A Truce

It all began on that one gloomy night. The fate of a nation rested on the shoulders of two individuals, and the heavens seemed to know it as well. The sky was dark and the clouds were broiling, covering the kingdom below in a bland wash of gray as they hung menacingly over the Hakaovian palace. It had been like this for days, but only now were the heavens threatening to unleash the gathering storm. Thunder rumbled, vibrating the floor underneath a viscet’s foot as he stood at a window, resting one hand on the stone as he looked out at the thousands of houses below.

A gust of wind blew through the window, making his cobalt blue cape and robes billow out behind him. Most would be frightened at the sight of such a storm so quickly approaching, but the king had experienced it every year of his life. During the fall season before the snows came, the sky would unleash a furious storm. Rain fell hard enough to destroy any unharvested crops, thunder rattled foundations, and winds were powerful enough to pick a viscet up off the ground and carry him or her several miles away. The citizens had nicknamed this great storm the ‘thundering’ for how fearsome and powerful it was.

The king shifted uneasily as a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. It was that time of year again, and even though he knew all the structures were adequately prepared and the people were safe inside their homes, he couldn’t help but worry. He always did.

The sound of knocking echoed through the hall and startled him out of his thoughts. He turned his head to the door at the other end of the room, taking a moment to ground himself before permitting access. The large wooden door opened, creaking slightly on its hinges as another viscet entered. The tall, slender figure of the female cast a dark shadow on the stone floor, the yellow light of the torches lined on the walls making the tips of her fur glow. The male nodded and she approached him, bowing her head stiffly when she reached the window.

“My lord,” she started, addressing him formally with a thickly accented voice. He didn’t answer, but instead let her continue. “You do know why I have come...do you not?” Again, the king nodded, but this time he answered.

“I do.”

“Then we must come to a consensus.”

The two moved over to the long table and took their seats, the king at the head and the other to his left. The fire from the torches crackled, the only sound to be heard as the king stared down at his folded hands. After all these years, after all this time...would they really be able to do it?

“Sire.”

He looked up, forcing his worries and doubts away as she stared him in the eyes. She had come all this way, at such a dangerous time, and she deserved his respect. Sighing softly, he began to speak again.

“I suppose there’s no use in waiting any longer my dear queen,” he admitted. “Your kingdom will not last long without an agreement.”

“I am well aware of the current situation.” The female rested her own hands on the table in front of her. “So what do you suggest we do?”

“To combine both kingdoms would be in both of our best interests, but with the current state of the people… I fear that such a drastic change could bring harm upon both the country’s inhabitants.”

“And indeed it would. Hakaoh’s pride will not allow it to merge governments. They will see it as an act of weakness, and my position as ruler will be even further endangered. I already lie awake at night and stare out my window in fear of being killed, and with the recent outlashings of the extremists, it’s not just my life I fear for. My husband’s influence is lost and useless to me while he is away at Skydron’s borders, and I have not been able to keep a stable grasp on the government. You know I am not well respected.”

The other didn’t speak, but his eyes betrayed his answer. No, the queen of Hakaoh was not respected. Her husband’s first wife was beloved by the kingdom; they loved her dearly and because of her strong and independent nature, she could easily calm quarrels between citizens and members of the council. She was regal, valiant, and in the people’s eyes, there was no one better suited for the position. But all good things must come to an end, as did her life when a guest visiting the palace managed to sneak his way into her chambers and murder her while she slept.

The queen’s death threw the country into chaos, upending the people and flipping the government on its head. Hakaoh was so ill-prepared for the loss of someone so important that the kingdom quickly descended into anarchy. The king was able to quell the violence for a while when he remarried, returning a small amount of hope that this queen would be as worthy as the last and would be able to put an end to the destruction.

She was not given a chance, however. Extremist groups formed and rose up against both the king and the new queen, forcing them to take physical action lest their kingdom be ripped apart from the inside out. Other small factions and their allies saw this as a chance to invade, and while the king’s armies were occupied fighting their own, several small villages and towns on the outskirts of the country were taken over. The queen’s husband had been gone for months, having taken the soldiers and commanding them directly in hopes that his presence would help deter the violent attackers. This left her alone to manage things. Although she was doing the best she could, she was faced with constant criticism and threats to her and her children’s lives.

“I have very limited, if any power at all, Valakr, and I am only here now because I cannot see another way. We both know that I would not have come had there been any other options.”

Valakr knew it.

Looking at her now, he could see the toll this had taken on her. Her eyes were sunken and covered with a dull glaze, her posture was slumped, her ears were flattened against the side of her head, and her fur was matted and her mane frazzled. She was both mentally and physically exhausted, and her coming to him was nothing more than a last ditch effort of a defeated monarch desperately in need of help. Valakr had seen the entire thing unfold from the beginning, and the thought of what might lie on the horizon terrified him. His own country would take a crippling blow if Hakaoh were to fall.

“My advisors are divided, and I am stuck in place. I cannot move one way or the other. If I were to relinquish any more power, everything would fall apart, but if I attempt to take more, the rebellion will only grow stronger.” She paused to breath, her shoulders shaking slightly. “The people want power. If I cannot give it to them, we are doomed.” At this, she lowered her head, her tension and stress manifesting itself physically as she clenched her fists together.

“I will not let it happen,” Valak stated firmly, his back straightening. “Our countries are far too important for each other to let one descend into chaos. I cannot count the number of times that we have assisted each other over the past long years, but I would not be a king if I were to let this happen without interfering.” His reassuring words drew her attention and she looked back to him. “Hakaoh will prevail.”

A silence settled in the room, only broken by the deep rumble of the thunder outside. It seemed to further the point that the decision made here could save or destroy an entire country.

“How? How can we do it? I am in no place to act on anything that might disrupt things further.”

Valakr still was quiet. He stared at the wood of the table, his eyes narrowed as he contemplated some way, any way that would allow the queen to regain control. He had an idea. He had one idea. He had one idea that maybe, possibly, just might work.

“Marriage.”

“What?” The queen blurted, and Valakr’s eyes snapped up to find her completely shocked and her expression incredulous.

“No, no-- not between the two of us, that would never work,” he said hastily, regretting that he hadn’t prefaced his suggestion. The queen relaxed slightly, looking a little less startled, which gave him the go-ahead to continue. “Between our children.”

She still looked confused.

“But how would that solve anything? Of course our kingdoms are allies, but I fail to see how that would benefit either of us.”

“Your people want power, but you cannot give it to them,” Valakr said, earning a careful nod from the female. “But what if I were to give it instead?”

“But how-”

“Please, hear it out,” he urged, and she hesitantly agreed. “If we were to unite our two kingdoms through marriage, your people would have a place in Arijolnir’s government according to our laws. Our traditions allow the first born heir a position on the council, and if your husband’s daughter were to marry my son, she could have a prominent role. Your people respect her, which makes her the perfect candidate if we were to go through with this.”

“It...this could be the first step in restarting trades and stabilizing the economy,” the queen started, her eyes widening. “Moving their focus to your kingdom would allow me to work without that pressure-- they would be much more willing to compromise if they had a hand in all of this. But...they must trust the princess enough as their representative or else nothing will come out of it. I know she is liked, but do you think is it enough? Enough to gain their favor?”

“I do.”

“Your own self would be in danger if we were to go through with this and it were to fail. If things go wrong then there’s a chance that your own kingdom will destabilize!”

“There is always that chance.”

“And you…” she trailed off, meeting gazes with him again. He was completely serious. “You would take that risk?”

“I would. Do you not think it will work?”

“No- no, I just- I cannot accept when it intrudes on your ability to rule!” She flinched when Valakr moved a hand to hers.

“Think nothing of it, my dear. If this will fulfill your people’s needs then it is to be done. I will not stand by and watch while your country falls into ruin.” The queen looked very uncertain, but she didn’t speak out against him.

“When they are of age, Synotra and Loki will be wedded, and we can put this all behind us. Can you last one more year?” There was a long pause before she answered.

“We can.”

The hall was silent for a second more.

“Then it is done.” Valakr stood, and she did the same. He held a hand out to her and she took it, grasping him firmly. “You will not be alone in this Leiauna. My wife and I will be by your side every step of the way."

Thunder cracked and a bolt of lightning lit up the hall, sealing the deal between the two rulers. As Leiauna stared into Valakr’s eyes, her confidence returned and her resolve hardened. With Arijolnir assisting, she would be able to take a step towards rebuilding her kingdom. Although a year seemed like a long ways away, she would use every day of it. This would work. This had to work. Hands interlocked, both nodded. They were in this together now. Synotra is the first-born child and only daughter of the king and queen of the Hakaoh kingdom. When the queen was killed, Synotra was too young to step up and take her place as a ruler. Her father remarried, much to the princess’s dislike. She was still devastated by the loss of her mother, and the people seemed to echo her thoughts. The new queen was not well accepted, and soon fighting broke out among the people.

Groups and factions wrestled for attention and support as people joined sides, dividing the country further. The entire kingdom was in danger of falling apart when the queen struck a deal with Valakr, the king of Arijolnir. His son and the princess of Hakaoh were to be married in order to secure and stabilize the kingdom.

Having been raised traditionally, Synotra understands why this needs to happen and the importance of it. She is more than willing to sacrifice and offer herself for the sake of the country if needs be, and she has accepted that it must be done.