A Young Woman's New Life as an Imperial Princess (Youjo Senki/Gate Jietai Crossover)

Don't forget her sister! You know, the one who, instead of magic, is specializing in conventional warfare but doesn't have Zorzal's problems.
Actually, Pina is quite terrible military leader, and slightly more shit than Zorzal. I mean, most of the Warhawks's stuff(including the mindboggling stupid ones that even a medieval general would say its a fucking dumb) was by the subordinates and Zorzal just stamping the paperworks in the rear line if he isnt busy stuff his face with Furuta's terrible cooking, but atleast its kinda a bit better than Pina who had direct hand on the every clusterfuck whenever she in charge, from the Battle of Italica(like how theres so many way the city can last longer, but guess then the JSDF wont be able to save the day. AND theres Grey right there, the veteran knight who should know more than enough to easily defend against a bunch of 800 PTSD'ed dumbass bandits that dont have supply line), to the 2nd Battle of the Italica where she do stupid stuff and get her Doves army wrecked to the point her Rose Order died one by one in rather very descriptive end.

I mean, Warhawks in canon had IEDs, and literally had conducted VBIEDs on the JSDF. It just that the plot armour protect them all from having a small pile of horribly dead and wounded JSDF from just IEDs alone.
Especially when said women can incinerate dozens of people with the flick of her wrist and is able to soar in the skies like a dragon.
which make the whole few and near none-existance of mages in the Imperial army in both canon and this fic look rather silly really.

Imagined when Tanya see this; it appeared that JSDF had achieved Russia-level of logistic, with the usages of buses(in fornt of thsoe trucks) to carry troops. And those troops in the trucks are the locals army, not JSDF if you look closely.

 
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...Ah. Well, just Tanya, then, I guess; thanks for the information.
(I have nearly no familiarity with that side of the crossover. I mean, I don't have firsthand experience with the canon of either side, beyond hearing a bit of music and seeing a few pictures from Tanya's, IIRC, but I've barely even read any other fanfiction of the Gate Jietai side.)
 
which make the whole few and near none-existance of mages in the Imperial army in both canon and this fic look rather silly really.

But don't you know? Cool things can only exist if the JSDF has them! If we let the evil empire have Cool stuff they might actually put up a fight instead of just being crashed easily.And that would be horrible! The JSDF would have…try!
 
A Young Princess - VI
Kati is dead.

The Emperor took his sons out on a hunting trip, probably to shore up that lacking brotherly love they share for one another, and Kati ended up getting gored by some stag when he left the Royal party to do something on his own. The beast was killed, but Kait bled out shortly thereafter when the healing mage attached to the trip declared there was nothing he could do except dull the pain. I was among the first to hear the news alongside Pina, who had also not been on the trip, and some other close retainers but before long the whole capital knew.

The funeral arrangements were a tame affair that few people of note attended. While Kati did have some friends in the Senate, and amongst his personal household, he was still a relative unknown amongst the ruling class. Influential nobles and patricians were socially obligated to come by, said how sorry they were for the Emperor's loss, then leave to do something they actually wanted to.

A tragic fate for a rising star in the Empire who could have been a real boon to the Empire in the future. As the result of a freak accident, fate decreed he must depart before doing his part….

I actually had to keep myself from rolling my eyes at the sappiness of that speeches.

Kati did not die to some animal, he was killed.

A bold claim? Yes.

Paranoia? No, it is simply the most logical conclusion when looking at all the facts.

Firstly, the very premise that a member of the royal family, even a stepson, would be allowed to wander unattended for any length of time in middle of the wilderness is preposterous. I can barely walk out of my own room in the imperial palace without being shadowed by maids or other members of the staff. The thought that Kait was able to walk about in untamed wilderness without a small camp following him is preposterous to begin with.

Secondly, there was the matter of how Kati died. I will be the first to admit I know nothing about stags or wild animals in general, but I would be shocked to know they could use knifes or bladed instruments. When Pina and I were led in to see Kati's body, before he was shipped off to his mother's family's crypts, I could clearly see his chest was quite gored and sufficiently tore apart enough to implicate a wild animal attack. However, if it was a beast, why were there straight edged cuts along his palms? As if he had been tying to catch or push away a blade with his bare bands.

And finally, there was Zorzal and Diabo. While I did not expect to see much love lost between them and Kati, I did not expect to see such fear in their eyes. The pair looked like they expected something to happen to them at any moment. Flinching at unseen shadows as if they were about to be attacked. If Kati was attacked in the wilderness, why would the surviving brothers be so scared within the halls of the Palace?

Given all this, I feel that it is safe to assume that Kati was murdered rather than simply killed.

So the next question: by whom?

The very first suspect to pop into my head was Zorzal. It honestly seemed a little too obvious. Zorzal was always competing with Kati over everything and the two came to blows many times, both metaphorically and literally. It seems obvious that Zorzal got Kati alone and killed him out of some misguided sense of vindictiveness, then mutilated the body so he could pass the blame to a wild animal. Pretty open and shut case. But then if Zorzal did kill Kati, why was he so terrified?

Sure it could be that he thinks he went too far, or he is afraid of getting caught, but I just don't believe that's the case. Zorzal is many things, crude, boastful, stubborn, and so on. One thing I would never call him, is shy or reserved with his emotions. For example, if he dislikes something it is obvious to even a blind man. It's just the way he talks, acts, or his micro expressions are. So if he did kill Kati, why did not have a single shred of joy or contentment in his body language? In truth, he looked terrified when he looked at Kati and seemed to want to be anywhere in the city but that room.

So who does that leave?

Diabo may rant and rave his insecurities to the staff, but he never acts on any of these threats. He's more the type to blow hot air and vent his grievances to those who have no choice but to listen, then actually do anything.

Pina had no real animosity towards Kati or a grudge to warrant wanting him dead. That of course ignores that fact that she is too wrapped up in all that "knightly chivalry" as she calls it to even think of doing something so underhanded. Besides, while the two were not close by any means they had a cordial relationship.

And unless Being X is somehow controlling my body like some marionette and wiping my memories of said events, I know for a fact I didn't do it.

So that left only one possibility as far as I was concerned: the praetorian guard. Not that the Guard killed him because they wanted him dead, but that one of them was paid off by a person who did want Kati dead.

Even from brief look over Imperial history, anyone can plainly that the praetorian guard as an institution have a very shaky reputation when it came to guarding royals. During the reigns of strong Emperors their loyalty and dedication to the crown is unquestionable, displaying characteristics akin to some of the most extreme examples of bushido. It is said they would sooner fall upon their own blades then even fathom the idea of harming the royal family.

And other times?

Well, all I can say is that more Emperors have died from Praetorian blades then have died at the hands of the Empire's enemies.

Hell, there was even a three-decade long period of time where the Guard basically ruled the Empire. It started with them killing an incompetent Emperor who was too busy filling his baths with wine to actually bother to govern. When his son showed to be equally unfit, they killed him to, then his son's son, and so on. It might have started with them wanting to have an effective ruler, but their constant regicides set up a precedent where they could sit and unseat an Emperor at will. They also realized that the strong rulers they wanted tented to not look favorably upon a guard who have a reputation of killing their charges.

There was even a macabre story that one of the Emperor's they proclaimed had been hiding behind a curtain in the throne room as the Guard cut down his reigning brother only to have the Guard draw back the curtain to proclaim him Emperor. So came a line of weak Emperors who held power in name alone while obeying the instructions of their praetorian backers.

And why did no one stop them?

Well, the Senate did try to disband the Guard when the corruption became a bit too obvious for their liking. But before they could pass the vote the Guard burst into the Senate, dragged the senators who were voting and killed them in the street. That act disincentivized any move against them for a decade.

And so the Guard became not only Kingmakers (Emperormakers simply doesn't sound as catchy) but fabulously wealthy. During that period of control if an Emperor did not grant the Guard enough concessions and gifts, or worse slighted them in some way, the Guard had no qualms with killing Royal in question. The Guard also showed no concern for the line of succession or even basic protocol, just crowning people who promised them greater wealth.

Hell, one time they actually auctioned off the crown to the highest bidder at a market!

It wasn't until the Artic War when Emperor Evnadrus assumed the throne that the Guard finally lost their political power. Even then, it took a civil war within the Guard itself to finalize this change. They kept most of their prestige, being the personal guard of the Emperor with the best training and equipment available, and for the most part have kept to their renewed role quite well.

Even so tales of corruption do persist, though at a far smaller rate.

It all fits. The blade marks on Kati's hands when he would have tried to fight off his own Guards who killed him, Zorzal's nervousness in the depths of the Imperial Palace which is heavily guarded by Praetorians, and even the current trend of the Praetorians seemingly keeping a closer eye on the two remaining princes to ensure another is not killed by one of their own.

But that does bring up the question, who would want to kill Kati? Who could have the pull to get a Pretorian to do it?

But the most important question of all to me: how much more would a true born child, say a magically inclined girl nine years of age, cost the conspirator when compared to a stepchild?

-
-

As the days moved on, with Kati's death slowly drifting into the past, life went on.

More specifically, the lessons continue as always. Now that I was "older", and know as the 'smart' child, I was allowed to sit in on some of Pina's lessons.

From our time together, I got the impression Pina was completely uninterested in anything (beyond the basics) that was not related to her knight 'thing'. I can hardly call it a phase anymore given how "all in" she's been with it, and I will admit I am genuinely surprised she stuck with it. She actually has some good talent for swordsmanship from what little I've seen, usually when she drags me from my books to swing her sword at a training dummy and constantly ask if I was still sure I didn't want to join her Rose Knights saying she could find any place I wanted among their ranks.

So I tell her the same things I have told her for years: I do not want to be a knight, or a squire, or a page, or a quartermaster, or a fucking mascot! That last one is more of an internalization of my more modest refusal, but who just asks someone to be a mascot?

Still, I was learning more and more. One subject I've been recently learning more about was geography. In other words, the other nations of Falmart besides the Empire. Granted it is through the Imperial propaganda lens, but simply learning of their existence gives me enough to work with when I ask Gaius about them for a more neutral take.

To be frank, ignoring the client and vassal kingdoms along the Empire's peripheries, there were genuinely independent realms everywhere.

The most predominate of these foreign states, and the only one the Empire considers a civilized nation, was located along the peninsula to the south of the Empire: The Korinthian League.

Less a nation and more a loose confederacy of petty kingdoms, city states, and other small polities located along the Korinithan Peninsula that were united in their desire to not be a part of the Empire. While they lacked both the material and the manpower to wage a war of aggression against the Empire, the geography of their peninsula made any advance by the Empire doomed to failure as the Empire would end up funneling their forces into a bottleneck. And since the Empire also lacked the ships needed to contest control of the Blue Sea from the League there was no way to simply sail around and attack them from the flanks.

I am tempted to say the Lesage is the "Italian Peninsula" of this world. Given that the League is composed of city states and compact kingdoms who fight one another with mercenaries and have highly urbanized population centers (relative to the level of development in this world), however they show more relation to ancient Greek city states than the Italian ones. I base this mostly on the fact they fight with formations of hoplites and phalanxes.

While most texts regard these formations as inferior to the legion in broad terms, the fact they haven't been conquered by the numerically superior legions speaks volumes to the potency of their formation on the defense and the power of their navy.

By contrast northern Falmart, from my reading of the situation at least, is populated by a people who are basically the Norse from European history.

They are a barbarian culture with a seafaring raider society who reave along the coasts and inland rivers with longships for loot and slaves. They raise runestones, burn down temples, and other Viking things. They even worship a god they call the "All-Father" and have warrior women called shield maidens as if to hammer in the whole "Norse" connections more firmly.

My tutors and books note that the Northerners proudly scorn any trapping of civilization and happily toss tomes and manuscripts into great fires for their own amusement. A hyperbolic statement, given most accounts of them are the survivors of their raids and would not incline to give an impartial analysis, but I am willing to concede that these Viking are just as aggressive as their Earth counterparts. Even the more impartial texts agree that the north men are an aggressive culture.

The east is covered in great grasslands and plains and is home to numerous nomadic hordes and tribes who raid caravans along the Imperial road network and push against imperial settlement in the area.

Even with a significant legion presence, control of these vast lands beyond established urban centers or the main roads is tenuous at best. Some books go so far as to imply that it is not uncommon for entire settlements to vanish overnight as Imperial settlers are enslaved by the horse lords who view the civilized way of life as anathema to their customs. Sometimes, a great leader arises from their ranks and leads all hordes against the Empire, to sweep them back into the center of Falmart. Fourteen times have the horse lords attempted to remove the Empire completely from the East, and fourteen times they were beaten back at high cost to the Empire.

But there is another culture who calls the far east home: the Warriors Bunnies.

Even now I can't help but roll my eyes or grimace at the phrase.

Was there nothing better thing to call themselves? When I initially read about them, a matriarchal society of scantily clad warrior women with bunny ears than captured strong men to mate with, I couldn't help but think that this was just some fetishized Amazonian culture created by writers of certain genres. An impression not helped by the detailed 'artwork' I found amongst the pages telling the tale of a group of men who 'sacrificed themselves to save their village. Indeed, men of some settlements even offered themselves as "tribute" to the bunny women in exchange for not sacking their town.

How "brave" of them.

Getting past those sorts of things, for all their attacks on isolated imperial settlements, many warrior bunnies do offer their services as mercenaries to the legion. Their feats of strength and power have greatly aided the Imperial effort to pacify the nomads, who the warrior bunnies hate with a greater fervor than the Imperials due to aforementioned age-old grudges.

And finally, there was the matter of the west. I have a bit more to work with then simple books or second hand accounts as Selene has been quite open about her life in the west and certain things that go on there. Granted, it's information that comes from a literal child who may not have the knowledge necessary to parcel out fact from fiction, but it's a start.

From what I gathered, it's a very forested land where the Empire borders many barbarian kingdoms who they have a sort of tributary relationship with. At least, that's what I get from hearing how Selene says lots of Barbarian Kings send "a lot" of gold or goods to Soissons in exchange for military assistance against other Kingdoms. Many tales abound of legions fighting hordes of warriors painted from head to toe in paint. Basically it is this world's equivalent of Gaul and Germania.

I did try to look up what I could about the Empire's colonies to the far south but found very little. Most of the texts are about the large slave plantations growing sugar and spices then anything regarding the natives in those lands beyond a passing mention of "feather wearing People" and "golden temple cities".

Just goes to show that being a fantastical world is no barrier to having the same old mundane problems crop up over and over again.

-
-

"I can do it!"

"No you can't."

"Yes I can! See!"

"Nope, don't see it."

"What are saying? Clearly I was THIS high up."

"That's how high you always jump."

"Grrrr."

"And there! Your just kicking air!"

"Mmmmm!"

Ever since my little flying display a few months ago Zaynab, being the only other mage of my cohort, has been trying to replicate the feat herself. She's even come to me on multiple occasions to ask how I "did it". When I did explain to her that I didn't "fly" but merely reduced my own body mass to a fraction of what it normally is, I got a blank stare in return.

And today, with Sherry having left earlier to go home, and Myui having traveled back in Italica to celebrate her birthday with her family, that left only Selene and Zaynab here to interact with.

"But what does that mean" she questioned me at the time.

After some roundabout thinking and walking her through the logic, I got her to understand what I did in explaining the way a bird can fly through the air.

So here she is now, pumping mana across her body and jumping up and down without pause; kicking her feet in the air as if that gives her more "air time".

Despite what Selene is quipping from the sidelines, Zaynab is getting better at it. It's not overtly noticeable, but my trained eye can see she is getting more air with each hop overtime. But it's the difference between measuring airtime in a couple of seconds, to a single second when she started. Still a creditable achievement for a non-military trained preteen.

I remember reading something in Officer School that amounted to saying most mages can't actually use their magic without some kind of foci to help with the mental calculations or regulate mana draw; basically the more calculations done in ones head, the more efficient a spell is mana wise. Therefore only the most powerful mages, or at least the ones with the largest mana pools, can use magic in a practical way without some kind of foci since without calculations spells are horrifically mana intensive. Hence why the creation of the computation orb was so profound.

With it, mages can shunt most of the mental calculations to the orb and focus their attention to primarily mana regulation. And with the orb making spells more efficient the number of people who could become mages skyrocketed.

The reason for this disparity is basically because mana allowed a mage to bend the rules of reality. The more you want to "bend" the more mana required, but reality can be bent in many different ways to achieve the same end and an understanding of how the world works form a scientific angle allowed one to greatly reduce how much "bending" is needed.

Take 'flying' for example. A mage could simply keep pumping mana into their bodies to fly, though naturally they'll be on their asses in a matter of minutes when they run out of mana. A mage could also reduce their own mass, making themselves lighter than air to "float" or "glide" in a way not dissimilar to how birds achieve flight.

Even Zaynab used some basic science in the hydromancy she shows off. Just this morning, she pulled moisture from the air, condensed the particles into small drops of water, then snap froze the water and dropped the resulting ice cubes into her drink.

However, with an orb managing the calculation side a mage can do far more then simply float and can easily maintain multiple spells at the same time with all the mind work being handled mechanically.

Sadly, lacking an understanding of even the fundamentals of orb creation, such a tool is impossible to come across here and I certainly have no idea how to make one. I was a solider, trained to operate, maintain, and make small repairs to my gear with materials on hand. I could explain to someone what made a dual core orb superior to a single core, and I could even offer possible improvements to orb design based on my own experience of using them.

I was not, educated in the ways of building an orb from scratch, much less creating one in a pre-industrial society where the wheel was still the pinnacle of technological development in some areas.

I do remember reading an offhand mention in a textbook that before magic development pivoted towards mechanical computation in the early nineteenth century most research was directed towards enchanting gemstones with a set number of spells. Different from normal enchantments, where a single trait was imbued into an object, since the gemstone would "hold" several spells that could be used when mana was pushed through them. An interesting design, but with several problems.

First, the gemstones had to be large; prohibitory large.

Second, the mana cost is excessive. Since the mage must first cast a spell into the gem, and then use more mana to cast the stored spell.

And third, why go through all that effort when a simple enchantment could do about as well, since a mage would still need to do the calculations in their head to cast the spell into the gem in the first place.

In short, it became an evolutionary dead end when mechanical computation sprung up.

Still there was one good idea surrounding it. A Russy magical researcher, before the communists took over naturally, wrote about having mages cast spells into the gems then handing out said gems to soldiers who had the necessary amount of mana to cast the spells but lacked the mental prowess for precise calculations. An interesting idea and one that might have come to fruition had the computation orb technology not achieved mass proliferation by the dawn of the twentieth century.

Not that such an idea helps me all that much since the book simply dismissed the gemstone idea as outdated and moved on from there.

"Ow!" Zaynab had fallen to the ground, nursing her sore bottom.

"Oaky, that was high!" Selene cheered from the sidelines. "Princess, did you see it! Zaynab went up to the tree branch!"

"Of course, I did," I lied effortlessly. "See it's like I said, if you practice enough, and have some natural talent, there is nothing you can't do."

"I only wish it didn't hurt as much," the dark-skinned girl grumbled.

"Are you really complaining that you can fly?" the Syagrius girl tsked to herself.

"No, I'm complaining it hurts when you hit the ground," Zaynab quipped back, moving a stray leaf from behind her slightly pointy ear.

"You didn't even fall that high," Selene pointed to one of the lower branches of the tree. "I've fallen way higher and I'm fine."

"I certainly hope you haven't fallen from greater heights!" a new voice broke through the childish quips.

Selene looked to the new voice, then beamed a bright smile, "Father!" She abandoned her spot by the tree and rushed to the new arrival.

While I can see the resemblance between the two in hair color and cheek bones. But if I had to be honest, I can't help but think Selene's father looks more like some jester pretending to be a noble. His clothes were a ridiculous mishmash of colors. He had more jewelry adorning him, rings, ears, neckless, and all, then some noble women I've had the displeasure of being acquainted with. I will say the white cane gives him back a bit of a regal look, thought the fist sized gem on the top is a tad much in my opinion.

And this was supposedly the second most powerful man in the Empire after the Emperor himself?

Still, Selene jumped into the man's open arms.

"It's so good to see you sweetie," he kissed his daughter on the head and knelt to her level. "Look how big you've grown! Keep growing like this and you'll be taller than George before long."

As if on cue, a massive giant of a man walked next to the pair; by far the biggest man I have ever laid eyes on. Clad head to toe in dragon scaled armor, he was certainly an impressive sight. Given how massive he was, I think even during my last life, I'd be hesitant to charge him without substantial back up.

"Sir George!" Selene was ecstatic at the sight of the giant. Rather than hug him like her father, Selene grabbed hold of his armor climbed up the knight's from like a monkey and came to a rest upon his gargantuan shoulders.

"Now I'm the tallest!" she cheered from his shoulders; I can only guess if the man winced from the loud voice so close to his ears.

"Yes you are dear," Clovis jovially went along with his daughter's train of thought. "Now while I can see you are having fun, there is something I wish to speak with her Highness about. Something neither you, nor your friend, need be here for."

"What, why?" Selene questioned, her hands ruffling the plum thing on George's helmet.

"It's something not necessary for you to hear," he cryptically answered. "Don't worry, you can see your friends tomorrow."

"…..okay," the girl bemoaned from her ad-hoc podium. "Guess I'm going home."

"You can see her tomorrow dear," he repeated, before grinning. "And, while I don't want to be the one who told you, but I do believe there is someone waiting for you at the villa. Someone who has been asking to come see you for some time.

"Mother?" the girl perked up. Right, while here as a hostage in all but name, she hasn't been able to see her mother all that often.

"Oh, I've said too much. She told me not to spoil the surprise," he all but confirmed her mother's arrival.

"Yes! Sorry Zaynab, sorry Princess, but have to go! Bye Princess! Bye Zaynab," she quickly chatted out before clicking her heels against the giant's armor as if it were a horse. "Onwards Sir George! I need to get home to see Mother!"

The giant spared a short look to the Governor, who gave a curt nod, before walking off with Selene riding continuously clicking her heels as if that would make him walk faster. I swear I could hear a deep sigh from the man as he walked forward on command.

Oh the pains of dealing with an employer's kids.

"The same goes for you as well, Lady Zabba, my apologies" Clovis now turned to the other girl still here.

"It's fine, my Lord, I was planning to leave shortly anyway," the girl turned to me and curtsied. "Have a pleasant evening your Highness, I shall see you tomorrow."

"You to," I tell her and waved as she walked off in the general direction Selene was riding the giant in.

Now alone, Clovis stared at me for a few seconds before sighing. "Your Highness, I would first like to extent my most heartfelt condolences for your recent loss," Clovis began. "Had I been in the capital sooner, I would have paid my respects and offered my condolences sooner. Alas, I was on campaign and only heard the news from a courier weeks afterwards."

Oh that.

"Thank you for your concern, My Lord," I almost drone out. While it had been a while, I was still able to give the boiler plate "thank you for your concern" spiel without even thinking about it. "Did you know him?"

"Not on a personal level, no," Syagrius clarified. "I only had the opportunity to meet him a handful of times. But even in those brief moments, I could tell he was a sharp one. Someone who, if given enough time to come into his own, could have facilitated great strides for the Empire. A shame it had to end the way it did."

He paused for a moment, as if to let his words sink into me like this was some damn soap opera.

"But I can only imagine what you must have gone through," he continued. "Or are going through now. To know your own brother was snuffed out like he was, cut down before he could truly live his life. I can scarcely think of anything less more disturbing than that."

"It was a shock at first, but time has a way of making thing easier to deal with," I reply taking yet another page of the "accepting false pity" book. Honestly, while this wasn't some halfhearted thing most of the nobles did, it was a little soppy for my tastes. "Cut down" is a little too poetic for my tastes. Death is death. Horrible when it happens to soon, but something that come for everyone eventually-

Wait…

What was it Syagrius said…Cut down?

That carries a lot of implications. Implications not usually found in cases where the cause of death was due to an animal. Sure Kati's body was on display for a short while, but why would he conclude that he was killed? The knife marks were so faint that even I could barely see them without the whole cloth over the body thing at the funeral. Further, he wasn't even here for the funeral, by his own admission he was in his own province when people were allowed to pay their "respects".

So the next question is how did this man figure out Kati was killed?

The Emperor was surly keeping the nature of Kati's death a great secret to deter others from attempting to bribe the praetorians to similar acts. Sure, a secret is only as safe as the weakest link and there is no shortage of people who would inform on the going on in the palace for the right price. Perhaps Syargius has spies in the palace who told him what happened.

Or maybe…Could it be that HE was the one who paid off the Praetorians to murder Kati?

I felt a chill run through my veins as the man went on about something or another, I barley paid attention as my mind ran into overdrive over the implications of my discovery.

If what I think is true, IF Syagrius ordered the death of Kait, then the first question is why he would tip so blatantly to a member of a family of the person had killed? Is this psychological warfare? A 'Ha-ha, I killed one royal I didn't like and I can kill you just the same if I felt like it' kind of thing? If so, it's a very foolish move. He has to know I'm going to run to the Emperor to tell him who was the one who ordered Kati's death the moment I get back to the Palace.

Wait! No!

Shit! I can't do that!

Ignoring the fact that the Emperor is keenly aware of what the truth of how Kati was killed, I doubt he could even act on this information if he wanted to. All I have is my word that Clovis all but admitted to ordering the death of a royal. And if the Emperor moved against Syagrius, what would the rest of the Empire think to his proof? It would be a nine-year old's word against the second most powerful person in the Empire. Golly gee, I wonder who the people would listen to?

But then, I come back around to the first question, why imply his actions to me? He may dress like what a person thinks an eccentric noble dresses but that doesn't mean he is an idiot. You don't rule over a territory twice the size of Germania, and make it one of the most profitable in the Empire, by being a fool.



Damn it!

Why was I so stupid!

I see it now! The way he dresses is part of the ruse itself! In any meeting between people, the way one dresses can subconsciously imply what kind of person you are to your opposite. Dress smartly, and people will subconsciously think you are. Dress like a slob, and they'll think you're a slob. But it can also work in reverse: dress like a slob, to make people think you are a slob, then pull the rug out from under them after playing into the assumptions for your own benefit!

Damn it! I actually fell for it too!

But once again, why all but tell me he killed Kati.

Before I could run my mind any further, I tried to pull myself back from overanalyze every little detail. One should never mistake maliciousness with Incompetence.

Could it be that he just gloating to a child he thinks can't understand the blatant subtext of his words and be internally laughing at my reactions?

To be fair, I'm not a child mentally, hence I probably should not be 'getting' the gloating since I am a 'child'. Maybe he's mentally grinning like some Cheshire cat as he goes on about his crime with the belief that I think he's being genuine in his condolences.

But why would he kill-

A hand on my shoulder dragged me from my analysis of the situation.

"Forgive me your Highness, but are you feeling well?" Clovis asked, his green eyes filled with a sufficient amount of concern. "You've been a little out of sorts for the past few minutes. Is something wrong."

"No, my Lord," I try and reply with no indication of my true feelings.

"In any event," he brushed off my comment. "As I said, if you every need anything, or simply wish to talk to someone, I will be here to offer what aid I can."

"Thank you, my lord, you are too kind," I manage to say without tipping my hand of knowing what he did.

Clovis and I exchanged some more meaningless small talk before he decided it was time to return on. Something about wanting to spend an evening dinner with his wife and child or something equally trivial. Yet as he walked away, I made a mental note to be on guard with him when we met again.

I refuse to fall for the same ploy of 'foolishness' ever again. I have no plans on dying so soon.

At least not before I can shove my boot up Being X's ass and pay him back for everything he has done to me!

-
-

Zorzal lived in almost constant fear since his father had Kati murdered before him and Diabo.

What was supposed to be a family 'bonding' trip turned into a brutal torture display as the Emperor read out all of Kati's crimes and then…

Zorzal had always hated Kati. He had always dreamed of the moment he could wipe that damn smirk off his face with his fists. To throttle Kait's throat until he died, forcing his manservant lover to watch before he suffered the same fate. Seeing the look in Kati's eyes as the last bit of light left them had been a dream he so wished to make real.

Yet even he thinks that what Molt did to Kati was extreme. It wasn't Kati's death that haunted him, it was everything that was done to Kati before the Emperor allowed him to die. How he made his mages keep Kati from expiring too soon so he could "continue to be an example for the boys".

Zorzal knows he will never forget the screams Kati made until his dying breath.

Every time he saw one of the Praetorians, he felt his blood run cold. Whenever he had to be near one of them, he could almost feel himself shake. What if this time they were ordered to kill him, his mind would insidiously whisper.

He remembers Tanya asking if something was wrong earlier that day since he wasn't eating his food. Zorzal laughed it off and made light of the situation. He could hardly tell her that he was afraid the pretorian guards detached to watch over her were under orders to kill him in the most painful way possible now could he?

Even had the Emperor not told him and Diabo to never speak of what happened that day to either Pina or Tanya, Zorzal would have done so of his own volition. Tanya, for all her brilliance, was a gentle soul. Shy in unfamiliar situations, bright and friendly among friends, she was truly a rare breed of noble. She was not only noble by birth, but in sprit as well.

However, for all her brilliance, her heart was simply too big. She had a type of ingrained innocence that ran at odds with how the world worked.

He remembers one incident when she stopped a servant girl from getting caned in the yard. The girl had taken some food from the plate of a visiting emissary, before it had even been served to him, and was being punished accordingly. When questioned by his sister, the girl claimed she hadn't eaten in two days and had only taken some crumbs. As if that excused the crime.

Yet his sister, ever generous, ordered the girl to be given a meal. "No one should work on an empty stomach" she told them and asked for the girl transferred to her own staff. Despite the legitimate points brought up by the matron that this would only embolden the girl's thieving tendencies, she obeyed.

While he can't help but find her innocent view of the world adorable, it hardly prepared her for the brutality of the real world. Even Pina, for all foolishness at trying to be a knight as a woman, at least understood what kind of place the world was. Not that Zorzal wants to be the one to ruin that native innocence Tanya holds.

Still, perhaps that naivete was actually a benefit?

If you didn't know about the threats and dangers around you, how can you live a life in fear?

Like the fear of your own father possibly torturing you to death….

To escape the existential fear of what his Father could do to him at any moment, Zorzal indulged in vices. Drink. Food. Parties. Of all of them though, he had found lust to be the best salve for his fears. It wasn't even the sex that he enjoyed but the intoxicating feeling of control. He could do whatever he wanted to any girl he brought to his bed. No matter how much they cried or begged, they were forced to deal with him.

And in the moment, he could forget he too was controlled by another he feared and dreaded.

But when everything was quiet, his mind would wander…

"I'm done with this one," the prince waved to his courtier as he put on his clothes.

His latest conquest was a demi-human slave girl with patches of scales splotched across her body. A body now covered in bruises and shallow marks from that evening's activities. The girl didn't even make a sound when one of his men lugged her over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

"Done for the night, your highness or-"

"Done as in 'finished'," Zorzal clarified, pouring himself a glass of wine. "If any of the boys want a go at her, their welcome to do so. Otherwise, see if there's a brothel willing to take used goods. Price doesn't matter, but I don't want to see her again."

"Yes, your highness," the man dutifully nodded, taking the abused slave out of Zorzal's chamber and softly shutting the door behind him.

Grumbling to himself, Zorzal took a long sip of his wine. Sadly, it wasn't a long one, for Zorzal flinched as a flash of lighting bathed his chamber. Flinched, dropping his goblet, even before the booming thunder followed it. It was simply so sudden. His heart was racing at nothing. Sighing at his own paranoia, he moved to pick up his cup and call for a servant to clean up the mess-

"My oh my, jumping at every shadow now… are we?"

Zorzal shot back to his feet. He wasn't alone! Someone had snuck into his chambers! Scanning the dark room yielded nothing, it was the same as it was a moment ago. No windows open, the door still tightly shut, not a single thing out of place.

"I didn't mean to cause alarm."

There it was again, but from a different side of his room. What was going on! Moving swiftly, the prince reached under his bed for the sword attached to the bedframe.

"Who's there!" Zorzal quickly drew the blade looked for the speaker, sword at the ready. "I command you to show yourself!"

His words were greeted by an animal like laughter that echoed all around him, putting him even more on edge.

"Well as this is your home, I ought to be the respectful guest." The laugh that followed was something akin to a pig's snorting. Out of the comer of his eye, he saw a figure emerge from the shadows. It was a corpulent creature garbed in simple brown clothes. The disgusting creature looked to me something akin to a human mixed with some chimeric pig-rat thing with leathery green skin.

"Apologies for the ruse Your Highness," the creature gave a short bow to him. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Bouro, leader of the Haryo Tribe."

"Haryo?" Zorzal questioned. This was one of those mongrel creatures he members his tutors mentioned once upon a time. No, this was their leader? Why- How did he get into city? No, how did he get into his home!

"Indeed," Bouro nodded.

"What do you want?" Zorzal demanded loudly, his sword still at the ready to cut the pig faced creature down. He was silently waiting for one of his guards, who allowed this creature to trespass through his home into his very bedroom, to finally come in and get rid of it!

"Want? It is not what I want, but what you want," the Haryo cryptically answered.

"What could a creature like you know about me?" Zorzal questioned, his eye switching between the door and the intruder.

"Oh, I know a few things," Bouro scratched his chin, unconcerned of the blade pointed at him. "It's just what I like to do: knowing a little bit about everything that is. For example, I know that the Emperor killed Prince Kati since he was conspiring to overthrow him. I know you and Prince Diabo were present during the grizzly torture session. And I know you are terrified you will suffer the same fate."

"Shut up! Shut Up! Guards! Get in here already! Guards!" Yet all that greeted Zorzal was silence. No calls of concern, nor any guards burst through the doors to take this creature to the dungeons.

"Apologies, but your guards are indisposed for the moment," the Haryo enlightened Zorzal. "Alive, but they will not bother us for quite some time."

'What did you-"

"It is not what I did. You were the one who gave them something to occupy their time with did you not?" Bouro chuckled as the Prince's face paled.

"So, you're here to kill me?" Zorzal took a step back as he readied himself to fight for his life.

"Kill you?" he snorted at the prince's words and shook his head. "Did you not hear what I said moments ago, I am here because of what you want."

"What I want?" the whole situation was so outlandish for him. Why break into the crown prince's room only to want to do something for said prince?

"Indeed," it agreed. "As mentioned, I know a great deal. Such as your greatest fears of losing everything to Emperor, to becoming a footnote in history that will be forgotten within a generation, to being known as a useless boy who amounted to nothing."

Zorzal stared Bouro down, not lowering his blade, but clearly listening to the Haryo's words.

"But don't worry, your highness," Bouro walked towards the prince until the blade tip was pressing against his chest. "I think I may have a solution to your situation. One that not only shows your courage and bravery to your fellow citizens but demonstrates your worth to your family and the Empire."

"And why should I trust anything that comes out of your disgusting mouth?" Even as Zorzal insulted the pig thing he pulled his blade tip back from the chest. Silently, he was genuinely curious as to what the Haryo had to say. If it was nonsense, he'd cut the demi-human down where he stood.

If the Haryo was insulted, he didn't show it. All Bouro did was give Zorzal a yellow toothed smile as he scratched his chin with one of his long claws. "Tell me, what do you know of the Warrior Bunny Kingdom?"

-----------------------------------------------------------
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AN: Wheels and plots are turning indeed! A very world building heavy chapter, but the gears of canon are moving onwards.

Tanya is being Tanya, Zorzal is about to commit a whole slew of war crimes against bunnies', and the beginning of Gate draws ever closer.
 
Yep, that Tanya, so pure, so innocent, so blind to the harsh reality of the world.
(The first time Tanya actually needs to fight, I imagine people are going to be... surprised, if that's how she's thought of. :D)
 
Maybe Tanya can convince Zorzal to be less stupid, but I am not hopeful.

@Midas_Man I might be getting my hopes up (since Tanya isn't even a teenager yet), but could Tanya influence Zorzal's campaign against the Warrior Bunnies or even when the Gate Expedition is sent through to Japan and comes back with prisoners? Also, when does Tanya get an estate of her own?

Yep, that Tanya, so pure, so innocent, so blind to the harsh reality of the world.
(The first time Tanya actually needs to fight, I imagine people are going to be... surprised, if that's how she's thought of. :D)
I imagine that the DOOM Music is going to kick in a soon as she smiles.
 
Yep, that Tanya, so pure, so innocent, so blind to the harsh reality of the world.
(The first time Tanya actually needs to fight, I imagine people are going to be... surprised, if that's how she's thought of. :D)

She's too good for this sinful world.

The people of the Empire must stand resolute and protect her innocent smile!


Maybe Tanya can convince Zorzal to be less stupid, but I am not hopeful.

@Midas_Man I might be getting my hopes up (since Tanya isn't even a teenager yet), but could Tanya influence Zorzal's campaign against the Warrior Bunnies or even when the Gate Expedition is sent through to Japan and comes back with prisoners? Also, when does Tanya get an estate of her own?

Zorzal not being stupid?

 
A Young Princess - VII
A Triumph

The concept is hardly alien to me. At its most basic level, it's merely a military victory celebrated by festivities and other merry making activities. Hell, I've not only seen them in both lives but actually took part in a few in my previous life. Personally, I think these sorts of things are a tad extravagant.

Zorzal went out and destroyed the bunny warrior kingdom.

Even now, knowing men died in this conflict, I still can't take that damned name seriously.

Still, names are hardly the thing to worry about right now. I'm more concerned about what is going to happen now. For while Zorzal went out and conquered, the Emperor was furious about it.

Naturally he didn't say such a thing outright, in public or private. In the Senate he exalted his son's actions as the makings of a true leader, one who would sooner face defeat on the field of battle than victory through shameful means. Now I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to PR moves, but even I can tell when someone is making backhanded comments that sound like praise but are in fact insults. Of course, the question of how Zorzal got the authority to command the Empire's military forces in such a way that the Emperor himself couldn't recall them is still in the air.

As the months dragged on the Emperor's mood darkened sharply. Every day seemed to see him in a fouler mood, culminating in a breaking point.

One night I caught him just standing in the hallway outside his study resting his forehead against a pillar. His breathing was slow and, as if trying to control himself, labored while a crumpled note lay at his feet. I tried to sneakily move closer to see what the note said, but the guards alerted him to my presence before I could get a good look. Like a professional actor all the stress in him melted away and with a soft smile he jovially offered to walk me to my chambers, as if he wasn't just holding off a violent outburst a mere moment prior.

While I couldn't see the note I was able to gleam a single word before he smeared the note beneath his shoe: annihilated.

Given his barely contained anger it doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened. Oh, I can already see it now. Muscle meat head goes to war thinking it was easy and promptly gets his forces trounced because he doesn't understand strategy in the slightest. I saw this happen plenty of times before in both Germania and the Commies; people raised up to powerful positions via connections or birth then led their forces to catastrophic defeat. A tale as old as time you could say.

Still, after that day the Emperor stopped exalting Zorzal's campaign at court and in the Senate. Frankly he stopped talking about his eldest son completely in public, only mentioning him doing 'good work' before moving to another subject if he was questioned about his son's 'glorious' campaign. Though given the fact he won the war I suppose the campaign was a pyrrhic victory rather than a 'complete' defeat.

Not that it changes the number of corpses.

Still, this all puts me in an awkward position. That is to say, once people realize how much of a fuck up Zorzal is they'll start looking for a place to direct their ire. Whose fault is it that so many men are dying? Why it's obvious! The Emperor who allowed this to happen and his family! And, by extension, me. I know exactly what happens when a populace gets the idea that getting rid of their monarch and their family is the best way to solve their woes.

Sure, maybe if this was a modern era with basic human rights established I could eek my way out of this mess with exile or a promise to forsake my royal claims and get out of the 'splash zone' with my life when the inevitable uprising occurs. Not to say I couldn't do either of those things now, just that I doubt any such agreement would be honored indefinitely. I probably wouldn't be killed, Being X is far too wrapped up in his warped 'plans' to let that happen, but I could be relegated to a forced marriage to whoever takes the throne after Molt to further legitimize their claim. Essentially forced into the life of a broodmare for whatever family wants to cement their hold on the throne.

In light of this very possible outcome I've accelerated my plans for a 'charm' offensive at the citizenry.

In short, I am going to give these retches some basic creature comforts and goodwill services, plaster my name and face all over them so they know exactly who is funding them, and just hope that whatever good PR I can squeeze out of the populace can keep me out of the mob's rage.

Still, while I was not going to the 'parade' part of the Triumph, I was still expected to attend the 'dinner party' portion held at the palace. And that meant dealing with my greatest of foes in this new life: the overly extravagant nobility.

--
--

The party was as extravagant as I feared it would be.

A victory as complete as Zorzal's demanded the finest of celebrations, so I was told. The palace was filled with nobles, senators, guests, and a handful of dignitaries from the Empire's client states. Truly, anyone who was anyone was here in the palace, going about their meandering motions of courtly intrigue and faux passes.

Honestly, the fakeness of the social interactions was hardly the worst part. It was bad, hence why I was sitting alone in a quiet corner of the ballroom with guards blocking the immediate area off from the rest. A few nobles, both adults and children, tried to approach, but were politely and soundly sent away with a stern word from the guards. So, while the interactions were bad, it was manageable.

The worst thing about these events was the damn clothing!

Ugh, if dressing up like a peacock in an overcomplicated dress was what these people considered 'the finest' then they can keep it! I can hardly walk in these shoes they've forced me to wear, let alone breathe in this damned dress they've literally strapped me into! If I didn't know any better I'd have assumed this was a primitive straitjacket with all the harnesses and cords and-

"You look miserable," an all too familiar, and snarky voice dragged me from my mental woes. An overly dressed man slinked his way past the guards who spared him but a single glance.

"I feel miserable," I quip back to the latest addition to my 'retinue'.

"Well don't worry, it's almost late enough that you can excuse yourself to retire to your chambers for the evening," Gaius Rax commented, pausing to sip from the glass he was holding.

Gaius Rax; record keeper, eunuch, and now the newest member of my 'retinue'. I took on Gaius as my personal retainer a few weeks ago when the Emperor mentioned how it was time for me to begin building a retinue for myself. I'm pretty sure he was assuming I'd take on one of my acquaintances as a 'lady in waiting', or 'handmaiden', or whatever the hell they're called rather than a middle aged, balding eunuch who appeared out of nowhere. Objectively, I can understand why the Emperor gave me such a strange look when I brought Gaius into the palace as my employee. It does look a tad strange.

Though his reaction was not as animated as Gaius' to me offering him the job. Pretty sure I gave the poor man a heart attack when I showed up to his archive with a dozen praetorians in tow, no sneaking out that time as it was official business. After some calming down, and him readily agreeing to my proposal, I told him the one condition to being in my employment: no slaves. If he wanted to keep Remus on as an assistant so be it, but he would do so as a free person and with pay. I was prepared for him to call me out on my hypocrisy of demanding he sell his slave while I have my own at the palace, along with my rebuttal that I do not have the means or ability to emancipate any of my staff.

Surprisingly, for someone of this culture, he readily agreed to my caveat. Strange, but I suppose when offered the chance to work for the most powerful family in the Empire the price of a single slave was hardly a deal breaker.

And so, with Gaius and a newly freed Remus in tow, the real battle began: convincing the Emperor. Given my station it is entirely understandable that he took a great interest in who I hired on as my retainers. Initially, he was less than enthused by my choice. When presented before him he argued that Gaius didn't have the proper training or pedigree to serve me in such an official capacity, that he would make me look bad before my peers. I should be glad he didn't ask how I knew him I suppose.

Still, I replied that I didn't care about any of that. He was sharp, intelligent, quick-witted, and most importantly wasn't some sycophantic yes-man who simply agreed with everything I said. I phrased the last point in more eloquent words, but the basic premise remained.

After a terse twenty minutes of debating and arguing (with some begging), Gaius was officially my first retainer with Remus being my second, but less official, retainer as well.

Now while I talked up Gaius's skills I was worried that there would be some 'growing pains' with his new duties as my, for a lack of better words, secretary. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded. Gaius took to his new duties like a fish to water. Within two days of working for me he was already organizing my schedule, keeping track of all my documentation, and keeping track of the numerous 'charities' I was running with my monthly 'allowance'.

An allowance that is more than what most skilled workers make in a year, but I digress.

"Don't tempt me," I grumble back, resting my head against the cool table, watching the people dance. "You have no idea how hard it is for me to not just rip this thing off me."

"I can make an educated assumption," he quipped back. "Excuse me for changing the topic, but I was just talking with the kitchen staff about the leftovers."

That caught my attention, "So what did they say?"

"It will be done," Gaius replied. "A few of the lads downstairs will start taking the food to those kitchens of yours in Akusho in a little bit."

One of my first charm offensive items was to create a series of food kitchens in the lowest economic locations in the city serving the people there some basic sustenance like soup, bread, a bit of meat, and some vegetables. Nothing extravagant, I do have a budget to work with, but better than just bread for the human poor or straight up starvation for the local demi-humans. And given the extravagance of these kinds of banquets, it's obvious that a large amount of food will go to waste well after it was over. So why not send it to the kitchens for some 'brownie points', I thought. The problem was actually getting the leftovers there, but that issue has seemingly solved itself.

"That is at least some good news," I mused. "And how much are they asking for?"

"Nothing, as you feared," he reported. I was afraid of that. They probably see it as an order rather than me asking them to work in a short-term capacity.

"And you…" I led him onto my next question to see if he followed my instructions on what to do in this situation.

"I shoved several handfuls of denari into their hands and told them you would not accept any refusal of the coin," Gaius replied.

"So, everything went according to plan?"

"Indeed, Your Highness," he nodded.

"At least something positive happened this evening," I mumbled to myself. While this was a 'win', I couldn't help but be afraid this whole thing would backfire on me, that I would wake up tomorrow to find out the people at the kitchens are insulted that I'm sending them leftovers normally given to the kennels or maybe assume it is a subtle jab at the demi-humans for their 'inhuman' origins.

'No, stop overthinking it. Nothing good has ever come from overthinking these sorts of things. Food is food to a starving person, no matter what it was meant for. So long as it tastes good and is nutritious, that is enough for most.'

"Ah, but, before I forget, Your Highness," Gaius continued. "There is the matter of filling out the rest of your retinue that we discussed earlier."

"And I thought I told you I would think about it later," I waved off his comment.

"Technically it is later," I groaned at his bad joke. "But more to the point, with how fast you are expanding your expenses and… reach, I feel it would be prudent to your efforts if we had more manpower at our disposal, beyond the occasional members of staff of this palace."

"I think you overestimate how much money I have on hand," I roll my eyes.

"And I think you are overestimating just how much some people will work for," he countered.

"So, a race to the bottom for how little someone will work for," I said. It was hardly a good way to secure reliable labor if you just kept betting downwards.

"Beyond simple manpower, there are other positions you need to fill. You will need a castellan to manage your estates and expenses, a number of courtiers with a variety of skills to add to your own capabilities, and most importantly a sufficient number of eccentrics to surround yourself with."

"Wait, what?"

"Eccentrics," he repeated with a straight face. "Everyone knows lords and ladies must surround themselves with a sufficient number of eccentric individuals."

"Really? I already have you, don't I?" I snort under my breath. "You're enough for a dozen people at least."

"While true it is still, sadly, insufficient for one of your station," Gaius continued, giving this joke far more seriousness than it deserved.

"Is that right?" my eyes roll at his melodrama, off handedly watching two women argue over a man. I couldn't hear it from where I was, but it looked quite animated.

"Indeed," he nodded, gesturing to the crowds beyond my line of guards. "Why, just look at them. How else do they make themselves look sane to the common man unless surrounding themselves with greater insanity?"

I sigh, pinching the ridge of my nose. "You're going to get yourself killed one of these days."

"I'm more likely to lose my tongue than my life," he quipped back.

I was about to comment on his comment when I heard the crowds and music die down. The nobles and guests parted like the sea as the Emperor strode to the center of the room with Diabo in tow. Garbed in magnificent shades of purple and burgundy, to his sides were a mix of his usual praetorians and members of the newest imperial knightly order: The Rose Order of Knights.

Yes, it seemed Pina did achieve her dream in the end of being a knight. Sixteen and already the head of a military formation. She stood at the head of her party of knights as they marched beside their liege.

Granted it was probably out of nepotism, and I attained a similar rank prior to my death at thirteen in my former life, but that is hardly here or there. Still, I am surprised all the same. While this is a 'fantasy' world, by my previous two incarnations' definitions, it was still rooted in some form of 'realism'. Beyond barbarians, such as the bunny warriors Zorzal so recently smashed to pieces, and mages, women rarely see any combat.

I can only wonder what the assortment of nobles and guests think of a bunch of armored warrior women.

Any further musing was meaningless as the Emperor gave me a gesture to beckon me to come to his side.

And in came the wayward prince. While his hair was longer than it was prior he didn't look any different from when I last saw him. Flanked at his sides were several legionaries pulling along several cloaked individuals with chains. It was hardly a secret that they were probably those rabbit people, anyone could see bits of their ears peeking out of their hoods. But what was the point in dragging them into a ballroom?

Standing before his father, Zorzal gave an exaggerated bow. "Your Majesty, I stand before you victorious in battle! Through my strength and diligence, the Empire has expanded and the demi-human barbarians who would threaten our people have been broken beneath the boots of my legions!"

A polite clap emanated from all those in attendance. Claps akin to someone scoring well in a game of golf than being told we just enslaved an entire population.

"I come before you not only in victory, but with a present to you. Behold: the bunny queen herself!" With a firm tug of the chain one of the cloaked figures was thrown to their knees. Without pausing, he grabbed the back of the cloak and exposed the woman to all. I could safely say that under better circumstances I would be in awe of her beauty. The white hair, pale skin, and red eyes were a combination that was never in either of my previous lives. Also, the rabbit ears and, strangely, bits of fur along the arms and legs added an exotic flair to her. Sadly, the bruises and cuts that littered her pale form did detract from her elegance, vain as it might sound.

"Though she fought with great dishonor, even her dirty tricks did little to stop our righteous legions from taking what is rightfully ours by right of conquest," Zorzal sharply tugged the leash to emphasize the point, the woman in turn crying out in discomfort. "Even in defeat she showed her duplicity. She threw herself at my feet and begged for her life to be spared, offering everything and anything to be spared death. Being the honorable man I am, and taking pity on this worthless foe, I of course accepted and took her into my chambers to see to her promises. Know that I can assure you that for all her bluster of being a monarch and warrior, the skills she showed me in the ensuing days prove without a shadow of a doubt that she was raised in a house of whores."

More polite clapping, though there were a few lurid jeers thrown in by several men in the audience.

"But is not all I bring from her lands. Though poor in coin their lands were ripe with flesh for our markets. Even now the brothels are filling to the brim with their race, and I have no doubt they shall become favorites of many lords if the service their queen has provided me is any indication."

Again, quiet clapping, though I could hardly hide my frown, appearances be damned.

"For my father, our Emperor, I give you her lands for expansion," Zorzal turned to me and smiled, signaling to his henchman to bring another one of the cloaked figures forward. "But for my beloved sister," I held in my eye roll, "I had to think hard on what to give her. As I said, this is a poor race with little of value to offer. But it occurred to me that I should give my sister, your princess, something that has no equivalent in value!"

Led forward by a chain leash was another cloaked bunny humanoid. She looked far younger than the former queen if her size was anything to go by. She was thrown to the ground next to her leader and had her own cloak ripped off her form. Not only was the second rabbit person younger than the first, but she also looked like a younger copy of the older one! The same white hair, pale skin, and red eyes, but had barely any of the injuries that her senior had.

"The answer was obvious to me: what better slave for a princess than another princess!" Zorzal pressed his boot into the younger one's back, forcing the girl to bow before the assembled royal family.

As the applause rang out far louder this time than before only one thought raced through my mind.

'Are you fucking kidding me!'

"Brother… you shouldn't have…" 'you really fucking shouldn't have!' Ignoring the whole ethics issues I have with having a fucking slave taken in war just 'given' to me, the girl is setting off every red flag in the back of my mind. A girl who has lost everything, had been publicly humiliated, has probably been abused in numerous ways, is most likely suicidal, was raised in a martial society and now has nothing to lose by going after the closest of her tormentors is NOT someone I want to be around!

The rest of his little speech was a blur as the crowds applauded one thing after another. I only realized the whole thing was over when Zorzal walked over and handed me the chain leash for the younger rabbit girl.

"If she gives you any issues, just have one of the guards have a go at her, that tends to shut them up from what I've heard," Zorzal 'helpfully' advised. "If she keeps at it, just let me know and I'll set her straight."

'Ugggh'

"So, are we going to be done with that one or are you going to try and salvage something from her?" Gaius returned to my side as the festivities resumed, nudging his head in the girl's direction as she was escorted with me to my chambers.

"I'm not going to just kill her for no reason," I retorted as we made our way out of the chamber, people parting before us.

"You might end up with a slit throat if you don't do something," the eunuch sighed. "What was that man thinking giving you a bunny warrior slave? The girl just saw her whole civilization crumble before her and now they think she's just going to just ignore that?"

"I know."

"Even young bunny warriors have superhuman strength and speed. If she tries to kill you, it may happen too fast for you to blast her away with a spell."

"I said I know," I grumbled. "Look, I'll take the necessary precautions and deal with her."

"Kindness has its place Tanya," Gaius broke court protocol and addressed me by my name. Not that it doesn't happen, but never in public with so many people around us. "And that place, more often than not, is the grave."

"I said, I know," I repeated more forcefully. "Push comes to shove I will deal with it, but I'd rather see if there is a diplomatic solution if at all possible. Show her she's not going to be treated like that anymore."

"As you say," he commented, doubting the end result of the situation as it stands.

"If she attacks me, I'll put her down myself," I replied. "But just trust that I actually do know what I am doing."

Rax sighed and shook his head. "I will defer to your judgment then."

He didn't believe me. Not surprising since I was lying. As with many situations I find myself in, it seems I will just have to come up with something on the fly. With every step I took to my chambers, guards flaking me with the girl not far behind me and Gaius, my mind raced through a myriad of possible outcomes.


--
--


…why…

…why was her life like this now…

Since she fell into captivity, time seemed to just blur for Cordelia. Despite knowing weeks have passed it still felt like only yesterday that her home burned before her eyes. Imperial soldiers marching in horrific unison to pillage and loot everything in their path. The screams of the daughters being torn from their mothers and sisters as the legionaries started… partaking of them in such a bestial display that still haunts her nightmares.

If she closed her eyes, Cordelia could swear she still felt the cold kiss of steel on her throat from when she was forced to watch her Auntie be… defiled in front of her. The night before that she remembered Auntie Tyuule saying that everything would be alright, that she was prepared to do what was needed to save her people. But the scene, and then forcing Tyuule to thank that human, was too much for Cordial.

She thanked whichever God was watching her that evening that she didn't suffer a similar fate. While depraved lust hung in the air from the other humans watching their leader, that monster took one look at her and decided that she was 'off limits'. Cordelia thought he was referring to wanting her for himself, but he showed no interest in her for that sort of action. She was quickly separated from her aunt and left to wallow in her fear.

Cordelia even heard from some legionaries guarding her that some of her people began to think Auntie Tyuule betrayed the kingdom to the Empire! That she spread her legs to that degenerate of a human of her own volition, as if she wasn't threatened with the death or violation of every single one of her subjects had she continued to resist.

The insanity!

Cordelia only knew this because she was in the room when the decision to surrender was made. After her father died in battle against the Imperials Auntie Tyuule had kept her close at all times, closer still after a failed assassination attempt on her life. She was in the room when her Auntie had made the decision to lay down her arms and surrender. Cordelia saw how she smashed her war table to splinters as the realization dawned on her and her council that there was no victory in their war, and the rage and anguish on her face as tears flowed without end when she gave the order to surrender her crown and herself if it meant of sparing her people further bloodshed.

Now here she was, a proud warrior princess made to be a slave to a human girl her junior.

It was pathetic.

Led into the human's darkened chamber, the girl had foolishly ordered Cordelia unbound and requested her guards to remain outside. Was she so arrogant that she believed Cordelia's spirit was broken to the point of not resisting, or was she so stupid she didn't think the warrior princess was a threat? She didn't know what was more insulting.

Alone now with the human, the child turned her back to her to look at something on her desk, as if she was forgetting a skilled warrior was unbound and in her chamber.

But since she was alone with the human, it made what was to come much easier.

Cordelia may not be able to bring back all those who had died or rebuild her kingdom, but she can give these humans a small taste of the horror and anguish they inflicted upon her people.

Moving as quietly as she could Cordelia carefully grabbed a nearby adjacent candlestick. While it was a tad gaudy with its gilded appearance it was still sturdy enough to crack open a person's skull if it strikes the proper place. She had seen her aunt do something similar to the assassin after her own life, so it was probably doable for her.

But before she could close the distance between the two of them, the girl spoke to her for the first time.

"Are you going to try and kill me?"

The question made the young warrior stop dead in her tracks, makeshift weapon arched high, her ruby eyes widened as she watched the human slowly turned to face her.

"W-What?" was all she could reply with, her first words to this human.

"I said, 'are you going to try to kill me'?" the human questioned again. Cordelia gave no reply, for her words carried all the weight of asking about the weather. Her eyes looked at the candlestick in her hand, "I assume that will be your weapon of choice?"

"Why are you… talking like that?" her red eyes met the human's deep blue with unhidden confusion.

"I'm just curious," the human admitted before walking over to her dresser.

"H- Hey! Don't move!" Cordelia angled her weapon.

"I just want to change out of this dress. This damned thing has been on my nerves for the entire evening and I'd rather be in something more comfortable," she replied, though stopping her motions to the dresser.

"A-Are you stupid!?" She yelled at the weird human child. "Don't you understand what's happening?"

"You were going to try and kill me, correct?" the human tilted her head in confusion.

"Stop that," Cordelia snapped. "Stop acting like nothing is happening. I am going to kill you, and you're just acting like it's nothing?"

"Overreacting would hardly benefit the situation," the human shook her head. "Besides, I wanted to try and stop you from making a mistake."

"Killing a human can't ever be a mistake."

The human sighed and shook her head. "Well, before you try and bludgeon me to death, could you at least humor me with an answer to a single question for me?"

"I'm killing you for everything your people have done to my- "

"Not that," the human cut off her tirade that she had been holding in for such a long time. "The 'why' is obvious. My question is: what do you think will happen next?"

"Huh?" That…. was not what Cordelia was expecting. Shouldn't this soft human princess be begging for her life or cursing at Cordelia with some vague promise of vengeance? It was what she did to the assassin before her auntie raced into her room and killed him.

"I don't care." She admitted. "I just want your people to understand a fraction of the pain and suffering you inflict on others! I want your people to mourn the loss of someone they hold dear. We didn't do anything to you, and you killed and enslaved us! So, I am going to kill you for the sake of all those who died to your invasion!"

"And what do you think they will do if you kill me!?" The human raised her voice for the first time. Cordelia's ears twitched as the girl's voice carried some underlying authority that shouldn't be possible for anyone her age. "I won't say your people did nothing to the Empire," the human paced her words carefully. "Your people raided and pillaged the outlying territories and provinces for slaves and mates. So no, you have done something to the Empire, but I will agree that nothing your people had done warranted such a disproportionate response against your kingdom."

Are all human children like this or is this one just the weird one? Who talks like this?

"But, going by your logic, if doing nothing caused the Empire to destroy your kingdom, what do you think the response will be when you actually do something?"

"They'll kill me," Cordelia stated, it was a fate she had steeled herself for when she committed to this path.

Yet her reply only made the human girl give her a quizzical look, "Really? That's what you think will happen? That the guards will just cut you down?"

"Perhaps after they torture and violate me for a time," she added, not sure why the human was giving her that look. Most likely they would also force her aunt to watch all of this occurring. Though it will be painful for her Auntie, she knows she'll understand why she did this.

"Really?" The human looked disappointed. "You think they'll torture you for a while before killing you?"

"What does it matter to you? You'll be dead in a few moments," but why was she hesitating now?

"Let me rephrase my question then," the human took a step closer to her. "If the Empire attacked and destroyed your kingdom for doing, as you say, nothing, what do you think they will do after you kill a member of their royal family?"

"…what?" They would… they…

"I said," the girl spoke slowly, taking another step forward. "What will the Empire do to your people if you kill me?"

'They'll kill them all…'
her mind whispered.

The human seemingly noticed her reaching this conclusion and nodded. "That's right, they'll punish everyone they can in retaliation. Your own death, torture, or violation, will not be enough satiate the lust for vengeance."

As much as Cordelia wished it wasn't so, the human was… correct. Here she was, a proud warrior princess of the bunny warrior kingdom, forced to grovel and serve at the feet of those who slaughtered and enslaved them, and should she lash out at an Imperial to share with these humans a modicum of the loss and anguish they had happily inflicted on others they would pay it back a hundreds times more.

It's not fair…

It's not fucking fair…

Its not GODS DAMNED FAIR!

"Gods damn it!" Cordial blindly threw the candlestick away and fell to her knees with tears racing down her cheeks. But before she could even properly weep at the futility of her own situation she heard the human girl yelp in pain. Looking up, Cordelia saw the human girl holding her forehead as a small dribble of blood ran down her cheek and the unused murder weapon lay bloody at her feet.

She barely heard the doors slam open and the guards race in.

"What's going on!?" the taller of the pair asked, roughly grabbing Cordelia's shoulder. She felt his grip tighten as he noticed the girl's bleeding forehead. "Did you lay your filthy hands on Her Highness slave!?"

Cordelia wondered if killing herself here and now would help alleviate the pain forced upon her people or would they simply respond more cruelly for having been denied inflicting pain upon her? Her musings were cut short by a swift kick to her stomach that pushed all the air out of her lungs.

"You damn animal, don't even have the gall to deny it?" the guard spat in her face. "Don't worry Your Highness, we'll send for an apothecary immediately and make sure that this beast learns her place- "

"Wait, she didn't do anything," the human girl spoke up.

The words made Cordelia go lightheaded.

What was the human doing?

"Your Highness?" The other guard questioned, a hand still on her shoulder.

"I tripped and fell," the girl seamlessly lied, her hand trying to curtail the bleeding.

"But this beast raised her voice and swore at you," the guard countered.

"She probably did that because she was afraid that you would jump to the conclusion that you did," the girl replied. As good as her acting skills were, there was no way these two humans would ignore the bloodied candlestick at her-

Wait… where was it?

Cordelia had seen the thing land by her feet, and the gold on it should be reflecting the light from the hallway now shining into the room. She had only taken her eyes off the girl for a moment when the guards rushed in. But as the girl exchanged more pleasantries with the guards, she saw it. The candlestick was laying by the edge of the room, the deepest and darkest corner of her chamber. Did she kick it there intentionally so the guards wouldn't see it?

But why?

The warrior bunny could only stand in a haze as a healer rushed to the child and cleaned her wound. She ignored the glares the humans sent her way as they exited the room at the prompting of the child.

"So... what's your name anyway?" Cordelia asked the girl.

"Didn't you hear it when my brother went on that whole speech of his when he… handed you over to me," the girl asked.

"I wasn't really paying attention to that," Cordelia admitted with a shrug.

Rather than look annoyed, the human nodded. "Understandable. My name is Tanya Augustus. What's your name?"

She stared at the human for several seconds before sighing, "…Cordelia."

"Well then Cordelia, while these are hardly ideal circumstances it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," the girl then held out her hand for the bunny girl.

Cordelia stared the human's extended hand before crossing her arms, wondering what this human's game was.

"I'm not your friend, human," Cordelia commented. "Just because you show basic decency and lied for my sake doesn't mean we're suddenly friends."

"Naturally," she replied, pulling back her hand. "I do hope that I have demonstrated the sincerity in my intentions to not treat you as a slave, even if you must be legally identified as such."

"All you've proven is that you're the least deplorable human I've ever met, a crowning achievement for your entire race," Cordelia frowned at the girl and pulled at the chain attached to her collar. "But from where I'm standing, actions speak louder than any flowery words you can say."

"Agreed," what is wrong with this girl? Does she have a comeback for everything in her head? "Then starting tomorrow I'll have Gaius show you my itinerary and see how you fit into it."

"Want to keep your new slave nice and close to show off to your friends?"

"Close, yes, but only make sure you don't do something stupid given your current emotional state. And you're not a slave, at least, I don't want you to be one. I prefer it when someone works for me with an equivalent exchange. If it's something in my power, I will do it to have you in my employ."

"If that's the case, why don't you free my fellow bunny warriors and we'll call it even," Cordelia joked.

"Agreed," the human replied, causing the albino girl to stare at her.

"Wait… what?"

"Though I have neither the authority or the funds to emancipate an entire race, I do have a sizable enough cash flow to at least purchase and emancipate groups of your people in small bursts," the human explained.

"Stop mocking me," the bunny warrior waved off the human's words.

"It's an agreement, not an insult," the human shook her head and extended her hand once more. "As I said, while I am hardly flush with enough currency to emancipate your race, I can still free your people in groups. While I can hardly find them large scale employment to facilitate a transition into the general population, I can still have them legally emancipated so they are free once more. Would that be sufficient for you?"

Cordelia stared at the girl, "…why are you saying you would do that?"

"Because I hate slavery and if I could I would see the whole institution burned to the ground," the human did not mince her words. "While I cannot do such a thing on my own I can still alleviate the suffering of some in whatever ways I can. So, do we have a deal?"

The human extended her hand again. Cordelia stared at it for a moment. She wanted to slap it away and yell at her for playing with her mind. But there was a part of her mind that questioned if this was better than nothing. For as ignoble as humans are, this one has shown surprising decency with her. Hardly a stirring compliment, but far more than any human had shown her so far. She supposed that the worst thing that could happen is that nothing happens, her people remain as slaves. But if this human is being honest with her at least some of her people could be saved…

Damn the Gods for these choices!

"…fine," Cordelia grasped the human's hand firmly. "Free my people as best you can and I'll… behave."

"So we are in agreement," the human nodded. "I will have my aids draw up an appropriate and suitable outflow of coin to facilitate long term emancipation tomorrow."

"I want to be there when you do that," the bunny warrior huffed, making sure this human wasn't going to pull a fast one on her.

"That's fine. In the meantime, though I have no issues with it, you might wish to be a tad more... composed," she said the word as if was something dirty. "I might not care all that much about some backtalk, but I've seen people dragged out to be broken on the wheel for less than what you just said."

"You know, before I was enslaved by your brother, I was a princess myself," Cordelia rolled her eyes at this human girl's worry. "I can hold my tongue just fine."

"It's stuff like that I am worried about," she pointed out.

"What? What could I possibly want to say to the people who butchered their way through my people's homeland?" She quipped with a half-hidden growl. Cordelia was half sure she was goading the human girl to see how far the girl's 'deal' went and she decided to just call the guards, but she was also certain that this was the first genuine conversation she has had with someone since her captivity. She was kept separate from her people and the guards were hardly the conversing sort beyond the usual mocking and joking at her expense.

"I'm serious," the girl frowned at Cordelia's attitude. "If someone overhears you even I might not be able to- "

"Don't worry, I said I know how to hold my tongue, didn't I?" She cut the human off. "In public I'll sing your praises and talk about how much I love how your Empire destroyed my culture and enslaved untold numbers of my people. That I'm so blessed that my Mistress is so generous, she lets me have my own opinions in private and promises to not beat me as much as the other slaves. What more can a girl ask for?"

"You did come in here planning to kill me in a fit of misguided blame," while the girl hardly seemed enthused by Cordelia's words, she again didn't call in the guards. Maybe she was being honest with her, or as honest as humans can be.

"Not misguided, misdirected," Cordelia corrected her 'partner' before sighing and taking a seat on the child's overly decorated couch. "But I admit I… may have let my anger get the better of me. I was so consumed with righting the wrong done to my people that I was just lashing out at anything I could get my hands on that could make them feel pain. In short, I was acting like a damn human. Thinking it through now, it's obvious a kid like you could hardly be responsible for the war."

"…you're only four years older than me."

"So, if your serious about treating me like a servant rather than a slave, and hold up your end of this agreement, we'll have no problems. But just know that I'm not some lowly maidservant or pauper to be tasked with things beneath my station."

"…and what is your station then?"

"I'm a warrior," Cordelia proudly stated. "I suppose I can tolerate a task like guarding you. If you hold to your end of our deal, I might even try to protect you."

"I'm not some helpless waif," the girl replied.

"Look, don't try and act tough with me," Cordelia cautioned. "If not for some fast talking I would be already walking away from this room with your lifeless corpse on… the…" Cordelia's chastisement died on her lips as she watched the human conjure a flame between her hands. With a flick of the human's wrists, the flame snaked from her palms to the fireplace to ignite the fresh wood.

"I didn't fight you because I didn't want to fight you," the apparently magical, human girl replied as she walked over to the soft fire.

"Why? The possibility of getting hurt scares you?" Cordelia tried to bounce back from the revelation of the girl's defensive capabilities. "Or do you prefer others to inflict the pain for you?"

"I'm hardly squeamish to the concept of violence," not for the first time did the warrior princess wonder what the deal with this human was. "If pushed I will fight, and I'll gladly strike first should the situation call for it. But if I think I can reach a mutually acceptable agreement then I'd rather do that."

"Hmm, no kidding," Cordelia stretched her dirty feet onto the table. "Well unlike humans, I honor my agreements. Free as many of my people as you can and I'll… work with you," she spat out the words. "I'll also protect you as best I can, since you're more useful to me alive so you can go about freeing my people. But prove true to your human nature, betray the modicum of trust I'm giving you, and you better be able to cast a spell faster than I can snap your neck."

"I suppose that is the best I can hope for at the moment," she sighed.

"I suppose it is," Cordelia agreed.

There was no more talking after that. The girl finally changed into some nightwear and wandered over to her desk to write something down. This whole situation was bizarre. Less than an hour ago she was going to kill this human, now she's working for her. The whole situation was surreal.

Still, as Cordelia started to nod off on the couch, the first cushioned surface she had felt in months, she thought that this bargain did come with one additional benefit: it let her see if humans were cruel by nature or by nurturer.

--
--

"You left without permission."

"I did, Father," Zorzal agreed. "I left a boy and return to you as a man. A conquer." The faint hum of festivities reverberated within the Emperor's solar. Zorzal could hardly contain the glee in his step when his father had summoned him to his private study.

Zorzal had been hesitant to trust the rat man Borro at first. What he proposed seemed outrageous. To use his father's seal to falsify commands to the Legions to march against the warrior bunnies, to accomplish in months what Emperors of centuries past have tried and failed to do, to finally secure the Empire's eastern territories. It was mad!

While he accepted the forged seal and path the creature showed to leave the capital without being seen, Zorzal thought little of the creature's assurances of support. After all, what use could he possibly need from the likes of a haryo that could not be achieved infinitely better by the might of the Legions? But after enough defeats at the hands of the honorless women he accepted the ratman's help in informing him of the bunny warrior locations. Where they were strongest. Where they were weakest. He was even provided with their exact battleplans.

With these weapons in hand, his victory was guaranteed. Battle after battle, his legions smashed the warrior women. Twenty-one times did the bunny warriors charge his lines, and twenty-one times did they break before the might of his legions. Even their city was no match for superior Seradan siege engines. In short, he achieved complete victory.

He may have left under the cover of darkness as a boy, but he returned home a man. A conqueror!

"I called you here to speak of your… actions in the far east," his father began. "It made me realize something. I was wrong about you, Zorzal."

This was it! Zorzal felt his spirit soar as his father would soon shower him with praise for his actions.

"This is hardly something I dare admit, but I was wrong about you," he repeated. "Before you marched off with six legions to subdue the bunny warriors, I had thought you were little more than a spoiled boy who knew nothing of how the world truly worked and sought out tasks in bid to fuel your own ego and vanity."

Zorzal felt his chest swell at the anticipation and he prepared the thanks he would give him in turn.

"In hindsight, I can admit I was wrong… I had vastly overestimated your abilities."

"What?" What had he just said?

"I said I was wrong," the Emperor repeated. "You are far worse than anything I could have ever imagined."

"I- I…" Zorzal didn't know what to say. What had he done wrong? "Father, whatever it is that you think I did wrong please tell me, and I will make it right. Give me any task and it will be done!"

"Anything you say?" Molt mulled over his son's plea.

"Yes!"

"Hmm, well I suppose there is one thing you could do to make this right," the Emperor mused aloud.

"Name it and it shall be done!"

"My Legions," though soft, the Emperor's voice carried as sharp as a blade. "Give them back to me."

"…what?" What was he talking about?

"My Legions, give them back to me," he repeated to his son. "Give them back to me you pathetic little worm!"

Zorzal flinched as his father sent a golden goblet flying towards his son, the chalice bouncing off a hand covering his face. "Father, I- "

"Do you even understand what you've done!? Can you even comprehend the magnitude of your insanity, your idiocy!?" The Emperor raised his voice in a manner the prince had never seen before.

"I led our legions to victory- "

"Over the corpses of five legions that you marched to their deaths!" he cut Zorzal off. "Do you understand you commanded the single greatest military loss since the Northern War?"

"They died honorable deaths in the glory of- "

"Eighty thousand men! And you couldn't even defeat a force barely a tenth of your own!? Demi-human or not, the legion's superior formation and discipline should have been enough to scatter the barbarians in any pitched battle." He ignored Zorzal's rationalizations.

"They fought us dishonorably!" Zorzal finally stood his ground, determined to defend his honor. "They attacked in the dead of night, set fire to our stores, slaughtered the men as they slept, and when my legions forced them into a battle they refused to meet us on favorable ground! So I forced them to commit to fighting me by never retreating after a battle. Bloodied as we were from their craven tactics, we pushed forward, regardless of the losses. Eventually we forced them to fight in a proper battle and annihilated them! We emerged victorious with the glory and honor such victories grant!"

"Victory? You see the deaths of two thirds of your forces as a victory!?" Molt raged. "And honor? What does that have to do with victory?"

"Everything!" Zorzal countered.

Molt started in disbelief at his eldest son, before signing with annoyance.

"It appears you don't truly understand. Then let me explain to you what you did in a way even a man-child like you will understand," Molt's eyes narrowed at his eldest and slid a paper across his desk. "When you pulled the legions guarding the east away for your little war, that caused gaps in our eastern most defenses to be noticed by the steppe tribes. Then the sheer carnage from… whatever in the Gods' name you think you were doing came to light, they smelled blood and attacked in force. In the time it took for you to prance your way back to the capital with your whores, six cites have been sacked and dozens of towns razed to the ground. Thousands of our people lie dead, and thousands more are now slaves to barbarians."

Zorzal tsked, "Ut's hardly my fault when others fail in their duties- "

Molt slammed his fist down to quiet the prince, "It is when you're the one who pulled their forces away and made it impossible to hold their positions with the broken legions you returned to them!"

"Then I shall return to the east and teach the horse tribes the lesson I taught the warrior bunnies." Zorzal declared. "I will burn their homes to ash as I drag each and every one of those filthy beasts from- "

"You will do nothing," Molt silenced the prince's promise. "I've already sent word for ten legions across our western and southern borders to redeploy to deal with the mess that you created. You," he almost spat the word, "have already done more damage to my legions than a thousand barbarian warbands could have inflicted. Were you not my son I would have you broken on the wheel and burned alive for your actions."

"You bastard! Don't you know what I've -UGH!" Zorzal's burning rage and rebuttal to his father was cut short by the sharp sting against his back forcing him to his knees. Looking back, he saw one of the guards pressing his foot into his back to keep him prostrated before the Emperor.

"I know exactly what you've done," the Emperor replied to his cut off question, uncaring with the way his heir was being treated. "And it's because of what I know that I would sooner let myself be consumed by maggots then let a single legionary be put under your command ever again."

Why… Why was he doing this to him?

He had conquered in the name of the Empire! He had slaughtered their enemies and broken their will to ever rise up again! He has done more for this Empire than anyone has ever done before-

Wait…

Was that it…?

"You're jealous…" Zorzal mumbled.

Molt raised a brow at his son's words, "What is it you're- "

"You're jealous," Zorzal repeated with more clarity, kicking off the praetorian and standing upright once more. "I'm the one who marched our Legions against the warrior bunnies. I'm the one who accomplished in months what Emperors of centuries past have tried and failed. I'm the one who finally secured the Empire's eastern territories. I've done more in months than you have ever done in your whole life! That's why you're beating me down because you're afraid of what I can really do! That I would be a better Emperor than you could ever be!"

"Is that how you're rationalizing all of this?" He seemed confused and surprised, though a cold fury was still evident just beneath the facade he held up. With a tsk, he waved to his guards, "Get him out of my sight."

Zorzal yelled at his father as he was dragged out of the solar, fighting to stay upright as the armored figures pulled him by his heels down the hall to his chambers. No matter how loud he raged and swore his voice was drowned out by the continued celebrations of his victory that echoed across the palace.

He would not forget this betrayal…

--
--

The Great Khan was dead.

Ironic in a sense. Great Khan Plekx had rallied his host under the assumption that it would be a quick victory. That the tribes must strike with all to haste to take full advantage of the Imperial's moving their forces to subdue the Hares in the northern plains. And for a time, it was good.

City after city paid tribute to the clans or resisted to face the mercy of the sword and the life of the chains. After the first handful broke, the remainder simply complied and lavished the clans with coin and slaves of their own volition.

Khan Febos saw none of these riches. In response to the slight his father gave Great Khan Plekx's father two score years ago, when both men still drew breath, the Great Khan had ordered Febos and those sworn to him to raid along the territories of the dark-skinned knife-ears. A fool's errand. While Febos would gladly fight any foe before him, he can hardly fight a foe who refuses to meet him in battle. Such as, for example, the knife-ears who limber up the great trees of their forest home and pepper his host with unending volleys of arrows. Perhaps if he had a number of griffon or pegasus among his clan's mounts it would be less of an issue, but griffons are too far to the north and pegasi are too temperamental for hobgoblins to ride effectively.

Not that he would ever exchange his beautiful pearl white plain strider for anything. She may be stubborn as a mule and spiteful to a fault, but he trusted her with his life as he knew she trusted him with her own. Now that he thought about it, the hot-blooded girl would probably hunt him down if she even caught wind of him riding another mount!

Still, his host's task did have one advantage in retrospect: they were far from the bloodbath and slaughter that followed the Great Khan's fall when the Imperials, flushed with reinforcements from the far west, pursued the fleeing riders. So many were cut down by cataphracts and wyvern riders.

Laid low by a dozen arrows as he charged to break the line at Magna Orientis. Worse, his two sons died in the same battle when they attempted to sally forth and collect their father's corpse before the Imperials could desecrate it. They suffered the same fate as their father. With their deaths, the host broke against the imperial defenses and routed.

But the death of The Great Khan led to another issue: succession. News of this death spread faster across the Khanate then even a man on the swiftest steed could deliver it. With both of Plekx's sons dead, and with their own sons too young to rule, an Assembly was called by the eldest shamans to select a new leader. All the khans were ordered to ride for Kurultai for the vote.

And by virtue of being untouched by the slaughter at Magna Orientis, Khan Febos's clan, and many others, were made stronger by the others' losses. While hardly a large clan to begin with, his motley band of riders now held more power now than it ever did before. Enough to possibly tip the balance of votes in favor of one party or another.

Naturally, he could hardly weigh in one way or the other without seeking the console of his riders. Perhaps a poor choice in hindsight.

"Plizek's claim is strongest! He was Great Khan Plekx's good brother!"

"He also takes Imperial gold for his own benefit!"

"Slander! The shamans exonerated him of that false claim!"

"Zirix is a proven commander who has led dozens of raids against the Imperials and Hares both. Who better to lead us in a time of war than a proven commander?"

"How dare you! You would support the man whose father spat upon the honor of our clan?"

"His father, not his son. The holy texts are quite clear about the sins of the father- "

"And did that stop Great Khan Plekx from slighting us?"

"Neither of those men have done any good to our clan, we must stand beside Khan Chax. Our clans have ever been allies for generations!"

Febos sighed as the circular debates dragged on for hours. Dusk had eventually turned to night, meals have been placed and taken away, and all he could do was watch the myriad of emotions dancing along the faces of his riders' faces in the light of the fire. He was almost angry that his first wife had forbade him from drinking himself into a stupor.

Yet as the moon climbed to its zenith in the sky, as talk moved from claims and rights to glory and bloodshed, a raspy laugh quieted all gathered. "Oh, young boys, so eager for slaughter that they turn into rabid beasts at the first mention of blood."

The crackling voice came from the old shaman who sat beside the Khan, Orik. He was an old hobgoblin, covering in wrinkles and bruises accumulated over ninety years of life advising countless of Febos's line. His yellow teeth were crooked, his hands shook softly even when resting on his lap, and his eyes near grayed over from blindness. Yet, despite his ancient age, his voice, raspy as it was, carried a sharpness and wit rarely seen in a man's prime.

"With respect, elder," one of his men softly replied, realizing who he was conversing with. "The Imperials have never been weaker. Their losses against the Hares have only made our people stronger. One good raid could lavish us with enough riches to be the deciding vote in the Assembly."

"Yet we too also suffered losses that have made our people weaker as well," Orik noted back, his grey eyes on the young man. "Is more death truly worth a slightly heavier coin purse?"

"If we move fast, we can sack a city before they can respond," a companion of the young man agreed. "The Imperials are too slow to match our speed."

"Perhaps, or perhaps their wyverns shall see us leagues away and assemble to counter us," the shaman shook his head. "No, that is not the way."

"I have meditated on this matter a great deal and asked God for a sign to best lead our people forward. I received not a sign, but a vision," the shaman commented, turning to Febos. "I saw you, young lord, leading a force from all the clans to war."

"You saw me?" Febos felt lightheaded at the implication that he would ever be Great Khan.

"Yes, you," Orik nodded. "Not old and grey with age, but as you are now. Youthful and in the prime of your life. I saw not the distant future, but what is to be very soon. You, Febos Kokx, shall be the one who is the next Great Khan."

"Excuse me," Febos laughed, barely believing what he was hearing. Him? Great Khan?

"Then what is our future Shaman?" Febos questioned, curious about how far this went if nothing else.

"Greatness," the elder chuckled as he turned to his lord.

In the light of the fire, Febos could swear the old man's greyed eyes reflected the dancing flames. "God has shown me a glimpse of what events are to come and what events may come."

"Please speak plainly, Elder,"

"From Alnus Hill, they will come," the shaman stated suddenly to the silent gathering.

"They?"

"A people, an army. I do not know their name," he answered with a shake of his head. "By the Demon Gods' own hubris and the Empire's greed, they shall be brought here. They shall set forth as a great force, mighty and terrible in equal measures. Like a flowing river they will pour forth and drown the Empire in a sea of Imperial blood. With magic and means unknown to my eyes, they shall cut the Empire's armies down, breaking and humbling them in a manner so complete that it will be spoken of for as long as words exist."

The assembled riders began to mutter amongst themselves. While true that shamans had some clairvoyant abilities this was a… tad more than what usually was spoken of. Normally it was of a hidden blade amongst a crowd of supposed friends, or knowledge that a foe would be weakest to strike at a specific time of morning. This was…

"But that is not all He showed me," the elder continued, standing up to address the entire gathering. "Standing before this carnage and great power was a mighty hydra. Yet instead of fighting against the tides of blood, it ripped and tore at its own flesh. It ate itself as the world around it burned. From each bite rose another dozen heads that joined in the grizzly feast. The many heads ate until naught but clean bones remained and the monster collapsed under its own weight. Heed my words! Brother shall turn upon brother, magics and forces of unimaginable power shall lay waste to the land, and demons will laugh at the slaughter before them! Know this, young lord. Serada will burn, the kindlings relit over and over by the insistent winds of change. This squabble with the Empire's border territories will be nothing compared to what is to come."

Silence dawn upon the men as the elder's words sunk in.

"So, all we need to do is wait until this catastrophe occurs and simply move into their lands afterwards?" An older warrior spoke up.

"No."

"No?"

"Our war is not to the west, but to the north. It is in the north that you, young lord, shall fulfill your destiny."

"I have a destiny?" this was the first he has heard of such things.

"You, with the full might of our people, will join our strength with a mighty force in the north to fight under the banner of the one true God. To take part in a war between the Faithful and the False Gods."

"You mean to say… I will destroy the Empire?"

The old shaman chucked, "I never said you would be fighting the Empire. I said our fate is to fight under the banner of God. By extension, we shall join alongside all those who would take up arms in His name. And it's as you said, only reavers and Imperials are in the north."

"Enough!" One rider shouted. "You go too far shaman!"

"Too far?" this made the shaman chuckle. "Young man, were you not the one who suggested we go our way through the Empire in the hopes of finding trinkets to swing a vote one way or the other? Yet I am the one who is speaking out of turn?"

"I would sooner let myself be consumed by maggots than fight beside an Imperial," the rider marched over and towered over the old man. "They killed my brother; I would sooner spit on their graves then raise a sword for them!"

"And what of me?" he questioned back. "I have lost a father, brothers, nephews, sons, and a grandson to Imperial steel. Do you presume that I would choose this path for us of my own volition? As you so colorfully described, I too would sooner die than fight beside a dragon banner. But before I am a son, a brother, a father, a grandfather, or even a servant of our Khan, I am a servant of God. And by His will, I shall obey. Human, hare, hobgoblin, we all are equal before God. Are you so filled with pride and vainglory that even God's will is not enough for you to smother it?"

"His will, or yours," another, younger, voice spoke up. A young lad, no older than twenty, stood up and joined the other rider.

"Careful boy," the shaman growled, "you are treading dangerous ground."

"I am not refuting God's will, I'm only saying what others are certainly thinking," the young warrior refused to back down. "Your mind is going soft, Elder. This tale of yours is but the first sign of the sickness of the mind." He turned to Febos. "My Khan, surely you can see it too? Age and stress are getting to him."

"Would you have me cast out my advisor?" Febos narrowed his gaze upon the boy.

"No man here could dare argue that retiring the elder is a slight on his honor," the boy seemingly had a better backbone than Febos did at his age. "I would ask you to let him spend his last days in peace and comfort. He has served our people well over the years, but there is a time when the old- "

Before the warrior could finish his plea, a crack of thunder roared around them. The fires in the pit jumped and glowed white hot only to reach out like spindly fingers towards him. On reflexes, both warriors threw themselves backwards to avoid the fiery grasp. The flames whipped and wrapped around the firepit, slithering their way towards Febos. They did not seek to burn him, but to encircle him in a cage of white fire.

"Enough!" the voice that boomed from the shaman's throat was not his own. Projected by unseen magics and magnified beyond mortal means it rang into the very minds of all assembled. "I am not merely a man, but a conduit for God's will upon this world. A great war is coming to Falmart. A war that will be fought by man, beast, abomination, and powers beyond your imagining. From the old order, the faithful shall raise as never before and unite under one banner. MY banner! With your righteous wrath the deceivers shall be cast down from their charnel pulpits, the false idols smashed until they are naught but grains of sand cast to the wind, and the deceived shall be brought into MY Light as is proper."

Despite the scene unfolding before him, Febos did not feel any fear at the unnatural display. All he felt was warmth that bled into his very soul. There was no terror amongst those watching either, merely contentment and a desire to hear what this… Voice wanted to say.

"I see you, young lord," the shaman's neck twisted in a way similar to an owl so he could look Febos in the eyes. The gray of his eyes was gone, replaced with a torrent of shining gold. "Yours is to ride at the vanguard of My Heavenly Host. Upon a white horse you shall have a crown upon your head to lead your people against your foes, and with a bow in hand you shall conquer as your people have done before and you shall do a thousand times again. It is your fate to be an instrument to cast down the deviant, the heretic, and the false God. You will stare down the dragon, rising sun, the abominations beyond, and any other who would oppose My will. Once the Gate opens, this is inevitable."

"I-I…" he could barely form words.

"Claim your crown and march north when the time comes," the voice instructed him before swiveling the shaman's head back to the assembled riders. "The Anointed One shall await you there."

With that said, everything returned to normal as suddenly as it had changed. The fires died down to normal, the elder shaman's eyes returned to its blind grey state, and silence reigned as all who had seen this… event could hardly articulate their thoughts.

Febos did not know how long they sat there in absolute silence before one of their number, the young man from earlier who challenged the shaman's claims, spoke up.

"My Khan…. what… W-What was- "

"Have the camp ready to move before first light," Febos commanded. "We ride for Kurultai to place my name before the Assembly."

None spoke out against his order. As the assembled dispersed to collect themselves, one thought lingered in the back of all their minds, one that overshadowed even the knowledge of a cataclysmic war on the horizon.

God's will be done.

--
--


"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see."

"And I saw and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."


Book of Revelations, First Seal of the Apocalypse


--------------------------------
--------------------------------

AN: What? Revelations? Seal of the Apocalypse? How did that get in there?

Oh well, probably
nothing to worry about or a recuing narrative motif for the story.

And yes, monotheist (Being X) hobgoblin Kharzas/Mongols are on the move. Not the first group of Being X worshipers in Falmart, and certainly not the last to make an appearance.

Also, if you any are curious about the timeline of events (specifically the part about when the JSDF will pop up), canonically Zorzal had his "wild ride" in the bunny kingdom three years before the start of GATE. So no more than two chapters until the Gate is here.

Then the fun begins!
 
Zorzal not being stupid?
Maybe how about you changed that? Cause its been done to death in Gate fandom really, forgotting that the only reasons why every Imperial was soo braindead that even the Principality of Zeon, the "lets gassed the space colonies of fellow spacenoids and then drop it on earth because truly, we are honourable warriors of spacenoid freedom" look way more balanced and less stupid in comparison, was because god forbid anyone actually being a threat to Japan and can get Japanese killed. To the point even Zorzal who are much muscular and taller than Shino lose in melee, because apparently the Imperials failed in everything Japan does. And now they only had silver of opportunity in middle to later part of the upcoming war because of Tanya, who are japanese isekai'ed person, which are very "white man saviour"-ish.

Sorry, it just that the way the fic goes it seem it gonna make that everything is only because of Tanya and her alone.
 
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Well, that definitely seemed like a filler chapter, with nothing in it that will be important later.
Very much joking, of course. :D Indeed, I suspect a number of things in this chapter will be very important later -- and the chapter itself was hardly devoid of interesting events.
 
I don't think Tanya would agree with you.
Then again she is a closet adrenaline junkie.

She'll whine and complain about being in danger, all the while she's one shoting tanks and taking down entire airwings with brutal efficiency.

Sorry, it just that the way the fic goes it seem it gonna make that everything is only because of Tanya and her alone.

I get that in the source material, the Imperials are divided into two groups: the "smart" peace loving ones who want to submit to Japan, and the pants on head idiots who are too dumb to live. In this fic that will not be the case. While I can't say how it will happen exactly, rest assure there are groups that try (and even succeed) in outplaying Japan with the means at their disposal. Both in the poltical arena and in warfare (though that last one is in the somewhat distant future at the moment given the current disparity in strength).

For example, remember that Clovis is basically running a black magic sweat shop in his lands to churn out as many magical devices as possible for something in the future. Stuff that might not necessarily be 'kosher' if you catch my drift.

Basically, while there are many smart people who won't side with the Empire, that doesn't mean they side with the JSDF either. Apart from Clovis, there are plenty of Imperials who do as Fantasy Romans do when central control weakens...

Repost? I've read this already weeks ago.

Yes this is a repost of the SB/FF versions. I noticed I had not updated this story in a year (after the first chapter) so I have been posting the chapters here to continue it here.

The next chapter for the full story (the one on SB/QQ/FF) should be out in a couple of days.

Well, that definitely seemed like a filler chapter, with nothing in it that will be important later.
Very much joking, of course. :D Indeed, I suspect a number of things in this chapter will be very important later -- and the chapter itself was hardly devoid of interesting events.

Absolutely, nothing important!

Good chapter! Can't wait for more!

Thanks!
 
A Young Princess - VIII
In the months following Zorzal's triumphant return to the capital, the emperor announced his son would be moving out of the Imperial Palace and into his own, smaller, palace. A reward for his hard work. A sign of growing up in some cultures.

I see it more as a sign that the emperor wanted Zorzal out of his home after he seemingly allowed his forces to be decimated in his bunny warrior campaign. In the weeks leading up to the announcement, I don't actually remember seeing the two in the same room even once. But whenever I would see him, Zorzal would be adamant that our father was simply jealous of him and his achievements.

So, no love lost between the two with the split up.

Still, the situation left me as the sole imperial child still living in the palace 'full time'.

I simply needed room to 'spread my wings' as they say.

The emperor refused me the first few (dozen) times. The answers were always the same: I was too young. It was too much work for me to manage my own estate. I should just focus on my studies. There was no need to rush things. It was frustrating because I knew he knew that I was more than capable of handling something like this. After all, I was successfully managing several locations in Sadera that functioned as pseudo charities for the poor and downtrodden. I even had plans to expand these amenities beyond the city limits. So, to say I was 'not ready' made me a tiny bit peeved.

Eventually, either he thought I was 'ready' or grew tired of my constant begging since he gave me a 'clubhouse' on my twelfth birthday.

Calling the building a 'clubhouse' understated the sheer size and opulence of the building. While nowhere near as opulent as Pina's Jade Palace where she headquarters her Rose Order Knights, it was still a substantial property. It was a gated structure on the outskirts of the city, filled with all manner of expensive artwork, priceless antiques, an expansive library, numerous sitting rooms and dining areas, a handful of bedrooms, and was fully staffed from the get-go.

Not that I was complaining, mind you. It would serve as an excellent base of operations for my future plans.

The other added benefit of the location was how, due to its relatively isolated location (as much as an upper-class property only a thirty-minute walk from the city gates can be) I was able to stretch my muscles.

---
---

Over the years, I've realized just how soft I've grown. I'm so much slower. So much weaker than I remember being in my last life at the same time. If a hard life can breed a hardy person, a soft life breeds a soft person. Not that one's lifestyle has that much of an effect, the point stands. While I refuse to join Pina's knights, I have no desire to join her little troop, nor can I really spar with any of the guards. Each and everyone is too terrified that they'd hurt me and lose their heads. No matter how many times I tell them, they rather play it safe.

That left really only one person I could effectively spar with.

"Fuck!" Cordeila swore as she was thrown back from a blast of mana. She managed to right herself bfore hitting the ground, skidding to a halt before she hit the property's outer wall. Wiping the sweat off her brow, she charged again.

I have to say, her constant attacks do vaguely remind me of that humorous question regarding the definition of insanity.

She is a very blunt person by nature. That translated over to how she fought. Beyond some rudimentary tactics, she always attacks head on with the intent to overwhelm her opponent with the sheer brutality of her attacks. I've seen her punches crack stones twice her size, so I have a good idea of what the result of being hit will be.

Her greatest weakness, beyond the lack of creativity, is her inability to pace herself. While she may observe a foe from a distance before the battle, once she's in combat she does not slow down for anything. The longer a battle goes on, the more exhausted she gets, and the sloppier her form becomes.

Another thing I have noticed is that Cordelia's choice of dress is somewhat… odd for a front-line warrior. No real armor to speak of, her midriff fully exposed, it seemed to emphasize her figure that provided protection. The only article on her that was even remotely 'normal' was a turtleneck-like shirt she wore to hide the collar she was forced to wear at all times from sight. Not my choice (the collar that is) but she seemed to have found a solution that satisfies most observers.

I'm also certain Zorzal has no idea how close he was to losing his fingers to Cordelia's sharp teeth when he pulled the turtleneck back one time to make sure Cordelia 'still knew her place'. I still have no idea what that man keeps parading around the former queen. With her physical condition continuously getting worse and worse, it only reflects badly on him if people start to question what else he might be doing out of sight if he thinks this is an acceptable thing to show.

But back to Cordelia's choice of attire. I found it a very risky proposition for a woman of all people to wear in battle. Though I suppose that might be the point. The time a warrior spends gawking at your figure is time he doesn't raise his guard to stop your dirk from digging into his throat.

Still, you won't see me running around half naked on the battlefield even if I had the durability of a demi human.

However, speaking of durability.

I let loose a pair of arcane orbs at Cordelia in the midst of one of her 'fall back and charge' motions. She reacted quickly enough, crossing her arms to protect herself. The orbs impacted with a satisfying crack, yet did little damage to her. Granted I am pulling my punches to not accidentally grievously wound or kill her, but there should have been at least some irritated skin or bruising on her arms.

It is one thing to hear about demi-human's superiority over baseline humans, it is quite another to see it play out before your eyes.

Cordelia charged again, her blows striking with all the force of a high caliber round. The amount of crush force being exerted on her fists as they flailed against my rudimentary barrier would be easily enough to shatter the hand of any human. They should be more bloody stumps than fists.

"Why Wont It Break!" each word echoed by a crack as her fists struck my magical shield.

Little did Cordelia realize that she actually was doing something. Her continuous blows have been slowly pushing me back, centimeters at a time. And my barrier was constantly on the verge of failing under her relentless assault. If she were to just keep hammering away rather than back off after several moments of furious assault, my shield would shatter in half a minute.

To my eyes, it seemed like she was taught a very repetitive form of attack. Not that it isn't effective, merely inflexible with things that break the mold, such as magic. Still, with sweat now dripping profusely from her brow, her breathing becoming more labored, and the speed of her blows noticeably slowing down, I believe that now would be the best time to end this.

Dropping the barrier, I ducked from her following strike. Concentrating my mana into my fist, I struck her exposed gut in a swift uppercut. Cordelia gasped as all the air left her lungs and she slumped to the ground. Her dry coughs echoed across the courtyard as she tried to fill her chest with air.

while two maids rushed over to my side to check my condition.

"You're getting better," I tell the coughing bunny girl, I try to swat away the maids who rushed over following the duel's end who were trying to fix my hair of all things. "You need to learn to not expend all your strength in the first few minutes. You get too sloppy, too predictable.

"Yeah…good hit…I'm going inside," red faced with obvious embarrassment at being beaten by someone so much younger than her, Cordelia clutched her stomach as she got to her feet. Wiping some dirt off her face, the albino gave me a lazy wave as she marched towards the property, not meeting my gaze. While our acquaintanceship started rocky, it has turned into something a tad more functional.

Dare I say, we are cordial now?

Probably due to me actually keeping my word to her.

I've been saving as many of her people from slavery as I can. Purchasing them before legally emancipating them. The results are a mixed bag. On one hand, the women were grateful for being saved. On the other hand, they had nowhere to go. Most of these women were warriors with little to no other skills. Or at least the ones I freed in the capital were like that. Apparently, men get off on dominating women who can rip them in half. Who knew?

Still the issue was what to do with them? A good number just left the city. No doubt bound for their homelands to fight a guerrilla war against local imperial forces. Some would probably turn to crime without further employment, while others had no avenue of advancement beyond employment in the same industries, I had just brought them out due to being demi humans.

Funnily enough, it was Myui Formal that came up with a solution to that problem. Her father, the Count of Italica, had a thing for saving demi-humans by giving them stable work and employment. Which I still find kind of strange that an imperial noble would care that much about demi humans. Not that I was complaining.

So Myui sent her father a letter, he agreed, and was now taking in dozens of the warrior women into his employ.

So, one headache down.

Looking at the sky, I saw that it was almost noon. Easily enough time to wash and get myself presentable for my guests due to arrive in a couple of hours.

"Julia, get the bath ready, and tell Gaius to bring the documents over." I instructed my maid. As Julia curtsied and rushed over to fulfill my orders, I could feel the next headache coming on.

---
---

Freeing slaves and having some soup kitchens is one thing, but real change is needed to make this country 'better'. More properly stratified with a functioning middle class to help facilitate the move away from agriculture to early manufacturing, and in turn, the beginnings of a modern economy. And with a modern economy, maybe, just maybe, the commoners will not exterminate the members of the monarchy when they inevitably rise up.

And it is when, not if. And I refuse to have my head on a pike because some noblemen couldn't help but not whip his serfs for amusement.

But to make these changes, I need the power of law on my side.

I need to work through the Senate.

Now barring the obvious issues, me being both a female and a child, I did have some ways of influencing the Senate. By sheer virtue of my birth, I was a powerful person, female or not. I could wield a kind of soft power few could dream of in this Empire. And I plan to use this soft power to shove as many reforms down this legislature's throat that I am able to.

In the past few months, I've had Gaius go through his old contacts to find someone, anyone, that I could work with.

That proved about as difficult as I thought it would be.

The Senate was a body made up of one thousand senators from across the length and breadth of the Empire. Each senator was elected for life by local landowners and were expected to work in their constituents' best interests. Seems simple enough. But then we get to the quirks of Saderan governance.

The Senate was made up of several factions. Political parties formed by collections of senatorial cliques. In simple terms, the Senate can be divided into thirds. Two thirds are dominated by two factions, while the final third is composed of every other faction.

The two biggest factions are the Militarists and the Civics.

The Militarists, as the name implies, are militarists. Quite the revelation. While they do focus heavily on aggressive posturing and military action as a first response to any issue, they also try to improve the lives of veterans. They lobby for larger tracts of land as a reward for service, a flow of funds to wives whose husbands are on campaign

Their counterpart is the Civics faction. A collection of more civic minded senators. Arts, education, public works, aqueducts, roads, diplomacy, these are the domains of this faction. They are also the faction most likely to try and uphold the status quo.

One would think that having a faction devoted to war while the other is devoted to civil matters would be a recipe for disaster and endless gridlock.

Thankfully, for the Empire's own sake, the orthodoxy of the respective factions is quite moderate and aligned with one another on most issues. The point of argument is less if something is to be done, but how it will be done.

For example, say a new roadway needs to be built from Sadera to a far-flung province. Both factions would agree to the road's necessity, but they will quibble and debate over smaller things such as who pays for the road.

The militarists would say majority of the upkeep, two-thirds in this case, for the road should be provided by the provincial governments themselves, with the remaining third being accounted for by the Imperial treasury.

The Civics would argue that the cost should be split evenly down the middle, half from the province, half from the treasury.

Comedic as the situation is, there is something to be said about the stability of centrism.

Not to downplay that genuinely divisive issues do crop up from time to time. The criteria for citizenship, the expansion of serfdom, the expansion/reinstatement/retirement of the legions, which barbarian tribes are 'friends' of Sadera and which are to be subjugated first. These are the hot topic issues that will grind the Senate to a standstill with neither side having enough votes to override the other.

Which is where the minor factions come in.

There is a dizzying array of interest groups and political players as opposed to the 'big tent' structure of the main factions. Hyper focused on a single topic or issue to the expense of all others. They tend to constantly get voted out by two main factions when they try to do something really crazy, but when the Senate is in a deadlock, they are the ones who can break it.

While they are numerous, only a few of these minor factions actually have any weight.

The Imperialists are a sycophantic group of senators whose sole platform is just agreeing with whatever the emperor says. They are yes-men in the extreme.

The Monetarists are a faction dedicated to protecting the rights and privileges of the various guilds and tradesmen of the Empire. Made up of mostly impoverished land owners, they are fabulously paid by said groups to vote in the mercantile class's financial interests.

The Stoics are a collection of moral busybodies who want to crack down on 'moral degeneracy' within the Empire. What kind of degeneracy? Whatever flavor of hedonism that seems to be in vogue at any given time from what I've read.

The Flagellants are religious busybodies. While they hardly whip themselves in the traditional sense they bend over backwards whenever the 'Gods' command them to do so. The fact that Gods actually 'exist' makes me want to groan, because of course there has to be more "Gods". Dealing with Being X is hard enough, I think I would lose it if I had to deal with another twenty of them each with their own little things going on.

The Senatorial faction is a collection of senators who constantly try to wrestle more executive power from the crown into the hands of the Senate. Or 'back into the hands of the Senate' they would say. Sadera is a weird inversion of Roman civil development. Rather than a monarchy that became a republic, Sadera was originally a republic that became a monarchy.

They also love bringing up the old chicken and egg argument over who has power over who. Does the emperor have power over the Senate since he can unilaterally remove senators, change the number of senate seats at any time, and even refuse to approve a person's ascension to the senate.

Or does the Senate have power over the emperor, since legally an emperor must be confirmed by the Senate before they assume any of the powers of the office.

A question for people who actually care about semantics. And irrelevant, since history has shown that whoever has the loyalty of the army cows the Senate into confirming them.

In the end, no one likes the Senatorial faction, but they have a lot of money to throw around so you can't just ignore them outright.

And finally, and most importantly for my needs, is the Populist faction. They are, as the name implies, populists. They tend to kick up a fuss whenever some lord over exercises his authority over citizens or some citizen's rights are infringed upon. And, for my sake, they vote in favor of any law that improves the quality of life of the average citizen.

Such as my proposal to redistribute unused and underutilized land of absentee landlords to citizens to farm.

Oh, I can still feel the capitalist in me die a bit when I talk about backing a form of socialist policy. Yet the utilitarian in me can't help but think how such tracts of land can be better utilized rather than simply sitting there. A good way of getting rid of the urban poor whose farms were bought by large mercantile firms was to simply confiscate unused lands and give it back to the people.

It's not as simple as that, there are a hundred and one ways this needs to be ironed out before real implementation, but the framework is there. Hence my meeting with two important senators in the lead up to having this introduced.

---
---

"So that's that?"

"For now, unless either of you have something you wish to add," I opened the floor to the pair seated across from me.

Stilicho was the closest thing I have seen of a rags to riches story in the Empire. A half barbarian born out of the relationship between a legionary and barbarian captive, he enlisted in the legion when he was old enough, completed his twenty years of service to gain full citizenship, reenlisted for another twenty years, achieved the rank of centurion, settling down on the lands he helped conquer, and now being elected to the Senate to represent the local landowners of his area. Quite the life story.

Even in his early seventies, the man certainly looked the part of an old soldier. Skin covered in wrinkles and sun blotches, fingers covered in calluses, joints stiff from old age, and a voice that was raspy from decades of bellowing orders above the sounds of battle.

By contrast, my other guest was seemingly the complete opposite of Stilicho in every regard.

Victrix grew up the youngest son of the Albina family, a dynasty of patricians who boast of the one time an ancestor of their family held the title of Dictator in the old republic. In modern times, they are merely a fabulously wealthy family with considerable holdings across the Empire, who threw their support behind the Augustus family's claim to the throne in the aftermath of the Northern War two centuries ago. After being lavishly rewarded by the first Augustus emperor for their early support to his claim, they have been the most stalwart of sycophants in the Imperial faction.

But not Victrix.

After his Father bought him a Senate seat (sorry, arranged an emergency election for a recently created Senate seat) it was expected that Victrix would just join the rest of his family in the Senate and agree with whatever the Emperor said.

But he didn't.

He instead joined the Populists and began to openly campaign against the very practices and ethics that got him his seat in the first place. I can't tell if that was genuine naiveté or an attempt to stand out from his family. He wasn't that naïve since he never gave up his seat.

Still, Gaius was certain that these two men were the ones I needed to sway to get my first legislation through. Stilicho had a lot of sway with the Militarists, Victrix was the unofficial leader of the Populists, the Monetarists will be compelled by their benefactors to vote in favor of any legislation that can possibly break up patrician economic dominance, and the Imperialists will probably not vote against it since I am the one pushing this through.

That just left the Civics, who will oppose any move to break up their estates, no matter how unprofitable they are for them. Additionally, the Senatorials will refuse any move that may have the chilling effect that moves into the realm of seizing more and more property from land owners.

The Stoic and Flagellant factions are a coin toss along with the myriad of senators who just wander about between factions.

Even should everything go to plan, the margins will be slim.

"So will the Militarists support the legislation?"

"I can only promise that the majority will not immediately dismiss it," Stilicho explained. "Your provision for veterans to be given priority selection for land will give the more aristocratic elements pause. Rejecting giving land to plebeians is one thing, refusing veterans in such an open way is quite another. While the majority will probably vote in favor, I can see some of my fellows splitting off.

"So, we need to force this down their throats while we have the time," I ask, reasonably sure I understood his point.

"They'll probably try to get Evander's group to their side, a man to rally around and sway the vote," the veteran sighed. "I'd say we have a fortnight before we know which way the wind blows on that decision."

"Longer, if ever," Victrix spoke up, his eyes skimming over the document while a servant poured him another glass of wine. "Evander and his cronies will twist the knife a bit before they begin listing genuine demands to join their votes. He's just too spiteful to just let bygones be bygones."

"And those demands would be?"

"Something humiliating I assume," the young man nodded to himself. "We can probably nip the aristocrats' little revolt by providing some minimum amount of land for the redistribution to take effect, along with an added clarification to what an 'absentee landlord' is. That should be more than enough to break up that block's unity."

"Do it," I ordered Gaius, the man scribbling down my comments on his own paper. "Find out how much land the average aristocrat in that group owns and make the minimum slightly above that. Anything else Senator Victrix?"

"The only thing I can really see is that no slaves addition. We'd get the various mercantiles universal support if we simply allowed-"

"No," I cut Victrix off. "The use of slaves defeats the whole purpose of giving people land to work themselves. If we allows slaves to be used on these lands, it'll just bring in small land owner to buy up the land and work it with their slaves." The real reason was that I just didn't like slave labor, but he didn't need to know that.

"Also builds character," Stilicho added, nodding at my 'rationale'. "A slave is useful as any beast of burden, but true character is built when one tills the land they sow. And too many beasts doing the work of man? That breeds idleness and sloth."

"Spoken like a true censor," Victrix pushed his spectacles up as he gave the veteran a deadpan stare. No doubt rolling his eyes internally since he probably grew up on a vast estate, tended by untold numbers of slaves, where he did no real manual labor and still turned out 'alright' to his mind.

The conversation went on from there. More technicalities, more specifications, more clarifications. I was prepared for a dragged out meeting but this was going beyond what I had anticipated.

---
---

Remus's first memories were the walls of the brothel his mother worked in, shortly followed by the memories of her being sold off and taken away.

He wasn't a half breed, the mixed progeny of his mother and a customer. Remus half remembers the stories his mother told him of his father. From her tales, he knew his father was a warrior of her clan who laid with her prior to a great battle with the legions.

His father lost, obviously. His mother was enslaved, brought to the red-light district, and there he was born.

When it became apparent that Remus was not going to be calmly enough to be used as he grew older, the Matron sold him to a slave auctioneer. He spent three weeks in the cramped cells before he was bought.

He had steeled himself for a fate of performing intimate acts with his new master. That was the life he had seen growing up and despite not being effeminate enough for the Matron, he was aware some men cared more for youthfulness than femininity. Not unreasonable, a dozen such slaves had been bought that same day destined for similar fates. Why would this be any different?

In hindsight, he wishes to all the Gods that there was a spell that could wipe his memory of that awkward first night. Master Rax's hasty clarifications of his actual duties as a scribe and record keeper came quickly and succinctly enough.

Baring that awkwardness, his life improved considerably. He was not destined to be some toy. He was to be literate, he was to learn numbers, he was even told that he would be able to buy his freedom at a later date. Remus was certain that his life could not conceivably get any better.

Until he met her.

A young girl with eyes like sapphires and hair of woven gold. Someone who treated him as an equal for the first time in his life. The Matron saw him as a slave, the other children as a filthy mutt, Master Rax ordered him about as a pupil and servant (not that he wasn't Master Rax's pupil and servant), but never as an equal.

He decided then and there he would work harder than anyone before him to earn his freedom and ask for her hand in marriage. With his skills, he was certain he would be able to provide for them!

When Master Rax laughed at his dream, he thought it was just his master thinking that this was some 'phase' and that he would get out of it in time. That a different girl would catch his eye in time.

Again, in hindsight, how could Remus have ever known that the girl who treated him with such kindness was in fact a Imperial princess and beyond him, free or otherwise?

When she ordered that he to be emancipated as part of the agreement for Master Rax working for her, he worried that he would forever be stuck in a life where he worried that he would forever be stuck in a life where he could never properly return his feelings to the one he cared about the most.

Thankfully, that did not happen. Though the flame he held for her highness still remains, it has cooled over the years. He still loves her, just not in such a childish way. Though he won't deny that he still does care for her.

Regardless, he will be glad to serve her for as long as she sees fit to the best of his abilities.

Even with his present company…

"Can you please stop that?" Remus looked up from his parchment to the bunny girl across from him. The albino had taken out one of her jagged looking knives and was tapping the tip against the metal arm of the chair.

Her highness, Master Rax, and the senators have been in their meeting for the last hour. The two of them waited in an adjacent sitting room in sight of the chamber's oaken doors. Remus busied himself with finishing his work.

Cordelia had taken it upon herself to annoy him.

"Stop what?" She replied not looking up, the tapping growing even faster now that he brought it up.

"The tapping thing, with the knife. It's annoying," he tried to keep his voice down as a pair of guards walked by them, shooting the pair of demi-humans a look over before continuing their patrol.

"They didn't seem bothered by it," Cordelia mused, glancing down the hall.

"They can't hear it," his ears twitched, knowing damn well she could hear her own taps as well thanks to their superior hearing.

"Then why are you complaining about it?"

"Because I do hear it," Ears twitched again, Remus took a deep breath to calm himself down, the act not going unnoticed by the bunny girl.

"Maybe you should learn to just deal with it," that smirk of hers was the last straw for a diplomatic resolution.

"What is your problem with me?" Remus finally asked the question he had been curious about since the first time the two met. She's always been abrasive to…everyone. The only one she interacted with that she didn't have an issue with was her highness, even then their interactions were marred by breaks of protocol that would make any other person lose their tongue.

"I don't have a problem with you," the tapping stopped, her blade chipping away at the paint on her chair. "I just hate you."

"Excuse me?" Did he hear her right?

"Did I stutter?" her bloody red orbs locked with his icy blue. "I said, ``I hate you. '' You can hear a tiny tapping sound but can't hear words spoken right to your face?"

"I- I mean, why do you hate me? I've never done anything to you," hate seemed like such a strong word to feel to someone who you interact with so little.

"You're like a beaten dog," she commented. "So scared of the master's whip that even without a collar you jump through every hoop they give you and are glad about it."

"I am not a slave," it was his turn to stand his ground.

"You don't have to be a slave to be a beaten dog," there was that word again. Sighing, the girl straightened herself and stood up. "Me and Tanya have an arrangement of convenience. She helps free my people from bondage, and I protect her so she can keep freeing my people from bondage."

"Please show her highness proper respect," he chastised, shocked with how casually she addressed her highness.

"Well, being nice doesn't really get this off me now does it?" pulling at her shirt's collar, her gilded collar shined as sunlight reflected off it.

"How could she ever trust you to be her guard," it was ridiculous for him to imagine her Highness being so blind as to trust this girl with her life. The rabbit was more likely to deal the killing blow herself!

"She's not some dainty flower that'll wilt at the slightest touch," she rolled her eyes at Remus's complaints. "You've seen her magic. She is more than capable of defending herself, I'm just here to make sure she doesn't die. Can't free my people if she's dead now can she?"

"Stop that! Stop acting like such a spiteful brat", there were other words he could have used, but none of them were right to describe Cordelia. Too soft.

"Or what?" She raised an eyebrow. "You'll go whine and complain to that eunuch of a wet nurse that I hurt your feelings?"

"No I'd-" before he could even make a comeback, his whole world spun around. When he finally got his bearings, he realized the rabbit girl was clenching his throat with one hand and pressing him against a wall.

The albino looked bored as Remus struggled to unclench her grip on his throat, tears rolling down his cheeks as her hold tightened. "Really? That's it? Can't even wrestle my fingers off with both your hands?"

He winced as he felt something sharp against his jugular.

"It wouldn't be hard," Cordelia lazily dragged her nail against his throat. "Just one, little, prick. Deep enough so the blood doesn't stop flowing, and you'll be dead in a matter of minutes. What do you say to that, you collared dog?"

"Y-"

The door to the meeting room opened up and Remus was sent sliding to the ground. He held his throat and gasped for air as the senators left her Highness's meeting along with their respective servants.

"-and I wish you a good day, your Highness," the larger of the two senators gave a short bow before walking off with his counterpart in tow. "I have to say, I never thought I would work beside one of Mithras's brood,"

"Then how about an ally?" the younger man offered.

Senator Stilicho let off a cantankerous laugh at Victrix's words. The half barbarian was beside himself with laughter, bracing himself against the wall as his raspy voice echoed through the halls and chambers. His counterpart was less amused by the situation.

"Oh, thank you senator," he patted the young man on his shoulder. "I needed some humor today. See you tomorrow, we have a lot of work ahead of us."

The young nobleman sighed at the antics of his senior, as he made his way out of the manse. "Of all the people I have to work with…". Tsking, Senator Victrix left soon after with his attendants in tow.

Following the pair soon after was Master Gaius, who looked at Remus before turning his attention to Cordelia.

"So shall I have to ask why you tried to strangle my protegee, or am I to pretend he tried to strangle himself?" Gaius questioned the bunny girl.

"Shouldn't you be more worried about where your cock is?" She cruelly questioned.

Rather than get upset, Master Rax smiled. "I must first profess that I am extremely honored that one as beautiful as yourself takes such an interest in the state of my pillar and stones."

Remus coughed into his hand to hold in his laughter as the girl's face twisted as if she had eaten a lemon.

"Second," his voice took on an edge Remus hardly ever heard. "You must realize that your current standards of living are only possible thanks to her highness's mercy. Remember, you are legally a slave, no matter what informal relationship you have with her highness. In the court of law, what do you think the punishment for a slave killing a freeman is? Specifically, a slave killing a freeman under the direct employment of the Imperial Household?"

"Is that a threat?"

"No, it's reality, though I understand the confusion. Children tend to confuse fantasy and reality because they don't know any better."

"You fucking-"

"Cordelia," her highness stood at the doorway to her meeting room, papers in hand, staring at both Master Rax and the albino before sighing. "We're going back to the Palace," she told the rabbit before turning to Gaius. "I need you to double check the notes made and have copies sent to the senators before the end of the week."

"Of course, your highness," Gaius accepted the documents handed over.

Her highness looked back to the bunny warrior, "Cordelia, we're-"

"Yeah, I heard the first time," the former-princess tried to shove Master Rax aside as she walked by him to catch up to her Highness who was already heading out the door.

The lone pair stood in silence for some time, before Master Rax sighed and finally looked at his student.

"So, what happened?"

"She said she hates me," the words left a bitter taste in Remus's mouth when he said them.

"No, she doesn't," his Master quipped back, making a note on the parchment.

"I- Master?" What was he saying? The slave girl tried to kill him!

"If she hated you, she wouldn't even talk to you and refuse to even sit in the same room as you. Remember the other noble ladies her highness brings over?" Gaius rationalized.

Now that he mentioned it, Remus couldn't actually remember a time when she was in the room with the other young noble ladies. Though he thought it was just her doing her 'guard duty' thing and staying by the door. Then again, she spoke a word to them or even looked in their general direction…

"Then why?" that was the real question at hand.

"She's frustrated," Master Rax explained, dipping his quill in the inkpot. "Of her fate in life. Of the condition of her aunt, her former queen. Of the state of her people. And importantly, with herself. She's powerless and has to serve the family of the one who conquered and enslaved her people. If she wasn't perturbed by this turn of events something would be very wrong with her."

"I guess it makes sense that way," Remus commented, understanding but still annoyed by Cordelia's behavior. He has lonely known the life of a slave, with freedom being a wholly new concept for him. She was a princess who was made a slave. If their places were swapped, he wonders if he would be just as aggressive as she is.

"Well, there is one other reason I can think of that could also be the cause," Master Rax scratched his chin as he mused to himself. "Now I might be mistaken, but I remember reading that bunny warriors tend to take any man they can get their hands on for mating purposes, but show great preference to those who can best them in combat. Given who her highness is, constantly defeating her in duels, and her relation to the man who conquered and enslaved her people, it can be a very awkward situation."

"Best them in…wait…really? She's acting like that because her body is frustrated, she's being beaten by the sister of the man who enslaved her and not a regular man?" Could it really be that simple? Nature clashing with the environment?

Master Rax coughed into his hand in a mix between a laugh and a choking sound. Almost dropping his implements as he struggled to right himself, ending up against a pillar for support. It took the eunuch several seconds to regain his composure.

"Ah…ahh…boy…I think I may have to go over certain…subjects with you again in the near future," he was careful in his words to the wolfkin as he gestured for Remus to follow.

Remus shrugged at his master's overreaction. Over the years he has gotten used to his teacher's eccentricities, but he was still surprised by them from time to time. Good man as he was, Remus still had to shake his head at the silliness from time to time.

----
----

"You know I don't like you being out this late."

"Mom, I am fine! We're just going to the mall," Maki rolled her eyes at her mom's complaints.

"You say that as if something couldn't happen to all of you," she could almost feel her mom raising an eyebrow over the phone. Scary power.

"Mom, I will be fine," how many times was she going to have to say this. It wasn't like she was some kid anymore. She was sixteen! "We're just going to the mall, we're going to have dinner, see that new karaoke place, and maybe spend some time at the arcade, that's it."

Her mom was silent on her end for a moment, then a sigh. "Alright…alright. Just come home before midnight alright."

Maki pumped her fist into the air, probably startling the couple that walked by her. "Yes! Before midnight, I got it. Thanks mom! Love you! Say hi to dad for me." She ended the call before her mother replied, already knowing what she'd say.

No matter how much she loved her, Maki wished her mom would stop coddling her. She had great grades, just passed her history exams, and she just wanted to hang out with her friends for a few hours. It was a Saturday anyway, she could make up for lost sleep tomorrow. Heaving her backpack up, she rushed through the crowds to meet up with her friends.

Yet halfway to the mall, walking through the dark illuminated streets of Ginza, a single person in a crowd of thousands, Maki felt something off. A gust of wind, billowing out of an alleyway just out of view. Push her long hair out of its 'perfect' alignment. Grumbling as she moved the stray strands back into place, she looked to see what manner of giant fan did that.

But in the alleyway there was no fan, but a single person. Away from the hustle and bustle of the main street was a person. A man.

A cosplayer if what she saw was right.

Dressed up in some western looking armor, but none of it looked like the stuff from the anime she watched or the games she played. It looked shiny enough, had a prop short sword on his waist, but he was wearing some sort of fur hat on his head that kind of messed with the whole 'knight' thing he might have had going for him.

He looked around the alley confused, not noticing her. It was like he was lost. Maybe worried about what people would think of him if he walked around dressed like that?

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked the confused cosplayer. He turned to her but didn't reply. Now that she got a good look from the back light of a store, he did look foreign. Ah! Damn it Maki! Maybe he didn't understand her.

Well, that's why she goes to English class!

"ah…Excuse me mister…are you...lost?" In the words of her teacher, her pronunciation was passable. Maki repeated the question again, worried that her own poor wording might be confusing him.

The man stood there for a few more seconds before approaching her, quickly. A fast walk. She noticed from the sounds of his footsteps that he wasn't wearing normal shoes, just some sandal looking things.

"Ah yes…apologies for…can only speak some English…okay?" Maki fished out her cellphone and quickly pulled up a basic translator online. Machine translation wasn't the most accurate at times, but it could allow her to communicate with him a bit more clearly if the words were written out.

Turning a bit to the side to show her new written message, haphazardly translated, the man grabs her by the arm and throws her to the ground. Her phone slid across the ground, its screen still displaying her message: "Are you lost?"

As Maki hit the ground, she only had moments to realize that the cosplayer's weapons and armor were real, and not shiny plastic, from all the clinking they made as the man moved. Within seconds, she was dragged by the ankle into the alley. Once she got her bearings, she screamed as loud as she could, hoping that anyone would save her from this kidnapper. Her nails cracked against the pavement as she tried to kick and squirm out of his grasp.

If she could just get to her phone-

In a split second, everything seemed to change. The ground was no longer concrete, but grass. Real grass, not that artificial stuff. The sky that was devoid of stars was now blazon with the lights beyond counting. The sounds of the city vanished in an instant, replaced with laughter in a language she didn't know and the cries of others she did understand.

Around her, past the campfires had sprung up from nowhere in a space that didn't exist seconds ago. To her eye, she saw she was not alone. There were other people, victims, here. Some crying, others begging to go home. No fewer than twenty were chained and collared like cattle along the edges of the campfire's lights, seemingly separated by gender.

The men looked battered and beaten, the ones Maki got a good look at where a salaryman had his eyes swollen shut and a boy her age curled up on the ground whimpering wearing a school uniform she didn't recognize.

But the sight of the other girls...

Maki screamed again and renewed her struggle. Her actions got the attention from the rest of the 'cosplayers', joking and hollering at her. She didn't need to know the language to tell when she was being mocked. Apparently, her actions annoyed her captor, who stopped just long enough to stomp on her stomach to shut her up.

She coughed and whimpered as she was dragged to a stake in the ground with several women already chained to it. As the cold steel clamped around her neck, everything of value was stolen from her person. Just like the others.

Humming to himself, the abductor tied her to a post, gave her one more kick to the gut, then joined his friends by the campfires.

Left alone with other girls who were equally scared, Maki curled up and cried for the rest of the night. She whimpered to herself that this was just a nightmare. That she had just fallen asleep and would wake up in her bed and everything would be fine.

She would turn out to be right and wrong.

This wasn't a dream, but it was the start of a living nightmare.

----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------

AN: Well that was a dark ending...

Anyway...

This should one of the last big 'World building" chapters for the foreseeable future. The dominos are all set, the actors are ready to take their places, and the first initial 'raids' into japan have taken place. This would be about 2 months before the cannon Battle for Ginza. Next chapter will end with the beginning of the Imperial Japanese War.
 
Very good story. I am enjoying it, and threadmarked it awhile ago. That said, I just had to comment over this.
Sadera is a weird inversion of Roman civil development. Rather than a monarchy that became a republic, Sadera was originally a republic that became a monarchy.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what you meant by a monarchy that became a republic, but real world Rome did start as a republic. It didn't become the Roman Empire until the last decades of the BCE calendar. At least from what I can find online for history. For references:
education.nationalgeographic.org

Rome’s Transition from Republic to Empire

Rome transitioned from a republic to an empire after power shifted away from a representative democracy to a centralized imperial authority, with the emperor holding the most power.

The Roman Empire: A Brief History | Milwaukee Public Museum

From its founding in 625 BC to its fall in AD 476, the Roman Empire conquered and integrated dozens of cultures. The influence of these cultures can be seen in objects, such as oil lamps, made and used throughout the Empire.
www.history.com

Ancient Rome ‑ Facts, Location, & Timeline | HISTORY

The Roman Empire, founded in 27 B.C., was a vast and powerful domain that gave rise to the culture, laws, technologies and institutions that continue to define Western civilization.

Sorry about that, just one of those little things that bothered me. I'll see myself out.
 
Very good story. I am enjoying it, and threadmarked it awhile ago. That said, I just had to comment over this.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what you meant by a monarchy that became a republic, but real world Rome did start as a republic. It didn't become the Roman Empire until the last decades of the BCE calendar. At least from what I can find online for history. For references:
education.nationalgeographic.org

Rome’s Transition from Republic to Empire

Rome transitioned from a republic to an empire after power shifted away from a representative democracy to a centralized imperial authority, with the emperor holding the most power.

The Roman Empire: A Brief History | Milwaukee Public Museum

From its founding in 625 BC to its fall in AD 476, the Roman Empire conquered and integrated dozens of cultures. The influence of these cultures can be seen in objects, such as oil lamps, made and used throughout the Empire.
www.history.com

Ancient Rome ‑ Facts, Location, & Timeline | HISTORY

The Roman Empire, founded in 27 B.C., was a vast and powerful domain that gave rise to the culture, laws, technologies and institutions that continue to define Western civilization.

Sorry about that, just one of those little things that bothered me. I'll see myself out.
I assumed that referred to Rome being a monarchy first, then a republic, then a dictatorship under the Roman Empire; this empire apparently started out as a republic, then became a monarchy.
 
Very good story. I am enjoying it, and threadmarked it awhile ago. That said, I just had to comment over this.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what you meant by a monarchy that became a republic, but real world Rome did start as a republic. It didn't become the Roman Empire until the last decades of the BCE calendar. At least from what I can find online for history. For references:
education.nationalgeographic.org

Rome’s Transition from Republic to Empire

Rome transitioned from a republic to an empire after power shifted away from a representative democracy to a centralized imperial authority, with the emperor holding the most power.

The Roman Empire: A Brief History | Milwaukee Public Museum

From its founding in 625 BC to its fall in AD 476, the Roman Empire conquered and integrated dozens of cultures. The influence of these cultures can be seen in objects, such as oil lamps, made and used throughout the Empire.
www.history.com

Ancient Rome ‑ Facts, Location, & Timeline | HISTORY

The Roman Empire, founded in 27 B.C., was a vast and powerful domain that gave rise to the culture, laws, technologies and institutions that continue to define Western civilization.

Sorry about that, just one of those little things that bothered me. I'll see myself out.

Actually Rome did start out as a kingdom, then became a republic.


The bad experience they had under the monarchy led to the whole Roman aversion to the title of King. Hence the term Emperor was used during the empire, though technically it was "imperator" meaning commander.
 
@Midas_Man :
I was brought back to this thread by someone leaving a reaction on one of my posts in it, and I hope you don't mind, but, since IIRC you've mentioned it happening before... you remember you were posting this story here, right? No worries if you either don't have any more to post or have deliberately not posting updates here, or something, you're the author, but I thought I'd check just in case.
 
@Midas_Man :
I was brought back to this thread by someone leaving a reaction on one of my posts in it, and I hope you don't mind, but, since IIRC you've mentioned it happening before... you remember you were posting this story here, right? No worries if you either don't have any more to post or have deliberately not posting updates here, or something, you're the author, but I thought I'd check just in case.

..... Oh dear.

....

On the bright side: guess who has a backlog! 😅
 
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