True King's Ecstasy

King Alonso Montero sat at the head of the large oak table in the throne room, his sharp eyes scanning the faces of the gathered officials.

He listened to their heated debate with a thoughtful expression, tapping his fingers lightly on the table's surface taking everything they discuss into his brain and processing the information.

First, his attention went to Prime Minister Igel Cruz, who spoke up, his voice firm and commanding.

"Your Majesty, we must strike now while Keller's rule is still young and weak. Our armies are ready, and our soldiers are eager to prove their loyalty to the crown."

The nobles around the table murmured their agreement, nodding their heads in unison. They were a fierce and proud people, and they had no intention of letting Velian's usurpation of the power of their friendly nation go unanswered.

They had no intention of even discussing it with Velian's party since he didn't have royal blood in his bloodline, as far as the others knew.

They didn't want to accept a kid, whose origin was unknown as a friend especially since their soldiers got killed in the process of that.

"Even though the troops we sent to support Rapidclaw kingdom were useless, we still got the upper hand and justification because of their deaths," One of the nobles stood up with his hands waving around trying to explain.

"People will accept our decision, they will fight for us, besides this is the best chance, now that the treaty is not there, we can take all the resources of the Rapidclaw kingdom," Whispers started all around the room with his words, some agreeing with him, while some of them didn't.

"Indeed! This is a God-given chance, your majesty, we must take this chance and make our kingdom great again," the Prime minister also supported the nobles.

But not all of the officials were so quick to support a military campaign. Lord Marcos Vega, one of the kingdom's most experienced diplomats, stood up to voice his dissent.

"Your Majesty, with all due respect, I believe we should pursue a different course of action. The Dukas Union has long been our ally, and we share many common interests. If we could secure their support, we could bring Velian's rule to an end without shedding a drop of blood."

He said and looked at everyone.

"Don't underestimate anyone, even though the rumours said that Velian Keller is a teenager, we can't exactly know who is supporting him behind the scene," Marcos got up from his seat and looked at their king with respect while trying to knock some sense into the brains of other dumb nobles.

"Besides, they captured a kingdom within one week, I don't think any normal force can do that, even though Rapidclaw was weakened,"

The room fell silent as everyone turned to look at the king hoping he would make the last decision. Alonso Montero was known for his wisdom and his even-handedness, and the officials waited with bated breath to hear his decision.

The king leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant as he considered his options. Finally, he spoke.

"Thank you, Lord Vega, for your counsel. I believe you may be right but at the same time, we can't let anyone gain influence in this land. War is always a last resort, and we should exhaust all diplomatic options before we resort to violence. Let us send an emissary to the Dukas Union and see if we can secure their support. In the meantime, we will prepare our armies for any eventuality."

"And send spies to that kingdom, also keep a record of the empires activity,"

The officials around the table breathed a collective sigh of relief. They trusted their king's judgment, and they knew that whatever course of action he chose, it would be for the good of the kingdom.

"We will employ the same strategy they used, we will wait until the empire acts against them and wipe out both parties, when they are busy fighting each other, we only need Dukas' help and we will succeed,"

And so the meeting ended, with the officials going their separate ways to carry out the king's orders. The fate of the Montero kingdom hung in the balance, but with their wise and just ruler at the helm, they were confident that they would emerge victorious in the end.

"Marcos, that was a brilliant speech, I'm really proud of you," Alonso said when everyone tried to leave the throne room.

Some of the nobles were dissatisfied but, everyone had to agree that he was a valuable asset on their side.

"It's my pleasure, your highness," He said and looked like he wanted to ask something, so Alonso gave the permission.

"Your majesty, there is a person I want to introduce," Marcos said with a nervous look hoping, his king wouldn't find it bothering him.

Marcos stood nervously in front of his king, Alonso, as they awaited the arrival of the guest Marcos was talking about.

Marcos knew it was a delicate situation, and the fate of the two kingdoms rested on the success of their meeting.

"Who is this guest, Lord Marcos?" Alonso curious about details questioned his subject to which Marcos answers in a meek tone.

"He's my brother-in-law, the prime minister of the former Rapidclaw kingdom,"

As the Prime Minister entered the room, Marcos introduced him to King Alonso again.

"Your Majesty, I would like to introduce you to the Prime Minister of the Rapidclaw Kingdom," he said with a bow.

King Alonso greeted the Prime Minister warmly, sensing the urgency and gravity of their situation.

He knew that they needed to form a strong alliance with the Rapidclaw Kingdom if they were to stand a chance against Velian, the tyrant who was said to be abusing the people of Rapidclaw.

As they began their discussions, Marcos couldn't help but think of his younger sister, who was married to the Prime Minister. He knew that her life was in danger, and he feared for her safety.

But he also knew that their alliance with the Rapidclaw Kingdom was crucial if they were to save their people from Velian's tyranny. Marcos vowed to do everything in his power to ensure the success of their mission, no matter the cost.