Monarch's Rebirth: Chapter 16

The rule of war is that the war is over once the king announces the war is over. Soon peace treaties will come at the capital of the empire and that will mark the diplomatic end of the war. But the ending of the war is today, the second of spring.

"I already knew you would announce it today. I made preparations already and they should be done by afternoon." Felix says as he takes a sip from his cup of tea.

I smirk and rest my head on my arm. "What's the schedule for today?"

"Nothing much. The declaration to end war in the afternoon and then the rest of the day can be leisure or work. Pick your poison."

I laugh at the way he worded it. "I like the way you word some things. I suppose I'll pick a balance between work and leisure." I replied.

Amelia finished eating up the meat she was served and climbed back onto my shoulder. "Dad, is there a war?" She asked me curiously.

"No sweetie, the war is over and I just need to make an announcement about it. There will be a big festival today, would you like to attend it with me?" I told her. She seemed to be quite quick at learning or she was born with understanding.

"Yes! I wanna attend the festival! I don't know what it is but it sounds fun!" She replied excitedly.

"Neat! You must stay in this form for pretty much the whole time. Until it's just us two alone you must be in your fox form, can you do that?"

I wasn't sure if she had a timer on how long she can be a fox. I would think staying in a different form from your original self would be difficult.

"I can stay in this form indefinitely!" She said which gave me a sense of relief.

"Where is Alexander?" I asked Felix who was confused from me and Amelia staring at each other but not moving our mouths to speak.

"He should be awake soon. I will go and check." Felix says before getting up and leaving.

Amelia snuggled up onto my left cheek and asked, "I forgot to ask, who was that old man?" She asked curiously.

I chuckle from the description Amelia gave as it was quite accurate. "He isn't that old, apart from appearance. He's Felix, he is my personal assistant and surprisingly he is only thirty!"

"White hair at thirty? That's odd…" She pondered about it.

It was actually surprising to see someone with white hair and a well kept beard. Then again I have crimson hair and eyes so I'm not one to speak of natural hair colour.

Amelia curls up around my neck like a muffler as I get up from my chair to take a walk around the garden.

The garden was beautiful and elegant. Bushes of plenty and trees of different kinds. I wonder how it would look at night time.

Amelia got off from my neck and walked alongside me. She was fascinated by everything around her like a child in an amusement park. "These flowers give a really neat smell when they all are mixed together." I said to Amelia.

She looked at them all with a glitter in her eyes. "I know! They are all so pretty!"

We walked around for a bit before we saw Alexander coming with Felix. I waved my hands at them and they waved back. We were across the garden and were quite far away.

We walked closer to them and as soon as Alexander saw Amelia he bolted forwards. He grabbed Amelia in his arms and squealed in excitement. Seems like she melts the heart of even the coldest.

"This thing is ado~rable!" I cannot believe you found such a cute dragon!" He exclaimed in excitement.

"She isn't as cuddly in her dragon form. You might cut yourself on her scales." I told Alexander.

Suddenly Amelia decides to shapeshift into her dragon form and I panicked. "Alexander! Let g-" I shouted but it was too late.

Amelia turns into her dragon form while in Alexander's arms and her scales do indeed cut him ever so slightly.

"Ow! This bratty dragon!" Alexander shouted.

Amelia laughs at Alexander after pulling off the prank and I facepalm. "She is still a child after all. Only a few hours old. She was born in my arms." I told Alexander a shortened story of whatever happened to me while I was asleep.

"So that's what a baby dragon looks like. Still adorable!" Alexander shrieked.

Amelia was hovering over us but quickly landed on my shoulder. "Whose this?" She asked me.

"That's Alexander. He is my friend and the son of a noble. Don't try cutting more people with your scales." I lectured her.

"Okay, sorry." She said, slightly disappointed and sad.

"Anyways, back to business. Today we end the war properly." I brought the main topic back to the table.

Alexander looked at me with a serious tone and nodded. "When are you announcing it?" He asked me.

"Afternoon. Not far from now. Let's eat breakfast and prepare." I told Alexander as I walked past him.

Alexander and Felix follow behind me and Amelia changes her form back to her fox form. "Today will be more fun than serious." I said under my breath.

We walked back to the palace and went to the dining room for food. Amelia took her seat next to me and opposite of Alexander. Some time later Vincent walked in and my mood turned sour.

"Amelia, go invisible and prank that person that came in." I told her.

"Will I get in trouble?" She asked, concerned for her own safety.

"Obviously not. Go prank him!"

Amelia turns invisible and takes a seat on Vincent's chair. Vincent sits down while yawning but then gets stabbed by Amelia's scales.

"OUCH! What was that! Something just stabbed me when I sat down!" Vincent shouts in pain.

"Good one Amelia." I tell her through telepathy.

She giggled and I was satisfied. "Take your seat, Vincent. It's early morning and I do not like shouting." I lectured him.

"Okay boss." Vincent says while rubbing his bottoms.

Alexander starts to giggle while eating and I focus back on the newspaper I was reading. I gave my steak to Amelia and she ate it happily. I was left with bread and some greens to eat which I quickly ate.

"Vincent, have you not found a job?" I asked him while looking at the newspaper.

"No, sire. I have yet to find a job."

"I told you about the pub. Did you go to them?" I asked him since I wanted him to work there.

"Not yet. I plan on going tomorrow as today is the celebration." He told me.

"Go today. They are sure to be understaffed for today as more people will visit the pub. It's the best in the kingdom." I advised him.

He looked at me skeptically and thought for a moment. "How do you know so much?" He asked me.

I look up from the paper I am reading and stare at him. "Because I am king." I told him with a cheeky smirk.

Vincent eats his breakfast and takes a quick leave. "I'll go there now then. See you at the festival." He said before putting on his coat and leaving the dining room.

Well that was easy to get him out. "Make sure to show that note I gave you. Might give you a free drink if you do."

I click my tongue and get back to reading. Alexander finished eating and went back to his room. "Sire, you should get ready for the speech." Felix came up from behind me and notified me.

I leave the paper on the table and get up. "Tell me this after one o' clock. I'll go do some of my duties properly. Oh and bring some tea."

"A-as you say."

Amelia follows behind me to the office room. "Where are we going?" She asked me.

"The office room. I have work to do." I said in a monotone voice.

"Can I help?" She exclaimed, wagging her tail.

I thought for a moment on what work she could help with. "Let's see what work you can help with. For now you can sit with me in the room."

She seemed quite excited for paperwork. Odd for a dragon to be so childish. Most of the time dragons are rude and arrogant but Amelia was like a seven year old.

I take a seat and look at the pile of work I had left. This will be a long day.

I instantly get started on working while Amelia rummages through the room, looking at everything around here with curiosity. I can't believe it but she's only a few hours old and yet she has the intelligence of a human child.

"Dad, what's this?" She asked me while looking at Warrior's Ballad. She didn't know what a sword was.

"That's a sword, my dear. My sword to be exact. It belonged to your grandfather and he gave it to me." I told her while writing a contract to the construction company for war fixes.

"Can I see what's inside?" She asked while bringing over the sword from the wall mount.

She has enough strength to even do that!? It's quite lightweight but a fox that's barely the size of a chunk of steak can carry that using her mouth!?

"God you are strong! Sure, bring it here."

I take the sword out of its scabbard and show it to her. "Here, this is a sword. It's used for fighting." I explained.

"Woah… It's so shiny! Have you killed anyone with it?" She asked obliviously.

"Many. I fought a war so obviously I have killed people." I told her, questioning myself deep within if I should admit to killing in front of a dragon child.

"I wanna kill!" She blurted out from the blue.

It took me by surprise and I quickly sheathed the sword. "No killing. Not until it's necessary." I told her before getting up to put it back on the wall mount.

"But killing sounds fun!"

I'm raising a serial killer.

After what she said Amelia tried to help me with some of the work by briefing huge sentences to smaller synopsis. I was nearly done with the work by the time I finished my tea.

It was nearly one and I could hear Felix approaching. I get up from my seat and walk to the door. The door flings open and Felix comes in. "Master, it's pa- Oh,you were leaving?" Felix says as he gets in. "Yes. I'll go take a shower then."

Amelia follows me to my room and I get into the bath. I did not think twice and just jumped right into the bath with Amelia.

"Wait, how are you supposed to wash a dragon?" I said out loud realising I'd have to give her a bath.

Amelia started swimming in the bath and playing with the water. I laid back and just let her do what she wanted. "The water smells so nice! It smells like the flowers from the garden." She exclaimed.

I brought her closer to me to give her a scrub. "Come here. Let me just get the dirt off you." I said while scrubbing her body with my hand,

She seemed to like getting cleaned, unlike some animals. This got rid of whatever dirt she gathered and possibly the sticky substance that she came out with from the egg. "Good, you're all clean now." I told her while letting her go.

"I feel a lot cleaner! Thank you!" She said before swimming away from me.

I leaned back onto the bathtub and looked out the window. It seemed like there were decorations on the streets already. I suppose they all know what's happening today.

"Woah… The city looks so pretty from here! What's with the decorations though?" Amelia asked, being naive to the situation.

"The festival preparations. People are preparing for the festival so they are decorating the city." I explained to her as she stared into the city.

"Right, let's go and dry up. Today is a day of fun." I said before getting up from the bathtub. I took a look at the mirror and fixed my hair before walking out the room.

I dried off Amelia before she came into the room. Her fur fluffed up from the water and was much softer. "Your fur feels so much softer. It's like clouds!" I exclaimed.

She giggles as I clean off the rest of the water from her fur. She shakes to let out any extra water from her fur. I found my clothes on the bed as usual. It was quite formal this time around. A doublet that had a deep red design down the middle with a cape that matched the red on the doublet. A white jabot with a red stone in the middle. Seems like my theme colour is red.

I walked outside and walked through the hallways. I took a moment to look around the walls and the paintings that decorated the walls. They all were elegant and well drawn. Paintings of scenery and some paintings of just simple things like a fruit bowl.

Amelia climbs onto my shoulder and hangs on while I walk down to the courtyard. "Let's wait for Alexander here." I told Amelia while standing and staring at the fountain.

"That fountain looks cool! Can I go check it?" She says while jumping off my shoulder.

"Sure, just don't go outside the palace."

"Okay!" She exclaimed before running off.

A few minutes later Alexander comes out and stands next to me. "Have you prepared a speech?" He asked me while standing cross armed like me.

I take a deep breath before answering. "Nope, I'd rather speak from my heart than rehearse anything beforehand."

"Sounds like something you would do. Something your father would do too." He said as he turned towards me.

I looked at him and smiled. "Like father, like son."

Alexander starts laughing and I turn back to check on Amelia. "Won't you need a queen soon?" Alexander asked out of the blue.

"A queen? Why so soon?" I asked him.

"You know… you're busy and you have a daughter. Might as well have a queen to take care of said daughter when you're away on business trips." He said mischievously.

"I'm taking her with me. She's basically my bond. Why would I need a queen so soon?" I asked him, slightly annoyed.

He starts giggling as if he was hinting at something. "A child needs a mother. You should know how devastating it is for a child to not have a parent from birth."

"Do not remind me of my past." I threatened him. Trying to get some humour out of him.

"O-okay! Sorry about that." He said in a soft voice.

I start smiling at his sorry state. "It's okay, I'm not offended, I just like poking fun at you."

"Damn you!" He shouted as I started laughing.

Amelia comes back from checking the fountain and I put her back on my shoulder. She climbed onto my head instead and rested there.

Seeing how wholesome she was Alexander began laughing. "You both have grown quite the bond in just hours. Amazing how you can tame everything from horses to dragons." He said as he gawked at Amelia.

"Call me the dragon tamer now." I said jokingly.

"Dragon tamer Artorius… sounds neat." He said sarcastically.

"Do not."

Felix comes from the side of the palace while bringing all of our horses. He stops them and gets on his. "Blizzard seems to have a slight injury but he seems fine. We bandaged his wounds and cleaned him." He said while getting on his horse.

Alexander and I get on ours and we slowly trot away from the palace. Amelia becomes startled by Blizzard and is uncomfortable. "What is this thing?" She asked me, scared of Blizzard.

"It's a horse. His name is Blizzard. I hope you both get along since you both are pretty much my closest." I told her.

"But I'm closer to you, right?" She asked with sparkling eyes.

I sigh and try to explain to her. "You are like a daughter to me so obviously you are closer. But Blizzard is also like a son to me. I have raised him since birth and he has got me through some tough times."

Amelia huffs and gets on my shoulder. "I will get you through tough times too!" She exclaimed.

I start to smile as she says that. "I know you will." I said softly.

We reach the front gate and it opens. What stood behind the walls and the gate I did not expect.

A line of generals, lieutenants, captains and majors stood in a straight parallel line. They all had lances and their swords. They all also had their military uniform with their ranks and medals. As soon as we walked out they bowed down.

There was one figure in front of me on top of their horse. A veteran who was injured and had his arm tied up. He had white hair and a long white beard. The familiar face of someone who I could trust all my military duties on. It was Wilhelm.

He smiled at me as we walked out the palace. I smiled back and shared a moment between him and me.

Wilhelm clears his throat and speaks out. "King Artorius Dorman, son of King Theo Dorrman. The Faunus army is grateful for your military victory in the recent war against the Aberdeen kingdom. We are all gathered here to pay our respect to our king and new General of the Army."

"General of the army…" I said under my breath. I'll be taking charge of the entire army now.

"I, as the current General of the Army, will be stepping down from my duties and giving my badge to King Artorius. It is an honour to be handing the badge that I worked so hard for to be given to someone more competent and trustworthy than I am."

I got down from my horse as did Wilhelm. We both walk to the middle and stare at each other for a moment. I see his arm that he broke, casted and hung over his shoulder. He had scars on his face as well unlike me who only had it on my body. He seemed to have gotten quite the beating.

Wilhelm suddenly knelt down on one knee and stared down. "King Artorius, will you accept this title as your own?" He said.

"I, King Artorius, accept the title as General of the Army. I will bear the title with honour. May you retire and live in peace, Wilhelm."

Wilhelm stands back up and with his right arm that still functions he takes off a badge from his uniform. The badge was in the shape of a hawk with its wings behind it, similar to when it would grab a prey.

"This badge was given to me from your father who also wore this badge. I hope you carry on the legacy of your father. He gave me this when you were born. He was finished with war and wanted to raise you." Wilhelm says in a soft, condescending voice.

I get a sense of melancholy from his voice and give him a small smile as he puts the badge on the left side of my chest.

"Live easy. You've seen enough war and lived through them all. Live somewhere peacefully and comfortably." I told him before turning around and getting back on Blizzard.

"Who was that?" Amelia asked me after seeing Wilhelm. "He seems quite injured, is he alright?" She asked, concerned for Wilhelm.

"That was Wilhelm. He's a retired veteran and he helped me in the war. Respect him as he is someone I even respect."

"Okay! He seems like a nice person too." Amelia obliged.

"Right then. Let's start the parade." I say out loud

The soldiers around me get on their horses. They get in a protective formation around us and get ready to begin their march.

Let's get started with the parade.