Payments Due

[Taiylor Wallace]

He laughed heartily, "I'll have to agree with you there. Which is why I brought my other family with me. My brother warriors are camped outside the city, about twenty of them." He stood up straight and turned as a messenger entered, dressed in foreign armor and escorted by her own guardsmen.
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"Your Majesty," he bowed, "I bring word from my general, Sir Anton Iresea. He recieved information from Pascal Irving that you wished to speak with him. He is on his way here with a small force, under a temporary white flag of truce. In his own words, he says that he'll offer at least a small amount of clemency to his birth home."

[Rose Swan]

Amelia shrugged at the messenger's news. "It's better than nothing. Thank you. Tell him I'll meet with him here in my castle when he arrives. You are free to go." she told him. At least Iresea had a remote amount of heart. She turned to Hesca again, her smile returning. "They're welcome in the city as well. We appreciate any help we can get, and hopefully if all goes well with my other half brother, maybe we can get another strong ally as well."

[Taiylor Wallace]

"I'm not sure. I've heard of Anton Iresea... He's a wandering knight turned mercenary. He's gathered quite the following, all sellswords and rogue knights. Even some Erygonians and Lunars, I've heard." Hesca crossed his arms with a sigh. "So according to the person who sent me the letter, there's something I need to read from Griffinos."
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"That would be this note," Rogal suddenly appeared before them from his flurry of shadows. Hesca was undaunted, he didn't seem bothered by witches.
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"... Rogal?" Hesca asked curiously.
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"The same," Rogal smiled.
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"Glad to see you again, friend," Hesca shook his hand and took the note from Rogal. It was the explanation of the siblings, and Hesca seemed a bit bewildered by his own story. "So that's why she sent me away... Huh... I thought Griffinos didn't want me around, so he made her send me back to my grandparents."

[Rose Swan]

"Yeah, I don't understand Lunar and we weren't sure if you spoke English, so it was this old man who wrote it. I'm making him teach me Lunar when we get a chance." She nudged Rogal playfully with a smirk before continuing. "Anyway, my father was much kinder than that. He loved his children. All of them, even you. I'm sorry you spent your life thinking that." she said to Hesca sadly.

[Taiylor Wallace]

"It's alright, I never held it against him. It'd be odd for two humans to have a wereleopard for a son, don't you think? Especially back then." Hesca shrugged. "Anyhow, I need to meet with my men, let them know to be ready for Iresea's arrival, just in case." Hesca kissed her cheek and turned with a smile, heading out.

[Rose Swan]

Amelia watched him go with a smile before turning to Rogal. "Well that went well. And Iresea is coming under a white flag of truce. At least he'll listen to us. That's better than nothing."

[Taiylor Wallace]

"I don't know about listening, but he'll hear it. Maybe if he sees this note, he'll at least abandon attacking Hannibal... I don't know about switching sides." Rogal looked down at the note before tucking it away.

[Rose Swan]

"Honestly, I'm not going to control him or force him to switch sides. He can make his own choices. I won't agree with them or anything like that, but I would like to be on amicable terms with him and I'd also like to keep my country in one piece. Not sure why. Just a thing." Amelia was joking by that point, obviously, but she was still anxious about Iresea's visit. The outcome was too unknown to feel comfortable about it.

[Taiylor Wallace]

"Hopefully he's a courteous man, then." Rogal wrapped an arm about her shoulders with a sigh. "I can't wait for this whole thing to be over, then I'll treat you to the honeymoon you deserve, a long vacation where you won't have to worry about a thing."
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"I could use one of those," a familiar voice reached them, and Amelia saw Rogal pale. It was Damiana, in her full armor with her helmet under her arm.
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"Ana?" Rogal asked in disbelief.
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"It's Damiana, thank you. I heard your new wife would use some help, so here I am." Damiana stepped up to them, her own squire at her side, who took her helmet for her. "My men remain on the Arctic borders, I alone came."
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"Sweetheart, you have no idea what that means to-"
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"I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for her and for Uncle Aegis and grandpa. She and they all love Hannibal, and she's family too now. Let me set a few ground rules: I will take orders, but it doesn't mean I like you or trust you. I don't expect pay or recognition, but I do want to choose my own men. Lastly, I want as little to do with you as possible."
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Rogal stared at her, heartbroken through all of this, and he looked away when she met his gaze with her final words. "Fine... Choose your battalion tomorrow. I'll make you a Major as you're meant to be. You can stay anywhere you like in the castle."
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"I'll stay in the barracks," Damiana then turned to bow to Amelia before heading out. Rogal turned and stepped away in silence, running his fingers back through his hair as if that would help at all.

[Rose Swan]

Amelia immediately whirled around and followed him after Damiana left. "I have a bone to pick with you. You lied to me about her. I had to hear it from Aegis that she was even alive. I hate liars, Rogal, so if you have a reasonable explanation as to why you decided to lie to your own wife about your other daughter, who, by the way, is a strong ally to have because since we're all seeing family again and family is by far the strongest ally anyone can have, I want to hear it. Now." No was clearly not an answer she was willing to hear right now, and obviously she'd be furious if her curiosity wasn't satisfied.