THE ACT OF SURRENDER

Alexander had gathered all the nobles and the ministers that constituted the Scoln Parliament.

There was mass upheaval that arose from all the people of the building.

He was seated on his throne as the different parties of the building began a debate.

"We'd better give those Skartians a bloody nose." One Duke said.

"Our defenses are week." Another replied.

"And what about our lands?" Others asked.

"Order." The Prime Minister called and everyone in the hall quietened down.

"I haven't called you here to debate." Alexander said.

Every one looked around astonished at what the King had said.

"A Principle is at stake your Majesty." A Baron said.

"And I am reliably aware of that as a matter of fact." Alexander replied.

Every one bowed their head as they awaited for Alexander to continue.

"We are in danger of the Skartian conquest and I am passing an order that is to be known throughout the provinces of the Kingdom.

From now on, all people in the South March north as the soldiers fortify the remaining towns in the South.

In every sense we shall be ready for the South to strike and we shall foil them." Alexander said.

"But your Majesty, we can't simply tell people to abandon their homes." A Minister said.

"Removing the people right now and allocating them elsewhere could cause mass population in the North.

On top of that not many are willing to abandon their lands to be occupied by the Skartians." Another said.

"This is a question of National security and not personal feelings.

The Crown itself will be responsible for the restoration of lands but for the time being, the movement is temporary." Alexander said.

He had just spoken when the court doors were flung open.

Out of the hallway and that travelled from one end of the building to another emerged a royal guard.

He rushed with a scroll in one hand as he made his way through the aisle to the throne.

Once in front of the King, the Royal guard bowed down and then offered the scroll.

"Your Majesty, I bring News from the Skartian generals." The guard said.

Alexander rose as the eyes of everyone in the room travelled to his direction.

They studied him as he walked and took the scroll into his possession.

He broke the seal on the scroll and at once opened it to see the message that was written.

To His Majesty the King of Scoln.

We are here and we are not living, give us the south and we'll let you keep your Crown.

Rise against us and prepare to die.

In the Name of peace, sign this act and we shall withdraw from conquering further towards the North.

Do not sign it and we shall advance as far as every grain of sand that is marked as Scoln soil until it is in our name.

The King of Skartia.

The King read.

He got hold of the treaty and then threw it down.

"This is unacceptable." He growled out loud.

"I can't surrender the Southern lands to those Skartians." Alexander said.

"If we don't your Majesty, the country is in grave danger." A Minister said.

"If they advance to the capital we shall all have no refuge." The Barons said.

"Order." The Prime Minister said.

"We must come to a quick solution to the matter, one in which we might retain what is ours." Some said.

"Just surrender some parts of the South your Majesty at the expense of the entire Kingdom." Others said.

"We have children in those parts, we have got mines and estates, plantations and trading centres." Others said.

"If the Skartians must have them our economy can not stand." They added.

"Scoln is a vast country, we can't fail to restore and rebuild in other idle areas." One of the ministers said.

"Order." Alexander called.

Every one quietened down.

"We are not giving up anything and neither are we losing anything.

We can't come to an agreement especially if it involves losing our sources of income.

It took years to have most of these areas developed so it will take longer to develop the idle lands." Alexander said.

"Then give your order your majesty and we shall do as you ask." The Prime Minister said before the house would utter another word.

"I will think of a solution but for the mean time my decision still stands.

We prepare to displace and defend and that is final." Alexander said.

At once, he walked through the aisle as the parliament members bowed their heads while he made an exit of the building.

He was angry and furious and above all stressed out.

**************************

"An act of Surrender?" Valerian said the moment that he received the news while lying in his bed.

"Yes your Majesty." Helren replied.

"They must be out of their minds." Valerian commented.

"In deed, the King was furious when he heard that." Helren said.

"At least he couldn't do something that stupid." Valerian said as he turned his head and looked at the window.

"His decision is still final." Helren said.

"He is sending troops south not to attack but to defend until the army is reorganized." Helren added.

"Now is the best chance to attack, while the enemy is still weak." Valerian said.

"The King is not buying that, meanwhile, all people south are going to shift North with immediate effect.

The whole South is going to be a warzone and the Skartian King gave the order to advance Northwards unless the South is surrendered." Helren said.

"Quite a difficult situation that this has become." Valerian said.

"And parliament, what is the day of the majority?" Valerian asked.

"The majority are in favour of surrender and the minority in retaining their Southern lands." Helren replied.

"It isn't easy to build from nothing in an area with conditions that are different from those of the one you are used to." Valerian said.

"But what can you do your Majesty?" Helren asked.

"Honestly, I do not really know as well.

I can not possibly fight in this condition where I am locked and restricted." Valerian said.

"And the Scoln Crown here is at stake your Majesty because I believe that we can still win this war.

We can beat those Skartian troops before they continue towards the capital." Helren said.

"There must be a couple of generals that are willing to lead in this war." Valerian said.

"Of course there are quite many that want to go head on." Helren said.

"But?" Valerian asked.

"As always, all absolute power is in the hands of the King and parliament plays a ceremonial role.

The final say rests with the King who is not really ready at this very moment to attack." Helren said.

"That is going to be very difficult to decide right now." Valerian said.

"We can only hope that his Majesty is strong enough to reject the act of Surrender.

If he does then it can be the beginning of a very awful age in Scoln history." Helren said.

"I know Alexander very well, he is a very stubborn person without a versatile mind.

He can't be pushed from one extreme to another without a fight." Valerian said.

"I hope that you are right your Majesty, very many people look that part but don't act up to it." Helren said.

***************************

"Have you delivered the letter." The General asked one of his Skartian soldiers.

"Yes Sir." The soldier replied.

"And?" The General asked.

"As for the time being Sir, there hasn't yet been a reply.

Most probably the letter hasn't reached, the King is still thinking about it or the King has rejected it." The soldier replied.

"Are there any attempts beyond our barricades?" The General asked.

"Not yet sir, the guards still stand their ground and the defense is still on." The soldier replied.

"Then ready all our troops." The General said.

"What are you going to do?" Other commander's asked.

"We must put the King on pressure to surrender." The General said.

"And what happens when he does?" Another asks.

"We get our King, March North to the capital and then we crown him the New King of Scoln." The General replied.

He smiled devilishly as he spectated all the faces that surrounded him.

All the Skartians were thinking the same thing, they were going to war one way or another.