Chapter 19
The Kings decision
On a hot afternoon in mid-summer, the people of the Umbridge Kingdom seem to be still living a peaceful life. They weren't all worried about what was happening outside their walls. Troops still patrol the street, and there's not too much trouble in the city.
Over at the castle, however, something was about to happen. King John, the ruler of the humans, looked out a window at the town. He had a worried expression and a clenched fist. He thought about what was going to happen.
The room was large and decorative. This was his and his queen's chamber. A sweet-sounding voice calls him over. King John turns to see his queen and wife sitting on the bed. She asks him if there is another way to avoid a war.
King John had a sad expression and felt sadder at the state of his wife. Queen Annabeth has lost weight and looks sickly. The once muscular physique that she had was gone. King John goes over to her and sits on the bed.
He tells her that there is no other way to avoid fighting. This saddens Queen Annabeth. King John takes her hand and tells her he will bring peace to his kingdom again. Queen Annabeth smiles at him.
King John then changed the subject and asked her about her check-up. Queen Annabeth told him that the doctor didn't know what was happening. He a sum that it had something to do with the summoning ritual. King John blamed himself for what happened to her.
Queen Annabeth told him that she wasn't blaming anyone. She also said that she had no control over what she was doing. King John also thought about what made her agree to the priest's suggestions. He suspected some hypnosis, but they couldn't figure out how he did it.
King John again blamed himself for what was happening. Queen Annabeth told him he was working too hard to solve all the world's problems. King John then thinks about the demon king and his plan to eradicate all who oppose him.
"If only we had stopped him at the King's meeting, we wouldn't need to go to war. I should have finished him off."
King John stops talking about the problem his kingdom is facing when he hears noises coming from outside the door. He hears the voice of a girl yelling at someone to hurry up. The doors burst open, and a little girl runs in. The girl looks to be about six years of age.
The little girl has long red hair and a tan complexion. Looking at her face, she resembles Queen Annabeth. The girl wears a long white dress with flower petal decorations. The girl runs up to King John and jumps on him.
"Annalise, my princess, are you done playing?"
Princess Annalise, the daughter of King John and Queen Annabeth. She was a cheerful girl. Princess Annalise shows King John a flower crown. She tells him that it was for her mother. Queen Annabeth calls her over and looks at the flower crown. She tells her it is beautiful.
Princess Annalise smiles and laughs. Princess Annalise begins to tell them about her day. She talked about making the flower crown with the help of some maids. King John couldn't help but laugh. Princess Annalise makes fun of him.
King John then hears a loud voice calling for Princess Annalise. Queen Annabeth laughs and tells Princess Annalise to answer her. Princess Annalise calls out that she is with her parents. King John gets mad at her for yelling.
The person shows up at the door. It was Erica Haddison, one of King John's generals and personal guard to Queen Annabeth. Haddison was a giant Amazonian warrior. Haddison walks into the room and sees Princess Annalise.
Haddison looked tired, and Queen Annabeth noticed. She makes fun of her for it. Haddison takes that as a challenge and wants to fight her. King John gets mad, but Queen Annabeth laughs. Haddison also laughs and reminds her of whom she used to be.
"Oh, the bright and beautiful flaming rose…."
Queen Annabeth tells Haddison that she has left that name behind. They all laugh again. After a moment, King John looks at Haddison and nods to her. Haddison looks at Princess Annalise and tells her they will play again later. She excuses herself.
King John then looks at Queen Annabeth. She looks at him with sad eyes. He kisses her forehead and tells Princess Annalise that he must return to work. Princess Annalise tells him she wants to go to the garden with everyone. King John promises to do so.
Queen Annabeth distracts her by asking her to stay with her. King John stands and heads to the door. He looks at his Queen and Princess. His expression changes. Guards salute him and continue guarding the entrance. King John leaves for another room.
King John enters his study, where Philp Cortez, his other general, is waiting. Haddison was also in the room, sitting down. King John sat on his chair, and Cortez handed him some papers. King John looks at them. He asks for details.
With a heavy accent, Cortez explains what scouts have reported to him. He told King John about the forts the demon army had been building. He also explains the territory they gain southwest of them. Cortez pulls out a map and shows him.
King John goes over the reports and looks at the map. He then asks about the nobles. Haddison speaks up and insults them. She tells King John that most nobles want to fight without his help. She adds that some who lost their lands have joined them.
King John was displeased about the nobles who still ridiculed him for looking into their businesses. Even though he found those running corrupt businesses, they do not trust him. Cortez says that the allies of the imprisoned nobles were the ones against him.
King John keeps looking at the reports. He then talks about losing the aid of the Wolf tribes. He said that they would have been a massive help in fighting against the demons. Cortez became upset because it reminded him of dropping the investigation into looking for the chief's daughter.
King John adds that they were ordered to stop by the old guards. Haddison also insults them for saying that they were wasting money and resources. She said that they were a waste. King John laughed and then said they were another group that could order him to stop. He sighed and said he needed the high nobles to back him up. Haddison looks at the map.
King John told them he could not figure out what the demon king was doing. They haven't been attacked for some time. Haddison has a suggestion. She wants to send more scouts and see what the forts are doing. King John said that they were building strongholds.
Cortez then realizes something. He tells King John that the demons are still building one more. King John does not follow. Cortez says that the enemy was waiting. King John realized they might be waiting for the last one to be finished. He then wants to go with Haddison's plan.
King John looks at the map again. He then tells Cortez to send scouts to each fort and report any movement or changes. He also said that he would call their ally the dwarfs and have them prepare for anything.
Cortez agrees and says they should also prepare for a counter-attack if any. King John told Haddison that she would still look after Princess Annalise until they were sure they needed to mobilize. King John dismisses them. Cortez and Haddison leave.
"To think I would need to pick up my sword again; why must I go back to those days…."
Cortez and Haddison went their separate ways. Cortez reached another room in the castle. He went in and sat down on a chair. He calls for a soldier. The soldier enters a few minutes later. Cortez orders him to go and call for the scout unit.
The soldier leaves, and Cortez pulls out some papers. He writes some notes on them. Later a group of soldiers arrives. Cortez hands them all a letter. He then tells them that King John has ordered them to mobilize. He said that their missions are written in the letters.
The soldier leaves and heads out. Outside they meet with other soldiers. Each soldier that met General Cortez was a captain of their scout group. The scout captains look at their orders. They then order their squad to move.
The scouts wore plain clothes and had leather armor. On an armband, they have the seal of the kingdom. They also wore a cloak over them. The troops got on horses and rode off. Back in the castle, Cortez waits for results.
King John was headed outside. He walked to the garden where Queen Annabeth, Haddison, and Princess Annalise were. The maids have set out sweets and tea for them. Princess Annalise sees him and runs to him. King John picks her up and walks to Queen Annabeth.
He reaches them and takes a sit. He gets pours some tea, and they all relax. Princess Annalise was happy spending time with both. After a while, Princess Annalise wants to play. She takes Haddison with her. King John and Queen Annabeth talk.
Queen Annabeth asks him about his meeting. King John explains to her about their situation. She thought about it. She offers some advice to him. She wants him to lead his troops. King John told her that he would not be able to. She reminds him about his past.
"Those were different times. My father sent my brothers and me to fight; he only cared for himself. Some of his policies were a mistake. I only want to see Annalise grow in a peaceful world."
Queen Annabeth told him that Princess Annalise was already living a peaceful life. She also told him his father would be proud of how the kingdom was doing. King John laughs at the thought. He tells her how he used to be. Queen Annabeth said to him that he was a wonderful father.
Annalise came back and sat next to her father. She ate sweets and drank more tea. Haddison was walking back to them. Queen Annabeth told them that she needed to talk to Haddison. King John told Princess Annalise that he would play with her.
Queen Annabeth got up and walked to Haddison. They went for a stroll around the garden. They walked and talked about their younger days. Haddison remembers when Queen Annabeth punched a man for hitting on her. Haddison laughs, and so does Queen Annabeth.
They reach a bench under a tree. Queen Annabeth told Haddison that King John made it for her. It overlooks part of the city. Queen Annabeth said it was her favorite place to relax. They take a sit and continue talking. Queen Annabeth looks at the city and tells Haddison that she can still not believe she is Queen.
Haddison said she was happy for her. Queen Annabeth told her about her frustration with being courteous and proper around nobles. Haddison remembers her being outgoing and chaotic. Queen Annabeth remembers some memories of when she was an adventurer.
Haddison told her not to worry about the nobles. She, too, thought they were weak individuals who whined and complained. Haddison called them cowards. Queen Annabeth laughs and tells her she misses traveling with her. Haddison said to her that the other members were also happily retired.
Queen Annabeth thought hard about something. Haddison was still remembering some adventures they had together. She also reminded her about when they met. An Amazonian fighting a naïve adventurer. Haddison beat her, but she would not stop.
"You gain my respect; that's why I call you sister. Giving up adventuring to serve and protect you was my greatest decision. We will forever be sisters."
Queen Annabeth thanked her. They laugh and continue remembering old stories. One was about the time Queen Annabeth beat up the dwarf king. Haddison could not stop laughing. Queen Annabeth then became serious. She takes off a neckless that has a key.
"I made up my mind, Erica. I am giving it to you."
Haddison didn't know what Queen Annabeth said at first. She asked her to repeat it. Haddison sees the key she has in her hand. Queen Annabeth tells her again that she is going to give her something. Haddison knew what it was and asked why.
"I know you don't want to say it, but this illness can't be cured. The doctor doesn't know what is wrong with me. After giving birth to Annalise, I decided to leave once and for all my adventuring behind."
Queen Annabeth told Haddison that she wanted to spend time teaching Princess Annalise to be someone all nobles and commoners could look up to. She hands Haddison the key. Haddison scratched her head and thought of what to say.
"Missy won't be happy about this."
Missy was a female dwarf blacksmith who specialized in female weapons and gear. Queen Annabeth told her that she had already talked to her. She mentions that she was already mad at her for marrying King John.
"She has it safe at her workshop."
Haddison felt disappointed about what she was told. Haddison looks at the key and thinks about it. She is reminded of a sword that Queen Annabeth used. She fought countless battles with it. Missy, the blacksmith, made it and helped perfect it.
"I guess I won't see the grace of the dance of the flaming rose."
Queen Annabeth told her not to be disappointed. She said she needed to learn how to use it to see the flaming rose. Haddison said to her that she wouldn't be caught doing that. Queen Annabeth laughed, and they ended their talk. They headed back to King John and Princess Annalise.
Princess Annalise was playing with her father. She runs to them when she sees her mother and Haddison returning. Haddison picks her up, and they walk to the table. Princess Annalise asks if they are done talking. Queen Annabeth smiled and said they were.
Some time passed, and things weren't looking good in the kingdom. King John was in the throne room, hearing complaints from nobles about losing territory and refugees settling in their town. They said they didn't have enough food to go around.
King John was upset but did not show it. The nobles complaining was part of the group that refused aid from the kingdom. They contracted mercenaries and adventures but failed. They now seek help.
As King John hears them, the doors burst open. Cortez walks in, and injured soldiers follow him. He walks up to King John and tells him who they are. King John dismisses the nobles. They wanted to say something but knew it was important.
King John saw that there weren't many. He calls for a medic group to come and heal them. An uninjured soldier came forward. He reported what they saw. He started by saying that the enemy brought supplies through the sea.
He said that they were monitoring them. He told them that once enough supplies were loaded onto a wagon, they moved it up routes to the forts. He then added that soldiers were also starting to come in. King John asked about close villages or towns.
The soldier reports that the enemy raided nearby villages, and the local lords could not stop them. King John listens to more of the reports. The soldier said that communication with other squads revealed they were getting ready for an attack.
King John asks him to elaborate. The soldier said that the last fort on the map was almost done. He said that reports of military training have gone up. The soldier mentions that the creatures they use for attacks are helping build the fort.
Cortez tells King John again more about them. He said that they were trolls and goblins but not one that they knew of. He said that they looked like they were made of mud. Cortez added that the goblin creatures were in masses. King John asked if they were hard to deal with.
"No, but they outnumbered us—Mucho para atacar."
King John looks at the remaining soldiers and finally asks what happened. The soldier said that when they gathered what they could, they decided to go back and report. He said they met to ensure no one was compromised and started to head home.
The soldier became emotional. He said to them that as they headed home, they stopped to rest. From down the road, they spotted a group heading their way. He said they took caution when the group passed, but it did not help. King John asked him to explain.
"We were disguised as a merchant convoy. They greeted us and we them. One of the captains notice something odd about them. We tried not to get into a fight, but they noticed also. I have never seen anything like it. The demons were also in disguise. They had powerful weapons and were easily taking us out."
The soldier shed tears. He said that the others were all brave soldiers. King John closed his eyes and acknowledged them. The soldier said that they split up to have a better chance to escape. He said that the ones left were hit by a shock wave and fell to the ground.
He said that their captain gave them one final order. He was going to act as bait and lure one of the enemies. He told them to use the opportunity to escape and get the info back to the kingdom. The other survivors were ashamed of living.
King John thanked them, and he told them to go to get treated better. He rewarded them before they left. Cortez had already received all the information they had gathered. Cortez hands King John a map. King John gets up from his throne and leaves the room.
Cortez follows King John to his study. Inside they look over the reports and map the scouts brought them. They mark specific points that the reports say. They study the map for several hours to see its significance. Cortez was puzzled, but king John started to notice something.
King John measured the distance between the forts from each other. He then measures the distance between the Umbridge Kingdom and the Dwarf Kingdom. King John asks Cortez a question. King John asks him about sending multiple armies to attack all at once.
"Well, compadre, if you want to attack with many soldiers, you must have them well supplied."
Cortez looks at the forts and realizes they are not just for defense. King John told Cortez that they were planning a full-scale invasion. He also added that they would try to split the two Kingdoms from helping each other. Cortez looks at the map again.
He saw what King John saw. The distance between the forts is smaller. Depending on the route they took, some armies could attack towns together. They could weaken the humans before they could take up arms. King John gets mad.
He blamed himself for not doing something to stop them. Cortez told him that he was not at fault. King John knows why they are waiting for the last fort to be finished. He thought about it and made a decision.
"We must act and attack first."
Cortez agrees with him and asks him what to do. King John orders Cortez to summon the old guards. While he waits, he will message the dwarf king and tell him what is happening. Cortez leaves right away. King John sat back on his chair and sighed.
It was late, and King John was waiting in his study. He heard arguing outside his door. The door opens, and a group of older men walks in. They see King John and demand answers for their summon. King John greets them.
These older men were called the Old Guards. They serve the previous king as generals. There was a law that the king could not have all the power. If King John wanted to change or do something that would affect the kingdom, he would need permission from two other powers.
Two other powers checked the king's power. One was the High Nobles. They were the wealthiest families in the kingdom. They help with financing the kingdom. Their businesses reach all corners of the world. The other one was the old guard.
The old guard gives a voice to the lower nobles. They also served the previous king as his generals. They help maintain rule and offer guidance to the king. King John wasn't very fond of them. They much liked overruling some decisions he made.
King John told them to quiet down. He then explained the severity of the kingdom. King John tells them his plan. The old guard talks among themselves. Some agree while others argue a different point. King John was getting a headache listening to them.
After some back-and-forth talk, they ask King John some questions. King John answered most of them, and they weren't too happy. First was that they were against him leading the charge. Second, they denied him taking the royal guards.
The royal guards were very skilled soldiers. They protect all high-powered individuals. They were picked by the general and approved by the king. There were several squads of royal guards stationed in different places.
The old guard asked about his generals and their troops. King John answers first about his left-hand man Arthur Kingsley. He was away on a mission to establish friendly relations with the new beast king. Next was Yoshi Isamu.
General Yoshi was currently in his native home of Nihon. Nihon was another ally of the Umbridge kingdom. They were an Empire on an island east of the mainland. Yoshi was not just his general but a friend's mediator.
King John tells them about Ekon Okoth, the Admiral of their navy. He only participated in sea disputes and was currently protecting the water of his allies. Next was Sam Samuel, who was a grumpy and tempered person. He was keeping the peace between nobles.
The last one was the Sage. He has served several kings and was helping advance magic for the human race. He was too busy with his work to do anything. King John said he only had Cortez and Haddison. The old guard talked.
As the older men argued, he thought about what else to do. He knew they didn't have a great military like in the old days. This was due to so much fighting between themselves and other races. In agreement with the other races, they voted to have limited forces. They would only focus on prosperity.
There were minor disputes between nobles and other races, but the kingdoms would not interfere. These nobles would hire mercenaries or adventures. King John struggled to gain a large force with limited troops. He knew his allies in Nihon would not make it in time.
The old guard finished arguing and agreed. They first wanted King John to get the approval of the High Nobles. They then said something that made him very mad, but he agreed. They said they would take over if he died until Princess Annalise was old enough.
The old guard left King John's study. King John was exhausted. He wanted to relax, but he needed to do some things first. He wrote orders that needed to be taken to the barracks. King John was going to take veteran soldiers and a hand full of new soldiers.
The royal guards were going to be his main force under him. There was a knock on his door, and he looked up. Cortez and Haddison were there waiting. King John told him how the meeting went. Cortez walked up to him and said he would always have his back.
Cortez left to prepare. Haddison smiled and said she would also fight for him. She also left to prepare. King John gets up and leaves his study. He orders a maid to have them prepare a carriage for him. He goes over to the armory and takes a sword.
In her room, Queen Annabeth was telling Princess Annalise a story about her hometown. Princess Annalise liked listening to her mother's stories. Princess Annalise fell asleep, and Queen Annabeth waited for King John. It became late, and she worried.
Princess Annalise was taken to her room to sleep. King John arrived later, and Queen Annabeth was still awake. Queen John told her that she needed to be resting. She told him she was worried. Queen Annabeth told him what she heard.
King John told her everything and what was going to happen. She already knew it might happen, so she prepared. She could not stop sobbing dose. King John promised to make it back, and they would enjoy seeing Princess Annalise grow up together. King John was also concerned.
"I must not worry her too much. King Sloan, what has happened to you?"
The following day the troops prepared. They talked to family and enjoyed themselves. King John prepares his formations and tactics. He then spent time with his family. Later that night, Cortez waits by the city gates. He then sees lights out in the distance.
"Ya si estamos listos."