The Envoy's Proposal
The air inside the grand hall was thick with anticipation. Golden sunlight filtered through the tall lattice windows, catching on the jeweled pillars and banners that bore the crest of the Drake Kingdom—a dragon coiled around a crown. Ministers stood on both sides of the polished marble floor, their robes rustling softly as the heavy doors at the end of the hall creaked open.
Before long, the envoy from the Ironforge Kingdom stepped inside.
He was a tall man with sharp features and an expression carved from steel—Envoy Silas, a man known for his eloquence and arrogance in equal measure. He bowed low before the Imperial throne, where Lucian Drake sat clad in his Imperial robe, its golden embroidery glowing faintly under the light.
"Envoy Silas from the Ironforge Kingdom pays his respects to His Majesty of the Drake Kingdom," Silas declared, his voice booming through the chamber. "Wishing Your Majesty health, longevity, and eternal stability for your realm!"
Lucian gave a measured nod, his tone calm yet edged with authority. "Thank you, Envoy Silas. Let us dispense with formalities—what brings you to our court today?"
Silas raised his chin slightly, a polished smile sliding across his face. "Your Majesty, I come under the direct order of my Emperor, bearing goodwill and purpose. Firstly, to celebrate your recent ascension to the throne. Secondly, to forge a treaty of friendship between our two nations. And thirdly…" He paused deliberately, letting the silence tighten like a drawn bowstring. "…to discuss a matter of business with Your Majesty."
Lucian's amethyst eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of curiosity behind their calm. "The goodwill of the Emperor of Ironforge is received," he said slowly. "Now then, let us speak of this third matter. What business does the Emperor of Ironforge wish to conduct with me?"
The air seemed to freeze. Every official present knew this was the true purpose of the envoy's visit. Even the faint rustle of sleeves stopped.
Silas took a breath, then spoke with a diplomat's clarity and a merchant's greed. "Your Majesty, the Ironforge Kingdom has long suffered a shortage of iron. We have been forced to import weapons at great cost, a concern that troubles our Emperor deeply. Therefore, His Majesty humbly requests that the Drake Kingdom cede the Red Rock Iron Mine and the surrounding three hundred K.M. of land to Ironforge. In return…" He smiled faintly. "…we are prepared to offer a gesture of sincerity—one that will surely satisfy you."
The words fell like a thunderclap.
In an instant, outrage rippled through the hall. Civil and military officials stepped forward, their voices rising in fury.
"How dare you!"
"To demand our land—is this your so-called sincerity?"
"Go back where you came from! The Drake Kingdom will never agree to such an insult!"
The anger echoed through the vaulted ceiling, but Silas remained calm, hands folded neatly before him. His composure was almost provocative.
Lucian, seated upon his Imperial throne, leaned forward slightly. His expression was unreadable, but his gaze—those cold violet eyes—seemed to cut through the envoy's mask.
The Red Rock Iron Mine lay at the border between the two nations. It had sparked countless disputes and even two minor wars. After much blood and cost, the Drake Kingdom had seized it, yet Ironforge's covetous eyes had never turned away.
So… they think the chaos of my succession makes us weak, Lucian thought, his fingers drumming lightly against the armrest. And they mean to take advantage.
His voice turned colder. "Envoy Silas, your Emperor's demand is rather impolite. What if I refuse?"
The envoy met his gaze without flinching. "Your Majesty, I strongly advise you to agree. It would be a decision beneficial to both sides." His tone hardened. "Otherwise, I fear we may have no choice but to meet on the battlefield. Please reconsider, Your Majesty."
A sharp, collective intake of breath filled the hall.
"How dare you!" one official barked.
"To threaten His Majesty—do you take us for cowards?" shouted another.
The tension was thick enough to choke on. Lucian lifted a hand, silencing them with a calm gesture.
"My dear ministers," he said smoothly, "stay your tempers. Let us not act in haste. I would first hear what kind of sincerity the Ironforge Kingdom offers in exchange for the Red Rock Iron Mine."
The envoy straightened, his confidence returning. "His Majesty of the Drake Kingdom is indeed reasonable. Then I shall speak plainly." He raised his voice again. "Firstly, the Ironforge Kingdom is willing to pay three hundred thousand coins!"
The offer hung in the air like an insult dressed in gold.
Lucian's lips curled into a faint, cutting smile. "Although the Red Rock Iron Mine is not vast, it produces ore worth one hundred thousand coins each year. The weapons forged from it can arm tens of thousands of soldiers—an invaluable strength for our nation." His tone sharpened. "And yet, your Emperor offers a mere three hundred thousand coins? You expect to buy a kingdom's lifeblood with pocket change? Truly, this is the delusion of a madman."
"His Majesty is absolutely right!" one minister cried.
"To exchange an iron mine for only three hundred thousand coins—utterly preposterous!"
"They seek to exploit our new rule, hoping to profit from imagined weakness!"
"Even for a million coins, we will never agree!"
Their indignation rang through the court like steel striking steel.
And through it all, Lucian sat unmoving, his robe flowing like dark water, his gaze steady and cold as the northern wind.
Inside, though, he felt something else—a faint, dangerous spark of amusement.
So this is how they wish to play their hand, he mused silently. Let's see how long they can keep pretending civility when the board begins to shift.
The envoy bowed stiffly, but Lucian didn't miss the flicker of unease behind that diplomatic mask.
The game had just begun.