Chapter 30: Negotiations

THE MONTH OF CERES DAY 15 YEAR 675 OF THE SECOND HOLY CALENDAR

The Antlatur retreat from the battlefield initially went relatively smoothly, although the center and left wing of the Black army pursued them fiercely. After creating some distance between the two armies, they managed to retreat in good order. Instead of returning to the camp, Andrew decided to retreat away from it, maneuvering between the river and the camp. He hoped that by doing this, the Black army would lose its discipline and start looting the camp instead of pursuing his forces. Furthermore, nothing of particular value was left in the camp, as most of the heavy baggage had already been abandoned. However, the Black army was too disciplined to loot without permission and continued their pursuit.

The pursuit was assisted by the Light Cavalry, which Valerius had previously sent to circle the battlefield and flank the enemy towards the battle's conclusion. Although the Light Cavalry arrived too late to engage in the actual battle, they launched an attack on the center of the Antlaturs as they retreated. The Light Cavalry avoided confronting the heavy infantry formation head-on while retreating. Instead, they threw javelins and shot arrows from horseback. Their harassment inflicted more damage than usual, as the heavy infantry were forced to abandon their spears, shields, and even helmets in a desperate attempt to flee more quickly.

Seeing the situation, Horace Blueline rallied a thousand soldiers to block the light cavalry attack. Although they had almost no equipment, and we're missing their helmets and Shields, they drew their swords and daggers in attack. Although initially shocked by this attack, they quickly counter-attacked, resulting in a fierce battle. It only ended when the Black Army caught up and surrounded and annihilated the 1,000 soldiers who would attack them like cavalry. Horace Blueline became a prisoner of the enemy, and all his soldiers either followed him in his captivity or became Corpses.

Rasmus also managed to rally his heavy cavalry and attack the Black army as they pursued the enemy; however, they were driven back after Samuel's arrival. The casualties convinced Valerius to end the pursuit before an enemy counter-attack arrived. The Black armies returned to their camp, picking up their wounded comrades and enemies as they were turned. The skeleton crew left to guard the Antlatur camp and had already retreated, going northward to avoid the battlefield and link up with Andrew's Army. This allowed the black forces to occupy the enemy camp without resistance.

The outcome of the battle was a complete Black victory. 20,000 Antlaturs were either killed or captured in this battle, which rested primarily on the encirclement of the right wing. Most of the right wing had to surrender or die. The casualties were staggering, counting the soldiers who died in the pursuit and the battle. Valerius also suffered the most casualties he had ever had in this entire War: 4,000 soldiers, primarily from the right wing, which would suffer severe casualties under the attack of the Antlatur left.

The end result of the battle was that less than 30,000 soldiers from the Kingdom of Black had defeated an army of over 39,000—a decisive and glorious victory.

After the Black forces returned, they had several immediate problems, including the prisoners of war. The previous prisoners had been forced into mining pits surrounding Grastide. Mining was a notoriously difficult and dangerous job. It was usually done by enslaved people as no freeman or citizen, no matter how poor or desperate, would ever mine due to the inherent dangers of the job. So, it was a job solely done by enslaved people, and usually, the slaves who attempted to rebel or were otherwise considered disobedient. By forcing the soldiers of Antlatur to work in the mines, Valerius sapped their energy, keeping them isolated and exhausted and prevented from causing any revolts.

But Valerius couldn't use that method immediately, as no mines were nearby. Instead, he ordered his soldiers to injure uninjured Antlatur soldiers intentionally. Aiding the strategy was the fact that his healing Mages didn't have enough Mana to heal the Antlatur. They were far too busy handling the Black soldiers and didn't have the resources or time to handle the Antlatur.

Valerius also ordered his soldiers to hold off on any celebrations, partly because he knew there were still 10,000 soldiers guarding the Black Valley fortresses who had not been defeated. He feared they would join the defeated army of the Golden Stallion and once again outnumber him, and he also feared the revolt of the existing soldiers. This dampened the soldiers' morale somewhat, but ultimately, it mattered little, as they were incredibly enthusiastic about their victory.

Valerius himself felt he'd faced grievous humiliation at the hands of the Golden Stallion. He had managed to survive and keep a good part of his army intact. So he reflected on his own mistakes and past actions, reflecting on all the things he could have done better in this war to hopefully have resulted in the Golden Stallion's death or imprisonment. Vowing to kill him the next time they faced battle, he went to visit Linea's corpse and ordered that she would be given all of the military honors that a general deserves.

While Valerius dealt with the problems of victory, and the Black soldiers complained about their stingy general not wanting to throw a party, Andrew and the Antlaturs faced a very different situation. The Antlatur retreated past Hayden's Ford to the headwaters of the Elise River, where he and his army made a successful crossing and continued retreating southward towards Eldon Gate. The battle ended at 2:00. It took another two hours for them to make it and then cross the Elise River. On their March back to Eldon Gate, the sun started to set, but Andrew couldn't make camp without any baggage.

Instead, the army was forced to stumble through the darkness until they reached Eldon Gate. The Lion of Unica, Anthony Salzburg, had been tasked with Eldon Gate, the most westerly Fortress in the Black Valley. Prince Jacob and Anthony Salzburg were most worried about an invasion by the Uscan Union. They were allies of the Kingdom of Black and long-term enemies of the Kingdom of Antlatur. The Kingdom of Monica and the Kingdom of Utica were formed out of territory that initially belonged to the Uscan Union. This was why the Lion of Unica was stationed there. He kept a watchful eye on his surroundings and noticed the retreating Army. After realizing they were allies, he set about preparing a camp and food for them. After arriving, the Antlatur army huddled under the walls of the fortress, fearing an attack from the Kingdom of Black capitalizing on their weakness, but it never materialized.

When the sun rose the next day, Andrew sent what Cavalry remained to gather the remnants of the defeated Army that had gotten lost or separated during the retreat. He also sent Scouts to view Valerius' actions. But to his surprise, the Black Army had retreated back towards Grastide. He didn't understand Valerius's actions as he expected the Victorious General would press the attack or, at the very least, remain in the area to keep his armies in check.

But from Valerius' perspective, the Black Valley had lost value, and the war was essentially won. The Black Valley fortresses could be returned in exchange for captive Antlatur soldiers, of which they had plenty. His goal was to prevent his army from being destroyed or becoming prisoners of the enemy while the subsequent politicians negotiated a peace settlement. Securing the prisoners was far more critical from a strategic perspective than destroying Andrew's army. Even if it wasn't the decision Valerius wished to make personally, he could have set aside his emotions for the country's good. He sent word back to the Grand Council, informing them of the total number of prisoners, recommending that they do just that, and requesting further instruction.

Andrew wasn't about to look the gift horse in the mouth. A day after arriving at Eldon Gate and gathering what defeated soldiers he could find, he tactfully decided to retreat to Higgsbury. His army left behind the Unica Army to guard the Black Valley fortresses in his absence.

*****

In the days of feudalism, a throne room was exactly what its name suggests: a room containing only one chair. The king's throne, by tradition, was the sole seat in the room, symbolizing the monarch's status as the absolute ruler of the country and everyone within it. The throne room served as a visible representation of the monarch's power, which they used to dominate both nobles and ordinary people.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

After the fall of the Landtar Empire, Absolutism was destroyed. While monarchies continued to exist, nobles gained more influence. Consequently, a country's council chamber typically included seats for council members. However, to signify their status, only the council members and the monarch were allowed to sit while the monarch retained their throne.

The Black Council chamber adhered closely to tradition. On both the left and right sides of the room, two lines of bleachers held the members of the Grand Council. At the back of the room, the throne and seating for the other members of the Royal Family commanded attention.

However, the chamber deviated from tradition in its decoration. While most countries opted for marble as the primary material, embellishing their Council chambers with precious metals, gemstones, and artwork, the Black Council chamber was constructed from simple black stone. Almost everything in the room, from the monarch's throne to the doors, was made of this black stone. There were a few touches of wood, but even those were in a dark hue rather than a brighter color.

Sunlight was the only light source in the room and the sole form of color. A skylight made of stained glass, showcasing the bloody crown of the Kingdom of Black.

The members of the Black Council were dressed to reflect the somber atmosphere of their council chamber. They wore military uniforms made of black fabric, and even those not in uniform opted for similar attire. Both men and women donned plain, simple outfits. The women who chose dresses favored dark colors that revealed little skin; one woman even wore a nun's habit. The only splash of color in the room came from the red cloaks worn by nearly everyone. In the Kingdom of Black, wearing a red cloak signifies that a person is either an officer or a knight or has previously held such a position. Nobles without a red cloak are viewed with disdain as cowards in this kingdom. Since the council is elected, nearly all of its members have military experience, with only a few exceptions.

Celia Antlatur bowed to the Queen of Black before respectfully nodding at the members of the Black Grand Council. After finishing her courtesies, she stared directly at the Queen of Black. Veronica, Black, had aged slightly since the last time they met, but overall, the impression she gave off was the same. Veronica's expression came off as the usual cold in a different one, but there was a slight change this time. It's like condescension that oozed from every part of her being like she was looking at a mere worm.

“Esteemed Nobles of the Lepetra,” she began. She couldn't call them Nobles of the Kingdom of Black as the Antlaturs didn't officially recognize them as an independent country. “Our military forces have had a misunderstanding with one another in recent times, resulting in casualties on both sides; we request the secession of hostilities and a mutual return of prisoners and territories.”

The crowd had remained silent up to this point; however, once she finished, they all rose to their feet in unison and started shouting and jeering at her. She wasn't an ignorant princess, so she knew why they were upset. Still, it was the only way she could put it diplomatically since the kingdom of Antlatur didn't acknowledge them as an independent country. They couldn't acknowledge any peace agreement between the two countries since, according to them, there was only one country. They'd use this as an excuse to break multiple contracts in the past.

One Black Noble shouted, “No Deal, we beat your army, and we will march into your territory and defeat you again.” A group of nobles shouted their agreement with the earlier statement. While Other Nobles looked more hesitant, they had no intention of making a deal, which made sense. Two truces had been broken unilaterally by the Kingdom of Antlatur without cause. Her eyes moved away from the Angry Black Nobles and towards Veronica. Although the Kingdom of Black was undoubtedly in an advantageous position, they lacked the strength to pose a threat to the Kingdom of Antlatur indeed. Maybe if other forces took advantage of the situation to attack Antlatur? But It seemed unlikely.

The three most powerful neighbors of Antlatur were the Kingdom of Jax, the Kingdom of Triton, and the Uscan Union. All three of these countries were busy fighting their wars. It would have been a perfect opportunity to invade Triton's kingdom if they hadn't suffered a crushing defeat. Triton had moved most of their military force to fight their traditional enemies of Hallstatt. This initially panicked the Antlaturs as they suspected that the Kingdom of Triton was mobilizing their forces to attack them. They'd even gone so far as to send additional reinforcements to the Kingdom of Esterberg and order the Kingdom of Hayton to increase their vigilance and prepare their forces.

Alone, the Kingdom of Black lacked the forces to actually pose a serious threat to them, especially out of the mountains. They could still quickly mobilize an army of another hundred thousand. Well, the Kingdom of Black could, at most, mobilize an army of roughly 50,000, which was an exaggerated estimate.

“You Antlaturs are quite brazen,” Veronica said contemptuously. “When you want war, you make war without even bothering to send us an envoy, and when you want peace, you claim that it was a mere misunderstanding between us that caused the deaths of thousands. On your way here, you must have passed the devastation brought on our homeland by your brother. You call that a misunderstanding.”

At her words, the Nobles of Black shouted their approval, stamping their feet and calling, “Liberty, Justice, Revenge, Blood for Blood.” This was the cry first heard during the Black Rebellion, a call to end the Antlatur occupation. The shouts echoed throughout the hall. Celia could feel the bloodlust and anger in the shouting. But she was the seasoned diplomat who had negotiated peace treaties before. She wouldn't be shaken by something so small.

“If you have any requests for compensation due to this misunderstanding, please speak to them, " she said composedly.

“Other than the return of prisoners and territory, I have only one central demand, and that is that you acknowledge the independence of the Kingdom of Black before the Temple of Sia,” Veronica said passionately.

The crowd erupted into Victorious cries at that demand, and Celia sighed internally. Her mother had already warned her that Veronica would demand this and had informed her that denying her was impossible. Before, they could deny the independence of the Kingdom of Black because of their relative weakness. But now the world had moved on, and Antlatur needed to focus on other things. Maintaining their independence and territorial sovereignty in the immediate future would be difficult, much less conquering a nation that eluded conquest for five decades.

Celia made the decision that more or less guaranteed that the Kingdom of Blacks would have its recognition: “Can we move this venue to a private audience between me and your chosen negotiator?” Foreign affairs were given to the council in both the Kingdom of Black and the Kingdom of Antlatur. However, negotiations were primarily handled between individuals, and the council only ratified already negotiated treaties. By making that request here, she guaranteed the final draft would include recognition for Independence.

Negotiating with the Black Minister of Foreign Affairs, the elderly slain, whom she was somewhat familiar with due to past negotiations. After furious negotiations that lasted more than two days and were held up by a couple of delays caused by Veronica, the two would finally finish the agreement, which went as follows.

1. Soldiers would be exchanged at a one-for-one ratio.

2. Military Officers and knights would be exchanged at a one-for-one ratio according to rank.

3. When exchanging prisoners is impossible, soldiers would be ransomed for 10 Triton gold coins each, and officers would be ransomed for 30 Triton gold coins, with the value increasing by 30 Triton gold coins per the officer's rank increase.

4. 10,000 Triton gold coins would be compensated to the kingdom of black. For damages suffered in the war.

5. All monetary compensation had to be paid in Triton gold coins or the equivalent value of silver or the equivalent value of the weight of precious metals.

6. 10,000 soldiers, Rickard Cabela Morella Estaberg, Would be returned free of Ransom in exchange for all occupied territories.

7. The Kingdom of Antlatur would acknowledge the independence of the Kingdom of Black, recognizing them as a free and Sovereign Nation.

8. The two kingdoms would establish a truce lasting no less than 10 years of peace. The peace agreement could be extended after the treaty's expiration if both kingdoms agree.

Veronica was initially hesitant about the sixth point. Still, after hearing about the Kingdom of Graytower's capital falling into the hands of the Kingdom of Jax, she changed her mind suddenly and agreed to it. The Black Council also ratified the treaty and saw no particular sticking point. The radical militant faction, however, was reluctant, desiring for them to press the advantage in attack, but they were ultimately shot down. In a vote that was 144 in favor and 6 opposed, the black Council ratified the agreement.

The Kingdom of Antlaturs council was far more difficult to convince. They were particularly hesitant about both the 10-year truce and about acknowledging the Kingdom of Black as an independent country. Years of grudges had built up between the two nations, blood debts families felt they needed to pay, and on top of that, the Kingdom of Antlatur was surrendering to a newly founded kingdom that was weaker than them. But they had no choice; the Queen Mother strongly backed the decision. Though the royal family had lost a lot of influence after their defeat, she was still forced through the agreement. Although the council slightly changed the compensation agreement from 10,000 to 7,500, this was primarily made out of pettiness and not of any real attempt to end the negotiations. So their Council ratified it in a vote that was 743 in favor and 257 opposed.

The agreement was ratified on Ceres Day, 15 Year 675 Of the Second Holy Calendar. Both nations swore in the agreement to Sia. Sia was a god powerful enough and willing to ensure that both parties kept their agreement, and if they didn't, they would suffer the wrath of the most powerful deity. Not to mention the condemnation of the Temple of Sia and other foreign Nations.

This ended the fourth Antlatur-Black War, or as it would later become known, the Golden Stallions invasion. The war was disastrous for all parties involved, even the Kingdom of Black, who officially won the war. The Kingdom of Redtower had much of its territory devastated by Valerius Black, and a significant portion of its army had been destroyed. Meanwhile, the Antlaturs faced thousands of deaths. Over 3/4 of their original army that marched into the Kingdom of Black died or became prisoners of the enemy. Although they suffered no real territorial damage, the loss of prestige and troops was devastating to their country. The Kingdom of Black also lost several thousand soldiers during the war, but the primary devastation to their country was the Black Valley and the Black Knife Valley. It would be years before their agriculture fully recovered, and their National treasury, already not abundant in gold, was almost emptied after paying compensation to the families of the fallen, even after counting the compensation given to them by the Kingdom of Antlatur and later agreements between the Kingdom of Redtowers.