Part XI: Diplomacy and Memories

Sun and Flower chased each other around the vicinity of the palace.

"You won't catch me." Flower teased him.

"I can catch you. I am faster now." Sun replied as he chased her.

"Prove it." She teased him again.

"Fine. Sui. Celeritas. Pes." Sun replied and chanted.

"Oh no. That's not fair." Flower shouted as she kept running and Sun was still chasing her.

"You didn't say that I can't use magic." He replied and laugh as he continued to chase her.

"Cheater. Idiot! Hmph!" Flower responded as she continued to run.

They chased each other when they realized they are in front of the palace and everyone was looking at them.

"G-good afternoon, Your Imperial Majesty." Fossil greeted him unconsciously.

"Good afternoon, everyone." Sun greeted back.

They went inside the great hall and presented the goods gifted by the Republic of Cardence.

"Your Imperial Majesty, the president sent these as a personal gift." Fossil presented a crate that was stamped by the presidential seal

"Put it in the private chamber. Anything else?" Sun ordered and asked Fossil.

"Your Imperial Majesty, this letter is from the president himself.

"I see. Thanks. You got a shiny shiny medal, eh." Sun teased him and laughed.

"Ah this one. The president granted us medals." Fossil replied.

"Well then, you are dismissed. Go give yourself a rest. You deserved it." Sun told everyone.

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty." Everyone replied to him.

"Goodbye everyone. Take care." Sun told them and he left.

Fossil followed him to his office as he read the letter.

"It is nice to hear their feedback. I will call you later. I have an assignment for you." Sun told him.

"Sir yes sir." Fossil replied and went away.

Meanwhile, Soil and her regiment were in front of the city gates of Bramle.

"Stop right there! We know what you did to our regiment!" A voice from the wall shouted.

"Hear us first. It is not what you think!" Soil responded loudly.

"We won't hear from an enemy! Don't move! Our troops will fire on you!" The voice from the walls replied.

"Everyone, go back to Orocheria without me. Avoid the city of Sealis. Alfilda tell the Queen of what happened to Waresfield, the forest and here in Bramle. Don't worry about me. I can do this. Go! Now!" Soil told them and gave her the letter.

"Ma’am yes ma’am!" Alfilda shouted.

They retreated except Soil who was looking directly at the wall. The sun was about to set and the skies are reddish-orange.

"Lay down your weapons! You can still surrender." The voice shouted again.

"Let me talk to your president!" Soil shouted back.

"Men! Fire at will!" The voice shouted.

"Soil Clasp!" She shouted as a volley of arrows rained at her.

"Fire again!" The voice shouted as they saw her safe.

"Halt it!" Another voice shouted and the soldier held their fire.

"Let me talk to your president!" Soil shouted again.

"Go ahead!" The voice responded.

"Let me in. I need to talk to your president!" She yelled back.

"Open the gates!" The voice shouted.

Soil was shocked by what she heard but she entered the city unscathed but cautious of everyone.

"Feel free to enter, Miss Soil." A man with brown hair and yellow eyes told her as he escorted her to the palace.

They went to the palace and to the president's office.

"Please take a sit, Miss Soil. What would you like for a drink? Coffee? Tea?" The man asked her.

"No, thanks. I'm good." She replied courteously.

"Well then, what is your business here, Miss?" The man asked as he sat down the chair in front of him.

"Sir, with all due respect. I need to talk to the president." Soil replied politely.

"I am the president, Miss Soil. My name is Cody Westin, President of the Union of Southern Cardence, I am well aware of what happened to Waresfield and the forest. Some of the regiment soldiers told us what happened." He replied and stated what he knew.

"They told you about what happened in the forest?" She asked in confusion.

"Yes. As an apology, please take this letter to your Majesty. I am sure she will understand what happen." Cody replied as he gave her the letter.

"Thank you, Mr. President." She replied.

"Your welcome, Miss Soil." He replied as they stood up and went outside.

They walked out of the office and to the stables. They bid their farewells and Soil went away.

Meanwhile, Sun was in his office when he summoned Fossil for his new assignment.

"Good day, Your Imperial Majesty. I am here." Fossil greeted as he entered the door.

"Take this letter to the Colonel of the Barhambrian Army along with the crates of goods. Then meet me at the gardens." He ordered him.

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty." Fossil replied and he went away.

Fossil left his office when Potash entered the room. They greeted each other and went on their ways.

"Good day, Your Imperial Majesty." Potash greeted as she entered the room.

"Good day, have a seat. So, what is your business here, Miss?" Sun replied and asked her as she sat on one of the chairs in front of the small roundtable.

"The Stoicheionese Federation sent you this letter, Your Imperial Majesty." Potash replied as she handed the letter to him.

"I see. The place where Fossil came from." Sun told her as he sat down in front of him.

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty." She replied and nodded.

"How did you know?" Sun asked her.

"Uhm... I am one of his childhood friend and classmate in the academy." She replied as she blushed in front of him.

"What academy? I am just curious." Sun asked her in curiosity.

"The Lucas Solar Academy, Your Imperial Majesty." She responded as she continued to blush.

"I see. I somehow remember your voice but I don't know if it is you or someone similar." Sun replied as he kept looking at her.

"You are one of our seniors, Your Imperial Majesty." She responded and she blushes even more.

"I think so too. Fossil is one of my juniors in my days of the academy and I signed his admission to the Imperial Military Magic Institute. How about you? What did you do after you graduated the academy?" He asked as he became more curious.

"I went home to Stoicheion and helped my father in managing our county. From then on, I never went back here." She responded as she remembered her days in the academy.

"I see. I missed being in the academy. Back in my times there, I was one of the active members of my class. I enjoyed the company of everyone. There are some slight unpleasant memories though." Sun stated as she looked at him with amazement.

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. I suddenly remembered that one senior back then. He was kind and very brave. He defended me from one of my seniors that time. His short black hair was very neat that it doesn’t get messy even when he fought. His black eyes were enough to strike fear in the hearts of his enemies. I wonder where he is now." Potash told him as he listened to her and she continued to blush.

"I once remember a junior of mine. She was very gentle she wouldn't hurt even a bug. I forgot her name but one time, there are seniors of mine that pick on younger years. It happened that I was passing by when he tried to pick on my junior. I barged right in and tried to hit me. I accidentally cut him in the arms because I forgot that I was carrying a real sword and not a training one. We were called by the headmaster and my father confiscated my weapon for a month." He told her and he laughed afterwards.

"Wow. That is so brave, Your Imperial Majesty." She replied and they both laughed.

"Maybe. That junior of mine had a crystal green eyes and that is very cute. I wonder where she is now." He told her as she wondered who he was talking about.

"Would you like to visit the academy, Miss Potash?" Sun asked her all of a sudden.

"R-really, Your Imperial Majesty." Potash asked with excitement in her eyes.

"It is okay if you want to refuse." Sun replied as he stood up and laughed.

"N-no, Your Imperial Majesty. I want to. When will we go, Your Imperial Majesty?" She replied as she went to him and held his hand like a little kid.

"When do you like to go?" Sun responded as she looked at him with excitement.

"When are you free, Your Imperial Majesty?" She replied and she is still excited.

"I never had a day-off, but I can schedule it." He told her.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yes." He replied.

"Let's go tomorrow then, Your Imperial Majesty." She giggled in happiness.

"Okay. Let's go tomorrow." Sun replied as he laughed at her reaction.

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty." She thanked him and hugged him in happiness.

"You are welcome." He replied and was internally shocked of her reaction.

Fossil suddenly entered without knocking.

"Your Imperial Majesty, I am back..." Fossil was shocked of what he saw and didn't finished what he was saying.

Potash noticed that she was hugging Sun and suddenly went away from him by a few steps.

"S-s-sorry, Your Imperial Majesty. I was disturbing you." Fossil apologized and he closed the door.

"Fossil! R-report here." Sun replied but Fossil went away.

"S-sorry, Your Imperial Majesty. I-I didn't mean to do that." Potash apologized and bowed repeatedly.

"That's fine. Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong." He told her as he caressed her long silky violet hair.

"Th-thank you for your kindness, Your Imperial Majesty." She replied as she bowed her head.

"Well then, let’s meet here tomorrow morning." Sun told her as he continued to caress her hair.

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. Goodbye." She replied with a cute smile.

"Goodbye, Miss Potash." He replied as she opened to the door, bid their farewells and she smiled as she went away.

"Her crystal green eyes really looks like my junior back then." Sun told himself as he let out a sigh of relief and look outside the window.