A 'Royal' Building

ANS, capital. In a large room with dim lights. A large screen hung behind a white, middle-aged man. It showed a moving image, and from it, the map of Lýmoca.

The man had short black hair and a regular height. He explained with a strict attitude to the selected members of the congress. This man was not just anyone, but the senate president, Heyn Poetswalt, who was a little more liked for his decent handsomeness. Yet, he hasn't been the senate president for decades just because of that, or because he had a good enough skill.

“…And here, now, we’ve gotten to this point. Remember all the times I told you that they got way too good information, because I doubt even our intelligence could have gotten it in 3 years, let alone in… what, 3-4 weeks?” Heyn pressed his hands in the air forwards, putting emphasis on the screen again.

“Take a look at this, what do you see?” Heyn spoke before stepping aside, looking at the screen himself. The screen showed Lýmoca, once Proteros was all-out facing the OCs, that from every border it had, be it the sea, ANS, or Endesa, their units placed moved inwards.

Meanwhile, the units positioned inside, harvesting disorder everywhere in the bandits’ camps and clandestine labs were struck, maiming strong defensive points and decimating a quick regrouping. As this happened, the OCs had no chance to do a single thing, forced to back down with the Ly forces advancing from their borders inwards, not slowing nor stopping once.

Then, the OCs were distinguished with several arrows moving towards Jaewim state, with Guerramar Cartel’s trajectory showing they forced a long and quick turn below the ‘cleavage’ separating ANS and Lýmoca.

“It’s like they are invading themselves!” A voice sounded. Some heads turned to the source, including Heyn’s. Laen Worfield felt weird as he felt their gazes. He gulped and accommodated in his seat. The senate president lifted his left eyebrow and stared in silence before asking.

“Laen, something you’d like to add?” The senate president had spoken, so Laen had to say something. He leaned forward with his blondie comrade looking at him beside him, uninterested. “Yes, sir. I… see that the method seems like the Ly forces just invaded their own land. But according to the info, the real one, not their media— they destroyed only some free space.”

“Go on,” the president pressed on. Laen nodded, sitting straight. “They obviously have at least 250,000 soldier, and with their rather recent national guard… about 400 to 500 thousand elements. They could have done more, but although we don’t know it, maybe they left some behind to secure the ‘freed’ areas. That’s… how their military calls it.”

“Nothing but different words for the same means,” Heyn said while walking around, showing the supplying routes the Ly forces used, including the warplanes’ scouting. Laen Worfield was still caught in those words, when the senate president continued, “I was briefed by actual military experts. They don’t even know how to hide their trails.”

“This is SO, and Lýmoca hasn’t fought in over 600 years.” Heyn said with some schadenfreude, but he was still surprised when more than half the ‘class’ room laughed. He lifted his eyebrows and spoke upright, “That’s an honor. The ‘greatest’ second one in the world has lasted less than 300 years. Guess since when there is peace?”

“… … … … …” The entire room fell silent. Who didn’t know that? Apparently, them, because the senate president had to remind them. Heyn walked around everyone, putting the screen with dimmer bright.

“Lýmoca has every military force under the standards that other countries weaker than ANS have, but why would ANS have stopped more than half a millennium ago if it that was the case? They may be obsolete in war, not knowing this SO requires super-protective anti-foreign satellites, and have a young person in their administration. But they are still that Lýmoca that stopped the unstoppable. Our Aggregated Nation States.”

“Now-” Beep beep, beep beep, beep beep.

The large room became noisy with the same ringtone. Everyone took their phones out and looked at the emergency notification. Laen Worfield did just the same. His eyes widened looking at the contents, when Heyn’s voice sounded, “What are you waiting for? Sigh, what is this?”

Everyone stood up, picking their bags and minds up, giving Lýmoca’s map another glance before retreating. Laen was about to leave, when he caught Heyn giving him a glance. He turned to the blondie, who was hurrying away wearing a red skirt and long black tights, “Asla, wait!”

“Just you, Laen.” Heyn softly called out. Laen was taken aback, but he noticed Asla didn’t stop or wait for him. Frowning, he turned to Heyn. “Sir?”

Placing his hand on Laen’s shoulder, Heyn spoke with his head low. “You know I’ve been in this position for long…”

‘Oh heaven… is it happening?’ Laen wasn’t too young anymore. Even though he was still amongst the youngest’s oldest in his generation, he couldn’t afford to wait any longer. Besides, he had always been a rising star, even if nothing exotic or bright as the likes of Jennifer Paws, Clara Metelti, and much less Lemyonova Morozov.

“I want you to know, Laen, should you fix yourself in wanting things starting from now on, because you will need support.” Said Heyn. Laen blinked a couple times, feeling disappointed. Heyn patted his shoulder a few times, “You will need a lot of it. For the next, upcoming year, you must at least become the spokespeople.”

“You’ve been too idle, youngster.” Heyn saw Laen’s eyes widen. He smirked, “What? You think you can become the senate president tomorrow morning? Not even the next term, brat, that’s mine. If you really want to, then do better. This isn’t a nice path to the top.”

“Sir, I…” Laen ran out of words before he even began shooting them. Heyn shook his head, as strict as always. “You have a good record, even if you still think showing your thoughts out there matters. Honor or not, keep that to yourself. You help no one showing you think differently.”

“I understand!” Laen’s eyes flashed with understanding, “I won’t fail you, sir. I will learn. I won’t let you down.”

“You better, or the next big thing will be that Garalf Stient.” Heyn shook his head and ‘warned’. But Laen’s eyes said everything, widening and shrinking a bit. With an obnoxious tone, he swayed his head. “No, no, no, sir! How can you say those things? It’s not right. I- I won’t let that happen!”

“And prepare dirty games, you won’t get to any peak or top without them. Let go of those puritanic tendencies!” Heyn pushed the young man, making him trip forth. “And get ready to receive the Lýmocan entourage, their CSS is coming with that president. Aish~.”

Laen looked at Heyn while walking away, feeling apprehensive. He went after Asla, not wasting any more time. It was one thing to speak badly of important people, but to have a powerful individual right before you, whom bad things are only said within circles and groups… There was tension in the air, even before they came down from the sky.

… 15 minutes later. After flying over the rural zone onwards to ANS capital, the Lýmoca chopper finally flew over the capital. Even if Fox wanted to, they wouldn’t be allowed to continue with their high velocity above the citizens.

Chuf, chuf, chuf- chuff chuff~~!

The helicopter still flew at a high speed, surprising the citizens who only knew a thing or two of Lýmoca’s situation, and/or knew there would be such a meeting between their countries.

Fox watched as the helicopter ceased flying onwards, slowing down as it continued raging forth by inertia until it came to a semi halt near a distinguished precinct: the Lýmocan embassy.

Fox opened a door. The large helicopter had a small aperture as the news reporters everywhere caught sight of him. Fox ignored them, though. He looked below, where the ambassador waited for them to come down, frowning and old.

The helicopter landed safe and slow. Fox stepped out before it fully landed, followed by Nala. The President’s bodyguard escort behind him as he stepped down after Nala. Fox walked to the ambassador, and then past him before entering the embassy. He walked everywhere and immediately felt like in home… or at least a similar sensation. Nala did seem to like it a lot.

There were banners with the Silverplated Eagle here and there, all small, except the one in the landing zone, and another in the patio. The largest was atop the embassy.

Fox walked into the main hall when Luis was just stepping into it. He walked to him with Nala beside him, walking a step behind Fox. Fox notified, “President, the place is empty and ready to be used as a hotel. Shall we go to the big capitol?”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Alright,” Luis looked around, maybe wishing he could stay here the first few hours, but it was already night. He took a short, sharp breath into his cheeks before blinking. “There is a small convoy waiting for us outside. Everything’s ready, so let’s just follow their instructions.”

“Mn.” Fox could see the nervousness and uncertainty in Luis’s state. He didn’t push and accepted, bringing Nala outside as the news reporters moved fast, catching the lovebirds walking to the gate. Then, the cameras moved to Luis, one of the most handsome presidents in the Sanctum Order’s history.

Fox went directly to a car and opened the door while Luis walked to it, with the Bloods already hidden within the special forces bodyguards. Fox and Nala went to the front after Luis was secured inside the limousine. The driver was an ANS intelligence officer who sweated the entire way as he drove to the capitol.

… Arriving at the sets of long, small, seemingly endless staircase before every relaxing, flat surface, Fox stepped out and waited for Luis and his entourage. Then, they went inside. Nala stood beside and a step behind him, looking every bit like his bodyguard still.

They went through the doors, welcomed by a group of uniformed people, who checked everyone. Nala threw her natural eyes to a male who wanted to check her, making him sweat and tumble backwards until a woman stepped up. Then, they proceeded after Luis was cleared.

Fox walked first into a meeting room, as large as the presidential precinct’s reception area. There were golden, honey walls and chandeliers everywhere, with squeaky clean floors and tables so clean they might have even lost volume with the intense wiping.

“Welcome,” a voice sounded after Luis entered the room. Turning his attention to him. Fox looked around and noticed 2 sets of tables and chairs separated by at least 20 meters.

The voice came from a white old man with only white hair around the sides and back of his head. He had brown eyes, and a stern gaze, but the attitude he showed when heads turned to him was of being at ease. This was none other but the ANS current president.

Luis looked at the president for a few seconds before smiling, walking to the table. “President Gant Comfor, what a first meeting after I wasn’t allowed to go out of home. It’s good to see not many things have changed between both our nations.”

Gant nodded with his eyes closed, hands intertwined on the table. He waited until Luis sat before him on the other side of the table after being startled by the bodyguards, who almost stopped Luis. “What do you think you’re doing? You wanted to touch a president? Get out of here!”

The bodyguards seemed awkward before they stepped to the other end of the room. Luis was surprised when he saw this. Looking back at Gant’s face, he saw the old man discontent. Luis politely smiled at him before glaring at the special forces. They stepped aside, including the SAs.

Then, Luis continued politely smiling at Gant, who suddenly shifted his tone after nodding at Luis’s gesture. “Don’t think this is time to play, president Luis.”

“…” Luis was taken aback, still calm. Gant continued, “The matter between our borders took lives away, my ANS’s lives away. We… will face this truthfully. No little tricks or ‘old friends’ catching up. This is the real world of politics, and lives were taken, kid.”

“Mr. President, I wasn’t expecting a circus when I came here.” Luis’s words made Gant stop and look up at the still a young man before him. “If you expected for me to conduct one, I’ll do the same… Let’s respect each other, as it is well needed and practiced. Especially between our ‘sister’ countries. No need to dishonor that.”

“Heh,” Gant humorously scoffed before reading his opened folder’s documents. Luis did the same, taking some from his empowered suit.

… An hour later, the two presidents were still conversing. Not even debating or raising their voice like at the beginning. They read, then lifted their heads to constantly look down and up to exchange a multitude of words. Then, they simply talked to each other like old pals discussing the game last night, barely parting their eyes from each other’s figure. It seemed tense at times.

Fox looked at them from afar, sitting at the other set of tables and chairs with a lazy position and his left leg above the table. A person walked to him, giving the presidents a stare before looking down at him, just a couple of steps from his chair.

“They are going to keep at it for another 4 hours, more or less. I thought Heartez would have become tired by now. How bad is your Ly media lying and shit?” The woman’s words made Fox look up at her with a bothered but calm face. The blondie kept looking at him without trembling, but she also avoided looking at his eyes directly, which he obviously noticed.

Extending her hand, she took another step to him, letting her breath out. “Asla Veyson. Senator. Nice meeting the ‘legendary’ Fox, now Chief Secretary of Security. It’s a long journey you’ve had.”

Fox looked at the side, making Asla follow his gaze to see Nala turn her head to Laen Worfield, who just approached the former.

“Hello, my name is Laen. I am a senator. You must be the CCS’s girlfriend, isn’t it? Good seeing you here, a pleasure, really.” Laen extended his hand after speaking low to Nala.

“…” Nala turned her head to Laen, not even seeing his extended hand. Laen looked up, his head still low. Immediately, he stepped backwards, falling on a chair that nearly tumbled with his butt against the backrest corner. Nala kicked the middle of the seat’s front edge, keeping the chair steady, but also breaking some bits apart.

Laen sweated, looking up only to see Nala’s impassive, cold and indifferent eyes and serenity. But then, Nala kicked the front left leg of the chair before stomping on its front, sending the chair sliding through a couple of meters before crashing against the table.

Asla Veyson looked with widened eyes before returning to Fox. Fox gave Nala another look before she crossed her arms and slowly walked to him. He looked at Asla again, who was wide-eyed, and whose body trembled and recoiled a little when she saw his eyes directly.

Fox stood up, lazily shaking her hand with his gloved hand before letting go and saying, “I am not legendary. I’m sure I would have to gain a death sentence for that. Like medals— like in your country. As for the President. Well, he is one, and for 12 years, unlike yours, no?”

“I suppose,” Asla trembled a little. Fox cocked his head to the side and added, “Veyson? Quite the fitting name for a worker of just another of the hundreds of senators in the upper chamber. Indeed, a country built upon the lives of others, and their history, now upon each other, too.”

Fox looked up around a little, “Huh. Isn’t this place where you cut off the second and last other leaftree in the world?”

“Mister Fox-” Asla slowly recomposed her bearings. She spoke, but Fox interrupted, his left palm moving no’s at waist level. “I don’t expect to try or be attempted to anything. This place is too shiny and makes any shoe squeak when walking. I will be taking my leave and return after… those 3 or 4 hours. And… you don’t want to know what she would do to girls. That Laen guy had it so easy… I think she was leaving him to me.”

“…gulp.” Asla looked at Fox a few notches more seriously before turning her head, giving him a little nod before walking past him. Nala was just 2 meters behind her, her eyes almost materializing daggers stabbing in her back.

Nala walked to Fox’s side, brushing his shoulder and chest a little before asking in a low volume. “How did I do? Are you proud of me?”

“Hmph~,” Fox humorously blew air from his nostrils and half-rolled his eyes. Nala smirked and released her arms. “Are we moving out? Their talks are boring.”

“Yes. You did well,” Fox commenced. “You didn’t harm anyone… physically, or visibly mentally. And yes, let’s go look around. The air is uglier, but I saw some trees around.”

Nala smirked. Fox grabbed her arm, letting her hook around his elbow before walking away. The other special forces and SAs unworriedly looked at this. Gant and Luis gave them a look as they exited the meeting room.

“Those are so fiery,” Gant commented. Luis returned his attention to the old man, smiling without worries and reading his documents. “If they aren’t, they’d be boring.”

“And they call us boring, hah hah!” Gant cracked up a little, sounding rough and deep because of his age. Luis shook his head, changing to yet another paper sheet after just finishing clearing up the issues of a few. “It’s what we gotta have, I suppose.”

“Still, Heartez. If one cannot make use of the rabid dog, then it’s the most natural thing to get away from it, or take it down. If it’s allowed to stay near, it’ll incense a bad bark, then a killing bite.” Gant commented. Just this little comment took away all of Luis’s attention from the table.

He looked up, visibly irked. If Fox was present, he would be able to see Luis emanated ‘you can’t say that in front of me’ signs for him. Indeed, for him. Luis stated, almost in a wide smile as he spoke. “Comfor. Dogs are dogs, and so are people just people. But you are right about something. When something isn’t viable, it shouldn’t be used.”

“If you look here,” Luis pointed at several pieces of his next document. “The board soldiers in your border are a force to reckon, or so do some deputies in your congress say. However, the training they receive is about 2 to 4 months, 6 months if counting when they are promoted high enough to require more.”

“Then, their equipment is a bit too high for them, just not top-notch, which at least makes some sense. Moreover, looking at the obvious signs of your ANS border soldiers entering Lýmoca territory to banter isn’t new, and this time, it was done under the influence, as at least 1 corpse showed in the autopsy… These are hard to get lately.”

“Look at this, these are the obvious results from DLM being used properly, while the border soldiers your congress considers so highly has little more than ‘adequate’ training… But under what circumstances? There’s no war period, not before and not now, nor in the future.” Luis’s face became serious, sharp, and proactive.

“…” Gant had a slightly annoyed expression. He became a bit bothered, too. He looked at Luis with upturned eyes, not really going for a rebuttal, or anything. All of those things… were true. Has he been slacking off? Was he that old?

“Ah, I just remembered a nice… ‘concept’.” Luis relaxed his shoulders and looked up, reminiscing of something. Gant lifted his right eyebrow. Luis looked back down at the former and said with a slightly blatant smile from ear to ear. “Beware of the dog that’s rabid, or any animal. But the more astute an animal is, the more it makes you think maybe they can resist… part of it, and keep the ferociousness of its disease. Imagine a mad fox.”

“…” Gant was left speechless. He cleared his throat after a few seconds and continued reading. Their political duel behind closed doors continued…

… Fox and Nala walked through the wide, long hallways of the capitol. There was still some gold and honeyed, glossing walls, floor, and ceiling, but it was to a much… less overly showy fashion.

Just as they were walking to a balcony, Fox stopped in front of a guard who looked perfectly the same as any other. Fox looked at a young man in his 35s with his side eyes first before slowly turning. Nala stepped back twice, letting him have more fun. He was the Raging Blood and could do whatever he wanted. Although she just invented that up in her little head.

…