FOREIGN INTERVENTION

A couple of weeks passed and eventually it was a month later.

Peace had reigned but it was short lived.

It was a rainy morning in the mid of August, the general temperatures around the world had already fallen.

The King and his Queen were in the backyard of the palace watching the sunrise as they stood next to the pond that was stationed in the midst of the place.

Alexander held Valerian close into a hug as they both mused and admired the purple and orange firmament.

It was peaceful and wonderful just the both of them listening to the melodies of the birds that flew high above them.

"What do you think?" Alexander eventually asked Valerian.

"I want to spend every morning like this." Valerian replied.

"Alright then, if you say so." Alexander said.

"I shall make sure that we watch every sunrise together." He added.

"I know you will and I have faith that you shall not fail me." Valerian replied before he leaned into a light kiss.

"Your Majesty." They were suddenly interrupted and Alexander sighed in disappointment.

He turned around to see who it was.

"Helren?" He said.

"Yes your Majesty." Helren said as he bowed his head.

"What is the problem, you just walked in on a private conversation." Alexander said.

"I am sorry your Majesty but there is urgent News that I bring to you right now." Helren replied.

"What could be very urgent at this hour of the day, it is still very early in the morning?" Alexander asked.

"I am so sorry but you are needed inside by the Prime Minister, he wishes to discuss with you a very urgent matter." Helren replied.

"The Prime Minister?" Alexander said a little bit surprised.

"He is waiting for you in the usual meeting hall." Helren replied.

"I'll come right now." Alexander said.

He then turned to Valerian.

"Let us go and see what it is." Alexander said.

"Alright Your Majesty." Valerian said with a smile and the two were led into the palace by Helren.

Soren had done a very good job refurnishing the palace.

Its walls beamed with bright red and white, gold and silver as well.

Some pillars were reconstructed and fitted with marble to make it more beautiful.

Once the imperial couple was inside, they moved straight to the meeting hall where the Prime Minister was said to be waiting.

The guards opened the doors to the meeting hall and the couple walked in only to find the Prime Minister seated.

"Your Majesties." He shot up immediately as he took the King's right hand and placed it on his head.

He went ahead to get Valerian's hand and he kissed it.

"Why are you here very early in the morning?" Alexander asked.

"I have some bad news your Majesty." The Prime Minister replied.

"What is it?" Alexander asked.

"The Army needs your command your Majesty, our Southern boarders were threatened and they are under attack." The Prime Minister replied.

"From whom, Rebels?" The King asked.

"No, foreign troops." The Prime Minister.

"Any occurences I should be notified about as Sovereign?" Alexander asked.

The soldiers at the Southern fortress were given a surprise attack and there is immediate need for reinforcements.

We must attack and foil the Darian warriors before the fortress can fall." The Prime Minister replied.

"And the Generals, can't they surpress the attack?" Alexander asked.

"I am afraid that the Darians have a new fearless general, many are afraid to face him off in war." The Prime Minister replied.

"Who is this general you speak of?" Alexander asked.

"General Sandrino." The Prime Minister replied.

"He has gone undefeated in all his battles and the Darians are interested in conquest of our Southern lands." The Prime Minister added.

"That must be intense." Alexander said.

"Your Majesty must intervene." The Prime Minister said.

"I must run the Kingdom." Alexander said.

"They are declaring open war." The Prime Minister said.

"Why?" Alexander asked.

"They want to take the Capital so it is necessary that we stop them, they want to penetrate from the South." The Prime Minister said.

"How then can I best intervene and prevent the war?" Alexander asked.

"The Darians are not interested in making peace, they want to annex the Kingdom." The Prime Minister replied.

"Why?" Alexander asked.

"There is a rumour that the New King yourself is not as fierce as his father.

They believe that if they take you on, they can capture your crown." The Prime Minister said.

"We can not leave other parts of the country unguarded and our country is indeed very vast.

It is going to be very impossible for us to send reinforcements and divide the army we already have." Alexander said.

"But we must do something and if we do not send reinforcements, then they will penetrate the Kingdom." The Prime Minister said.

"Isn't there another way that we can do this?" Alexander asked.

"I can not lie to you I don't think there is, your Majesty can issue the order to grant the southern fortress reinforcements.

"How many soldiers still survive uninjured?" Valerian suddenly asked.

"About one thousand two hundred soldiers." The Prime Minister replied.

"I can work with that number." Valerian said.

"What do you mean by that?" Alexander asked.

"I can command those troops." Valerian replied.

"Are you out of your mind?" Alexander asked.

"Your Majesty, your safety is the top most priority of the Kingdom." The Prime Minister said.

"I can not let you go to war with the Darians." Alexander said.

"Why?" Valerian asked.

"You have never fought in a war before." Alexander replied.

"The people need protection and a general that can protect and fight for them." Valerian said.

"You have no idea what it means to fight in a war." Alexander said.

"I can not just sit here and watch while the people whose Queen I have become are butchered and killed by those men.

I can still lead and do something and the Prime Minister is right, we can not just run from this.

If they do not attack today they might attack another day and I do not want to give them that chance." Valerian said.

"I can not risk losing you." Alexander said.

"And I can not risk losing the people that I lead.

What good is a leader who can not stand and fight for his people?" Valerian asked.

"It has to be someone else." Alexander said.

"May be it doesn't have to be, you heard the Prime Minister, other generals are frightened of this man.

I am nothing like them and this is a chance that I have to prove myself to the people that I am more than ready to be there Queen." Valerian said.

"Your Majesty." The Prime Minister said.

"The King must remain and take care of the capital, I shall ride to the Southern fortress immediately and there is no need for reinforcements.

I shall lead the Southern fortress to victory." Valerian said.

"I can not let you do that." Alexander said.

"If you love me and you trust in me, you must let me go to that war.

Remember, a wise king must never seek out war but must always be prepared for it." Valerian said.

"What is the final verdict your Majesty?" The Prime Minister asked.

"The Queen shall be given a chance to prove himself but if all fails, he must be returned to the Capital with immediate effect." Alexander said.

"Thank you for this chance." Valerian said.

"It is nothing, just promise me that you can keep your life." Alexander said.

"I promise you that I shall and along  with that, I shall bring down ten thousands of my foes if I must." Valerian said.

"Alright then." Alexander said.

"Then I shall have the army informed that they shall be under their Queen." The Prime Minister said.

"Alright." Alexander replied.

At once the Prime Minister replied.

"I'd better go and get ready for my departure as well." Valerian said.

"Please be careful." Alexander said.

"Don't worry about that, I shall certainly be to the best of my abilitues." Valerian said.

"You better hurry up before I am forced to change my mind." Alexander said.

"Alright." Valerian said and he hurried out of the meeting hall.

There he left Alexander so lost in thought.

He had tried so hard to stop him but he knew better than anyone how stubborn his consort was.

Valerian was a very persistent person who usually got away with any thing he wanted.

Somehow, Alexander still had second thoughts but a part of him strongly opted to give Valerian a chance to prove himself.

He would fully do it with so much ease he hoped.

"I hope that you can prove me wrong Valerian, I hope that you can show the world your warrior might." Alexander whispered to himself.

Eventually, he turned around and left the meeting hall as he pursued Valerian whom he was certain could be acting fast already.