Power Difference Pt. II
Hamilton felt the air escape her lungs at the Ambassador's words, was she really serious in her words that this treaty was to hold order within the Empire? She's witnessed the might of both foreign powers first hand and the threat of the Empire's destruction seemed so much more plausible now more than ever. No one in the room seemed phased by her threat, which Hamilton had to assume was for the fact that the Ambassador's words are fact. She turned to look at Panache who fell silent at the claim and the chestnut-haired knight could only assume what was going through her mind. Some part of the petite knight felt a pang of growing guilt began to bloom within Panache for allowing her pride to blindly speak for her.
"You've got to understand that this is the only way for peace. We agreed to this treaty for the sake of your people, not the empire you belong to." The Supreme Commander said as he folded his hands onto the table as Panache slumped into her seat. "We will retrieve all the captives at any cost and if we are met with resistance then my forces will break right through."
"He's got a point, if your "glorious" empire becomes the greater obstacle in our path then we won't have any other choice than to topple it." Ambassador Myu added as she seemingly pulled a map out of thin air to show the entirety of the Empire. "Since the empire is still in place, what meager forces you have left allow the people to believe order will still be upheld."
"With the fall of the Empire, the military falls apart, and chaos reigns. There is no one to turn to protect people from bandits and then marauding bands will amass once again." Hamilton theorized and shuttered at the idea of other bandit forces becoming the size of those that attacked Italica.
"And then the only people who will live wealthy are bandits while every other man, woman, and child is left to suffer." Panache muttered and Hamilton could tell how shook up she was at the idea of having to fend off attacks for the rest of her life.
"Now you understand that the alternative is a terrible outcome and we have foreseen the possibility of happening within weeks if we continue our operations." The Supreme Commander didn't let a single emotion betray the gravity of the situation that this treaty would prevent. "This is the best possible choice for everyone involved and the last thing the both of you or Princess Pina want is for the fall of the kingdom you've all called home."
There really wasn't much else that either Panache or Hamilton could say to refute their words, given that the Prince's team alone could topple the Empire themselves if they so wished it. The more she thought about it, the more Hamilton could tell that Pina would be terrified at the idea that this peace she sought was really the only option that was left for them. The chestnut-haired knight couldn't bring herself not to deny the offer the FEF had given, especially if it meant that the Empire would emerge intact if not severely damaged by everything that has happened until this point. Hamilton tried her best to not see shame in agreeing to these terms and simply accept surrendering her pride for the sake of security in the future.
"We agree to the treaty in its entirety, we have no further arguments against it. We will acknowledge our mistakes and ask that you forgive our recent blunder with a guarantee that this will never happen again." Hamilton finally said as the representatives waited on either of them to answer the group.
"Hamilton!" Panache exclaimed in alarm and she was more than justified to react that way, but Hamilton knew that the best thing for everyone was to agree to what was before them.
"I know what I'm doing Panache, this is for the best." She replied as she put away the treaty within her satchel, now realizing that she holds the very fate of the Empire on her person.
"Well then, allow me to be the first to welcome you as allies to Fiore." The Supreme Commander said as he got to his feet and extended his hand out to her.
"It's a form of greeting, just take his hand." The War Maiden whispered to her and Hamilton quickly stood up and took the large man's hand.
"I do believe that this will be the start of a new future for both our kingdoms." He said as he shook her hand, repeating the action with Panache as well and soon the other representatives followed suit.
With everything agreed upon, the representatives each began to file out of the room one after the other with the Prince following after Ambassador Myu when she left. No later did Laxus excuse himself from the room did the Supreme Commander sit down once again, Hamilton copying the action since it was just them, Panache and the War Maiden left. She knew her fellow knight was unsure of what was happening, but Hamilton understood that this was an opportunity to learn more from the Supreme Commander.
"I understand that there may be more questions you have for us and I am more than willing to answer them for you." As expected, the chestnut-haired knight was waiting for the moment that the large man was inviting questions from the pair.
"I'm under the impression that the FEF will be staying in the region for a set amount of time, is that true?" Hamilton had taken notice how fast they've mobilized themselves and could conclude that they were on some sort of time table.
"For the most part, we are willing to stay as long as our mission persists. Once those goals have been achieved, we will be on our way back." He answered truthfully from what Hamilton gathered and felt relieved that one of those goals involved helping Pina.
"I'm curious as to what you will provide to Princess Pina when she requires your help. Trying to face off against tradition and her own father is costly." Panache spoke up as Hamilton had caught on to what she was implying.
"She has a point since you weren't too specific on the help the FEF would give us." Hamilton added on as their new allies could go as far as only provide medical aid given to how ambiguous they were during the talks.
"I'll provide you with the necessary logistics that would be required at the time, but I must inform you that soldiers will need to be approved by the Queen and her council." The Supreme Commander said evenly and Hamilton knew it was too much to hope for military support so readily.
"But if the situation is dire and calls for it, I'm willing to assist you with my squads and myself." The War Maiden said and a part of Hamilton was more than relieved to have a woman of legend lending her aid if the worst were to occur.
"Just be prepared to get plenty of flak from the Queen's council if they hear that you've given aid like that, Commander." The Supreme Commander said with a knowing look and the War Maiden merely chuckled at his words.
"They should be more than aware that we're both Fairy Tail and volunteer mages. We tend to follow our own paths when the time arrives."
"How very aware of that I am, believe me."
For a man that required respect, the two of them acted like friendly acquaintances, with plenty of history to boot. Though Hamilton was rather curious about being Fairy Tale as if it were a title of a group of some sort. Though that would seem rather obvious given what most of her friends were so the chestnut-haired knight felt that even in their world, they were largely known as stories rather than living beings. She truly wondered what this group of people were like, though she didn't know if she had the heart to meet even more people of legend or dragons, to say the least.
"One last question, are you prepared to do what it takes to try and convince other members of the Senate to follow the path of peace? Not much can be done without more support from our end and by providing more assurances, I'm sure the path will become much smoother for both our goals."
"If the support of your senate is necessary, then we'll provide a variety of gifts to show that we truly wish for this peace to last." The Supreme Commander responded, Hamilton, feeling much better at the prospect that they'll at least provide a way to show that this treaty wasn't merely one-sided.
"Thank you for answering our current questions, can we trouble you for some more of your time if we have others that come to mind?" Hamilton asked politely, simply to show that they weren't sore after being pushed against a wall by Ambassador Myu earlier.
"Of course, just ask someone within these offices if I'm available and I'll gladly answer them." Hamilton watched as the Supreme Commander stood up and extended his hand out to her. "For now, feel free to explore our base at your leisure, though I'd advise having a guide with you."
Hamilton shook his hand and simply nodded her head at his offer, Panache copying her actions before the two bowed their heads to the bald man and exited the room. The chestnut-haired knight heard the War Maiden say a few last words to the bald man before exiting the room herself, looking slightly more relaxed than she was earlier. The scarlet-haired woman guided them back outside and for the first time since entering did the petite knight feel like she could breathe freely once again, putting a comforting hand on Panache's shoulder. The white-haired knight was grateful for the gesture as she looked down at her slightly shaky hand.
"Seems like things went as smoothly as they could, though you'll have to forgive the ambassador. She's rather short with people she hasn't deemed worthy of her respect." The War Maiden said as she signaled for Hamilton and Panache to follow her. "It may sound rude, but she herself is a rather powerful mage in her own right so she commands a high esteem of respect."
"I can wholeheartedly agree to that, it felt like the Ambassador wanted to make me feel insignificant." Panache said as Hamilton hummed her agreement as to the closest witness to the berating the white-haired knight received.
"If I may ask, who was that woman at her side? She looked ready to start a fight with you." Hamilton asked, curious to know who could willingly stare daggers at a war maiden so brazenly.
"That was Dimaria and for your safety and future reference, avoid her as much as possible. She could be considered unstable and if need be, she'd kill you well before you would even blink and that's if she wanted to show you mercy."
"Duly noted, but is it not dangerous to have her here in the first place?" Panache questioned and Hamilton was glad she was ready with the necessary questions they needed to ask.
"Any member in the FEF wouldn't tell you different that it is, but she is on an extremely short leash being held by the Ambassador, so the need to worry is somewhat mitigated." The War Maiden replied as she began to show them around the base. "Let's just put that behind us for now and appreciate the fact that you've done well to establish peace with our nation."
Hamilton and Panache were led around the FEF base, getting partial access to certain areas of the base thanks to the War Maiden, and were just in complete awe at the various devices they had. They were completely blown away when told that the entire base was magically built and in the first few weeks after their arrival, most of the base had been completed and they were simply expanding where need be. Hamilton spent time simply watching the Pegasus fly about making massive turns in flight and then zooming by with tremendous speed, enwrapped by the idea of man being able to fly at speeds far faster than even the dragon riders can go. They were then led to a training ground where a variety of soldiers were in training in various arts, whether armed with blade and shield or simple hand to hand. The chestnut-haired knight wasn't so impressed given that it was standard practice to keep one's skills up to snuff, but she was curious at the rhythmic blasts being heard not to so far away.
The War Maiden led them over to where the sound came from and the Imperial knights were met with the sight of several men and women firing at targets at varying distances with interictally designed staves. Each one firing in bursts of three and almost every shot making contact with the intended target, watching as streams of blue light shot out of the tip of the staves and another blue hue close to the soldiers' chest diminish with each shot. It went on until the light faded, whereupon they removed a small sphere from the stave, placed it within a pouch, and inserted a new and glowing sphere back in. These soldiers were well disciplined and though a few looked to be struggling at times, the majority had a complete sense of what they were doing. Panache was fascinated by the sight, but something had caught Hamilton's attention as she noticed that a few soldiers didn't remove the sphere but instead placed their hands over it and then they were back to firing.
At best guess for the petite knight, it possibly meant that certain soldiers didn't need to replace the sphere if they can refill it all on their own. Her hypothesis was challenged however as that same soldier replaced the sphere when it was emptied instead of refilling it. In any case, their advancement in weaponry was well beyond anything she could ever think of and the fact that the majority of the base was built by using magic was simply impressive since the use of it was extremely limited within the Empire. Specifically, for the fact that most magic wielders belonged to the mage community and only higher tiered mages were truly capable of using magic in combat where most others had enough to perform conventional tasks at best. Hamilton looked on to the training grounds a bit longer until she caught sight of a sparring match happening a way's off, only realizing it by the tremendous wall of flame that erupted from there.
She watched as the fire dragon young man, Natsu, was in the midst of a sparring match with another individual, a large glowing ring surrounding the two as they fought. The man he fought was one she remembered seeing before, his long raven hair swaying with his movements and an eager grin on his face as his fist transformed into an iron beam. Hamilton had never seen transformation magic used in such a way for combat, let alone actually seeing it in use, but it was baffling to see someone actually smiling while facing off with a dragon.
"It seems that Natsu found Gajeel to keep himself busy." The War Maiden said as she had taken notice of Hamilton's current attention. "I'm just glad they had the protective circle made before they started."
"This Gajeel, who is he and how could he so willingly face that dragon?" Hamilton asked as Panache came up next to her to get a better view of their match.
"His name is Gajeel Redfox and, as I had mentioned earlier, he is the Iron Dragon. Makes more sense for him to face Natsu since even he'd want to blow some steam off." Hamilton sheepishly turned away from the War Maiden as the meeting itself caused her to forget that she did indeed mention him before.
As the chestnut-haired knight turned away in embarrassment, she had caught sight of two Volralden onlookers nearby who were just as impressed by the spar as she was but their expressions soured once they caught sight of her.
"Would you look at that Comi, looks like an Imperial's been let out of her cage and given some nice clothes." The male Volralden sneered as he eyed Hamilton, the recognizable contempt of years of discrimination evident in his tone.
"Looks like the FEF are generous souls to boot too, what with them taking pity on a poor captured Imperial. I bet she was willing to give up her body to a high ranker for freedom if anything." The female, Comi, responded as the same look was present on her face, and her tone just as equal to that of her male counterpart.
"Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest, would sell out their own sisters if they wanted to keep their lives."
Hamilton tried her best to ignore their comments as this was simply the normal way the demi-human races would speak about Imperials outside of well-controlled lands. The same could not be said about Panache as she was a very prideful woman and being insulted was the last thing that she would stand for, the chestnut-haired knight fully aware of her behavior at those kinds of words.
"I dare you to bear those fangs at me, Volralden! I'll even declaw you for talking to me like that!" Panache exclaimed as she took a few steps forward as did Comi, with only a few steps of striking distance before the War Maiden interceded.
"So it would seem that there is bad blood between the species; however. I will not abide by violence within my base." The two would-be combatants relented, but there was still visible hatred within their eyes.
"You newcomers aren't so well acquainted with the Imperial scum the demi-species have had to deal with for generations, the bad blood is more than justified after how much they keep taking away from us." Comi said as she spat at Panache's feet, Hamilton putting a restraining hand on the white-haired knight to keep her in place.
"These problems wouldn't persist if you merely assimilated into Imperial culture rather than trying to shove off the benefits that we'd provide for you." Panache said with razor-thin patience after the clear act of disrespect.
"Benefits, ha, more like slavery! All demi-species live happier lives within their own villages than in any Imperial town, except for the Warrior Bunnies if there's even enough to make a village out of them. The only ones that even come close to benefitting are those whores your men seem to be fond of." The male spoke up as he drew closer, crossing his muscular arms as Comi released a low growl, staring daggers into Panache.
"What was that about the Warrior Bunnies, what happened to their numbers?" The War Maiden asked and Hamilton couldn't resist the urge to feel a short pang of fear shoot up her spine as a dark smirk lit up Comi's face.
"Why don't you ask the Imperials, after all, they can't stop boasting about the greatness of their military power since their dealings with them." Comi responded as her smirk turned into a slick smile once the scarlet haired woman turned to face them.
Panache froze up under the gaze of the War Maiden and Hamilton felt like she had cotton in her mouth, struggling to make a reply to her. It was true that the Empire made it apparent about its victory over the Warrior Bunnies, but that was only at the behest of Prince Zorzal. It was he who egotistically wanted to show off to the entire Empire that he was a competent commander when he defeated one of the more fearsome demi-human species within the Empire. Of course, there was still more to the story that the public wasn't aware of and the truth was much more terrifying to have the FEF discover.
"Since those two are too tight lip about it, I'll tell you. About three or so years ago, the Empire waged war against the Warrior Bunnies for gods know what selfish reason they had and managed to get Queen Tyuule to sell her people out to save herself." Comi said as the War Maiden raised an interested brow, Hamilton tightening her grip on Panache in uncertainty.
"After selling them out, the Empire went on to kill all those that resisted and enslaved those who were captured. If you ever see a Warrior Bunny, not in chains, then they're probably one of the lucky ones that managed to escape the slaughter." The male added after, taking a more casual stance this time as he put his weight on his back leg and scratched his chin. "But I think it's bullshit, I've heard plenty about Queen Tyuule and her selling out doesn't make much sense."
"Really now? What gives you that impression, then?" The War Maiden asked and Hamilton averted her gaze as she turned to face the two knights again.
"From what I've heard, she was as ferocious on the battlefield as she was fair as queen and I'm willing to bet even she would've fought for her people to the last. I just get the impression that she'd sell herself out before she even thought about giving up her people." The male Voldralden replied with Comi agreeing to his words, the scarlet-haired woman seeming to been intrigued by what he said from Hamilton's perspective.
"Guess you'll have plenty to talk about now, let's get out of here Gantis. This Imperial scum is making me sick." Comi said as she stalked off as Gantis gave them a sidelong look before following after her.
"The history you weave is wrought with plenty of wars and to think that one had occurred not three years before the current one, I'm genuinely surprised." The War Maiden began and although she seemed to speak in kind, Hamilton could tell that she was disappointed. "It will be a long road ahead of us in terms of abolishing slavery within the Empire and the Warrior Bunnies are just one of the various peoples the Empire has to atone to."
"Are you... are you not going to press this issue further?" Hamilton asked cautiously as both the Prince and herself seemed to push such conversations for far longer than what the chestnut-haired knight was comfortable with.
"I'm afraid there is little that could be done. Until the peace talks are completed and the movements to a slave-free Empire are underway, we are limited in our options." The War Maiden said as a face of frustration joined alongside her disappointment. "I do have one idea; that being that we must locate this Queen Tyuule and liberate her of the shackles you placed upon her."
"Isn't that a decision that must be deliberated by the rest of the superiors? What would be accomplished if you did manage to liberate her?" Panache asked and Hamilton had a fearful sense of realization as to who holds Tyuule's leash at the moment.
"Of course, I will bring it forth to the proper channels, but what it would do is help right the wrongs that the Empire has committed. Though the current climate would be the superb start, I don't think the Emperor will readily agree to the initial terms that we'd present to him."
"We have a step in the right direction, so things should be flowing much easier once Princess Pina returns." Hamilton said as she turned back to watch the sparring match between the two dragons, both in the midst of sucking in a massive amount of air and unleashing powerful blasts of power from their mouths. "What in the Gods' names were we thinking when attacking these people!"
"In any case, let us hope that there won't be any more surprises for us now that we've found a foothold for peace." The War Maiden said from behind as Hamilton watched the two dragons simply walk up to each other and fist bump after their unbelievable display of power.
Miles away from the Artisian Valley and further passing Italica, a massive city where the hustle and bustle of everyday life seem to continue with little worry about the war against two nations, is the capital of the grand Saderan Empire. Deliberations, meetings, and day to day logistics are discussed amongst the many rooms within the palace the emperors of old have called home for centuries. Although in a private quarter of the palace, belonging to the royal family, a messenger waits outside a room patiently as he is forced to hear the cries of a woman within said room. Her cries growing louder as the slapping of flesh grows fiercer and faster, a manic laugh bellowing as the woman has seemed to have reached her climax. The messenger, having (sadly) gotten use to these sounds knows this to be his cue to enter the Prince's chambers without a problem.
As he enters, he first notices the winded Bunny Warrior struggling to lift herself back on all fours, a look of disdain crosses his features as he turns to find the naked form of Prince Zorzal drinking ale at an available side table. The messenger tunes out the haggard breathing of the Bunny Warrior and instead focuses on the reason he was sent in the first place.
"Prince Zorzal, the Emperor wishes to speak with you immediately." The messenger informed as he stood waiting for a response, Zorzal merely eyeing him before turning back to an available platter of fruits also on the side table.
"Now what would my Father need of me, doesn't he have more monetary deliberations to attend to? After all, he needs to make sure his subjects are taxed accordingly." Zorzal replied sarcastically as he filtered through the fruits, serving himself more ale into his cup as well.
"The war proceedings were recently held and sent word for you since you did not attend." The messenger replied, paying little mind to the Bunny Warrior who tried to cover her naked form with the bedsheet.
Zorzal took a long swig of his ale, emptying the cup before slamming it on the side table and letting out a frustrated groan. Without another word, the large blonde man went about getting himself dressed in his usual attire of fine leathers covered by armored pieces and his crown. He took one last lustful look to the Bunny Warrior before frowning and shoving his way past the messenger.
"Let's go see what my Father needs, I'm done here anyway. Tyuule's endurance isn't what it used to be apparently." Zorzal said as he stormed out of his chambers and through the halls of the palace, heading straight for the throne room.
The grand halls were nothing more than boring to the prince as years of growing accustom to them have dulled his sense of beauty to their construction, helping reinforce his ideals that the arts are a waste of time. To delve into the annals of history and become a part of it was his ultimate goal and the destruction of the Warrior Bunnies was his first step into becoming a ruthless leader who would be remembered for his daring tactics and victories. Unlike his father who, although expanded the Empire, has made mistakes in his leadership of how the territories should be governed and the need to keep the demi-human trash within Imperial borders. The day he ascends the throne will be the day that no power on the planet, save for the gods themselves, would even dare challenge his reign.
His thoughts lingered at the great legacy he would lead before he pushed them away as he made his way into the throne room, his father sitting upon his throne as he dismissed some diplomat or other from the room. Zorzal had no genuine interest as those windbags of deliberation were a detriment to what the Empire could truly become with the amount of time they'd waste on discussions.
"You called for me, Father?" Zorzal announced as he drew closer, his father's unamused expression and stoic demeanor present as always.
"The senate's recent proceedings with the war effort were truly amusing to witness, I would've thought you'd be in attendance. After all, you claim to be a master in the field of war, more so than any other possible subject one could be proficient in." Emperor Molt said as he rested his cheek on his fist, looking down on his more than proactive son if it concerned the dealings of war anyways.
"Why should I waste my time listening to fools that sit comfortably away from the battle, discussing what needs to be done next to win this war when they haven't even seen the battlefield themselves? Then there was the problem with our supposed allies who were too stupid to do some research on our enemy, opting to attack head-on without a proper plan of attack aside from sieging them with numbers." Even Zorzal learned about the cowardice of those who had captured Alnus to use strange magics to keep control and fight their enemies at a distance which led to the defeat of the other nations.
"They were mere pawns that played their part and now the Empire is the most secured power on this continent, but aside from those who served their purpose, I was referring to the Artisian Valley." Emperor Molt replied as he waved off to the side with his free hand at a table set up with a map of the region, a large circle inked around the Valley. "It seems that these other invaders have taken a massive portion of the Valley far faster than expected."
"I've heard and the assault was nothing short of a disaster, least these bastards had the balls to face us head-on in a battle rather than taking to distance at the very beginning." Zorzal had heard the report from the survivors and couldn't believe that forces from another world were going to intrude upon the land he would one day rule. "But they'll soon know defeat and the Empire will secure even more power once these fools are toppled."
"Be mindful for what tricks they'll play my ambitious son, but I have heard word that someone else dares to tread our land with claims of greatness." Emperor Molt said as he sat up straighter on his throne. "A no named prince, under the moniker of "The Foolish Prince", has made strides with villages spread across the Empire. His name becoming near commonplace after his so-called daring defense in the face of a Fire Dragon."
"Pointless tall tales, nothing more than the imagination of some peasant child wishing for someone like that to exist. I mean, seriously, what fool would even dare to face off against a Fire Dragon. Even the apostles themselves don't do something as reckless as to that." Zorzal knew about tales like those as a kid growing up, but facing a dragon was for the stupid and not for the brave.
"I had similar thoughts until my informants came back with all these stories corroborating the tale with a similar appearance of this "Foolish Prince" and what more, the powerful allies at his side." Emperor Molt picked up one of a handful of scrolls at his side and tossed it over to Zorzal. "The most damning piece of evidence of his existence comes from this copy of the treaty Italica had created with the two factions that had arrived from the Artisian Valley and Alnus Hill."
"What do you mean, his name doesn't appear anywhere within these pages. Moreover, the bulk of this treaty is bullshit tax breaks on trade goods!" Zorzal complained as most of the treaty was boring shit he could care less about, but two names had caught his attention. "An expeditionary force and another force worked together for its defense, huh?"
"Yes, as far as we can assume these forces are in league with each other somehow, which makes this a battle of wits now that their military force could very well overshadow our own." Emperor Molt said as he reclined into his throne, taking his original position once again.
"But what does this have to do with that prince you brought up?"
"Everything Zorzal, this prince has the support of powers far beyond anything we are familiar with and the most troublesome problem is the fact that he is gaining support from the subjects of my Empire." Zorzal could hear the near venomous tone his father hid within his words as this no doubt deeply angered him. "He may wage a war if he chooses to, but I will not allow him to conquer my Empire from within."
"Are you implying that this Prince is our true enemy, that he may spark rebellion from the people?" Zorzal couldn't imagine Imperials taking up arms against the very nation they lived under and supported for years to simply do such a thing. Even the uneducated weren't that stupid.
"The nations he allies himself with are our enemy, there is no question of that, but the costs of this war are working in his favor. The people will not abide by harsh conditions during a time of war when they didn't have to in previous campaigns, but you should not pass him off so easily my ambitious son." Emperor Molt reclined a bit more, a knowing smile on his face as Zorzal gave him a confused look. "He will bring them hope, a different outlook on life with better stability and will light the embers of rebellion under my rule, but the roaring flame will take place once you ascend."
"What!?" Zorzal couldn't believe such a thing, insurrections were common within the Empire but were snuffed out easily, but a rebellion on a grand scale has never happened and he wasn't going to be the first emperor to deal with one.
"If we don't bring an end to this war quickly, then the people will begin to make sacrifices they aren't prepared to make and if this "Foolish Prince" continues to make strides in the name of "good faith" with his allies providing the necessary support, the people will flock."
"That won't happen, I will rule and the thought of rebellion will never emerge." Zorzal would never allow his legacy to be tarnished by rebellion where his ancestors ruled with little difficulty from their own people. "I'll kill him, snuff out the embers before they even have a chance to ignite."
"And in doing so, create a martyr? The people will then gain an image to follow and shift the focus of their fight over to you and subsequently your rule as well." Molt knew his son was ambitious but had a limited field of view when it came to the bigger picture of certain decisions and actions. "You must make it so that the people don't have a reason to rebel, to enforce that their way of living is perfect for them."
"And to do that, this war must end with the Empire as the victors and these two factions broken, beaten and enslaved." A devilish smile crept up on Zorzal's face while Emperor Molt merely hummed at his son's brash conclusion. "I hate to result in the use of cowardly tactics like magic, but we must even the playing field. We must enforce the use of magic in our garrison."
"An interesting first step Zorzal, how will you achieve this?"
"The mage community has plenty of magic users within their numbers who could serve as a soldier, especially now that the ones already employed are either dead, missing, or possibly captured." Emperor Molt watched as his son paced around muttering to himself about the plans he could foresee succeeding. "This war will truly make me out to be one of the greatest."
"They tend to act with sovereignty, so what will you do when they refuse?" The mage community acts separately from the Empire, only ever giving magic wielders for their armies because the practitioner chose to do so, so Molt was aware that they'd ignore his son's call to arms.
"They won't, I won't allow them to. If they don't heed the call then I'll just have to conscript them by force." That previous smile remained as he made his way out of the throne, Molt raising a curious eyebrow as his son was leaving the room. "I must go for now Father; I need to gather the necessary number of men and make my way to Rondel."
"Very well, my son, go on and see to it that this plan of yours bears fruit." Molt said as Zorzal exited the room in a hurry, surprised that his son had actually accepted the idea of using mages in a battle of his own volition.
"Where could you have gone, Pina? I wonder what this war has in store for you, daughter." Molt thought to himself as an amused grin crept onto his face at the various possibilities this war would present to his family.