What a wild and untamed land this is, the Councillor thought. Lakes and forests, only interrupted by the occasional small village or homestead. How could we let such a backwards nation wage war against us twice?
Julius shook his head in disbelief. Well, there would be no more of that. From now on, the Frigonians would have to embrace a different culture, a culture far superior to their own.
Just wait, Julius mused. We are going to civilize this country. Soon, they'll come to understand that being conquered by us was the best thing that could have happened to them.
Turning away from the window, the wolf glanced at the large sealed envelope lying next to him, before leaning back in the seat and closing as eyes. After all, there wasn't much to look at outside...
...The sound of someone knocking on the side of the carriage caused Julius' ears to perk up. He opened his eyes with a yawn and leaned out the window, turning with a questioning look at the closest rider, a hare.
"Beg your pardon, Sir" said the rider. "We are approaching Friborg, I thought it best to wake you up."
Julius looked at the direction the rider was pointing at. Indeed, in the distance the walls of a city could be seen.
The carriage passed by the field on which the battle for Friborg and by extension Frigonia, had taken place. For a moment, Julius found himself thinking of all the blood that had been spilled that day on the many Vinolians who would never again see their homeland and for a brief moment, a shadow passed over his face.
The carriage entered the Frigonian capital and Julius gazed contemptuously at Friborg's narrow streets and the thatched roofs of its houses, few of which were more than one story high. People passed by; Frigonians with their eyes downcast and Vinolian soldiers with their heads held high. The Conqueror and the conquered. One boy, upon seeing the carriage, picked up some mud and flung it at it. This action earned him a hard shove from a nearby soldier, which caused the young would-be rebel to end up face first in the muck. At a fruit-stand, two other soldiers were busy harassing the vendor.
Julius paid little heed to these events. It was up to Jeraddin to keep his men under control and besides, the sooner the Frigonians learned who was in charge, the better.
The carriage continued on its way, until finally it entered the castle courtyard. Here, it stopped and the riders dismounted while the driver opened the door to the carriage. Almost, immediately two soldiers; a marten and a cat, came up to the carriage. Upon seeing Julius stepping out of it, they saluted.
"I am here on behalf of Her Majesty" the wolf explained, brandishing the envelope. "You: Show me to the General" he commanded, pointing at the marten. "You: Water the horses."
While the cat led the horses away, Julius followed the marten into the castle. As they walked through a long hallway, the Councilor asked if there had been any problems after the capital had surrendered.
"No, Sir" the marten replied, shaking his head. "The General had all the weapons in the city confiscated and anyway, the King and his uncle under house-arrest." A smile broke out on the marten's face and he shook his head in wonder. "I tell you, Sir, those Northerners know how to fight, but we showed them in the end. Once and for all." He let out a low chuckle, then froze on the spot.
"My apologies, Sir. I suppose that comment was unbecoming."
Julius shook his head.
"Not at all, what you said was completely correct."
The Marten seemed pleased by this and the two kept walking until, finally, they came to two large wooden doors.
"This is the dining hall," the marten explained. "The General is in there right now, eating dinner. He hasn't' had any since yesterday" he added, somewhat unnecessary in Julius thought. What did he care about Jeraddin's eating habits?
The Marten knocked on one of the doors and it was opened by another soldier, this one being a monkey.
"State your business" the monkey said.
"Tell the General that there's an emissary from the Queen has arrived."
At this point, the monkey noticed Julius standing behind the marten and his eyes widened. With a quick salute, he shut the door and then, moments later, opened it again:
"The General will see you, Sir" he said. "This way."
With that, the monkey stepped aside allowing Julius to pass over the threshold. Before he did, the Councilor dismissed the marten, who returned to the courtyard, while the Monkey moved aside so that Julius could enter.
He found himself in a room whose only decoration were two tapestries wearing the Frigonian Royal Family's insignia. The Wolf looked at them with distaste. There was also a fireplace and a long table made out of oak. At the high-seat of the table sat Jeraddin, cutting into a fried fish. As soon as he saw Julius approaching, the lynx put down his fork and stood up.
"Councilor" he said, bowing slightly.
"General" said Julius, answering the bow with one of his own. "I am here on behalf of the Queen.
Where is King Frigon and his uncle?"
"In their quarters, Councilor" Jeraddin replied.
"Have them brought here" Julius said. "Please" he added.
Jeraddin motioned for the monkey, who had resumed his position by the door to come over and conveyed the Councilor's wishes to him.
As soon as they were alone, Julius congratulated Jeraddin to his victory. The General accepted the praise with a shrug, saying that he was just doing his job.
Finding himself somewhat surprised by this lack of enthusiasm over such a great victory, the wolf was about to tell the lynx about the victory feast which was being prepared as they spoke. A feast which promised to outshine even the one given by the late King Sharan. However, he didn't get the opportunity to do so, because just then the monkey returned, followed by Frigon and Orloff.
"Very good" Jeraddin said. He was just about to dismiss the soldier, when something occurred to him. "Go and fetch a quill and some ink" he ordered.
The Soldier saluted smartly, clicking his heel together and left the room. Jeraddin turned to his guests.
"Your Majesty, Prince Orloff, I present to you Julius, who is here on behalf of the Queen."
Julius bowed twice to the two royals. Only Orloff returned the bow, the King only stared gloomily at the Vinolian emissary, with a look of utter defeat stamped on his face.
Julius cleared his throat.
"Your Majesty, I bring you the treaty between our countries for you to sign."
He handed the envelope to the King who, reluctantly, broke the seal.
"I should like to read the treaty along with my nephew" said Orloff, throwing a quick glance at the document which Frigon took out of the envelope.
"By all means".
All four sat down and the two ermines unfolded the treaty. In it, The demands were laid out in clear terms:
Frigonia would pledge allegiance to Vinoli and would henceforth consider itself to be under Vinolian rule. In times of war, Frigonia would provide Vinoli with soldiers and a five year service in the Vinolian army would be mandatory for every able-bodied male between the ages of seventeen to forty. Frigonia would also pay an annual tribute to Vinoli in the form of food and labor.
"Not at all, what you said was completely correct."
The Marten seemed pleased by this and the two kept walking until, finally, they came to two large wooden doors.
"This is the dining hall," the marten explained. "The General is in there right now, eating dinner. He hasn't' had any since yesterday" he added, somewhat unnecessary in Julius thought. What did he care about Jeraddin's eating habits?
The Marten knocked on one of the doors and it was opened by another soldier, this one being a monkey.
"State your business" the monkey said.
"Tell the General that there's an emissary from the Queen has arrived."
At this point, the monkey noticed Julius standing behind the marten and his eyes widened. With a quick salute, he shut the door and then, moments later, opened it again:
"The General will see you, Sir" he said. "This way."
With that, the monkey stepped aside allowing Julius to pass over the threshold. Before he did, the Councilor dismissed the marten, who returned to the courtyard, while the Monkey moved aside so that Julius could enter.
He found himself in a room whose only decoration were two tapestries wearing the Frigonian Royal Family's insignia. The Wolf looked at them with distaste. There was also a fireplace and a long table made out of oak. At the high-seat of the table sat Jeraddin, cutting into a fried fish. As soon as he saw Julius approaching, the lynx put down his fork and stood up.
"Councilor" he said, bowing slightly.
"General" said Julius, answering the bow with one of his own. "I am here on behalf of the Queen.
Where is King Frigon and his uncle?"
"In their quarters, Councilor" Jeraddin replied.
"Have them brought here" Julius said. "Please" he added.
Jeraddin motioned for the monkey, who had resumed his position by the door to come over and conveyed the Councilor's wishes to him.
As soon as they were alone, Julius congratulated Jeraddin to his victory. The General accepted the praise with a shrug, saying that he was just doing his job.
Finding himself somewhat surprised by this lack of enthusiasm over such a great victory, the wolf was about to tell the lynx about the victory feast which was being prepared as they spoke. A feast which promised to outshine even the one given by the late King Sharan. However, he didn't get the opportunity to do so, because just then the monkey returned, followed by Frigon and Orloff.
"Very good" Jeraddin said. He was just about to dismiss the soldier, when something occurred to him. "Go and fetch a quill and some ink" he ordered.
The Soldier saluted smartly, clicking his heel together and left the room. Jeraddin turned to his guests.
"Your Majesty, Prince Orloff, I present to you Julius, who is here on behalf of the Queen."
Julius bowed twice to the two royals. Only Orloff returned the bow, the King only stared gloomily at the Vinolian emissary, with a look of utter defeat stamped on his face.
Julius cleared his throat.
"Your Majesty, I bring you the treaty between our countries for you to sign."
He handed the envelope to the King who, reluctantly, broke the seal.
"I should like to read the treaty along with my nephew" said Orloff, throwing a quick glance at the document which Frigon took out of the envelope.
"By all means".
All four sat down and the two ermines unfolded the treaty. In it, The demands were laid out in clear terms:
Frigonia would pledge allegiance to Vinoli and would henceforth consider itself to be under Vinolian rule. In times of war, Frigonia would provide Vinoli with soldiers and a five year service in the Vinolian army would be mandatory for every able-bodied male between the ages of seventeen to forty. Frigonia would also pay an annual tribute to Vinoli in the form of food and labor.
In addition, the treaty continued. To ensure co-operation, a member of the Frigonia's Royal Family will remain in Vinoli as a permanent guest.
Finally, the King of Frigonia would confess to having planned an invasion of a peaceful nation, which was only prevented thanks to the cunning of said nation's ruler.
As he read through these demands, each one calculated to put Frigonia, the nation built by his ancestors, under the heel of its longtime rivals, Frigon could feel the anger and humiliation well up in him. Oh, how he wished to tear this treaty in a million pieces and throw it in the Vinolian emissary's smug, lupine face. But, of course, that was never going to happen. Sighing deeply, choking back the tears which had begun to form in his eyes, the young King grabbed the quill lying next to him and wrote his signature below Argath's.
Finally, the King of Frigonia would confess to having planned an invasion of a peaceful nation, which was only prevented thanks to the cunning of said nation's ruler.
As he read through these demands, each one calculated to put Frigonia, the nation built by his ancestors, under the heel of its longtime rivals, Frigon could feel the anger and humiliation well up in him. Oh, how he wished to tear this treaty in a million pieces and throw it in the Vinolian emissary's smug, lupine face. But, of course, that was never going to happen. Sighing deeply, choking back the tears which had begun to form in his eyes, the young King grabbed the quill lying next to him and wrote his signature below Argath's.
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