Valasaire frowned greatly as he read the letter and his expression grew dark. The letter was penned personally by his wife and attached together with the letter by his wife were other reports from military officers which had an alarming tone to them. The date on the letter showed that it was penned on the 19th of Septimus 1589 AGW, so it was around two weeks since then. The reports attached to it were a bit more than a week before that, so the information here was already almost a month old.

The letter looked like it was penned in a hurry as the queen's handwriting wasn't as neat as it usually is. The letter read,

"Dear husband,

I hope you are fine on your campaign and by the time this letter reaches you, I hope you're already on your way home. I dread to tell you of this bad news, dear husband, but it is something of immense gravity and because of that, I can not afford to spend time on pleasantries.

A Latinite fleet has been spotted sailing towards our Northern shores not too long ago and I have attached reports to their movements which threaten our sovereignty over the recently subdued Aerthil. What's more worrying is that along with those ships were spotted ships flying the Wesjermanian and Parisian flags as well.

I have already dispatched our northern fleet to stand at the ready, but this I fear is a blatant act of hostility towards us and I think war will soon be upon us. I worry for my homeland in these times, but more so for Rumasil. Dear husband, I really miss you and I don't think I can handle these matters on my own. Please come home soon along with the rest of our family.

Yours Always, Aly"

While making haste towards the war room along with his two sons, Valasaire had read the reports which were attached and they gave estimates to a fleet of a few dozen ships. He knew from this that it was merely a probing amount compared to the combined number of ships in the Latinite fleet, but it was enough to stir up trouble in the Northern oceans as the Rumasilian fleet there, though fairly strong, wasn't as well-equipped or as hardened as the southern one. He was praying that by the time they returned home, the situation wouldn't be as dreadful as he thought.

When they reached the war room, they saw Valaron, John, Esteban, as well as other generals and military officers already sitting with a map of Terra already laid out on the table as well as a handful of reports and letters.

"So how's the situation, really?" Valasaire said, motioning to his spymaster Valaron for quick information

"I suddenly regret coming along on this campaign..." Valaron said in a melancholic tone before turning serious "I have also only just received full reports on our allies' situations as well. Judging by the reports, the Northern fleet should be able to ward off any probing vessels, but if the Latinites are committed to taking Aerthil especially with the help of the Parisians and Wesjermanians, there isn't much we can do. I trust in the skills of our Admiral Hans Siyesaya to make his own judgements when needed, but again the northern fleet wouldn't be able to withstand a committed assault for long."

"What of our allies? How is the Latin Empire maneuvering their forces while being suppressed by Auros and the Vasilians?"

"One of the reports here says that the Arastian King has managed to be convinced by Emperor Valerius to put pressure on Vasilia's southern borders. Emperor Valerius has sent one of his daughters to be married off to the Arastian Crown Prince, solidifying an alliance as well as a helpful dowry towards Arasteo. The Goramarians have also been reported to be aiding the Arastians and Latinites in surpressing the Vasilians."

"Damn it! Always working with the damned pagans to ruin everything..." Valasaire cursed

"I have also just gotten these reports straight from our networks in Auros, Germania, and Florentia."

"What do they say?"

"Florentia's strength is recovering but they are yet able to provide any major support towards offensive actions, though due to geography and their recent treaty with Lothiria, they aren't quite in the precarious situation and should be able to financially help by the next year. Germania, however, is in a state of alert as their treaties with Wesjermania and Parii are coming to an end by the end of this year. The Germanians are shielded to the north by the orcs but the Miyazu shogunate has been mobilizing troops towards the Black Mountains. Germania, Karlreich, as well as the Kaenian Elves have already dispatched limited aid troops to support the Orcish Confederation."

"And what of the situation in Auros?"

"The good news is the war with the Razyan is coming to an end as Zunor has capitulated and the Razyan King is negotiating peace with Auros. The not so very good news is the Aurosian colonies on Elvios are once again being threatened by Andariil-Dunhaire and the western border with the Latinites is once again becoming lively. After a truce has been brokered with Razatnar, Manuel will be deploying his troops to the Latin borders."

"Aerland is the least affected here, I guess." King John said as he rubbed his temples "Christopher..."

"Yes, father?" the prince asked

"You follow the Rumasilians along with your personal fleet to help aid your uncle against the Latinites. Valasaire, I hope that could help you at least a little. I need to keep a sizable fleet in the Provarian Oceans as well. If things are as bad as this, I'm damn sure those Taberonians are going to join in the fun."

"I will do as you say, father." Christopher answered

"Also, I might not be able to make it to the wedding of Princess Valerie and Prince Albert, but my son here will be my representative if that were to be the case, though I will do everything in my power to attend." John continued to which Christopher merely raised an eyebrow "Well, I've made a promise to the German King that you're going to marry his daughter. Might as well have you meet her and test the waters a little."

"Then that settles that." Valasaire said as he knocked on the table "At once, we shall begin preparations to return to our homeland!"

The next day, at midday, the Rumasilian and Aerlish navies along with their armies had quickly departed from Valencei while King Esteban and his royal court made preparations to move to the new capital of Siesia.

After bidding their farewells, the large fleet set sail.

***

It was already the beginning of Novemus when King Valasaire and his retinue had arrived at the city of Rumasil. It was quite quick, only taking a month as they had ridden the fastest vessel in the fleet while a good portion of the southern fleet immediately headed for the Northern Oceans through the Great Kaios Canal.

Because of favorable wind conditions and the speed of the vessel, King Valasaire had arrived a week ahead of schedule and because the message he had sent to his wife on his arrival only got to the palace a week prior and so no one in the capital had expected the King to have arrived. This greatly surprised the palace workers and servants as well as all the officials.

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The palace however was quieter than usual and when King Valasaire inquired one of the officials as to the situation and asked where his wife was, he was surprised to hear that the Queen was receiving official dignitaries from the Latin Empire, the Kingdom of Parii, as well as the Kingdom of Wesjermania. Hearing this, the King immediately bolted towards the great throne room leaving a good number of the retinue behind.

When he reached the grand doors of the throne room, he could already hear people talking. The guards at the doors who were surprised at the sudden return of their monarch immediately moved to open the doors and get the herald to announce the king's arrival, but all of a sudden, he stopped them and instead chose to quietly enter the throne room without having to notify anyone. Soon, Valaron followed behind Valasaire as he caught up with him. They had managed to get inside and while some officials and noblemen were surprised, Valasaire motioned for them to keep quiet.

"Why exactly are we sneaking around like this, abang? (older brother)" Valaron asked with slight curiosity

"I just want to see how these pricks are going to posture in front of my wife." Valasaire said as he saw his wife sitting so regally on her throne with his empty throne next to her with a calm expression on her face "My God, Is she beautiful. I'm so lucky I chose her as my queen."

Valaron only smiled awkwardly as he saw his older brother fawning over the queen as if they had just been married a few days ago.

Queen Alessa was currently facing three distinguished looking men in fancy clothing. The first of the men stepped forward. He was wearing the standard garments of the time, the usual apparel any self-respecting Terran noble would like the two other men besides him but distinguished by the fact that he was draped in an exquisite-looking scarlet robe with fancy trimmings at its edges. This was the evolved 'toga', a cloak-like cloth, commonly worn amongst the upper-class of Latin society.

"I give sincere greetings to Your Majesty, the most noble and lovely Queen-consort of Rumasil as Lady Regent of Rumasil." the middle-aged man with a large diagonal scar on his face said as he bowed and did his best to use the most respectful tone he could muster followed by the two men behind him who also bowed "I apologize for the rush I came here with which didn't even allow the herald to introduce me. I am-..."

"Caesar Marcus Felix Constantius" Alessa finished the man's introduction for himself "What honor do we have here for the brother of Emperor Valerius himself to come all the way to Rumasil."

"I'm surprised Your Majesty would know of me..." Lord Marcus said

"Well of course." Alessa said with a smile but her eyes grew cold when she spoke, "My father would always tell me the story of his victory at the Antonine hills where he slashed your face and sent the Latin army running back to Novum Aeus with their tails between their legs..."

When the queen said that, the expression on Lord Marcus's face grew dark and the other two dignitaries unsightly. Valasaire and Valaron stifled some of their laughter at the queen's remark. Leave it to an Aurosian to insult a Latinite at any chance they get. However, the Latin emissary merely kept his emotion in check and continued to speak.

"I thank your majesty for reminding me of such a tragic time when war embroiled our two nations." Lord Marcus said "Which brings us to what we want to discuss now."

"Which is?" Alessa asked

"We ask that Rumasil immediately remove their presence from continental Ayros and secede their colonies there to the Kingdom of Wesjermania. Besides that we beseech Rumasil to cease their trade with the Raemusian Elves and in return we in Wesjermania, Parii, as well as the Glorious Latin Empire will gladly engage in open trade with Rumasil and benefits shall be given to merchants of the Almarian Kingdom. We also would like for Rumasil to resign from the pact between the nations of Auros, Germania, Florentia, and Aerland."

Caesar Marcus continued to go on with further absurd demands on the Rumasilian kingdom and it showed on his face as he read the demands that he didn't expect for them to be met. The Aura of the room became thicker and darker as the many proud Rumasilian nobles were starting to seethe with anger. Some were even jeering and shouting. The look on Marcus's face showed that he was expecting as much. Only an inbred idiot would ever agree to such preposterous demands. Negotiations were never on the table to begin with.

"These demands are preposterous! No sane man would accept any of them!" A voice shouted from the crowd of nobles

"Latin Pigs! Dibuat Sibolis do ho sude!! ( The devil take you all!)"

"They make a mockery of our dignity! Throw them out!!"

Soon the room was no longer conducive as the Rumasilian nobles were getting more rowdy with their jeers and insults. The Haraldic Wesjermanian dignitary was starting to get nervous at the atmosphere but his Parisian colleague only looked at the sight in disdain.

"Mon Dieu!, As expected from a culture of savages!" the Parisian dignitary shouted back "You fools make a mockery of the gentry and the nobility! Uncivilised behaviour no better than from commoners!" The crowd hearing these insults looked like they were about to burst in anger, some even motioning towards their weapons.

As the crowd was getting more out of hand, Alessa finally raised her hand to silence the hall and seeing this the throne room nearly instantly quieted down.

With a stern and serious look on her face, the Queen asked "And what if we refuse your terms?"

"Then we are left with no choice but to settle our disputes by means of force." Marcus said in an equally solemn and serious tone

The throne room fell to whispers and murmurs at the turn of course the meeting was heading on. Most had assumed the signing of the Rumasil Pact would agitate Terra, but none were expecting a response this quick. Finally, looking at the situation beforehand, Valasaire walked out of the crowd and into the center of attention.

"Rumasil does not delight in the sufferings of war." Valasaire said calmly to the surprise of almost everyone in the room including Queen Alessa as well as the foreign dignitaries there. "But do not mistake that for weakness!"

The people gasped as they saw their King had returned from his campaign. Some of the foreign dignitaries did not realise who Valasaire was having never seen his portrait before.

"Who are you-..." Marcus muttered trying to piece together who this person was

"My dear wife, have these gentlemen here been bothering you?" Valasaire said audibly towards Queen Alessa as he walked towards his throne, passing by the foreign dignitaries as if they were little more than dust

"Dear Husband! You've returned!" Alessa said in a surprised manner as she got up from her seat, wanting to rush at her husband but she resisted the urge. Valasaire had walked up to his throne and held her hand before giving his wife a light kiss on the forehead and the two sat back together on their thrones.

"I've heard all that you people have to demand." King Valasaire said in such a serious tone "And all that you have said I consider an insult upon the honor and dignity of this most ancient palace and a spit upon the face of me and all my predecessors!"

Valasaire then slouched forwards and pointed towards Marcus "Tell your emperor this when I send you back to that rat-infested city you call home."

"Rumasil is a sovereign nation! Your emperor holds no authority over us here! Such presumption to threaten our kingdom with such an insult. If you think you can do anything about us militarily, you are very welcome to try. If you Latinites were even half a man, you would come here without posturing and declare war on us without any false pretenses! That goes the same for you two! Give the exact same message to the Wesjermanian King and the King of Parii! And you best remember this, gentlemen. Don't ever try to flaunt your superiority in these ancient halls ever again. No Latinite army has ever managed to come close to storming these walls and not even the first empire managed to subdue the Almarian people by force!" As Valasaire said this, the throne room erupted into loud roars of cheering.

"I hope your majesty doesn't come to regret your decision!" Marcus said as he and the other dignitaries were getting ready to leave the throne room

"I hope your emperor doesn't come to regret his." Valasaire smirked "War is coming. I hope your people are ready to bear its consequences."

Caesar Marcus merely slightly bowed with a scowl on his face before he turned and left. As the entourage were leaving, Valaron stood up and led the Rumasilian nobles in singing a mourning hymn to symbolise their mocking of the Latinite threat.

After the Latinite entourage left, Valasaire continued to deal with matters of the court before dismissing it early and calling for an urgent council meeting at the Grand Council Chambers at the far wing of the palace. Terra will be facing its greatest calamity yet.