I prepared myself for the upcoming speech, and Anna was there to ensure everything was perfect. She meticulously adjusted my attire, straightened my cloak, and brushed off any invisible specks of dust. Her precision and calm demeanor were a great comfort.
"Your Highness," Anna said, her voice steady and reassuring, "this speech will rally the soldiers and inspire the people. You must project confidence and strength."
I nodded, feeling the weight of her words. She handed me a parchment with the key points of my speech, although I knew most of it by heart.
"Remember, they look to you for leadership. Make them believe in our cause."
With one final adjustment to my attire, Anna stepped back and gave me an encouraging nod. "You are ready, Your Highness."
I took a deep breath and made my way outside. The air was charged with anticipation. Ministers, soldiers, and countless civilians had gathered to witness this moment. As I stepped into view, the crowd erupted into cheers, the soldiers standing in perfect formation.
The crowd and soldiers knelt down as Leona and I took our seats. The announcer instructed them to rise, and the ceremony proceeded flawlessly. Now, it was my turn to speak. I stood and used magic to amplify my voice. The crowd fell silent, all eyes on me. I turned back to see Leona smiling, her confidence in me unwavering.
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I greeted everyone and began with a few light-hearted jokes to ease the tension. The crowd laughed, the atmosphere lifting slightly. Then, I began my speech. I decided to change the speech and talk from the heart. This one they wrote me feels, I don't know. Soft? The one who wrote this doesn't know the realities of war.
"Behold, the time has come to unleash the fury of the apocalypse! let the skies grow dark, the earth shudder, and the rivers run red with the blood of the damned!
we shall slaughter our way through the land, leaving nothing but death and destruction in our wake! our swords shall rise and fall, rise and fall, like the deadly rhythm of an executioner's axe, chopping down the weak, the innocent, and the doomed!
Their screams shall be our music, their pleas for mercy mere whispers in the wind! we shall show no quarter, no mercy, no compassion! for we are the bringers of the apocalypse, the harbingers of doom!
their cities shall burn, their homes shall smolder, their people shall perish! we shall leave nothing but ashes and dust, nothing but the stench of death and decay!
And when the carnage is done, when the slaughter is complete, we shall stand victorious, our arms raised high, our hearts filled with the joy of destruction! for we are the kings of carnage, the lords of slaughter, the gods of war!
(end of the speech)
As I spoke, I could see the determination in the soldiers' eyes and fear in the civilians' faces. When I finished, a moment of silence hung in the air. The ministers' faces were horrified, perhaps taken aback by the intensity of my words. Leona, however, looked thoroughly satisfied.
For a heartbeat, I wondered if I had said something wrong. But then, a single cheer erupted from the crowd, quickly followed by another, and another. The entire assembly roared with approval. The soldiers' morale soared, their spirits visibly lifted.
The crowd's reaction was overwhelming. They surged forward, cheering and applauding. The soldiers stood taller, their resolve strengthened. The civilians threw flowers, celebrating us as if we had already won the war. The ministers remained stunned, unable to comprehend the wave of emotion I had stirred.
Leona's eyes sparkled with pride as she watched the scene unfold. The energy was electric, and I felt an unbreakable bond with my people. We marched out of the capital like a parade, the citizens cheering us on, their faith in us unwavering.
We had contacted Lyanna and learned that Orcathian soldiers were near their capital. This meant we could launch a surprise attack and invade their country. Thus began the invasion of Orcathia, with the strength of our unity and the fervor of our determination driving us forward.