Chapter 56: Keep my Head.
Kingdom of Mountel
King Altruss Lannel IV, stood in front of a circular table with brows furrowed with sweat even though the hall was massive and the weather was cool enough to border on cold.
Beside him was Ria his queen who looked just as young as he was seated with a slightly chilled demeanor as she glanced at all the others who stood around the table. They were men of course. A older men as their eyes were completely focused on the huge map on the spherical table that could be spinner around to allow a change of view.
Altruss was 30 that year which was hound for a king especially since his father died a year ago from poisoning. Which was done by an assassin probably hired by someone at that table.
Worse was the fact that it was a familiar experience since before his father was crowned it was his uncle before him. Kings never lasted long and hence why they tended to be just as ruthless as King Altruss stared at the map.
Ria knowing better than to speak out of turn and displease the king since she was just as replaceable and with his temper he could order her executed just as quickly. The elder men also held their piece waiting for the king room speak as Altruss scrambled through his head for a solution.
The kingdom of Mountel after his name was situated in the mountains which meant Thant food was harder to get and transport than it would be in the plains. Beasts were just as numerous too which killed to the one problem the kingdom always faced.
Scarcity of food.
The protests were already rising and any more and in a few months there would be poison in his yea as he drank it just to appease the commoners. Yes they had resources, iron ore and a few others and money too but most of the food was lost on transports alone as new beasts were found to attack the carriages.
"We’re here to the north and to the east did us is the kingdom of Aldrack, Crytallo is to the west with a long strip of unclaimed forest right down our center," he began to speak even as someone thought to interrupt not surprised to hear that it was the kingdom general that had been slowly overstepping his bounds.
"My king, that strip of forest is dangerous. The beasts there are numerous hence why it has continued to be unclaimed. You do not think to ask us to head into the forest to farm and cultivate food do..."
"Silence!" Altruss snapped his voice low and deep carrying enough power to make the general shut up. Aware that before he was killed he could still have general’s head on a pike.
"As I was saying..." he continued with a deeper frown on his face as he did, "we are boxed in by both kingdoms on each side with our back being the only safe region too filled with monsters for them to attack," he continued.
"The only way forward is to declare war on Aldrack! Crytallo seem to have land problems of their own and they have been willing to make concessions before to ensure that wall doesn’t break out. They will make those concessions again."
Altruss expression growing darker as he spoke and it became obvious that the men at the table were basically holding their breath to stop their responses from showing on their face or spitting them out.
Still Altruss continued.
"Conquering Aldrack would fix our food shorter and with the guns we have slowly mass produced, we should have no problem doing that. And as far as I am aware the guns work splendidly on monsters. We have enough iron to build it yes?" He finally asked fixing his eyes on the head of kingdom resources who instantly nodded his head as he ran his hands through the papers right in front of him almost like the numbers would suddenly appear.
A few seconds later he was confident that he found it as he instantly responded to the king, "Yes but we would be stretching our resources thin if we were to give it to every member of the army," he pointed out.
"You won’t! For now only the adventurers and a few elites in the army eouof get the guns!"
"My king!" The general thundered out even as everyone watched Altruss take a deep breath in going as far as to close his eyes. Aware that the only reason the general still lived was because he was good at what he did.
Anymore and even Altruss himself would have to kill him since he really seemed like the next candidate that the commoners would vote in after they had killed the rest of his family.
Glancing at Ria who glanced back at him in silence as she nodded her head. Both of them comminicating in silence as Altruss turned his gaze back to the table and began to speak.
"Use the guns ensure that those transport carriages get to the kingdom and if the kingdom of Aldrack still refuse to sell us more than they already do, then we’ll go to war. Even better, we might fight assassinate their king!" Altruss said with a sneer on his lips and anger in his eyes.
"This meeting is dismissed," he said rising to his full height which was not tall enough to reach the general who instantly turned to look at him clearly he had something to say but how could he say it when he had been dismissed.
Bowing his head low alike the others before they all turned to leave. As long as the kindhearted was alive he was the ultimate authority and they might as well be slaves. That was the rule of ages one they knew to obey.
Once they had all left closing the door behind them leaving the King and his wife and the guards who stood lined against the wall.
King Altruss turned to Ria and spoke, "You and I both know I need to kill him," he said with a deep and resigned sigh that showed that it was either his head or the generals.
