You are getting married.  

Shortly before the last days of winter.

The Royal Palace.

Riverville, Verum.

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Inside an elaborate dining hall, Alina sat across from her brother, Prince Brandon having a dinner of goose eggs.

The silky-smooth albumen of the rare bird coated in a special sauce was bitten gently by the young lady, her white dentition peeking out curiously from her parted red lips.

The delicate smell wafting out of the delicacy was simply one to behold. Watching the warm steamy innards spill into her mouth a nearby maidservant who gulped inaudibly, it was clear to all watching that the exquisitely prepared meal was destined to be an enjoyable one.

But despite the warm delicious taste sliding down her throat, the princess's face was an expressionless mask.

The reason? Well, this was one of her father's favourite past time activities, eating gourmet meals prepared by some of the best chefs in Udoris- That explains it all.

The older man glanced at his daughter who was indifferently eating her meal and smiled.

"Are you enjoying the meal, Alina?" The king asked.

"Hmm." Alina nodded, flashing a small smile.

"I suppose you should." The king said. "This is the eggs of the famous Red-eyed mountain goose. They breed only once a year on the summits of mount Glacise, so it is very hard to find the eggs which are usually always protected by aggressive parents. Very rare, but also very delicious."

"I heard it was Queen mother who sent them over during her travels. They are quite lovely, father." The princess replied curtly.

"Hmm, really delicious." Prince Brandon commented, offhandedly stuffing another egg in his mouth.

The king smiled at his son before turning back to Alina.

"So what did you think of the war?" He asked her suddenly changing the topic of their conversation.

The princess paused, growing wary.

"Hertalese did benefit a lot, royal father" She responded wiping away red sauce from her lips with a napkin.

"Although, they were also invaded by Aries, looking at the greater picture that loss should be quite negligible."

"Of course!" The king laughed, they did win an entire kingdom.

"So what do you suggest Tukhus do at this point?"

Alina paused before responding.

"Lay low for a few years and fully assimilate his gains before seeking to recompense from Aries through diplomatic means. By then they should have grown to become a force Aries would truly be wary of."

"But do you think he would do that?" King Lendar pressed.

"No, royal father."

"Why?"

"Well, everyone knows the kind of person the king of Hertalese is. He is impatient, prideful and very impulsive, there is a high possibility that he might have started preparing to get revenge.

"Pardon my words, Royal father but something doesn't seem right?" Alina added with a small frown now realizing something.

"Oh, what?" The king asked.

"The Ariens should also be aware of this fact. Then why did they do something like antagonizing Tukhus for such negligible gains."

"I am sure they had someone amongst their ranks who saw the bigger picture and realized the futility of it all, but why did they still go ahead with the invasion, especially when they did not plan to capture Hertalese in the first place."

The king glanced at his son still stuffing eggs down his throat and sighed lightly.

Turning back he met Alina's eyes, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

"Who knows, maybe they all just decided to behave stupidly for a change."

Alina pupils dilated. She smiled and she replied.

"Maybe so, royal father."

Looking away, she gently forked another egg to her supple lips.

"Alina, what do you think I sought to gain from this all."

"Tukhus's indebtedness, Royal father?

"Yes, but that's not all." He replied but she didn't lookup.

"How does Lendar Scymaster, Lord of the seven realms sound to you dear daughter?" The king asked.

"Wonderful." Her hand scooping another portion of sauce into her bowl paused. She replied stiffly.

"Hehehe." Brandon chuckled glancing at her.

The king smiled.

"First it would be Hertalese, then Algrim which they annexed followed by these meddlesome mountain tribes and then the enviable Ariens. One after the other they would slowly fall into my palm until I succeed where our ancestors failed."

"And it would all start with a little sacrifice on your part." The King said glancing at Alina. He dropped his utensil back into his plate and wiped his lips with a napkin

"You are getting married to that Everhard boy. Understood?"

"Y-yes royal father," Alina said clenching her dainty fists. Her face was slightly pale but her eyes remained indifferent, it seems like she had long expected something like this.

"Good girl." Prince Brandon chuckled softly. His expression was one of derision.

"Don't bully your younger sister." King Lendar scolded.

"Yes, father."

Turning back to Alina who had finally lost her appetite he smiled again.

"When the Wesselbutum's decide to retaliate against the Ariens I will be sending you over with an alliance agreement to even out the playing fields. We can't have them ending the presumed war after just a few months of fighting now can we?" The king said getting to his feet.

"Rejoice, daughter for you could probably become the catalyst for possibly the most significant series of events in Udorian history."

Glancing at her father's back disappearing around the door and Brandon soon following after, Alina's face scrunched up into a frown.

'I guess I can't help but move things forward a bit now.' She sighed exasperatedly.

Unclenching her fists and muttered with a cold gaze.

"Why now, you old fool?"