Chapter 932: Air Force


    “Mydy Goldberg, wee back to Castle Garsley,” said an overly energetic minister, “-may we perhaps learn of how the parliament meeting went?” the one questioned deliberately slowed her step on entering the throne room, looked at a nearby arrangement of seats and threw another nce deeper inside, “dy Goldberg?” intervened the hunched figure, a sparkling personality paired with a hunched spine didn’t look great for many saw the man as conniving and mysterious, not to speak of the added horrible scar that devoured his right cheek.


    “Where’s the queen?” she spoke for a few minutes,”-matters of the parliament are best discussed quietly. Have a meeting room readied, ask the nobles to stand clear from the area, for now, there’s much happening.” Unhinged by the disrespect the higher powers never thought to correct, the hunched figure nodded politely and carried her orders. Castle Garsley was but a figment of the past, itid active and present on name alone – the structure itself had been rebuilt plenty of times, bricks reced and ceilings were redone, a curse seemed to linger, one of constant retrial.


    A meeting was soon set for the duchess and queen before the hour hand made much trouble – they found themselves seated within the monarch’s office. A minimally decorated road of a simple table, chair, and a few bookshelves. “-Duchess Goldberg,” greeted the queen, “-I do hope the voyage was peaceful.”


    “Peaceful is a big word to throw,” she rebutted, “-the voyage was pleasant, same couldn’t be said of the meeting. A few days have psed and I apologize for not visiting sooner, mynds needed care. As was told on the news and broadcast, the king called a parle to decree his views going forward. Hidros will make its path into true centralization. Many ministers were dismissed, others left on their own ord – many of which requested shelter, thus I obliged and such the reason for thete audience. Lady Eia, I do say, if Hidros takes arms against Dorchester and by way Kreston was emunicated, the province may be circled from three sides. King Igna masterfully yed his cards – divulging information of a royal scandal, putting shame on thy name, and pushing his to the top. Also, a small letter arrived by my roomter said day, reading as follows, ‘-tody Goldberg, I hope the letter finds thee well. My identity is not of concern nor will it affect the greater picture – I write for a simple reason; a warning. Heed my word and heed the experience King Igna bore, Alphia is a corrupt nation of greedy aristocrats and business tycoons. For one to make an impact, one needs capital, if one of the richest dynasties couldn’t shake the bnce of power, there’s much said in the silence. I pray thee thinks of the matter carefully, signing a deal with an empire on verge of copse is the same as getting aboard a flooded boat. There I leave you, mydy, with this warning, allowing a stronger power into one’s kingdom will bring the downfall of everyone around. Willingly opening the gates for a foreign army, consider thy actions carefully,’ signed, W. Ria and sealed using a crest avable only to those ced high in the king’s court. “-and there it is.”


    Queen Eia had the folded piece of paper rolled on her desk, her focus carefully scanned lines after lines, word after word until the end where she exhaled mildly and rose to the Duchess.


    “What do you think?” her arms crossed, “-the letter is valid and I don’t doubt the intention of the writer, however, there’s more to consider here, why was the letter sent, who does it address, and what is told in between the lines?”


    “Oh, thetter is simple,” she said, “-to not trust a queen who’s willingly allowing a greater nation to enter her domain. Might I remind her majesty if not for nobles and their wealth – Dorchester wouldn’t have much to offer and the im of rebellion wouldn’t stand. Which is why I ask, what have you nned?”


    .....


    A small moment’s dy slowed the room’s fast pace, Queen Eia shut her eyes and paused, “-letter reads true and underlines faults. However, being wise is not necessarily a good thing. Kreston is deemed unholy by the pope, we support Alphia’s new ruler and by saying so, announce our allegiance to the world. Tis no secret our faction wishes to take Hidros, and simr to us, so does the greatest empire to date, the Alwracian nation. What have I nned?” she smiled, “-the only way to make our rule legitimate is to have the pope dub Dorchester a holy province, making her cause right and just. This is why I asked for Dorchester to join the Holy Crusade against Kreston. Hidros backing Kreston against Alwracia backing Dorchester. We need but be the face of the attacker, money, weapons, manpower, and leave all to the church and its righteous ways. Luckily, nobles have strong sentiment toward the church of Lucifer, most of Dorchester is a devotee of said dogma on ounts of our, well, let’s say, fair way of doing justice. Once Kreston is gone, we’ll upy morend, allowing for a more concrete battle against Oxshield.”


    “I heard scouting forces were dispatched?”


    “Yes, they should arrive noter than three days.”


    “Alright, three days. I’ll ry the news to the noble factions – if her majesty wishes to fight a holy crusade, we shall join the effort and aid financially.”


    “A pleasure to have you,dy Goldberg.”


    “Please, majesty, the feelings are mutual.”


    Thus, during the long waited week, Duchess and Queen held talks on where they stood, there was more correspondence, many kept secret and away from prying eyes. Goldberg’s estate, built within the confines of Dorchester’s infamous noble district, spanned quite a while, “-duchess,” rtively tranquil atmosphere shattered, “-trouble,” gasped a retainer dressed in formal attire, “-pardon the intrusion.”


    “My,” she rose a finger, asking her massage and beauty treatments to stop, a simple towel wrapped thedy’s figure, by which she tilted towards the retainer and crossed her legs, “-should pardon the intrusion, not be first?” said a well-defined and rxed smile.


    “My deepest apologies,” knelt the retainer, a younger man, easy on the eyes and charming through the cially blue blinks, “-I have news from Meke, mydy. King Igna was spotted inside Leonard’s home. By reports, watchers stationed opposite the house retell of the king ring at them through the closed curtain and I quote, ‘-the king looked at us as if there was nothing in the way, he red, we felt the killing intent from a street away. Lord Leonard seemed preupied when shutting the door’,dy Goldberg, since yesterday, a couple of strangers moved adjacent Lord Leonard’s house.”


    Her heart dropped, no moreid rxation, “-damned Igna,” she gritted and thought back to, “-a word of warning, keep in mind thy line of session.”


    “Duchess?”


    “Forgive me, I was lost in thought. Have letter sent to the king asking for an audience,” the retainer obeyed, leaving her to retake her posture, ‘-I won’t be scared so easily, king.’


    Sun rose to midday, a ck car drove onto scorching hot asphalt leading into Rotherham – heat blurred the street as hot air rose, no sign of clouds in the skies either. The luxurious car pulled behind one of the three pirs, signaled a gatekeeper, and cruised into the underground parking – the driver was quick to stop and open the passenger door, from which rose Igna apanied by Alta, “-don’t mean to pry,” he looked over, “-is it wise to be my shadow?”


    “Master, is it not a wise policy to study under the best?”


    “As you wish,” an elevator shortly pulled them to one of the many offices, familiar corridor, familiar arrangement, *Elvira’s office,* two taps sufficed, “-enter,” the lock clicked, he pushed the door inward to be hit by a sudden st of air, ‘-auntie doesn’t look pleased.’


    “Have the girl stand outside,” she fired, Igna turned and whispered, ‘-best wait this one out, she’s not particrly happy,’ the door closed, “-over this way,” said one of the guards, “-a rest area,” he smiled.


    “Thank you,” she nodded politely.


    “Pleasure is mine,” the heavily built guard blushed, rising Alta’s self-confidence just that bit higher, same couldn’t be said for Igna, room’s atmosphere grabbed his throat, ‘-who would have guessed a singledy to have so much aura,’ he walked, visible unphased by her show of strength, “-Aunt Elvira, you called?”


    “Aha,” she narrowed, no visible pleasant expression or courtesy, “-take a seat, dearest nephew,” Igna obliged and was soon staring down a barrel of Hidros’s most powerful faction, Phantom, “-tell me, nephew,” she tapped her keyboard, a holographic disy materialized, “-care to exin?”


    A report wrote across the screen, “-4th of February at 22:54, a royal decree was issued VT10-BSQD, carrier of Pabruska V1 to conduct a bombing run of Dorchester’s port at the below mentioned coordinates. Per agreements signed by Phantom and the Royal Crown, under the directmand of the King, VT10-BSQD was deployed and outfitted with Dragna V3. Airstrike hit the coast of Dorchester at 23:10. Most of thendscape was destroyed, target – scouting party of the independent nation of Dorchester was wiped.”


    “And?” he paused, “-what’s the problem?”


    “What’s the problem?” she mmed her table, “-is that you went behind my back and ordered for an airstrike.”


    He sternly narrowed, “dy Elvira of Phantom, did thee not understand what I meant by centralization?”


    The betrayal suddenly made sense, “-the agreement?”


    “Yes, mydy, I apologize for going behind your back. Time was of the essence, do check thy phone,” he took out his and showed countless outgoing missed calls, “-I tried my hardest to get a hold of you, but it didn’t work. Such had to be the oue – war is fast approaching, best to show a strong hand now, we’re rulers of the skies and I’ll make sure everyone knows why we focused on it. Therefore, aunt, what now?”


    Last night’s memories soon flooded, her pale cheeks redden, “-my apologies, I guess I was too caught up in emotion to see the affair from a logical point of view.”


    “Dragna V3’s area of effect is contained, was the best option to take out an army and not cause coteral damage. Lady Elvira, once again I must ask, doth thee wish to assist Hidros in times of war or must I look to other parties for assistance?”


    “My,” she smiled and struck a toothache pose, “-Igna, you’ve grown.”


    “Pardon?”


    “Did you think my army would simply agree to take the king’s order without my approval?” she giggled, “-it was a test, my dear, I needed to see how you’d react. And from the response I got, it’s good, I’m d. You thought well sending the lesser damaging option and clearly nned on a good location.”


    “Easier said than done,” he sighed, “-the coordinate was a guess. Airstrikes are harder to enact – good thing the squadron are excellent pilots.”


    “Tis the drawback of flying into enemy territory – I don’t personally like sending my men into the jaws of death. Seems the king had no issues.”


    “They acted fast, and so did we. Aunt Elvira, it pains me to ask, I’d like full authority over the air force.”


    “Are you sure?”


    “Yes, it’s the hardest units to control and are strategically wise to have.”


    “So be it,” she smiled, “-Midas and Sotepios are hereby under the direct authority of King Igna Haggard. éir’s already asked Phantom to be employed as mercenaries to the crown, shouldn’t be an issue.”


    The stance lowered, “-my, aunt Elvira, you sure don’t know how to hold punches.”


    “What can I say?” sheughed, “-tis my nature.”


    “Very well, there’s much we should prepare. Raven’s sent a significant amount to aid in Phantom’s campaign, consider it a gift for ess over the air force.”


    “Well, the structure isn’t quite set in stone. Potential is unlimited,es to the leader’s ability to restructure and form teams ordingly. On thetter – we need a general, someone with unrivaled abilities in the ways of war.”


    He emotionlessly blinked, “-I have just the right person,” door shut, announcing the formation of a new military faction under the king’s direct order.