Rathlands : Chapitre 15 (Ingred POV)
Illuminated by the flickering glow of large candles, the small-framed Malfestio unrolled yet another map scroll. Carefully, he placed it in continuation of a huge map of Solhatar that was spread out across the large table. This last addition represented a detail of the border zone between the Kingdom of the Rathlands, the Skypiercers' empire and the Buruto Dictatorship. Once he had finished his work, he looked up with his two s piercing ruby eyes at the individual at the other end of the long deliberation table. The latter was patiently waiting for the bird wyvern to finish.
"What do you think, dear Scarface?" the owl in midnight blue, gold and cream plumage said.
"I think the world is mad, Your Excellency," Scarface said with some form of annoyance.
The blue bird laughed softly, then began pacing, occasionally brushing the scrolls with one of his feathers.
"Who could say otherwise?" he mused. "Well, let's proceed to the analysis of all this. Would you have a preference, to begin with?"
"If I may say so, Your Excellency, I think our border's situation is the most problematic element right now," the old Dead-Eye Yian Garuga suggested.
The emperor nodded.
3So be it. Let's summarize the current situation. (He picked up an old book from one of the large shelves behind him and flipped through it with one feather) The Burutians have been trying to invade our Prosperity Pass for well over a century now, and have never ceased since. It is obvious that it's out of the question to give up anything to the likes of them. However... After the annexation of the Peace Hills fifteen years ago, this threat has intensified with the arrival of Gnatos in power. However, as of today, there is a decreasing trend in the number of incidents on the border of the Devil's Jaw. And now, General Scarface, I must confess to being puzzled," he said, gently closing the book. I want to be pleased by this, especially since our experts predict another drop in the coming months, but something is wrong. We have neither strengthened our security procedures nor interacted with any variable that might have an effect on this number. I hope I'm not being paranoid, but there's no smoke without fire, is there?
"At the moment, it is only a stagnation that has lasted for two months. It's probably still too early to assume anything" said Scarface.
The Malfestio was thinking fast, while scratching his chin with his wing.
"I understand your opinion ... And it is true that this phenomenon remains observable over a too short period of time to make a decision ... (He shook his head) Moreover, shouldn't we apply the adage "Better safe than sorry"? There is nothing to prevent us from increasing the number of soldiers there for prevention's sake.
"Gnatos might take this as an attempt at intimidation," Scarface warned.
"... And then launch an assault. That may even be what he's after," the emperor concluded. "So we should leave things as they are for now, and continue to closely monitor the situation."
To illustrate his point, he drew a blank sheet of paper and covered it with his neat handwriting. When he had finished his concluding note, he slipped it into the file provided for that purpose, then affixed the imperial seal to seal the confidential file again. He then put it back in its place on the right shelf.
"Next case: the Ecumian independence movement. Oh, I can see by your the look in your eyes that this surprises you, venerable Scarface. But this movement does exist... Let me make the choice this time, I prefer to save the best for last." smiled the emperor.
The Dead-Eye Yian Garuga kept a neutral expression, but the Malfestio knew how to read him for a while.
"His Excellency has every right to do as he please" the old general seemed to recite.
"You are too kind," the night-blue owl replied with a touch of sarcasm. "But here is the thing: beyond the Wett River, South from the Tip of Garuga Tail -which has nothing to do with you, I reassure you-, our ambassadors have sent us some very interesting news. It turns out that a small independent group is developing in this very place, and that its members are beginning to claim their interest seriously. Indeed, we have received, not later than a week ago, a letter from these independentists, who ask for our help. But an illustration being worth more than a long speech, I must read it to you:
"To His Excellency Ingred Etrapanob, Emperor of the Skypiercers.
Sir,
We address your highly respectable person in order to solicit your imperial support. We believe that you are aware that our Ecumian people are deeply divided. Indeed, some Ecumian citizens wish to give the Ecumian Lands the economic and political influence they deserve and yet never have had. We firmly believe that the cause of this injustice is the weakness of our king, Tidal III, who prefers to take refuge in his own lazy comfort. Since the Tidal dynasty has ruled our kingdom for centuries now, the Ecumian lands have fallen into a chaos, which only we can perceive. We therefore believe that the remedy for our plight is the removal of Tidal III, the abolition of the monarchy, and the establishment of a democracy, which will use goodwill to heal our pride.
But we also know that this cannot be done without outside help, because our means and our numbers are limited and insignificant compared to the rest of the kingdom, not to mention the continent itself. Our movement is not meant to be pacifist, but we are eager to avoid the alternative of terrorism if possible. That is why we ask for your blessing. We are aware that your empire fervently defends the emergence of new cultures and that our proposal will interest you. We are also committed to abide by your decisions, whatever they may be. Our ideal concerns the entire kingdom, but if it is preferable to you that a single independent enclave be created, we will not protest.
Please accept, Sir, our most respectful sentiments.
Signed: the representatives of the Free Eastern League."
"What emerges from this letter is a certain seriousness, and I will confess that I was tempted not to open this letter at all given how I thought it was a joke. That will teach me to judge the book by its cover ... The fact is," he continued, "that I like their project. It is true that what appeals to me about the Ecumians is their pacifism, but who can blame these people for wanting to run their own business? But I don't want to get involved in this right now, and I'm going to wait until this movement makes its first move. Caution is the better part of valour. Not that I fear Tidal, but on principle, I don't see myself stepping on its toes with the sole argument of defending cultures. So we'll wait for the officialization of this revolution... Any word on that?" he asked the Yian Garuga, who was listening to his monologue with attention.
"A wise decision," he merely nodded.
"Worthy of a good Skypiercer," Ingred thought briefly.
It had to be said that with people like Scarface, the Skypiercers' reputation was pretty well founded. The old one-eyed Yian Garuga was the very embodiment of what characterized the Sky People. Erudite, tactical, cautious. Three adjectives reproached by the other peoples. In short, in the eyes of everyone else, they were cold and calculating. Few understood their insatiable thirst for knowledge and their love of cultures. Of course, they were still the greatest power in all of Solhatar. They were the leading exporters of all kinds of works of art and ornamental materials such as marble and clay. Economically, they had a continental reach through numerous agreements. Culturally, they were a symbol of unquestionable wisdom and a hub of cultural melting pot. Finally, militarily, they had quite simply the most powerful army on the continent. Their hegemony in the air was recognized by all. The Skypiercers were masters in the art of flight and aerial combat. Of course, with such power came great responsibility. The Skypiercer Emperor was almost like an omnipotent ruler. He had to use this striking force only in cases of extreme necessity and sparingly.
Ingred cherished these emblematic values of the Skypiercers' nation. He claimed to be a defender of the plurality of cultures and peoples, and a guardian of the independence movements that wished to assert their own culture. He swore that under his reign, these principles would be respected. And he kept his oath, the proof being this letter that he held between his winged talons.
Just as for the previous file, he wrote a summary note on this consultation, which he slipped into the file, then sealed it, and put it back next to the Burutian file on the shelf.
"To be continued…" declared the Malfestio. "Here we are! The thorny debate of the Rathien subject! he exclaimed then by seizing the file which he traversed quickly. Once again, we need to put it into context, do you see any problem with that, General Scarface?"
"Not at all, Your Excellency."
"Very well. It has been ten years since the Bloody War between the Rakurai Empire and the Rathlands Kingdom. King Khryselios has made some attempts to reach an agreement, but so far all we can say is that he has failed. In addition to the loss of his eldest daughter. Which is very regrettable, by the way. But that is not the point. The hostilities have continued, and two battles have already taken place. But during the second one, we were told about the intervention of a strange individual... the emperor said, looking for a book in his shelf. After analyzing this testimony, we were able to determine that it was this famous Rathien hero (he found what he was looking for, a huge encyclopedic book of Rathien legends) "Gamala, the Misery Spreader". He would be the cause of the appearance of this mist, which happens to be the Fury virus. Thanks to Gamala, the Rathiens were able to win the battle and repel the Rakurians. From our observation reports, the Rathiens were clearly outnumbered. There is no doubt that they came close to a disaster. So, I recommend that we consider a reinforcement operation there too. But there is a risk: that the Rakurians will turn against us. It has become clear that Burutia has made a pact with the Rakurians. We would end up with two states at our backs," explained the bird wyvern, illustrating his words by pointing to Burutia and Rakuria on his giant map. As powerful as we are, I don't really want to experience this situation. I think that you are also in agreement, venerable Scarface?" he questioned him, raising his eyes.
"Of course."
"Excellent. Well, I fully understand, however, that if we don't act to preserve the Rathlands, we'll be just as stuck later: Rakurai will take over Rathien territory, and can threaten us directly with their newly acquired border," the emperor continued, sliding his talon from Rakuria to the Rathlands. If you follow this trail of thought, ending up in a sandwich is not an option either. So that's the conclusion I draw, and what we need to do: suggest our help to King Khryselios, but don't make the move ourselves first, to avoid any immediate reprisals from Rakuria and Burutia. We will also have to provide substantial aid to allow the Rathlands to get out of this situation as unscathed as possible. I will impose the following conditions on the Rathlands: the intervention of 3000 soldiers, who will be placed under your command. This legion will, of course, be completely independent of Khryselios. Not that I don't trust the monarch, but I think I can assume that he is acting partly on emotional impulses. We want to avoid that our soldiers end up as cannon fodder for Khryselios' whim. If he agrees, I will provide him my help under the said conditions. Any objection, General Scarface?"
"None, Your Excellency" the Yian Garuga agreed.
The Skypiercer emperor rubbed his wings.
"That's a good thing done. Don't you think it's strange that almost two weeks after the assassination, they still got not lead to find the culprit? Nothing! Not even a founded suspicion! Both sides persist in accusing each other, but both are overwhelmed by the event. According to our ambassadorial contacts, they have all given up the search. My sense of justice is very saddened by this. Don't you feel the same way?"
The Yian Garuga Dead-Eye also seemed particularly doubtful.
"To me, there is no doubt about it: it is neither one nor the other. That is far too obvious an accusation. Certainly, the Rathien rebels are widely suspected, and they remain credible suspects. But I believe the source is outside the two antagonists."
Ingred smiled slightly.
"I've thought about that, too, mind you. It's true that this possibility of an internal cause seems sterile, and that the person responsible is foreign to both states. But I soon found myself faced with a problem: who? Who could have had such a motive? And for what purpose? Which nation was he aiming at? Indeed, nothing excludes the possibility that the Rakurians were targeted by this act. Finally, another possibility that I see, that of a culprit who actually belongs to one of his Nations, but is expatriate."
"A rebel Rathien on the run?"
"The hypotheses are numerous," the Malfestio replied. "But something still doesn't add up. Of the little information we have at our disposal, we know that the suspect suggested by both authorities has a similar description. He is a rather light-built individual, who certainly knows how to handle blades. And here, I confess to you that my blood just runs cold. We both know that the best, if not the only, swordsmen in all of Solhatar are from our homeland, don't we?"
"You suspect a Skypiercer expatriate?"
"That's right."
"By Amatsu! Excuse my outburst, but why on earth would one of our own do such a thing?"
The emperor smirked for the umpteenth time.
"That's something I can't wait to hear."
Evidemment.
Excellent. Bien, je conçois parfaitement, en revanche, que si nous n'agissons pas dans le but de préserver les Rathlands, nous serions tout aussi coincés par la suite : Rakuraï s'emparera du territoire Rathien, et pourra directement nous menacer grâce à leur frontière fraîchement acquise, continua l'empereur en faisant glisser sa serre de la Rakuria vers les Rathlands. Permettez-moi l'expression, mais finir en sandwich n'est pas non plus envisageable. Voilà donc la conclusion que j'en tire, et ce qu'il nous faut faire : suggérer notre alliance au roi Khryselios, mais ne surtout pas faire la démarche par nous-mêmes en premier, pour éviter toutes représailles immédiates de la part de la Rakuria et de la Burutie. Il nous faudra aussi fournir une aide conséquente pour permettre aux Rathlands de s'en sortir le plus indemnement possible, et par conséquent ne pas faire les choses à moitié. J'imposerai aux Rathlands les conditions suivantes : l'intervention de 3000 hommes, qui seront placés sous votre commandement. Celui-ci sera, bien entendu, totalement indépendant de Khryselios. Non pas que je ne fasse pas confiance au monarque, mais je pense pouvoir penser qu'il agit en partie par pulsions émotionnelles. Nous souhaitons ainsi éviter que nos soldats finissent en chair à canon pour le compte d'un caprice de Khryselios. S'il accepte, je lui fournirai mon aide selon ces mêmes conditions. Une objection, général Scarface ?
Aucune, Votre Excellence.
L'empereur des Skypiercers se frotta les ailes.
Voilà une bonne chose de faite. Quelque chose me chiffonne toujours, en revanche … Ne trouvez-vous pas étrange que presque deux semaines après cet assassinat, aucune piste n'ai été fructueuse pour retrouver le coupable ? Rien ! Pas même une suspicion fondée ! Les deux camps persistent à s'accuser l'un l'autre, mais tous deux sont dépassés par l'évènement. De ce qu'il ressort de nos contacts ambassadeurs, ils auraient tous abandonnés les recherches. Mon sens de la justice s'en trouve fortement chagriné. Ne ressentez-vous pas la même chose ?
Le Yian Garuga Œil-Mort semblait lui aussi particulièrement dubitatif.
A mon sens, cela ne fait aucun doute : ce n'est ni l'un, ni l'autre. C'est une accusation beaucoup trop évidente. Certes, les rebelles Rathiens sont largement soupçonnés, et ils restent des suspects crédibles. Mais je crois que la source est extérieure aux deux antagonistes.
Ingred exprima un léger sourire.
J'y ai pensé aussi, figurez-vous. Il est vrai que cette possibilité de cause intérieure semble stérile, et que le responsable soit étranger aux deux Etats. Mais je me suis vite retrouvé face à un problème : qui ? Qui donc pourrait avoir eu un tel motif ? Et dans quel but ? Quelle Nation voulait-il viser ? Car en effet, rien n'exclue la possibilité que les Rakuriens aient été visés par cet acte. Enfin, autre possibilité que j'entrevois, celle d'un coupable appartenant effectivement à l'une de ses Nations, mais étant expatrié.
Un Rathien rebelle en fuite ?
Les hypothèses sont nombreuses, répondit le Malfestio. Mais quelque chose ne colle toujours pas. Parmi le peu d'informations que nous avons à notre disposition, nous savons notamment que le suspect suggéré par les deux autorités possède une description similaire. « Un individu de corpulence plutôt légère, sachant certainement manier les lames ». Et là, je vous avoue que mon sang ne fait qu'un tour. Nous savons tous les deux que les meilleurs, voire seuls épéistes de tout Solhatar sont de chez nous, n'est-ce pas ?
Vous soupçonneriez un expatrié Skypiercer ?
Exactement.
Par Amatsu ! Excusez mon emportement, mais pour quelle diablerie de raison un des nôtres ferait une chose pareille ? protesta Scarface.
L'empereur lui adressa un énième sourire en coin.
Ça, c'est quelque chose qui me tarde de savoir.