"As hoped, the inquiries online regarding the "terrorist" attack at Space Base Raymond have reduced. Most online channels had focused on the Senate investigation regarding UFOs. The last report shows there has been pushback on the investigation, but that does not matter. The distraction campaign worked (Note: I am still shocked after a hundred years, the general population still falls for this trick. I guess deep down they know it is a lie, but enjoy the imagination and drama of the subject)
But this raises a broader issue we need to address. IV Corp's recent resource requests have proven more challenging to keep hidden. Keeping our forces on this alien world has made it easier to maintain control of information, but it will not be extended again before eyes return to Space Base Raymond and Fort Carson. There is too much movement and "training" mobilizing in the region.
My point is that these distraction campaigns will not last forever. We will need to be prepared for when the White House goes public about Alagore and the Bridge, as we might not be able to trick the population again. The other factor that we must retain is that France has been inquiring about what is going on, and now India has started questioning our increased military activities. The only ones who seem not concerned are the IRA, for some reason.
The sooner the conditions on Alagore improve to making public First Contact and that we have slipped into all-out war with an alien superpower the better." - Counselor to the President Robert Murry
March 18th, 2069 (military calendar)
Vagahm, the former Confederacy of Daru'uie
Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore
*****
Staring down from the upper market levels, Assiaya watched as the dwarves below wandered around, doing whatever they typically did. It was a massive market, or at least what she assumed a dwarf market would look like.
This one was separate from the market plaza she had seen before. As Tharnot said, that chamber was for outsiders. That implied that this place below was for the citizens of this borrian, as it seemed these dwarves preferred to segregate their activities.
The plaza they first passed through was for the outside world, while this one was for the community. There was logic to the design. Being mountain people, security was a priority. It was clear they preferred to avoid getting involved in surface affairs.
Assiaya struggled to tell what was happening from this vantage point, as everything below looked chaotic. There were taverns, blacksmiths, and theaters not within their own sections but sprinkled all around without any logical planning she could discover. Many were making a commotion as they drank alcohol. Some danced while others sang songs. Over to the right, there seemed to be a welding contest between six dwarves. What they were crafting, she couldn't tell from this distance; however, it appeared they were using archaic tools, not magitech.
"I cannot tell who the boys and girls are," Assiaya thought. "They all have beards."
"I see what you are saying," the voice said. "It is hard to tell which are adults and which are children from here. This is so different from the orderly nature of Vampires."
"What are you pondering?"
Assiaya turned left and saw Ryder standing there, staring at her. She placed her hand over the translator amulet at her neck, adjusting it under the strain of the situation. "Pondering?"
"It means you are sorting out details inside your head. I think I have spent enough time around you to figure out your thinking face."
"My thinking face?" Assiaya mumbled.
"He is talking about our conversations," the voice said.
"I see. I did not know I had a face."
"Maybe because he pays attention to us."
"That is the look I am talking about," Ryder said before poking her on the cheek.
At first, the former slave girl was baffled by Ryder's actions. She then realized he was being silly, a concept the girl was still adjusting to. It took her a moment to chuckle.
"I know, it was dumb," Ryder said.
"It is okay," Assiaya said. "I am not used to someone being nice to me."
"That needs to change," Ryder said before sitting on the platform's edge. He then touched her shoulder, signaling for her to sit down. "I don't want you risking falling over."
She adjusted her dress and sat down. Her legs hung over the edge. Hearing his warning, she wrapped her arm around his so she wouldn't fall over.
"Now," Ryder said. "What were you thinking about?"
"I cannot tell who the boys and girls are from here. Everyone has beards."
Ryder chuckled, leaned over for a better view, and studied the population below. "You have a good point. But do you see those people? The shorter beards? I would assume those might be females."
Carefully looking at his example, she noticed a short-bearded Dwarf. The beard wasn't just well-groomed; it also had curls and other hair decorations woven into it. "I think I see what you mean. But some of the males look to have similar styles, I think…, wait! I think the clean ones are females."
"I am glad you noticed that. If a man worked in a blacksmith all day, he would be dirty and sweaty," Ryder said.
"Like you in the forest?" Assiaya quickly stated.
The Captain chuckled as he gently shook the girl playfully. "Nice one. As I was saying, looking well-groomed wouldn't be a priority for factory work. Since coming here, I had to learn to check most of my biases, but if I had to make an educated guess, look for those subtle differences."
The Princess smirked at how transparent he was, sharply different from what she had grown accustomed to seeing. Most within a country's aristocracy would value their public face above admitting they were wrong or admitting they were guessing. She had no idea what the rank of Captain was, only that it was a lower-level but respectable title within the military. However, she was enjoying seeing the human side of leadership, something that higher-class folk didn't emote much.
"It is a good guess," Assiaya said. She then turned back to the busy plaza. Seeing the heavy activity below made her wonder how Salva would look if the people were freed. It almost seemed that what was happening outside this hill didn't matter based on how happy they were. It only frustrated her because the dwarves were not releasing them. It was almost as if they enjoyed holding thousands of women and children against their will.
"Why will they not free my people?" Assiaya asked. "I do not understand why they are being evil."
"Be careful about calling people evil," Ryder said. "It is easy to label people you disagree with as evil. And once you do, it is hard to take it back, leaving no room for empathy and understanding."
"I am sorry," Assiaya said. "I did not mean to be so crude."
"I know you weren't," Ryder said. "I understand how frustrating it can be, but too many people throw that word around over the slightest disagreements. And if you start seeing them as evil now, it will trick your mind, blinding us from finding a solution to this problem."
"But look what happened to you?" Assiaya said. "Are you not angry at that village that betrayed you?"
Ryder sat there as he collected his thoughts, struggling to respond. He finally said, "I would be lying if I said I am not angry about what happened, but I wouldn't call them evil. They didn't betray me; they put their people first. Can I really blame them? They saw me as a stranger, which I am. No one likes a foreign invader in their backyard, regardless of good intentions. Trust is earned, not given."
The Captain turned to her and smiled. "And the truth is, if they didn't do what they did, we never would have met."
"I hate to say it; he is right. Life is strange."
Assiaya turned back to the crowds below, thinking about what to do. "How can I fix this?"
Mathew Ryder withheld his response, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. He finally said, "Fixing this crisis might be the wrong way of looking at it. From what I understand, Major Smith offered everything, including the kitchen sink."
"Kitchen sink?" Assiaya asked.
"Yes," Ryder said with a chuckle. "It is an Earth phrase, meaning we agreed to give them anything they wanted."
"I see," Assiaya said. "But what is more than what you can offer?"
"That is what I mean; we need to find that out. In the military, we have a set of rules called survival rules. When cut off behind enemy lines, you know what you have, so you need to figure out what you don't have. Now, apply that to these people. What do they want that we didn't offer?"
"Well…," Assiaya mumbled as she considered the question. The question proved more complicated than she expected. The Princess could only think about everything the military-diplomatic corps had already offered: money, materials, security against the Verliance Aristocracy and the Unity of Cordinlane, trade rights, and, apparently, the kitchen.
That was when she noticed the light golden glow from her right hand. Most of the time, the binding mark was barely visible; however, the magical dust in the air from the refineries triggered its activation. The mark showed Lord Verliance's ownership over her as a slave.
This made her wonder what the Verliance Aristocracy was offering these dwarves. It had to be something Kallem could offer, as he had the resources and wealth to follow through. Everyone wanted the Salva civilians for their own reasons, so Vagahm could become rich from these hostages, which could have been the reason they took in these civilians in the first place. For different reasons, her people wanted them to return to their families. At the same time, Kallem would use them as hostages to force the city-state to surrender.
"It feels like I am a slave owner," Assiaya thought. "I am trying to trade something for people's lives. I feel horrible."
"I understand your feelings," the voice said. "I never would have considered the treatment of people to be more civil within the Aristocracy."
"You say that, but Kallem works with J'avias and Harpies."
"I never said he was a good man."
"And yet, if Kallem were here, he would resolve this problem within minutes."
The dual-eyed girl placed her hands over her face, taking a deep breath as stress consumed her mind.
"You are in deep thought again," Ryder said. "What is wrong?"
"I feel so powerless again," Assiaya said. "I was useless when we escaped Forlace. And now, I thought if I told everyone who my father was, everyone would be happy and free. Maybe Elkku would side with us against Unity. But Lord Elkkur looked at me with disgust, as if he was offended by my presence. I had no idea people did not like my father."
As she cried, Ryder slowly slipped his arm from hers and lightly placed it on her opposite shoulder to comfort his soon-to-be daughter. "I do not know who your father was, and it might not be my place to say anything about him, but I bet he was a good man. A lot of people are loyal to that bloodline."
"But these dwarves are not!"
Ryder took a deep breath and looked down at the crowds below. "Being a leader means you create enemies, justified or not. I do not know the history; maybe these people felt offended because of something your father once did—probably taxes. That is always a good reason," he said.
"Then how do I help?" Assiaya asked. "I thought I could help, but it seems I made it worse."
"You didn't make it worse."
"How can you say that?"
"Because we are sitting here talking. Elkkur would have kicked us out if you had made things worse."
"What-. Is it because I told Lord Elkkur no?"
"I think so. I saw it in the Dwarf Lord's eyes. He had a renewed respect for you. He saw that you were passionate about this issue. Being allowed to stay here was an opportunity given to us, so that alone is a victory."
"Even if he respects me, why does that matter? I still do not know how to fix this."
"He is going to tell you not to say the word, fix!"
"I said, don't use the word fix," Ryder said.
"Told you."
"I apologize," Assiaya mumbled. "It is just… if Kallem were here, he would be able to resolve this. I thought I could have done the same thing because I had seen him attend many political meetings. Some Princess I turned out to be."
She felt him rub her back. To her surprise, while the stress didn't entirely go away, the soothing action helped her mentally relax and calm down. Some of her feelings felt like she was loved, and others felt safe, emotions that she had only started experiencing two weeks ago.
"It always looks easier when others do it," Ryder said. "Now, if Kallem were here, do you think he would use his title to get what he wants?"
The question needed clarification for Assiaya. Being a formal slave under the Vampire Lord, she had seen royal and noble politics from the inside. She knew how important one's station was. "Yes?"
"Really? If titles were that important, Girnick Elkkur would have submitted to you, as your title outranks his. But that is not what happened. If Kallem were here, I bet he wouldn't use his title to get what he wanted. From my limited experience, people follow him because he walks his path without hesitation."
Assiaya was about to respond, but silently pondered what was said. The Princess understood what Ryder was trying to say to a point. She recalled that under Kallem's service, she had to clean much of the cultural art the Vampire Lord possessed; most of it was from his people. His family line and the greatness of the Aristocracy were essential to him.
"Now, with my team," Ryder continued. "Do you think they risked their lives trying to save me because of my rank?"
"No," Assiaya said. "They seemed to love you."
Ryder chuckled, and he nodded back and forth as he reflected on what she said. "I wouldn't put it like that, but yes. They respect me, and I respect them."
"In my country, we have a philosophy," Ryder continued. "Do not judge a child's actions based on their father's sins but by their own actions—or something like that. The point is, you can try to take your father's mantle, but you must be your own person. If you want to be the leader of Salva and be my people's representative in this world, people need to understand who you are. It is not dishonoring your biological father's legacy but enhancing it by being true to who you are."
Hearing the words from her future father, Assiaya closed her eyes and took a deep, de-stressing breath. She leaned her head against his body, allowing herself to be embraced before opening her eyes. "Thank you, Father."
"You're welcome," Ryder said. "As I said before, I will always have your back."
"Thank you," Assiaya said. "What about what the dwarves want?"
"Let's think about it for a moment. Most of the time, the answer is right before us; we just must get out of our heads."
"Then, how do we get out of our heads?" Assiaya asked.
Ryder remained silent for a moment, staring at the large crowds. "How about we just sit here and stare at the people below? I've never been inside a dwarf town, so seeing how organized the chaos is intriguing."
"Neither have I," Assiaya said. "Kallem never liked dirty places."
"I will grant you that," Ryder said. "This place is filthy, but I think they like that. It shows a good day's work."
"Maybe," Assiaya said. "Our home will stay clean. Routh always said that in a chaotic world, keeping your chamber clean was a sign of pride and order."
"I can respect that," Ryder said. "That means you will be making your bed every morning."
Looking back at the large plaza below, the Princess attempted to relax, taking in what the Americans labeled civilians enjoying themselves. From this height, the events below seemed chaotic, as Ryder said; however, she understood that it was because she came from a highly regimented lifestyle, and the dwarves were anything but.
"I think I understand now," the voice said. "At least, partly."
"What do you mean?" Assiaya thought.
"I mean, why did Kallem do it?"
"He did many things that were wrong. Mind being more clear?"
"Betray the Coalition."
"How could that be seen in a good way?"
"Because look at those dwarves," the voice boldly said. "I was thinking about the kitsunes who allowed Father to be taken. They feared their homes would be destroyed. Lord Girnick Elkkur must be thinking the same thing."
"How does that relate to Kallem?" Assiaya mentally asked in a frustrated tone.
"How often have we heard our former master express his desire to keep his people safe? How many lectures did he give to his son and staff about the needs of their people coming before their own desires?"
She didn't need to think carefully, as she had numerous memories of their father-son debates about how to run the Verliance Aristocracy. All the meetings with the military, political, and economic elites within his domain were about how to stay out of the war. The son embraced the Unity ideal and wished to march along the path of progress. In contrast, the father wanted to be reserved, stay in the background, and avoid the path of destiny.
She never understood why these debates were so fiery. Still, as she watched the people below, the Princess thought she understood. Whatever the Vampire Lord wanted would result in much death and suffering for his people. From his perspective, siding with The Unity was better than fighting to the last man, as Hispana decided.
Staring at a group of children playing a chasing game, Assiaya understood why the Dwarves were so stubborn. Whatever side they picked, the Verliance Aristocracy or the Americans, could lead to the destruction of their people.
The dual-eyed girl suddenly became excited, which nearly caused her to slip off the edge. Already holding onto her arm, Ryder prevented that, but that didn't mean he wasn't concerned about her well-being. "I know what they want!"
"Hold on!" Ryder said as he made sure she was safe. "Don't do that again."
"I am sorry," Assiaya said. "I got excited. I think I know what Lord Elkkur wants."
Ryder looked confused as he stared at the girl. He maintained his hand on her arm, making sure she wouldn't fall over a second time. "Okay. That is good to hear."
"We need to go talk to him now!" Assiaya said before standing up. "We can finally end this crisis."
Ryder got onto his feet, stared directly at Assiaya, and said, "No."
"What? Why not?"
"This is not high school. We cannot just barge into this borrian Lord's quarters and demand a meeting. That is a quick way to get expelled from a country and force them to side with your enemies. There is a right and wrong way of doing things, especially if you are the Princess of Salva with a respectable legacy in these lands."
"I…, you are correct. I got ahead of myself."
Ryder touched her shoulder and said, "That is okay. This is new for both of us. We will return to our room and make an official request for a meeting. He will likely make us wait, so we can use that time to practice."
*****
Heading down the hallway, Assiaya saw the dwarven architecture lining the walls. Unlike the public plaza for the outside world, rich with statues and relics from other eras to showcase Vagahm's greatness, these designs were more modest—handcrafted wall paintings.
In front of her were the borrian guards along with one of the motuia neko servants. She could tell this from the dark blue clothing with black rims. A large silver bow-tie belt around the chest held the servant's clothing together.
Up ahead was Lord Girnick Elkkur's office door.
The neko stopped and turned. "Please wait here. My Lord will greet you momentarily."
"Thank you," Assiaya said. "I can tell you have practiced your craft well. I will inform the Head Maid of your professionalism."
The maid hesitated, staring at the little Princess blankly before realizing she had been complimented. The neko bowed, thanking the young Princess before walking away. Assiaya then sat in one of the wooden chairs, which she found uncomfortable—something dwarves were not known for.
She turned to her father, who was speaking with the two Minutemen guards from Viking escorting them. They were talking about something military-related, which she struggled to understand. After a moment, he sat down next to her.
A sense of nervousness spread throughout her body as fear began to consume her mind. The thought of failure, embarrassment, and the shame of what could happen kept dominating her emotions. She knew that if she failed, the US would go to war against this borrian over the Salva civilians being shipped to the Aristocracy.
"Assiaya," Ryder said. "Look straight ahead at that picture."
She looked at him in confusion, but saw that he had done what he said, so she didn't question it. The Princess looked at the picture frame and saw a dwarf man leaning against a large hammer, staring into the sky. Above him was the diamond-like silver moon called Thrice. The God of forging and crafting had sent a meteorite from the moon to the dwarves.
Being a loyal follower of Tekali, she understood the story the picture presented. It told how Thrice brought industry and crafting knowledge to Alagore. Because of him, the fusion of magic and technology through enchantment and alchemy had transformed everything. The legend claimed that the dwarves were the first to merge magic and science, bringing steel centuries ago. However, most other races disputed the legend, seeking credit for the innovation.
Slowly, the Princess regained control of her emotions. While fear still gripped her, she no longer felt darkness consuming her.
"You see," Ryder said. "When you feel yourself losing control, you must focus on something else to recalibrate your mind."
"I will try," Assiaya said. "I am just scared of failing."
"That is okay," Ryder said. "Just keep the task at hand in front of you. We spent the past few hours practicing, and I know you've been spending a lot of time in these meetings. I believe in you, and everything will work out. Just have faith."
Taking a deep, calming breath, Assiaya closed her eyes and relaxed her body. That was when she noticed a motuia servant maid approaching from the other side of the hallway. The girl stopped at the door and stood at attention. While her discipline was not quite up to Kallem's standards, the young Princess was still impressed by the female kitsune's training.
That was when she heard the door open. Turning toward the sound, three vampires exited. All were wearing Verliance Aristocracy clothing—a solid purple base with blue linings and gold curving designs, along with a half-cap. The buttons running down the front bore Kallem's seals. The dark red collar rose up their necks. However, the vampire in front had one critical difference in his uniform—a short half-cape over his shoulders adorned with pins, displaying past honors, medals, and his status as an aristocrat.
The first vampire stopped and turned toward the three Minutemen and Assiaya, giving them a cold stare.
Assiaya's eyes widened as she recognized this vampire: Darius Ort-Olus. While she had only seen him in passing, he was one of Kallem's most trusted ambassadors, handling critical affairs for the Aristocracy. He was the one who had finalized the treaty with the Unity and the agreements between the City-States of Nevali after the annexation.
The fact that he was here only confirmed her deepest fears. For a moment, she wondered if these negotiations were a trap to enslave her again. However, she saw Ryder step forward, extending his hand toward the ambassador.
"Tell the Purple Princess that Ryder gives him my thanks," Ryder said. "And that the Red Moon will follow."
The vampire hissed before heading down the other side of the hallway, following their assigned kitsune servant.
The motuia political advisor, Eriznaec, walked out and turned toward the Altaerrie before addressing Assiaya. "Your majesty. Please follow me."
Assiaya took a deep breath, knowing it was now or never. This would be her final chance to find a peaceful solution to this crisis, especially now that she had visual confirmation that the Verliance Aristocracy was here. Seeing that Ryder had told the two Minutemen to stay outside, the two entered the room.
To the Princess's surprise, the room was quite sparse. She had expected the office of the dwarf lord to be as overdecorated as Kallem's; however, there were only a few paintings of flowers and the nearby lake. There were no statues of great figures from the past. Just padded chairs and decent white and light blue cloth over a table with potted plants around the room.
"You seem stunned," Girnick said.
"I apologize," Assiaya said. "I was expecting… more art like outside."
The dwarf laughed before saying, "I never enjoyed having all these paintings or art of grandeur. I always felt like my ancestors were staring down at me as if casting judgment, or simply cluttering the room. I have always preferred simple tastes. Now, please have a seat."
The two humans sat in the front seats, with the advisor beside his lord. To her surprise, there was only one other person in the room besides the four of them—an older female neko with black fur and gray lining going up her arms and covering her eyes and cheeks.
When everyone had settled, the servant neko approached the table and poured four glasses of water. Once the drinks and snacks were adequately placed, she walked back to the edge of the room and waited.
While dressed like a lower-ranking motuia, Assiaya could tell from her mannerisms that this neko held greater importance. She was either this place's version of a Head Maid or something similar.
"Major Smith informed me that your kind does not drink while doing business," Girnick said. "I hope the water will be a decent substitute."
"Thank you," Ryder said. "We prefer to party after the work is done. Then there are no hard feelings."
"I could not disagree more," Girnick said with a chuckle. "What is the point of negotiating without a little fire? Now, what do you wish to offer me this time?"
Seeing that the dwarf wanted to get straight to the point, the Princess turned to Ryder and saw him nod. She turned back toward the dwarf lord.
"I plan on offering nothing," Assiaya said.
The reaction from both dwarves amused her for some reason—probably because their faces looked comically surprised. It was clear they had not been expecting that answer, which made sense. Based on the opening question, the American negotiator had kept promising the gases of Tekali and more, making those previous offers feel hollow.
"Excuse me?" Eriznaec said.
"You heard me correctly," Assiaya said as she grabbed the glass of water. She took a sip and was surprised to find it filtered. Based on the moss flavor, she assumed they used flowerless plants to filter the water from their source. "If you wanted something, I am sure Major Smith would have discovered it by now. That means you want something more important than economic wealth and technology."
"And what could that be?" Eriznaec said.
"Safety," Ryder stated.
The dwarf lord Girnick Elkkur laughed and shook his head, unamused. "Your kind have already offered military protection. Release the Salva people, and you will protect us from the Unity, the greatest threat since the Kiriyak Expansion. And yet—"
"And yet…," Ryder interjected. "The Altaerrie could be worse than them. Better the devil you know, as we say."
"That sounds like a threat," Eriznaec said. "We already know that your people are preparing to attack us, which would not be wise."
"It was not a threat," Ryder said. "It was stating a fact. Assiaya."
Assiaya drank some water to calm herself. "I think I know what you are thinking. Because of how events unfolded, you are stuck with the people of Salva far longer than agreed upon. This has resulted in the eyes of the Great Powers gazing upon you. If you return them to us, the Unity will see that we have allied with your kind. If you do not hand them over to Kallem, the Altaerrie will see you allying with our enemies, meaning we are at war. No matter what you do, you will be dragged into a war you do not want," she said.
The two dwarves looked at each other before the motuia political advisor spoke. "That is an interesting position you have."
"Thank you." Assiaya noticed that the dwarf didn't reject what she stated, but didn't confirm it either—which Ryder had told her during practice would be a positive sign. "Can you please correct me if I am wrong? Is that why you have rejected all of Major Smith's trade offers?"
"Many of the Altaerrie offers were interesting," Eriznaec said. "Assuming that we accept some of the industrial offers, the issue became whether any benefits of an agreement would materialize after the conclusion of what is happening around Salva. With your defeat, what value are these agreements?"
"Excuse me," Ryder said. "Defeat?"
"He meant no insult," Girnick said. "I must admit that while you have made progress, it was only one battle. The odds are against you."
"The odds are always against the brave and bold," Ryder said.
"I will give your kind that much spirit," Girnick commented.
"Still, I hate to say it," Eriznaec added. "What value is a future agreement if you will not be around long enough to honor it? We have already witnessed a third of the male population of Salva being killed since this venture started many months ago."
"If you are defeated," Girnick said, "and to be fair, there is a chance you might outlast the siege, but if you fail, the ruler of these lands and the eyes of the global powers will bear down upon us without mercy."
"I see your point of view; however, there is a flaw in that mindset," Ryder said. "My country has declared the defense of Salva a national priority, and I know you people are not idiots. You must know this is only a fraction of our military strength."
"I am not doubting your power," Girnick said. "The Major said something similar, and based on what I see outside, I believe it. He explained your country in considerable detail, and I do not underestimate your power. Maybe there is a chance for victory, but we cannot make that prediction right now, and I am not willing to throw my people into the fire of a power struggle."
Assiaya listened carefully to the dwarves' points, as Ryder had recommended during their practice sessions. This tactic made sense to her, as she remembered Kallem using a similar approach during his meetings with his staff and outsiders.
Hearing their concerns, the Princess understood their position. While these were essentially the same details Major Smith had mentioned, she appreciated hearing them directly.
"May I speak?" Assiaya asked.
"Of course," Girnick said. "I wish to know what you mean by 'nothing,' as you were the one who requested this meeting. Are the Altaerrie giving up on negotiations?"
"Not at all," Assiaya said. "The reason I am here is to free my people. If we come to a fair deal, which I believe I have to offer, the Americans will honor our agreement."
"And what is this 'nothing' you keep mentioning?" Eriznaec asked.
"My proposal is that you will free my people," Assiaya said. "And in return, we will leave you alone."
"I do not understand," Girnick said. "What do you mean you will leave us alone? If we give your people back, the Verliance Aristocracy will see that as an act of war."
"Possibly," Ryder said. "But I do not think so. Not if we do it right. It all depends on how we do it."
"I am hearing a lot of 'ifs,'" Girnick said.
Before the dwarf lord could continue, the same neko approached with a fresh glass of water. As she poured, the woman glanced toward the Princess before moving to Girnick. However, Assiaya noticed the woman whisper something into the dwarf's ear as she refilled his water.
When the servant left, a sudden silence fell as Assiaya watched the dwarf lord stare at her. For some reason, she felt creeped out seeing those brown eyes focus on her while he slowly rubbed his beard. Whatever the motuia servant had said, Girnick was now carefully reflecting on the proposal.
"Explain," Girnick demanded.
Suddenly, Assiaya noticed a change in the air. Up to this point, the dwarves had been hesitant, almost merely tolerating their presence. Now the dwarf lord seemed genuinely interested in the proposal. The shift in mood gave her a new sense of energy and excitement; the fear had finally receded.
"All I want is my people back," Assiaya said. "All Kallem wants is not to gain another enemy. The only way to achieve that is for you to hand my people over, and we will go our separate ways."
"In my world, we call it neutrality," Ryder said. "If you return our people, my people will declare that our business is over as long as you do not take arms against us. We will leave. However, if you side with the Verliance Aristocracy, we will see it as an act of aggression."
Lord Girnick Elkkur leaned into the table and said, "If you withdraw with the threat of intervention, the Aristocracy will be forced not to extend an olive branch to us for fear of provoking you. Or worse, a quick alliance between them and us would force them to defend us, causing the opposite of what your kind is dealing with now. We are on the western side of the Green Peaks Mountains, so you can respond faster than they can. They would want to keep you bottlenecked in the north, not forced to defend an ally. So, it is in their interest not to have us side with you."
The Princess was surprised at how quickly the dwarf lord picked up on her proposal, fleshing out the details in more depth than she could have. It was clear to her that this man was highly skilled in the art of statecraft, hiding those skills behind a façade of simplicity and trickery.
"That is correct," Ryder said. "If you pledge to remain neutral, we will honor that."
"One issue," Eriznaec interjected. "This still does not solve the post-war problem. If you lose Salva to the enemy, they will remember that we returned the women and children to you."
"I do not believe this matter would be of importance to Kallem by that point," Assiaya said. "I served the Vampire Lord for half my life. When he took these lands from us, he had to maintain a public face to the City-States' nobility to prevent a mass rebellion. If he comes for you after you refuse to join our side, it will spark additional rebellions. He will not allow something small to change his mannerisms."
"And yet," Eriznaec said, "the Unity will be that petty."
"But," Assiaya said, "you can create any story you wish about us, assuming we lost the war."
"What she means," Ryder said, "is that you can say you wanted the families to die together as punishment. Or that you were afraid of being attacked because we are sinful. They are political-religious zealots; it won't take much nonsense to convince them. Whatever story you pick, you need to be confident in it."
"Father, can I tell them what I saw while I served Kallem?" Assiaya asked.
"Yes."
Seeing that she had both dwarves' full attention, she continued, "When I served under the Vampire Lord, I watched the Unity Priestess manipulate his son to assault me as a method to undermine his throne, and Kallem was helpless to stop it. If we lose at Salva, they will come for you no matter what happens. Maybe not right now because the world is at war, but once they win, they will come for you."
"Her point is," Ryder said, "you want us to fight this battle for you. She is offering you the perfect deal. Hand our people over; in return, we will beat the Unity and bring peace to these lands. All you must do is sit on the sidelines and watch the show. You are never going to get a better deal than that."
Noticing the sudden silence in the room, it took all her strength for Assiaya to keep her body from shaking with fear. At the same time, she stared at the dwarf lord as he stared back at her, carefully analyzing her every movement. Her father had informed her that this moment was crucial—everyone was waiting to see who would break first.
Her body felt like Tekali's gravity was pressing down on her from the weight of the conversation. Everything came down to this. She pinched her leg under the table to maintain control of her emotions.
After what felt like an hour, Lord Elkkur said, "You are a brave girl. The House of Balan would be proud of your achievement today."
"I might have the Balan blood, but I belong to the House of Ryder." Assiaya turned to her father and smiled. "He was willing to go further than anyone I have ever seen to protect me." She then turned back to the dwarves. "And that is how I know we will win. But I want my people back."
"Ryder," Girnick said. "You promise that your people will honor our neutrality agreement?"
"As long as there are no Unity or Aristocracy forces here," Ryder said.
"Then we have a deal," Girnick said. "Under these terms."
For a moment, Assiaya believed he had agreed. The dwarf had accepted her ideas, but she was caught off guard and unable to respond.
"I think this man is playing us," Assiaya thought. "It was a fair offer."
"If that is all he wanted, why did he not take Smith's offer?" the voice added.
"I think it is because we already agreed to our terms. Now he can add clauses thinking we will agree to anything."
"It had to be that servant woman. She whispered something into his ear. She must have proposed these terms to him. She has been paying attention."
"What do I do? Do I storm out? If I continue, then they will see me as weak, but if I leave, I failed."
"The rumors are true," the voice said. "Dwarves are impossible to work with. We should leave and let the Americans wage war. I think that is the only path forward."
Assiaya hesitated, thinking it over. She was sure she had solved the puzzle to this crisis. For a moment, she wanted to storm out of the room; however, she felt her father's hand against her arm. She turned and saw that he was warning her not to outburst and to wait.
"And those are?" Ryder asked.
"They are simple enough," Girnick said. "When we start releasing your people, I expect a cart of gold coins as payment. Taking care of your people has been a great expense for my people, so that is simply fair. The other is exclusive mining rights with a favorable trade deal. The formal ruler of Salva has blocked many ventures that my borrian needs. Lastly, we will need slaves and motuias. The price can be negotiated for a reduction from the coinage."
Hearing the demands, Assiaya was in disbelief. She could see an argument for the first two demands, but the last one crossed her line. She stood from her seat, staring at the dwarf leader, and said, "Why do you want slaves? I thought your kind would not prefer them."
Girnick Elkkur remained still, staring at the little Princess with humor in his eyes. "You have a lot of spirit for your age."
"Normally, you would be correct," Eriznaec said. "I understood that you may be unwilling to sell captured motuias, so we are willing to absorb the cost of a slave. The last two are based on the premise that you are victorious in the siege. Regardless of the outcome, we will need additional labor for our mining expansion, and do not worry; we are willing to be flexible."
"Slaves…" Assiaya thought, placing her left hand over her binding mark. "It is always slaves."
"If I recall," the voice thought, "the Americans have Aristocracy prisoners. Maybe they can trade them? I doubt anyone would care if we sold them. It is what they deserve for what they did to us."
For a moment, Assiaya thought about proposing the idea. She had no love for the Aristocracy after they had murdered her family, stolen her kingdom, and enslaved her in their House. It would be justice.
But she turned to her new father, who was taking a drink. While they had barely had time together, it had felt like a lifetime after what they had been through. The dual-eyed girl knew that he wouldn't make such a trade, even with his enemies. He could have abandoned her and saved his own life quickly. Besides, she didn't want to become like Kallem when embracing her birthright.
"No," Assiaya said boldly. "No slaves. Never again. Slavery will not be allowed in my new Confederacy. I will not sell anyone who is not on my side. My people for my people."
Ryder gently touched his daughter's shoulder and sat her down. "The third demand is not acceptable. My people outlawed slavery two hundred years ago, and regarding motuias, their contracts are not for sale. We do not sell our people to foreigners. No exceptions. However, if people wish to volunteer for these mining expansion projects through employment or a fair motuia contract, we can cross that bridge when it comes—but no government mandate."
Girnick Elkkur chuckled and leaned back into his chair. "You cannot blame a man for trying. Okay, I will drop that point; however, because of that, I want a tax exemption from your city and people. Is that acceptable?"
While sitting in the comfortable chair, Assiaya felt slightly confused. She was surprised at how quickly the dwarf lord switched his demands. She turned to her father and saw an approving nod. When she turned back to the dwarf, she nodded in agreement.
"Then we agree," Girnick said.
"We agree," Ryder said. "However, I will let you work with Major Smith about the coinage, as my people do not use gold as coin, but we can give you bars. From there, you can do what you wish."
"I do have a question," Assiaya asked. "With your demands, are you not worried about bringing the wrath of Kallem? I thought that was the reason you were rejecting Major Smith's offers?"
"There is the risk, but you convinced me," Girnick said. "However, if you do not provide something, that would raise eyebrows. Exchanging a few coins for your people would be seen as fair."
"Now," Eriznaec said. "Do we have terms?"
Assiaya took a deep breath. Still confused by the sudden demands at the end, she couldn't see another path to accomplishing her objective. "I accept," she said.
"I believe this concludes these long, tense weeks," Girnick said. "Algrin, you may escort them back to their chambers."
The princess stood from her seat and stepped aside to give herself more space before turning toward everyone. She grabbed the edges of her skirt and curtsied. "Thank you for your time, gentlemen. This has been an honor. Let Tekali bless your forges for the days to come."
The four returned a formal goodbye. The neko who had been serving them, Algrin, approached and escorted Ryder and Assiaya out the door, then led them back to their dorm. She recognized the hallway—the same one they had gone through before. Unlike then, this time the young Princess felt the walk took forever. She still could not believe she had gotten what she wanted.
A lot of emotion began to build inside her; however, Assiaya noticed a dwarf approaching. Forcing herself to maintain her composure as she was still in public, she waited for the dwarf to pass, then continued following the neko who was guiding them.
Algrin stopped at a stone door and turned before bowing. "Lord Ryder, here is your room."
Ryder held his hand up and said, "Captain Ryder."
"My apologies," Algrin said. The neko turned to the young Princess and bowed, then said, "Your Highness."
"Thank you," Assiaya said before bowing herself.
"Your Highness," the neko said. "Such greetings to a lower class are inappropriate."
"She has a point," the voice said. "We are not slaves anymore but royalty. We must act the part."
Before Assiaya responded, she turned to Ryder and saw him glancing at her, waiting to see how she would react—seeing how he had rejected any noble title and stuck with his military title.
She understood that the only reason Colonel Hackett had allowed her to attempt this diplomatic mission was that his people needed someone with royal blood to help swing potential allies to the American cause. However, the Princess did not see her role that way, and she knew Ryder would not abuse her bloodline to improve his status. In addition, she recalled how much value her former master, Kallem, had placed on the quality and treatment of his staff, even though there were times when he had faulted her as he did others.
"I do not agree," Assiaya thought. "We might be royalty now, but I do not want to forget that we were once servants like her. Kallem respected his servants and those below him. I will not allow myself to treat anyone as lesser, nor allow others to be abused the way he blinded himself with me."
Turning back to the neko motuia, Assiaya said, "I might be royalty, but I am not superior to you."
"That is a gentle perspective, my lady," Algrin commented. "Now, please follow me."
The Princess noticed that the servant didn't counter her position, remaining professional. That was when she realized there was more to this woman. Being the only other person in the room and whispering into the dwarf lord's ear, there was only one position a noble would allow that much access and trust.
When they reached their room, two members from Viking were on guard. One opened the door, allowing them to enter except for Assiaya. She stopped and turned around, facing the neko. "Thank you again, Head Maid."
"You are an observant one," Algrin said. "Safe night, my lady."
Watching the Head Maid leave, Assiaya went inside. Once the door was closed, she rushed toward Ryder and gave him a hug, breaking down in tears.
He knelt next to her and hugged her back. "It is okay. Those are tears of joy. You were courageous."
She struggled to respond, feeling she needed to let the stress of the situation and their accomplishment pass through her. It was her first diplomatic mission, and the chances of success had been low; however, she had done what she set out to do: free the people of Salva.
That was when she noticed the rest of Viking hanging out in the lounge area, all staring at her. She couldn't help but wave from embarrassment. "Hi…."