The Lives of Velnin chapter 29

Shifting Alliances

After our return to Tarmel's capital, my days were split between military training and the manual labor of rebuilding our wall and our city. As Veltrin I had focused on nautical skills and the martial skills of shipboard fighting. The war was not over, and as the focus likely shifted to land fighting, I needed to get my musculature adapted. I rode horses, practiced horseback fighting, and practiced ground fighting in formation with others. I finally held my sword Swelfalster for the first time as Veltrin, and I practiced its use. Like my brother Veldin, I would be a complete warrior prince.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28

I had informed King Melnin, my father, of Soraina's letter, especially the news that her army was not entirely leaving—a detachment would be left in our region, seeking alliance from Tarmel and subjugation of all others. He said little about it other than to urge on our efforts to rebuild the capital, particularly the wall. With all the men as well as some of the women and teenagers pitching in, we soon had a tall enough wall around our city consisting of paving stones, statue bases, fallen pillars, and random rubble. Before we had gotten much further, a messenger came.

He was not of the Dark Empire. He was from the lands around Citadel Ruins, and had fought alongside my brother Veldin in the initial battles at Dragonclaw Pass. Perhaps this was why he was chosen as messenger—to play upon our sympathies.

"I bear greetings from Mardus, Imperator of the regional forces of the Dark Empire and former governor of the Black Citadel," he declaimed. "Men of Tarmel: you have impressed the Dark Empress Soraina with your prowess and strength. You alone of all your region does the Empire wish to ally with. Should you be their ally, you may keep your independence. They will help rebuild your city. They will help add to your territory. With the strength of your fleet and the might of their army, together you shall rule this region as partners. What say you?"

My father Melnin looked at the messenger. "And you? What do you, personally, think we should do?"

The messenger looked down at his feet. "Mardus's army is strong. Very strong. I am grateful to Tarmel, and all you have tried to do for us. I would not want done to you what he does to those who oppose him. I urge you to take the offer."

"Wait here. I will consult my advisors."

My father glanced at me significantly and nodded to the door. I followed him out.

---

To my surprise, he brought no one to the meeting room but myself. He gestured for me to sit down, and I began speaking. "Mardus is no doubt the man who captured and tortured my brother Velwin and princess Aloree, under guise of diplomatic invitation. He cannot be trusted."

My father looked at me. "Irrelevant. So long as he fights on territories not our own, it is those who offer him fealty and subjugation who will have to deal with his treachery, not us. Our spies report that more than a hundred thousand soldiers remain on our side of Mermaid's Strait, and what matters it that they do not come to Tarmel again."

"You can't seriously be considering taking the alliance!" I blurted out.

My father didn't answer. Instead, he pulled a folded paper from his doublet and threw it before me. It was a copy of the letter to me from Soraina, the Dark Empress. I sighed. A prince could have no privacy in private matters.

"Do you like her?" he asked bluntly. "Your brother Veldin did."

I looked down, ashamed to answer. A small blush came to my cheeks. "Yes," I said quietly.

"If you married her, could you serve her loyally as a consort, doing your best for her, without reservation, for your remaining lives?"

I looked away. I saw the answer in my heart, and knew that it somehow came from more than just a sense of duty. "Yes," I finally whispered.

My father let out a long breath that I didn't know he was holding. "It is well."

Now I, who had never cried once during my life as Veltrin, even when I had seen the towers of our capital burn, was almost in tears, holding back a sob. "Father... I am marrying Aloree. ALOREE!"

"You are? And has she agreed to it?" he asked coldly.

"No," I replied, looking down.

"Let me acquaint you with reality," he began. "Normally, we would prefer the Dark Empire's forces removed from the area entirely, as it would leave Tarmel the greatest power in the region, able to dictate to those we did not rule directly, with Talore across the Isthmus keeping to their own. However, if you were married to the Empress, this would not apply—our kingdom's future would be as one with her Empire, and her strength would be ours.

"Her forces that remain on our side of Mermaid's Strait remain strong—stronger than those of our burned-out kingdom, with no natural barriers between us. On the other hand, there is now a wall across the Isthmus that we recently helped build. We cannot defeat the Empire's forces without help from our neighboring kingdoms... but unless we can credibly threaten them with lending our seapower to the Dark Empire to bypass the defensive wall, they have no reason to help. They would prefer the Dark Empire's army to expend its strength upon us, leaving us both weak as kittens, and neither of us a remaining threat."

"And the atrocities we found under the Black Citadel? You'd invite them here?"

"Those were of one faction of the Empire, only—a faction which even now Soraina is intentionally expending in our region. We have spoken to many prisoners from the Empire. No such atrocities are whispered to happen on their main territories, and as consort, you would have some power to keep it that way. Anyway, you like Soraina. I see no reason for you not to marry her."

My hands balled into fists. I looked down and felt tears beginning to well up in my eyes. "I want to marry Aloree," I mumbled.

"And you can, perhaps. But before we risk the future of our kingdom and its people on it, we must make sure. If you propose to her now and she agrees, you have my blessing to marry after the Dark Empire's forces in the region are defeated. King Lore knows the score—he will have to muster the troops of his kingdom and those in his region to help. Once our forces, together with his, have wiped the threat from the region, you two lovebirds can marry and cement our perpetual alliance. But unless Aloree agrees—and unless the kingdoms under her father's sway help us remove the Dark Empire's forces—you are marrying Soraina."

My father’s voice softened. "In a week, there will be a grand ball near the Isthmus to celebrate our fleet's victory. Aloree will be there, and you are invited as a guest of honor. If you wish to be her husband, bring a ring and your best charm. Good luck."

---

We answered the Imperator's messenger with a request for a fortnight to consider the alliance offer. I went off ringshopping. My heart beat in my chest as I prepared for my kingdom's future and my own to be decided in a single question to a beautiful girl.

---

---

Book 1 now out on Amazon! The Lives of Velnin: THE BLACK CITADEL collects Chapters 1-14 of the story so far.

• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZJ7R5VH (eBook)

• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZPF7QN2 (paperback)

• https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0DZJ7R5VH (or if you want to give Royal Road some money and have them pick your region automatically. I did post the story there, after all.)

I would be extremely grateful for any Amazon reviews you could muster. Amazon review link: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B0DZJ7R5VH