Usually, with spring came new life, flowers would begin to bloom, the great bears of the north would emerge from hibernation, streams would come to life again after long months of slumber but with this spring came death. As the people of Edoniras counted their dead, the revolution of Dont reached scales of terror with non Aznavori families and soldiers being dragged from their homes and murdered by people who used to be their neighbours. To the south two warlords waged war over the southern peninsula. Rumours of a rogue Bennipolitan warlord leading the antiquidated forces of the Kingdom of Teheridon over the border into his homeland abounded. The reality of these rumours was only clear when King Phillip Duloire received an appeal for help from his ally.
Having just seen off Duke Nollin of Norfolkke and his wife off to their ship after a successful diplomatic visit, Philip had returned to his royal business. He was overseeing the final steps of the overthrow of the Nacer Regime, so far everything had gone according to plan; townships and communes were falling to the Aznavor-backed revolutionaries with each passing day and advisors had been sent to assist Robert Freedman in building a sustainable economy after the economic mess had struck the continent. The last step that remained was the seizure of the presidential palace of Nacer where all the corrupt heart of the regime had regrouped. No doubt his friend Robert had already sent men to collect cannons from the Dontian navy in order to break down the walls. Such weapons would eventually tear down the walls that needed to be overcome but King Philip hoped that things could be done more delicately. During autumn and the winter months an Aznavori spy network had set itself up within Dont and a few agents had remained trapped within the capital when Otto von Klieb ordered the city sealed. They would undoubtedly be eager to see an end to the struggle and avoid being part of the bloodbath that would inevitably ensue if the mob took the capital by storm. These half dozen agents could undoubtedly act as a fifth column but only if communication between them and the besieging forces could be established. Getting in touch with the mob outside was relatively easy as all available men were needed and given weapons to man the walls with. A first message was quite easily fired via crossbow bolt down into the camp of the mob. It informed the revolutionaries of their existence, their plan to open the city gates at night three days hence when they would be given sentry duties. No response could be expected from the revolutionaries as the city walls were high and the weight of a similar messaged fastened to a crossbow bolt could never reach them. The spies could only hope that someone in the besieging forces would get the letter and could convince the leaders of the forces besieging the capital to act on it.
It was after King Philip had ordered the dispatch of advisors to assist the formation of the new Dontian government that a messenger rushed in bearing news from the south.
‘‘The ravens are sent. Bennipolis calls for aid!’’
The room was quiet for a second as each council member weighed the consequences of non-intervention and intervention. Peace and acceptance of Teheridon’s offer would mean discrediting Aznavor’s credibility, and allowing a powerful friend to collapse whereas war would mean more death, expenses and a weakness that enemies of Aznavor could attempt to exploit. It was a hard decision.
‘’And Aznavor shall answer!’’
boomed the King. Aznavor had few enemies besides the doomed members of the Nacer government and had only friends at its borders. Besides a friend who Aznavor helped today was a friend Aznavor could count on in the future.
‘’Ross of Shipskeep: ready the fleet. You have three weeks on the fourth it leaves harbour. ’’
‘What of the army sire?’
‘’ It will remain here, at least for now’’
‘’Martin of Misthall and Matthieu Delunion: I want you to get in touch with our southern friends and coordinate a strategy with them. See what they want of Aznavor’’
‘’Barlow: take steps to finance our operations as we get more news. Find new sources of wealth, perhaps we could find some resources I nthe new world than would help generate profits’’.
As the men set off to their duties the King discreetly whispered to his son and heir, Alexander:
‘’Use the lessons you have learned in Dont to prepare Teheridon for invasion by Bennipolis’s Republi allies. I want the few forces Teheridon has left to defend, scattered all over the place when the Kamm strikes. You have many agents in Teheridon, make use of them I want misinformation spreading, I want rumours of new heavy wartime taxes reaching the serfs and them believing them, I want soldiers on the front lines to be receiving news of their wives being unfaithful back at home. I want you to make chaos happen. Show me what you have learned’’.
As Alexander turned away, he king added ‘’Also I want you to go and see the royal tailor and talk to you mother because as soon as the Republi attacks you’re getting married’’. The pricne was confused but did not argue for he was a man who understood his duties.
‘’Can I ask who to?’’ asked the prince surprised that his father had finally made up his mind after having turned down so many potential noble Aznavori brides.
‘ You’ll find out soon enough. Somehow I don’ think you’ll mind. ’’ The King smiled ‘ for now focus on your wartime duties, you can focus on your bedroom ones some other time. Though I don’t imagine you need much guidance there either, from what I heard during our guests’ visit their daughter was quite fond of you. ‘’. The king grinned like a cheshire cat and read over a sealed letter letting his son know that the conversation was over.
When Alexander left the room, the King asked his remaining councillors on how to best reply to The Emperor of Valm, powerhouse of Edoniras. Eventually the drafted up the following response
Greetings mighty Emperor Walhart,
Indeed the goings on of the current world trouble me as well and I appreciate hand you have intended. Such an Alliance would be mutually beneficial to our people and would solidify the respect of our royal families. The offer you make on behalf of the Imperium is a generous one but in order to defend the interests of my people I feel I must make two requests of my own. The first is that Celena might be allowed to meet your heir, in our northern Kingdom it is traditional that betrothed couples are allowed to meet before the ceremony. Secondly I must request that this alliance remains a private bond between our two nations and that it will not interfere with either of our own foreign policies. To make matters clear I trust that you understand that Aznavori intervention in the Bennipolitan conflict is inevitable as I have given my word. I cannot allow and ally of mine who had implored my help to be invaded by not only a traitor who is not only at the head of a foreign army but also the man responsible for the economic chaos we are in. Aznavor cannot permit Atthenakles to lead the Teheridonese forces to victory.
I hope to hear from your highness soon,
King Philip Duloire- King of Aznavor