wolf's quarters in the palace. As he arrived, the figure knocked on Maitre Wolf's door, and he could hear the pleasant sound of Maitre Wolf's voice ordering the person to "enter." The figure walked into the Quarters, and Maitre Wolf glanced up, seeing the now ever so familiar face of Charles' son appear. This was unlike Youri to be walking around the palace at night, he thought as he began to move from his bed. Youri raised a hand, as if to say he did not wish him to trouble himself by moving. Youri sat at the foot of Wolf's bed, looking at him for a moment before speaking.
"Where will you head of to next, Maitre Wolf?" Youri asked, seeing some stellar cartography padds on one of the small bookcases.
"The Federation, Youri," Maitre Wolf glanced over and handed him a padd, "Intelligence reports before the Styx War suggested they'd come out of the war in a good position."
"That's a dangerous route," Youri watched Maitre Wolf out of concern of loosing his only able friend, "Are you sure you'll make it?"
"We need the help, Your Majesty," Maitre Wolf sighed, "The Fleures sent us what they could give.. But if we want to turn the tide of this war, we will need the Federation's help, or the Ghost Fleet."
"You think they're out there?" Youri turned his head, watching the painting of one what was probably his great great great grandfather, "Do you think we'll find them?"
"I don't know...," Maitre Wolf watched Youri, "I honestly don't know."
"Just promise me you'll be okay, that you'll come back to me and my family," Youri's head turned again pleadingly.
"I promise," Maitre Wolf answered, very serious of his promise, "Now go to bed, we don't want our future King to have bloodshot eyes!"
"Aye, sir," Youri smiled as he walked to the turn, "Goodnight, Maitre Wolf."
"Good night your Majesty," Maitre Wolf returned to looking at his stellar cartography charts as the door shut closed.
