An Unexpected Engagement

As Teslaimia, Beaux, Lucas, and Emily disappeared up to Emily's office on the ninth floor Asoka turned to the recently seated Darius with a smug smile, "King Darius, I'm so glad we finally have the time to speak of serious business." He took a sip of wine and then continued, "I assume that you think escaping over your border means that I have forgotten that you just invaded my Empire and tried to murder my people? Well, since we are all gathered here in peace, let's discuss reparations."

Darius frowned and then said in a stoic voice, "Emperor Asoka, I am willing to discuss reparations in the interest of peace, but I must warn you, you have no leverage with me so asking for an unfair amount will simply leave us in a stalemate."

"Oh, don't worry, I am not asking for a single gold coin. Instead, I have become quite fond of your daughter, Teslaimia Cassandra. I will erase all grievances I have with Fursia in exchange for a political marriage to the Princess. Such a small thing, there should be no complaints?" Asoka smiled and took a drink.

Darius felt a cold sweat up his back, "This... I will have to ask my daughter for her opinion first."

Asoka laughed and shook his head, "You're going to ask your daughter for her permission to arrange her marriage? King Darius, has the mighty Fursian Empire that once dominated most of the known world finally fallen so far that it's King must ask a woman her permission to arrange a political marriage? Even the southern barbarians can assign their princesses in marriage."

Darius frowned and growled back, "Very well, Teslaimia shall be wed to you, Emperor Asoka, in the name of peace between our nations. I will inform my daughter of my decision."

Asoka smiled and then said casually, "I would like to hold the ceremony in my capital, Dhillu, I'll send the invitations once I return and make the arrangements. Let's make a plan for Midwinter. The weather will be perfect at that time of year in Dhillu."

Darius clenched his fist in anger as he outwardly tried to present a pleasant face.

Andrew shook his head and said, "Are you trying to provoke Emily, Asoka?"

Asoka laughed and Andrew and shook his head, "Why would you say that? I am just truly captivated by her beauty and charm. What would my being wed to Teslaimia in any way affect the future Queen of the Windsor Kingdom?"

Andrew leaned close and angrily hissed in an almost whisper, "You know very well what kind of relationship they have."

Asoka laughed again and then looked at Andrew, "Are your balls regrowing already? Not that it is any of your business who I choose to wed, but I happen to think Princess Windsor-Smith would also make a wonderful bride. Perhaps being wed to Princess Teslaimia and making her my Emperess will be the proper bait in order to lure her into my harem?" He grinned.

Emperor Iopolo returned from dancing with several of the beautiful daughters of the nobles and asked, "Trouble?"

Andrew looked at him and smiled, "Asoka has cornered Darius here into arranging a marriage with Teslaimia. He intends to use that as bait to marry Emily as well."

*****

Emily and Teslaimia sat together on her couch as Beaux and Lucas sat in chairs opposite of them. Lucas smiled and said, "Thank you for hearing us out on this, I understand that we are taking most of the advantage here. We just hoped that it would be a way for each of us to have some small benefit."

Teslaimia shook her head and laughed, "It's alright, neither of us is offended. I just wanted us all to have the chance to express our opinions. I feel that I am would not like to be married to a man, not because I find men unattractive, but because I already have the person I want to spend the rest of my life with by my side. Taking a second lover or even a pretend husband does not interest me at all. I want to stay by her side. I want her to be my partner in life."

Emily nodded and said, "I feel the same Teslaimia, I have had several men propose to me already and I have always turned them down. Mostly I don't need a man to run my life but secondly because until I met Teslaimia, I had no desire to even have a partner in life."

Beaux nodded and said, "I admit, I wanted to be King of the Windsor Kingdom, but beyond that, my feelings are like yours. I only wish to share my life with Lucas."

Lucas reached out his hand and firmly held it before saying, "I'm sorry Beaux, I was pushing you into this wasn't I?"

Beaux nodded, "You and the General. I wonder, Emily, can you tell us how things will change under your rule?"

Emily nodded and replied casually, "The Connaissance Empire will be run exactly how I run this city. We are going to change the current system to a system where you will act as a governor of a territory."

Beaux raised his eyebrows, "You truly are going to adopt the Langlish system then?"

Emily shook her head, "No, it will be similar but different. You'll retain the same level of authority you currently enjoy militarily but we are going to be turning the economy over to the people. Business people will manage their own businesses and you will just make sure that the Empire's laws regarding health, safety, fair business practices, and zoning are being followed. Law and order."

Beaux nodded and asked, "Will we still have the right to war with neighboring counties?"

"You want to know if you can still fight with the Harmons?" Emily smiled, "Absolutely not. We are going to be one united nation. I will be forming a singular national army, similar to what Andrew tried and failed with. You will be responsible for a constabulary instead. While you are here in Connaissance I recommend you speak with Sir Roger Colton he will better explain our intentions and show you it's effectiveness."

Lucas looked concerned as well and spoke out, "One of the reasons we had hoped to the marriage was a personal matter concerning Duke Hassard. You see, we have determined that he murdered our father. We wanted to have the power to get justice for his murder."

Emily shook her head and asked, "How are you certain that it was him, who had your father murdered? What if the real mastermind behind his murder was me? Or Teslaimia instead?"

Beaux chuckled, "Emily, Lucas, and I have known you since we were kids. We went to school together, played together as kids. We know you don't have it in you to have people murdered, that's ridiculous."

Teslaimia shook her head, "Emily has put more people to death than you can even imagine. Millions have died by her order. She isn't the little girl you played with anymore. The point she is making is that you can't let your emotions control your decisions. As a ruler of men, you have to make decisions in the best interest of your people. Things like revenge have to be handled on a different level."

Emily nodded, "The man who killed my mother and father sat with us at our dinner table this evening, in the city I control. I didn't kill him there in hot-blooded anger even though whenever I see his face, I can only imagine seeing it being removed from his body by a sword."

Lucas seemed interested, "Then how would you handle him?"

"Leave him out on a limb high up in a tree, and then cut the limb once he was no longer useful to me." She smiled.

Beaux nodded, "I think I understand. You are saying that as a ruler, you have to judge a person's worth to your lands before you decide to cut the limb."

Emily looked out the window and said, "There are no perfect people, Beaux, only useful people, and harmful people."

Teslaimia laughed suddenly, "No wonder you call me your weakness! You are so scary when you talk about relationships with your people."

*****

The two couples made their way back down to the party only to find a brawl being broken up by Captain Alexander and his men. Three men were holding back Emperor Iopolo while Emperor Asoka now sporting a badly bruised right struggled to regain his freedom from two of the Captain's men. As soon as he saw Emily Asoka screeched out, "Unhand me at once!"

Polo shouted out angrily, "Let me go, I need to beat this man until he faints!"

Andrew still sat at the table eating and watching like it was entertainment. Jon forced his way between the men shouting, "Enough! Act like leaders of men, not drunks at the pub!"

Once both men calmed down, Asoka with visibly shaking hands tried to smooth out his hair. Polo looked like a scolded puppy as he looked down at his feet not wanting to make eye contact. Emily walked over and asked, "I would ask what is going on here, but I am guessing that it would just upset me if I knew the truth, so instead I would like to bid you all goodnight. Return to your embassies and hotels. Tomorrow I will be holding my coronation ceremony. You are all welcome to attend, but if any of... This... Occurs? I'll toss the offending party out of my city by force." She took a breath and then said in a softer voice, "You may have felt that you were in the right by choosing to display such a scene tonight, but the reality is that you were simply disrespecting me. I am not amused." She turned and walked out, "Help my guests find their way to their temporary lodging Captain Alexander."

Polo started to chase after her, "Emmy Lee wait! I am sorry, you need to know why we were fighting!"

She looked over her shoulder at him and said coldly, "No, I don't." Teslaimia shrugged at Polo and walked with Emily out the door.

Andrew smiled and patted his mouth dry before slipping away out a side door. He shook off a couple of pursuers before disappearing into the streets.

*****

Darius paced around the Fursian Embassy's office as an advisor sat in front of Darius's desk. "Be honest with me, what kind of mistake have I made tonight?"

The man coughed into a fist and said, "Her Highness and Lady Connaissance are lovers. It's more than idle gossip. It has been verified by the people who guard Her Highness."

Darius ran his hand through his hair, "Is it a fling like you'd see in my harem?"

The man shook his head, "I'm afraid not."

"What potential consequences could I face by sending her away?" He asked coming to stop with his back to the man and looking out the window.

"Lady Connaissance makes her decisions based on what is best for her territory almost always. With the sole exception being when it involves Her Highness." The man thought for a moment and said, "If Her Highness doesn't wish to go, we won't be able to force her and you'll end up with possibly two enemies at our gates that have the power to crush us."

Darius turned and stared at his advisor, "I understand that much, how do I escape this trap he set for me?"

"Convince Her Highness to do this as a favor to you? I believe that if you make your appeal factually and give her the option of declining she may choose to accept the marriage and convince Lady Connaissance to let her go out of loyalty to you and your wife." The Advisor then asked, "If she really does choose to call off the marriage, she will obviously bring it to the attention of Lady Connaissance who may emotionally act out against our enemies to the East. Won't that leave us with the chance to acquire the land you covet?"

Darius smiled and then shook his head, "No, this isn't right. I can't count on Lady Connaissance to willingly go to war just for the sake of my daughter. I need to push my daughter into accepting the marriage. It's the only way out of this mess. We still have a couple of months before the wedding, we'll stay an extra week here in Connaissance. We'll meet with Teslaimia alone, away from her lover, and convince her to save her homeland. You may return to your quarters."

The advisor bowed to King Darius and turned to leave the room. As soon as he was out of sight a dark smile came over his face.