Salt and Blood - Chapter 164

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2.70 - Unpleasant Interruptions

There is nothing worse than being interrupted right as you are about to make an incredible breakthrough. It’s as though you are grasping the secrets of the world in your palm and then poof! They vanish like grains of sand in the wind

-Quoted from Professor Alberto Stein of the Tidespire Keep

Despite the unpleasant beginning and the constant loud voices of clamouring ambassadors demanding to be heard, the meeting did turn out to be rather productive. Under the respective leadership of Rose’s uncle, Duchess Windvayne, and General Vagor, the three nations made great headway in solidifying the alliance.

“So we have agreed on becoming allies at last. That is a great start. We also accept that the Emerlan Isle has made some great sacrifices towards our cause already, so they will get a forty percent share of the rewards, while Zoria and Derridas shall take thirty percent. While that is an important decision, we have yet to raise the most important point,” Duchess Windvayne said in a rare moment of silence.

“What would that be, Duchess?” Rose’s uncle asked.

“Why, our war strategy, of course,” she said as her smile turned cruel. “There should be no trace of Minenblum remaining once we are done. Of course, we will need to confer with our respective military and naval commanders, but I believe we are smart enough to make a start,” she replied.

It was then that the rich, pretty man from Zoria spoke up for the first time. Contrary to his appearance, his voice was deep and bassy, commanding attention from the very first word.

“This will not work,” he announced, his tone measured and almost soft yet everyone in the room heard each word as though it was spoken from right beside them.

“Zoria is not amenable to the terms laid out? General Vagor has been in agreement with most of what has been discussed already, Your Highness,” Duchess Windvayne replied while raising an eyebrow.

Her final statement also elicited a few surprised gasps from the room. Zoria wasn’t a monarchy, so why had she spoken to an ambassador from the republic with that form of address?

Clearly there were many in the room who knew exactly why, but Rose wasn’t one of them. The man’s annoyed glare and the way he kissed his teeth told her the Duchess either wasn’t supposed to know that or simply wasn’t supposed to bring it up in conversation.

“As Zoria is now a republic led by the elected council, such forms of address could be deemed insulting or downright treasonous depending on who heard you,” the youth replied coldly. “I would ask you to keep such things to yourself, Duchess.”

That he had used her correct title was clearly some sort of noble insult game that Rose was too straightforward to understand. Or so she assumed. This was all taking an odd turn, but after the cold introduction things sort of returned to normal.

“Of course, Mister Zoriaster. My apologies. Please, explain what you meant by your previous remark,” the duchess said, unfazed by the minor spat.

Skill up!
Diplomacy 2 > 3

The splash surprised Rose, given that she was a passive spectator to what was going on. Then again, it wasn’t unheard of for certain skills to gain a level through knowledge and observation rather than application.

“This… alliance. This strategy. It won’t work. You think you know the extent of Minenblum’s strength, that you will be able to overcome their naval force if you join hands to strike against them. It won’t. Your nations are children compared to them. Zoria may not be the most powerful country in the Bluestone Sea, but our roots go deep. Trust me on this,” the man said, making even General Vagor nod in agreement as a dour expression overtook his face.

“If that is what you believe, then why allow this meeting to go as far as it has?” Rose’s uncle asked, confusion and mistrust written across his visage.

“I am merely here as an observer. I hold no sway over the decision of my nation,” the youth replied, earning a few derisive snorts. Clearly that was a half-truth. He continued, unswayed by the reactions. “Whatever General Vagor decides is what Zoria will do, given he has the backing of our council. I simply wish to share a warning from those who remember history.”

“If all you have to bring to the table is cowardice, you should just go home and wait this out. Don’t waste our time,” Rose said, speaking up for the first time and earning incredulous stares, laughter, and from most of the Zoria contingent, downright venomous reactions.

The young man had wide eyes. He couldn’t quite believe someone would have the gall to speak to him in such a manner. Either the girl didn’t know who he was, or she simply didn’t care. He suspected the former.

“Cowardice? Is it cowardice to warn my allies and countrymen away from a course of action that will end in their futile deaths?” he eventually said after appraising Rose.

She’d felt a tickle of arcane power reaching towards her, but she had deflected it with ease. Apparently the youth wanted to gauge her level of strength, but she wasn’t going to make it easy for him.

“Yes. It is. If you won’t fight Minenblum with us, then you’re a coward who isn’t prepared to fight for his nation. Do you really believe they will let you off if you decide not to join our crusade?” Rose asked.

“The arrogance of youth is a curious thing. As I said, I am simply an observer. Do as you will, the decisions of my nation are not for me to make,” he replied with a smirk.

Rose wanted to retort, but her uncle placed a firm hand on her arm and gave her a look that said, ‘I agree with you, but now isn’t the time’. With that she relented.

The rest of the meeting was a little subdued after the young man’s interjection, but the alliance was formed under the previously agreed upon terms. They laid down a basic strategy for war.

It was time to take the fight to Minenblum.

***

“Admiral, I must insist against this course of action. King Malthax specifically ordered–” the flustered rear admiral suddenly found his mouth glued shut by an application of arcane power from his superior officer.

“Do you think I give two shits what Malthax ordered? He put me in charge of ending this… war, if you can even call it that, so I will do that however I see fit,” Admiral Valynor snapped, another wave of his hand sending the poor fellow flying into the mainmast.

He was knocked out instantly by the impact. His comrades left him slumped on the deck, well aware they would be next if they dared intervene.

The only reason they were willing to be so subservient despite Valynor’s tyrannical leadership was the fact that fighting a battle under him was supposed to be an almost transcendent experience.

That and the fact he was a dozen times more powerful than the most senior officer besides himself. Mutiny was suicide.

The grandiose fleet led by Valynor’s enormous new flagship, courtesy of Elmer Saff, was currently sailing down the eastern coast of Derridas. Their original destination had been the Emerlan Isle, where King Malthax had instructed Admiral Valynor to unleash the new weapon from Saff & Company.

Unfortunately for the King and the citizens of Nirodas, Admiral Valynor had taken it upon himself to change the plan slightly. Slightly being his own take on the alteration. Most of his crew felt it was a drastic shift in their mission, but didn’t dare speak up.

Especially not after the reaction to the unfortunate sod who just did. No one else wanted to experience Valynor’s wrath, even if that simple punishment might help boost a few of their resistance skills.

All of the soldiers on board the flagship were formed up in orderly lines. Even those on the other ships, save for the skeleton crew required to keep them sailing, had formed up in preparation for the Admiral’s final orders.

He would be able to transmit his voice to every single ship in the fleet using arcane energy. It was a nifty trick that most skilled awakened picked up during the course of their lives.

“Now, I am aware many of you might not agree with the change in plans, but that is the nature of war. It is ever changing, requiring a tactical and astute mind to judge the field and react appropriately. Our great King decreed that we test this new weapon on the Emerlan Isle, but such an act wouldn’t have much impact on our enemies. It would only create martyrs and incense them to rise up against us with even more fury,” he declared, wholeheartedly believing every word save for the ‘great’ he added before ‘king’.

“Instead, there is a much better target for this little munitions test. Our spies have informed me that as we speak, representatives of all three major nations in the Bluestone Sea have gathered in Nirodas. They are discussing an alliance with the purpose of destroying our mighty nation. While such ambitions are complete folly, the intentions behind them cannot be allowed to go unpunished.

“Rather than give these upstart fools the opportunity to strike at our home shores, the way the cowards did in Eastfel Bay–” the admiral spat that part, stoking his soldiers’ fury. Many of them had family, friends, or colleagues who’d died during that attack. “–It is better to wipe them out before they can even raise a single blade against us. Thus, their little alliance will crumble before it can even be formed.”

Every single soldier in the fleet erupted into furious roars of battle and outrage as his speech came to a close. The sound was deafening, causing the seas to tremble. It could be heard for a hundred miles in every direction, making the fishermen nearby jump in fright and rush home to Nirodas.

As one, the ships in the fleet turned towards the capital of Derridas, preparing to unleash Elmer Saff’s latest weapon. No one knew what the results would be, only that they would be devastating.

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