248 Cold War (1/2)
On top of a small hill in central Medala's countryside, two delegations of nobles met in a meeting that would determine the fate of their countries. In the distance flowed the silver waters of the Argu River, right through the city of Odeana. Once, it had been one of many prosperous cities along the banks of the river. However, now it lay in ruins, its walls broken and turned to rubble in several spots and much of its outer city a smoldering pyre. In front of this city's gates stood an army of Medalan warriors, its brave defenders, and opposite, on the muddy plains that once used to be fields, their enemies, warriors just the same.
Since morning, Pacha's eyes had swept past the same scenery countless times. All throughout the day, the officials from both sides had exceeded each other in their attempts at flattery, fancy speeches and the like. In the end, the victory in terms of shameless talk had clearly gone to Amautu's people. It seemed like the great scholars of the north could spin the story of an afternoon walk into an endless epic. They had even held an entire, formal banquet atop the hill, without ever talking about the relevant issues. While Pacha had been raised to value proper etiquette and had come with good intentions, he began to lose his patience. Even so, Amautu's servants continued without pause.
\”In the name of King Amautu Secundu Pluritac, King of the North and second prince of the Medala Empire, this council has come together to determine-\”
\”To determine who gets what.\” Driven beyond his limits, Pacha interrupted the servant to finally get to the point. \”Everyone knows why we are here and we have spent all day on nothing but ceremony. Is this really necessary?\”
\”Ceremony is what distinguishes humans from beasts, King Pachacutec,\” Amautu answered in a dry tone. \”Though this king would not expect a barbarian to understand.\”
\”There is a limit to everything,\” Pacha said as he ignored the insult. \”We have been standing here and waiting for your servants to finish their fancy talk since the break of dawn. Maybe we should first solve the issues at hand? After we are done with our work, King Amautu can have his servants stand around and make up new rules for walking and breathing for as long as he wants.\”
For a while, the two brothers stared each other down, Amautu with cold eyes and Pacha with barely contained anger. However, the King of the Center didn't mind the tension. After all, Amautu wasn't any larger or more impressive of stature than Corco. And while Corco only hid his real strength behind a harmless facade, Amautu had always been a true weakling. In fact, the second prince was even proud of his lack of prowess. With their difference in stature and charisma, any outside observer would always judge a wordless contest as Pacha's win. Thus, it was no surprise that Amautu soon looked to the side and gave in.
\”Fine, barbarian. This time, King Pachacutec called for the meeting. Thus, we will follow what goes for rules in the central kingdom for today only. Speak your mind, and make your offer to this king.\”
Whatever snide remarks Amautu had for his brother, Pacha had more important issues to worry about. With threats all around him, he couldn't afford to bother with petty squabbles. Ultimately, Amautu was the smarter one anyways. Pacha had never won a war of words against him, and he wouldn't try now, not right before such important negotiations.
\”Good. In that case, King Amautu and his men are advised to retreat from Odeana and cease your occupation of the central kingdom's lands, so we may punish the traitorous Lord Instea and restore justice within Medala.\”
\”Hah!\” Amautu's dry laugh told everyone present that he was anything but happy with the demand. \”Lord Instea has decided to join the northern kingdom of his own volition, as has the entire House Instea with him. Even more, our actions were approved by the Triumvirate Meeting. All of our actions are within the laws set down between the three kingdoms and thus legitimate. If anything, the central kingdom's troops are the aggressors. They have attacked their former subjects with no justification. If the lords can be called traitors for choosing to serve another king, what would be the point of our laws?\”
This time, it was Pacha's turn to pretend offense.
\”If this hero's central kingdom had broken any rules, the Ancestral Hall would have admonished those actions by now. However, the hall has done no such thing, and instead has spoken out against the greed of the southern and northern kingdoms, who take lands from their fellow Medalan lords like common bandits.\”
\”Since this king is a man of honor, this king will not slander his ancestors.\” Amautu frowned, barely able to retain his composure. \”Yet every man can think of the Ancestral Hall's words whatever he may.\”
This sort of restraint was the reason Pacha liked his talks with Amautu far more than those with Corco. If he had made the same shameless remark to the southern king, Corco would have spit in Pacha's face and cursed out his family with an endless litany. In the end, it would only serve to embarrass Pacha and the Ancestral Hall in front of the servants. However, Amautu was far better behaved, almost too much for his own good. He would never directly state the obvious bias of Grand Ancestor Viribus. His indirect complaint about the Ancestral Hall's judgment was as far as the northern king would be willing to go. Thus, Pacha could be far more shameless here.
\”Whatever you say – King Amautu – will not change the facts. Our men have breached the walls of Odeana twice already, and the city has burned once. At this rate, it is only a matter of time before your defenses fall. Give up the city or it will be a pointless drain of resources for both our sides.\”
Faced with Pacha's reasonable complaint, Amautu still retained his unreasonable frown.
\”Of course. The Kingdom of the North will cede Odeana, as soon as the Kingdom of the Center agrees to hand over House Pluritac's Argu Basin estate in return.\”
\”Only in your dreams, brother,\” Pacha replied, now enraged himself at Amautu's shamelessness. The Argu basin was a large plains south of Medala's capital, and the reason for House Pluritac's centuries of continued control over Medala's political landscape. After all, the basin contained the largest and most profitable silver mines in the entire empire. When the borders for the three new kingdoms had been drawn, Pacha had been left with the Pluritac family's richest lands, the mines chief among them. Of course, Amautu would be greedy to see them in his own hands. But of course, Pacha would never agree.
\”If you want the mines, come and take them yourself. Why not send your great beast soldiers across the lands of Pachacutec to occupy them? Do you have no trust in them?\”
Ever since the start of the war, a group of Amautu's warriors had stood out during the battles. In all their the fights, they had appeared far stronger than the average cultivator, and fearless like enraged animals. Although he was deriding them in his words, Pacha was eager to find out more about these strange new warriors who had given his men so much trouble. Yet his brother didn't fall for the unsophisticated ploy.
\”How this king applies his troops is no man's concern. And if he wishes to take Odeana, King Pachacutec could follow his own advice and simply take it by force.\”
\”Yet the difference is that our troops are about to take the city either way. Why not make things easier on everyone and give in when the odds are against you?\”