Forward warning but updates are going to be slow for a bit. Things have been hectic right now and I've not had a lot of time to write. Sorry in advance.

The results of the Yuber poll will be posted in the next chapter.

Chapter Six: Part Six

Albert prided himself on his self-control, but he couldn't hide his frustration as he entered his apartment. Darya had been reading in the living room when he stormed in and she quickly set aside her book and stood. "Albert, what's wrong—"

"I'll be in my office," Albert interrupted, his tone harsher than he intended. But Darya didn't argue when he entered his office and closed the door sharply behind him. He rubbed both hands over his face and exhaled sharply. "Damn you, Yuber…!"

It hadn't been this difficult before! Albert couldn't remember the spell to summon Yuber, but he remembered that a human sacrifice was needed! He remembered that they had used some random schmuck in Crystal Valley for the summoning ceremony, and that random schmuck had been enough! But now…now it wasn't!

We offered him a murderer and he rejected it! We offered him an innocent soul and he rejected it! That woman…she was certain no one else had summoned Yuber, but he won't yield my call! Why?!

"Having trouble?"

The familiar voice sent a chill down Albert's spine, but his anger gave him courage. He turned to face Windy, who emerged from the shadows of the western corner of the office. "You said Yuber hasn't been summoned!" he snapped.

"I don't believe he has," Windy responded in her usually cold, smug tone.

"I've tried summoning him twice and he will not respond to my call! Why won't he?"

"Who have you used for the ceremony?"

"We tried a murderer," Albert rasped. "And when that didn't work we tried a child—"

"You tried to use a child to sacrifice to summon Yuber?" Windy's brow rose in genuine surprise.

"Don't act like Yuber has morals," Albert snapped. "He's killed children before!"

"Haven't we all?" Windy asked thoughtfully.

"If he hasn't already been summoned, then why is he refusing my call?!" Albert demanded.

"Yuber hasn't…changed since you last saw him," Windy said. "The last person who summoned him used his True Rune in lieu of a sacrifice. It bound Yuber to that boy's blood and in doing so Yuber…appears to have experienced emotions. True emotions," she elaborated. "His resistance to your call may be related to that."

Albert stared at her stunned. "Yuber…feels? Not just wrath, rage and bloodlust but empathic emotions?!"

"Yes," Windy said. "It was a deep infection that he couldn't control. It was so profound that it's probably still affecting him after his contract with that boy ended."

"Why didn't you tell me before?!"

"You didn't ask."

Albert scoffed and shook his head. "So…what? So that's it? He can't be summoned because he learned how to feel emotions?!"

"I wouldn't say that," Windy said. "Knowing Yuber, I would say that he doesn't want to make it easy for you. I believe that he hasn't accepted your sacrificial offers because he sees no personal stake in it."

"…I don't know what you mean," Albert said after a moment.

"It's simple," Windy said. "If you want to bring Yuber to your command, then you're going to need to make a greater sacrifice. You're going to need to prove your necessity for him…by sacrificing something that truly matters."

The following morning the Reformation Army gathered for an emergency meeting in the war room. Astraea stood with David and Dawa in front of Sigrun, Denzel, Vahan, their assists, Sasarai with his advisors, Regulus with his bodyguards, Richard, Lambert, Primrose, Viktor, and Brownie who was sitting on the edge of the table. David held up a letter. "Prince Brendan Reiser is set to march upon us."

Lambert exhaled sharply. "This will be difficult. Prince Brendan is a brilliant warrior."

"No kidding," Vahan said, folding his arms over his chest. "Brendan knows our strengths and our weaknesses. All of ours. He will know how to exploit them on the battlefield."

"Vahan is right," Sigrun said. "Brendan's the oldest of all of us. He knows us very well."

"Then we'll need to change our usual strategies," Denzel said. He swept an arm across the room. "We have a diverse group of military minds. If Brendan is expecting us all to act a certain way, then we need to surprise him."

"First and foremost, he is suing for peace," David said. "He wants to meet before battle to find a compromise. What I propose that we do is that we bring Lord Daunte with us and show the Prince what really happened during the Massacre of Innocents. I think instead of preparing to engage Prince Brendan in battle, that we should seek to recruit him."

"What does that mean "show him"?" Regulus asked.

"Lord Daunte is able to show memories with his rune," Astraea explained. "He doesn't want to join the Reformation Army like Arin did, but he may be open to coming with us for negotiations if it means preventing a war battle."

"Showing memories," Sasarai said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "He wouldn't happen to have the Rune of Restoration, would he?"

Astraea gaped at him in shock. "H-How did you know?"

"Let's invite that kid up here first before we make promises," Viktor said. "Let's see if he would be willing to come with us."

The call went out to summon Daunte. Daunte arrived with Arin and Nakula, and Nakula looked displeased. "My son already said that he would not join you."

"Please do not talk to Her Majesty that way, sir," David spoke up.

"I apologize," Daunte said quickly, stepping forward. "What did you need to see me about, Queen Astraea?"

Astraea quickly told them their plan. Daunte looked thoughtful by her proposal. "It's admirable that you're seeking to avoid conflict with your brother. I'll join you for the peace talks, but that will be it."

"I appreciate that, thank you," Astraea said.

"Can I come?" Arin asked.

"No," Daunte and Nakula said together.

"So we will focus first on peace talks and trying to get the Prince to join us," David said. "If this doesn't work, then we will reconvene to prepare for battle."

"I would recommend that you avoid a bottleneck for a potential battle with Prince Brendan," Primrose spoke up.

"If it comes to battle, we will position our troops on the mainland," Astraea said. "But first we will focus on assembling a group for peace talks."

"Since you are meeting your eldest brother Your Majesty," David said. "I would propose you bring Princess Sigrun, Prince Vahan, and Prince Denzel for these talks."

"Of course I'm coming," Sigrun said.

"I will gladly try to talk reason to Brendan," Vahan said.

"He doesn't scare me," Denzel said.

"I would also recommend that we bring Lord Regulus with us," David said.

The war room fell silent. "Is that a good idea?" Lambert asked. "No offense, but Zelant is at war with the Bianca Alliance."

"But we do have an alliance with a member of the Council of Five," David said. "We need to show our military might at this conference, and Lord Regulus should be present."

"If you want me there then I will be there," Regulus said with a smile. "I've faced Prince Brendan before, and I've been looking for a rematch."

"Didn't Brendan beat you in combat?" Denzel pointed out.

Dinah and Nakoa glared at him but Regulus laughed. "Yes, he did! So he owes me a loss!"

"I will bring you with me Lord Regulus, but we are there primarily to recruit him," Astraea said. She then looked to Sasarai, but the Bishop raised his hand. "I will abstain from this peace talk, Your Majesty. I am assisting you separate from the Harmonian Army, so I will not participate in any conferences as to not give the impression that I am representing Harmonia. But I will continue to fight alongside you in battle."

Astraea nodded. "Of course, Lord Sasarai." She looked to Lord Lambert. "Will you come?"

"Of course I will, Your Majesty," Lambert said. "The Kobolds are in allegiance with you and we have no reason to hide this."

"I will come as well, Nin mel," Brownie spoke up. "I will represent the House Pixies!"

"Then it's decided," David said. "We will leave and meet with Prince Brendan to see if we can get him to join our side. If not then we will prepare the Army and engage him in battle. If we cannot convince Prince Brendan with words, then we will convince him with might."

The group quickly dispersed to get ready. Sigrun lingered with Ferdinand, and when everyone but Astraea, David, and Dawa remained she quickly approached her youngest sister. "Astraea?"

"Yes?"

Sigrun swallowed hard before she continued. "If you really want Brendan to come to your side…I would recommend that you do something."

It was late afternoon when Astraea arrived to the peace talks with David, Dawa, Sigrun, Ferdinand, Denzel, Musashi, Vahan, Kerime, Daunte, Nakula, Lambert, Regulus, Nakoa, Dinah, and Brownie. There was a huge white awning over a long table that was situated on the plains. It reminded Astraea strongly of the attempted peace talks she had with Vahan and Philomena. Those peace talks failed but Vahan did join her. She hoped that she would have similar results with Brendan.

Brendan was seated in the center of the long table on the side facing the group as they approached. A nondescript man who Astraea recognized as being part of the Intelligence Bureau sat to his left. Yasmine stood behind him at his right. Royal Army soldiers scrambled about, but Astraea saw that they were gathering more chairs for Astraea's arrival. Brendan rose as they approached, and Astraea saw a flicker of anger in his face when he spotted Regulus. But then his face became a calm mask once more.

Astraea's chest ached when she saw her eldest brother. The last time she saw him he had drawn his weapon on her and had tried to kill her. He had sided with the King; he had believe she had done those terrible things. She had never been truly close to Brendan. When she was born Brendan had been fourteen. He had already faced down Bhayankar in the Crypt and had started his mandatory military service. He reached adulthood while she was still a toddler. There was always a gulf between them; one that Astraea had always tried to bridge but one that Brendan had never been interested in.

She could only hope that she could bridge that gap now.

The group stopped at the table. "Thank you for coming, Astraea Reiser," the Intelligence Bureau said, his tone neutral. "Prince Brendan welcomes your—ah—entourage and you to sit down."

Astraea took the seat directly across from Brendan. David took the seat to her left and Daunte took the seat to her right. From David's side moved Sigrun, Vahan, and Lambert. From Daunte's side moved Denzel, Regulus and Brownie. They sat down and their individual entourages stood behind their chairs. Brendan then took his seat, as did the Intelligence Bureau Agent to his left. "Before we begin," Astraea said. "I would like one more chair."

"One more chair?" Brendan asked. "Is someone else coming?"

Astraea pointed to Yasmine. "I want Yasmine to sit at the table."

Brendan's brow rose, and the Intelligence Bureau Agent shifted in his seat. Yasmine however made no move to move. "I will stand here," she said bluntly. "I do not need to sit."

"I want you to sit with us, Yasmine," Astraea said, looking at her. "I want you to have a voice in these negotiations."

Shock finally flooded Yasmine's stoic face. She seemed taken aback by the offer. After a moment she shook. "I am an assist. There is no need—"

"Fetch another chair," Brendan interjected, calling over his shoulder to a soldier.

"Your Highness—" Yasmine said, but Brendan raised his hand to interrupt her. He did not say a word as a chair was brought forward. When it was placed at the table directly in front of Yasmine, Brendan motioned to her to sit down. Yasmine's mouth open and closed soundlessly for a few moments before she slowly took the seat at Brendan's right. Her face became a stoic mask once more, but her body language still conveyed her surprise.

"Now then," the Intelligence Bureau Agent began. "Astraea Reiser, we are giving you this opportunity to surrender unconditionally to His Highness Prince Brendan. You have offended us by bringing a Lord from the Council of Five to these talks, but His Highness will still graciously extend an olive branch to you. If you surrender now, His Majesty King Franz will not execute Princess Sigrun, Prince Vahan, nor Prince Denzel. Nor will he execute any subordinates who decided to follow them in treason. They will be given a sentence of exile and sent away on ships to never return to the Kingdom of Zelant. There will be minimal blood spilt if—"

"I must respectfully interrupt you, Sir," David said to the Agent. The Agent visibly bristled as David addressed Brendan. "Her Majesty Queen Astraea has made it clear that she will not entertain any notion of surrender. We instead make a counter offer; we offer to have you join the Reformation Army."

"'Join you'?" Brendan spoke up, his brow rising. "You ask me to join you? You expect me to swear fealty to my baby sister?! You must be daft!"

"I want you to see the truth, Brendan," Astraea said softly. Daunte reached out and rested his right arm on the table with his palm facing us. "We can show you the truth."

Brendan looked at Daunte. "Who the hell are you?"

"Do not talk to my son like that," Nakula said sharply from where he stood behind Daunte's chair.

Yasmine started to rise out of her chair from his tone, but Brendan motioned to her to sit down. She did so reluctantly. "What is your game, Astraea?" Brendan demanded.

"No game," Astraea said. "You believe I participated in the Massacre of Innocents. I'm innocent and I can prove it. Lord Daunte can show you my memories of what actually happened."

Brendan frowned deeply and narrowed his eyes at Daunte's hand. "Your fingers," he said softly. "They are disfigured."

"I was abused," Daunte said, his tone neutral.

"By your father?"

"By my government," Daunte rasped. "A government I overthrew."

Brendan stared at him blankly. "I am a noncombatant in this conflict," Daunte said in a calmer tone. "My only interest is to prevent a war battle and protect my younger brother."

"You are an older brother?"

"Yes."

"Yes, Your Highness," the Intelligence Bureau Agent corrected him.

"I recognize Queen Astraea as the Monarch so I will defer to her," Daunte responded.

Brendan met his gaze. "You will not show me respect, then?"

Daunte narrowed his eyes. "Should I? You're an older brother seeking to fight and kill your younger siblings."

Brendan shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "Whatever your game is, I will not participate."

Daunte's brow rose. "You refuse to see the truth because I disrespected you?"

"No," Brendan said. "You are nothing to me, boy—"

Nakula snarled at him but Brendan continued unabated. "—So I cannot be offended by your disrespect. I simply will not entertain cheap tricks to try and manipulate me. I deal with facts."

"Then this is fact," Astraea said sharply, slapping her hand on the table. "I'm innocent, Brendan. I had nothing to do with the Massacre of Innocents!"

"Then why is Lord Regulus Cairo sitting at this table as your ally?"

"Because the Alliance had nothing to do with the Massacre of Innocents," Regulus spoke up, wearing a smile that did not match his eyes. "We don't appreciate being blamed for a slaughter perpetuated by your government."

"We have proof that it was you," the Intelligence Bureau Agent said.

"Your "proof"—" Regulus used air quotations as he said the word. "Is fabricated."

"But my memories are real, and I can show you what really happened," Astraea said, her tone slightly desperate. "Brendan, if you would allow Lord Daunte and I—"

"Enough!" Brendan snapped, slamming his fist down upon the table. The force of the blow shook the table from end to end. "You will be quiet and listen, or this negotiation will not move forward!"

"If I may, Prince Brendan," Lambert spoke up, leaning forward. "You spoke of what will happen to the allies who joined Her Majesty in the event of a surrender, but you didn't speak of what would happen to Her Majesty herself if she were to surrender."

"You will be executed," Brendan said flatly. Astraea wasn't surprised but the table rumbled with outrage at his words. "Do not act surprised. You are the leader of a rebellion and you committed treason. But if you surrender, His Majesty the King promises you a clean execution and your allies spared. If you do not surrender, then His Majesty's decree is that you will be forced to watch as we execute every single one of your allies before you are finally killed as well. The choice is yours, Astraea. Your death is assured either way, but the number of people who will die at your side will depend on if you decide to lay down your arms now or continue this pointless war."

"You will execute Her Majesty over my dead body!" Dawa growled at him.

Brendan ignored her and focused his attention on Astraea. "Do you want the deaths of every single person at this table on your hands? You cannot defeat us. You may have a True Rune, you have the Alliance in your corner, but you do not have the people and you do not have the manpower. I know you too well, Astraea."

Astraea shook her head. "No, you don't Brendan. You never did. You never wanted to try."

Brendan shifted, and for a moment a look of shock and—remorse?—flickered in his eyes. But just as quickly the look was gone. "Sigrun. Vahan. Denzel. Astraea," he said slowly. "We fought side by side on the battlefield. I know—"

"We know that you know our style in combat," Denzel cut in sharply. "Don't expect us to make it easy for you, Brother."

Brendan smiled thinly. It was an unkind smile. "Actually…I know far more than that."

Astraea's head snapped up, and her stomach twisted in knots. "I know all of you," Brendan said, his tone low. "Your strengths. Your weaknesses. When you have sparred in private with your assists I have been there. Yasmine has been there. We both know how all of you duel and how you handle yourselves in combat. I know exactly how to take you all down."

"You lie," Musashi snarled from behind Denzel's chair. "I've made sure that no one can spy on my sessions with the Prince!"

Brendan tilted his head back, looking at Musashi with narrowed eyes. "Tell me, Musashi," he said softly. "Did Nenshō plunge the blade into your back before or after you were jumped?"

Denzel swiftly stood up, rage flooding his face as he swept an arm out. Astraea realized that he was blocking Musashi from lunging across the table. "You bastard!" he roared.

"I'm a legitimate heir of King Franz," Brendan retorted coldly. His hand cupped Yasmine's shoulder to hold her in her seat.

"You spied on us?!" Vahan exclaimed, standing from his chair. Kerime's expression was ashen. "Wha—What do you know about us?!"

"Why would I tell you that?" Brendan asked him. "When I have you all at the disadvantage?"

"Wow, you are a cold bastard," Regulus said around a humorless laugh.

Astraea stood up, her hands braced on the table. She didn't know whether to feel heartbroken or angry. She frowned deeply and clenched her jaw as she met her brother's gaze. "If you have been spying on us," she said quietly. "Then you know how much I love you, and how much I wanted to have a better relationship with you…and you have never cared."

Brendan shifted again, and the cracks in his veneer were more visible now. He said nothing.

Astraea raised her chin. "I will meet you on the battlefield, Brendan. I will fight you and I will conquer you. And I will show you that you have made a mistake taking a stand against me."

David rose with her, his expression calm. "We appreciate this offer of negotiations, but the Reformation Army rejects your proposal."

Brendan slowly stood, his hands clenched at his sides. "Then we will meet on the battlefield. And I will defeat you."

"Your Highness?"

Brendan had a splitting headache. He was sitting in his tent on a stool before his bed. It was a royal tent so it had proper furniture and it looked like a room in a cottage and not a tent room. He had finished meeting with the Royal Army units and they were preparing to go into battle. It would not be pretty, but he had confidence in their success. He knew his siblings well; he knew how they fought and commanded in battle. And he knew how to navigate the battlefield against them. They would never be able to defeat him.

"Then you know how much I love you, and how much I wanted to have a better relationship with you…and you have never cared."

Astraea's words cut through him with surprising sharpness. His headache deepened and he pressed his forehead against the heels of his hands as he leaned his elbows against his thighs. He tried to clear his head, but the headache made his head pulse. He could not focus.

"Your Highness." Yasmine's calm voice spoke again and she pressed a hand to the center of his upper back. "You should take off your armor and relax. You need to rest before battle."

The battle would be before dawn tomorrow. It wasn't so much to give Astraea time to prepare but for their own forces to prepare. For himself to prepare. "I will go to bed shortly," he said quietly.

Yasmine's breath hitched, and he could sense that she wanted to say something else. He waited until she gathered her nerve. "Your Highness?"

"Yes?"

"Why did Astraea Reiser have me sit at the table as your equal?"

Brendan was silent for a long moment. Then he reached back and grabbed her hand with his. "Because you are."

"So it will be battle," Viktor sighed, shaking his head.

"We will arrange for seven Army units to engage Prince Brendan's forces," David said. "Prince Brendan fights as a Calvary unit, so I propose that we utilize magic units for the vanguard."

"I will lead one unit," Primrose said.

"As will I," Sasarai said. "I can utilize the True Earth Rune twice in a war battle."

"I want to lead a unit," Sigrun said.

"As do I," Vahan said.

"I'm going to punch Brendan's lights out!" Denzel snapped, slamming his fist into his open palm.

"So that will be six units," David said. He looked to Astraea. "Who will lead the seventh?"

"Lord Regulus," Astraea said. "We are engaging the Royal Army directly, so I want to show them my allegiance with the Alliance."

"Thank you for the opportunity to get payback, Your Majesty," Regulus said amusedly. "Dinah and Nakoa will be my supports in my unit, of course."

"I will have Dios and Pilika with me," Sasarai said.

"Who will you assign to the other units, Your Majesty?" David asked Astraea.

Astraea thought about it for a long moment, knowing that it would be pivotal to choose the right people for each Army unit. She turned to Brownie. "Would you be able to prepare more of Giant's Passage with Donauwelle and Eggie?"

"Will do, Nin mel!" Brownie cheered.

Astraea looked around at allies. "Primrose, I would like you to take Zerase and Jeane in your unit."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Primrose said.

"I will take Dawa and Edge in mine," Astraea said. "Sigrun, can you take Ferdinand and Pesmerga with you?"

"Yes," Sigrun said.

"Vahan, you take Kerime and Biehn. And Denzel, you take Musashi and Mikhail with you."

Denzel's brow rose when she mentioned the ballet dancer but he said nothing. David clapped his hands together before raising them. "Her Majesty has given orders! Let's prepare and take down Prince Brendan!"