The Cardinal’s advice

A pretty young woman was holding a stack of flyers standing next to an A-frame signboard that said, 'Church of the Risen Son every Sunday at eight in the morning, Admission Just Twenty Sprite!' She smiled and asked, "Would you like to become a member? Only two Sprite, members can seek absolution for their sins with a confession." She handed out a flyer.

Emily smiled and said, "If I become a member, will I be able to talk directly with the Cardinal?"

The young woman nodded, "That's right!" Emily handed the woman two Sprite coins, was given a ticket, and escorted into a small gathering place with several chairs in a circle. Off to the side were two small privacy booths. The young woman knocked on the one door and then opened the second privacy room's door and led her to a small wooden bench.

Once the door closed, a small window opened and Cardinal Pujol's voice asked, "Tell me child, are you here to confess your sins?"

Emily said, "Bless me, Your Eminence, for I have sinned. I allowed a Church to open in my city and now there are flyers littered all over the street making the city look bad."

Cardinal Pujols chuckled, "There are easier ways to find me, Lady Connaissance if you just wanted to speak with me. Also, you could have said no."

Emily smiled and then said, "The Tzardom of Kruessia is marching a massive army south, Sir Roger Colton said you would know about this."

Cardinal Pujols sighed sadly, "It's about the black powder. We had thought they were completely annihilated after the Battle of the Peka. That Tzardom of Kruessia had been working with another nation here in the north called Shinnlan. It was a democratic republic with elected leaders chosen from one of two political factions, a very forward-thinking country that was pushing for the rapid advancement of technology. We sent our priests and missionaries in to teach them the word of God and were trying to get them to see the truth of a better society that was more in touch with sustainable living."

Emily asked, "Then the Inquisition used force against them, is that right?"

Cardinal Pujols shook his head, "No, we only used our missionaries. It was the Tzardom of Kruessia that wiped out Shinnlan. An inventor there in Shinnlan had developed a new kind of black powder, an advancement on the back powder used in the far east in places like Hoa Xia and Yapon. He designed a new type of hunting weapon called a musket. I am sure that Sir Colton must have mentioned it. The Kruessian Tzar, Nicholas the fourth decided to take the invention after we had convinced the inventor to destroy the invention for the betterment of all mankind, er, that is to say, we purchased it entirely. We knew that this would be too hard a task for just our soldiers and knights so we called for a crusade against a heretic religion. An army made from the soldiers and knights of all twelve of the major kingdoms that support the Church."

Emily nodded and asked, "Is it worth my effort to try and reason with them?"

Cardinal Pujols nodded and said, "It may be that they are planning to invade for the sake of conquest, but it may also be that they are planning to invade to avenge the death of Tzar Nicholas and his men that died in the Battle of Peka. If that is the case, they may just be planning to march through the Vernmont pass. If that is the case, then only the Windsor Kingdom would be in danger."

Emily nodded and asked, "Do you know who their current leader is and how I should make contact with them?"

Cardinal Pujols thought for a moment, "I am afraid that I don't know who exactly. Tzar Nicholas had a wife and child, if the child has grown and taken power it might be Tzar Piotr. If the wife is in power than it might be Tzar Katarina."

Emily tapped her foot in thought and then asked, "How many members have you managed to bring into your Church here in Connaissance?"

Cardinal Pujols smiled and said, "Including you? Three. The other two were agents sent by your Captain Alexander, they were even less polite than you with their questions." He chuckled and then said, "If I may give you some advice?"

Emily nodded and asked, "Please?"

"Your father was also involved in the crusade. He sent knights and soldiers. He was friends with people in Shinnlan and was amongst the most interested in putting the Tzar Nicholas's men to the sword for what they did. He didn't care about our contrived reason for the crusade, he was out for vengeance. With that said, the reasons for that war and for all of those deaths are still a chain of events caused by the Church of the Risen Son. If our Lord Léon Jean Reno meant for those men to come to our Capital City of Stansfield, then they will make it there. You don't have to step in the way and save us if you can avoid this war."

Emily nodded and said, "I don't want to be involved in any wars to cover the mistakes of the Church, but I also won't allow the innocent to suffer from any misplaced vengeance."

Cardinal Pujols then asked, "I also have a, well, strange question to ask. Since I have been staying here in the city I have become quite addicted to your newspaper's social section. Is it true that your personal life is so complicated? This Jon for instance? I think you shouldn't see this man anymore. You are much too good for him. Also, the Princess from Fursia, as I recall she was the pretty woman I met in your office? She seems like a very good friend. You should cherish such relationships and not let idle gossip get in the way."

Emily laughed loudly and then said, "Thank you, Your Eminence, I will heed your advice."

Cardinal Pujols nodded and then asked, "Did you have any sin you needed to confess?"

"You're hoping for gossip that hasn't been in the newspaper, aren't you?"

Cardinal Pujols gasped, "How did you know?"

*****

Princess Teslaimia gradually raised her voice, "Why would you go and do something like that? They already attacked us and you know they didn't send a million troops here to buy pants at Mr. Duke's garment factory!"

Emily shook her head and said, "Because we haven't talked to them to find out what their intentions are here. They may just be passing through."

She let out an exasperated sigh and then shook her finger in Emily's face, "You could get killed or worse and I am supposed to just sit here waiting like a good little housewife?" She crossed her arms under her chest and stamped her foot down, "Send someone else. Someone that..."

Emily interrupted her, "Someone expendable you mean? I should send someone else without a reason to go and talk to them and hope that they don't make things worse by getting into a pointless argument?"

Teslaimia shouted, "Yes, you need to delegate this to someone else. It isn't your job to solve all of the city's problems yourself sometimes you have to trust in the others here. You are too valuable to be wasting your life on what-ifs and the chance that these people who came with a conquering army might just want to walk on by and maybe buy some pants from Mr. Duke!"

Emily frowned and then said, "I thought you of all people would understand me and support me in this.."

Teslaimia charged up and pressed against her still angrily raising her voice as she interrupted, "You thought I would understand and support your suicide attempt? Are you crazy!?" Teslaimia grabbed her tightly in a bear hug and started to cry as she tried to calm herself, "I don't ever want to lose you again, do you know how hard it was seeing you not wake up? How many sleepless nights I endured willingly you to wake up?"

Emily shook her head looking a little lost, "I'm sorry, I really didn't consider that."

Teslaimin pressed a heavy kiss on Emily's lips holding her tightly after some time she broke from the kiss and pressed their foreheads together, "I love you, Emily, I refuse to allow this, think of another way."

Emily looked a little shaken, "I... I love you too, I'll think of another way. You're right. I didn't consider what other people thought, I didn't consider your feelings. I am just used to taking action when I want something done a certain way."

Teslaimia half laughed as she choked out a few sobs, "You're so selfish, Emily, why do I stay here, you don't even buy me nice things and provide me with the proper entertainment an empress should have?"

"What? I bought you that jacket just last week!" Emily frowned cutely.

Teslaimia snorted and said, "I bought the jacket with your money, you were too busy talking to the shop owner about his needs for the future."

Emily sighed and said, "I'm sorry, I really do get caught up in work most of the time. Should we go to the theater tonight? There is a new play starting, and I promise I won't spend all night chatting with the business leaders again."

Teslaimia sighed and said, "Fine, but I get to pick your outfit tonight."

Emily blushed, "Last time you picked my outfit all the men just stared at my chest as they talked to me."

Teslaimia chuckled and had a naughty smile, "Mhm, and it turned you on too, you were like a little tigress when we got home."

"Mi~a!" Emily turned bright red and then zipped off to her room.

Teslaimia smiled and then sighed with a deep sense of relief, feeling like the danger had passed before skipping after her.

*****

King Andrew read through the reports sent to him by messenger, "Oh? This is interesting. Danny agreed to this without my approval so he must be confident in the planning."

Leonard and three other knights sitting at the table shook their heads. Leonard cleared his throat, "I know that he is your best friend, Your Majesty, but trusting matters of planning to Danny's eye is like trusting Robert's eye to watch over the dessert table."

A heavier knight looked up and said, "Hey, that's not right! I'm just big-boned."

King Andrew smiled and then said, "No, I think this is a good plan. Sir Roger Colton made the plan."

A skinny knight who had been silent sat up, "Wait, that Sir Roger Colton? From the Inquisition?"

King Andrew nodded, "I am not sure how she managed it, but he swore allegiance to her, not just that, but Chief Cardinal Pujols from the Church of the Risen Son is now living in the City of Connaissance as well. I don't think he plans to return to Stansfield either."

Everyone in the room looked at each other with shocked faces, "What has she been doing in the city there?" Leonard asked.

King Andrew shrugged, "I am tempted to go have a look again. The last time I was there, it was still the same ugly city. They had a new impressive looking City Hall, but the air was still black and you'd get soot all over yourself just walking down the street."

"Then we'll move our entire army to the north gate?" Robert asked.

King Andrew thought for a moment, "I want to keep the sleeping Dragon Brigade at our southern gate. Just in case the Inquisition comes looking for the Chief Cardinal. The rest of you, bring your forces to the northern gate. I want this entire army prepared for a fast march after we get there."