Herald of Steel

A key point to be noted was that the negotiations were called a truce or an armistice and not a peace treaty.

It meant that both sides would only cease hostilities for a set amount of time, and resume once the time passed.

And currently, that very amount of time was being fiercely discussed.

Across a large simple table sat two of Amenheraft's delegates, while to their opposite sat three men- Alexander, Ptolomy, and Pasha Farzah.

"We demand that the city of Adhan be returned to the rightful king and in exchange, we are willing to overlook the transgressions of the rebel," Manuk made the opening statement.

"Hehe, archpriest Manuk, come on," Pasha Farzah chuckled at the absurd demand, "There's no need for this tired dance. Let's stop wasting our time, and get on to the real business."

He talked to Manuk like one would to a friend after meeting him after a long time, in a soft and vivacious tone.

"Oh, but Pasha Farzah, this 'is' real business." Manuk returned with a smile, placing a particular emphasis on the word 'is'. "

"It's only a matter of time before Adhan is back in our hands. So, I'm giving the rebel a chance to redeem himself,...his one and only chance," Manuk said these words as his eyes narrowed toward Ptolomy.

"It may be Adhan will fall to your hands, …it might even fall tomorrow" This was said by Alexander in a low voice, who then added, "But only the gods and prophets know what's in the future. For us mortals, it's best to make decisions based on reality."

"...." Alexander's speech drew Manuk's gaze toward him as the archpriest burned the memory of the boy who snatched his beloved city from under him, and then deal with a crushing defeat to him in open combat.

If Manuk wasn't unarmed, he might have tried to kill Alexander then and there even at the risk of his own life just to vent his anger.

The hateful, menacing glare escaped no one's notice as Alexander flashed a provocative grin toward the archpriest.

"So, this is the famed divine son of Gaia," Manuk slowly spelled out, the mockery in his voice unmistakable.

"Haha, well I did defeat the son of Ramuh," Alexander returned the taunt with an extra helping.

And this hit a very sensitive nerve for Manuk, as he was once again reminded of his failure.

The last battle casualty list still made Manuk have nightmares, and now the man who orchestrated the whole thing was mocking him so openly.

Hateful!

"Pasha Alexander is a bit mistaken here. You defeated the fake son of Ramuh. The real son of Ramuh is right here beside us, hahaha," Pasha Farzah burst into laughter at his own joke.

"Right, right, my bad, my bad..….hahaha." Alexander too joined him for a chuckle, while Ptolomy tried very hard to stifle a laugh as he tried to appear regal and imposing.

"*Smash*," Manuk simply slammed on the table in thundering fury, as his eyes lit up in rage.

A single action spoke a thousand words about how utterly incensed he was.

He could take personal insults all day.

He wouldn't likely care even if they cursed his family or parents or ancestors.

But the moment they touched Amenheraft, the moment they mocked him- the moment they made fun of a god, all cards were off the table.

Manuk had personally ordered the executions of tens of thousands of heretics and it filled his heart with boiling-hot rage that he couldn't do the same with the three people that sat before him, who in his eyes were the greatest of blasphemers.

But although Manuk's little display had drawn the attention of everyone, for Alexander and co.. it failed to produce even the tiniest bit of fear and they roared even louder at the childish tantrum thrown about.

"My lords, it was you who wanted not to waste to time. So can we stop wasting time and get to business?" This voice was deep and oily and came from the fat, no, obese man that sat next to Manuk.

Pasha Muazz was a man whose body width seemed to exceed his body length, as the stubby man walked with the aid of a cane, the flaps on his face bouncing and shaking with every step he took.

His flank was so huge that when he sat on the provided chair, Alexander had half the urge to congratulate the man on accomplishing the near-impossible task of somehow balancing his whale-like blabber body on such a small, four-legged piece of furniture.

"Do you people have any pre-requisite conditions you would like to put forward,....any realistic conditions?" Pasha Farzah asked, pointing the last three words to Manuk.

"You people are the ones who are screaming for peace talks. You people are the ones who spent billions of roplas to invite you here. So you start," The experienced Pasha gave off the vibe that it was the Ptolomic forces that need this armistice and not them.

Which was true, and because they were the ones who called first for the truce, this put Ptolomy on the back foot at the negotiating table.

"Well, first we want Amenheraft to recognize Ptolomy as a king equal…" Pasha Farzah didn't get to finish his sentence as he got cut off by Pasha Muazz.

"Hold on, I thought you said realistic demands," He interjected.

Alexander then looked at Pasha Farzah, who gave him the signal with a slight nod and so Alexander offered:

1. Ten years of cessation of all hostiles between the provinces of Matrak, Adhan, Zanzan, and all other provinces.

2. One hundred thousand tonnes of grain by the end of next year as war reparations

3. The expulsion of Pasha Muazz as the pasha of the province of Zanzan and the recognition of Pasha Alexander as its new ruler.

4. Free passage for the movement of people and goods among all the territories for the discussed time frame.

5. The release of nobles held in captivity by Ptolomy.

As soon as Alexander finished, Pasha Muazz swung his inflated white arms around as a gesture of brushing off the offer as he snarled, "You call that an offer? Are you people drunk?"

"Here's our counter offer," Manuk had returned to the conversation,

1.Three years armistice

2.Five billion roplas as compensation for all the nobles killed by Ptolomy.

3. The third point is null and moot. Pasha Muazz was, is, and will always be Zanzan's rightful ruler.

4. Goods entering the three discussed territories will not be subjected to any additional tolls, but goods leaving will be.

5. The release of all nobles held in captivity by Ptolomy.

6. All nobles, including the king and his family, be permitted into Adhan, and their security assured during the entire week of Jtaama.

7. Execution of the mercenary leader Alexander for the looting and killing of nobles in the inner city.

And lastly,

8. Immediate release of the princesses Azira and Azura from captivity and their return to their rightful guardian- their father, Amenheraft.

"Hah, and here we thought you guys came here in good faith to negotiate," Pasha Farzah scoffed, not bothering even to point out what he found absurd about the proposal.

"Five billion roplas as compensation? You want us to pay you?" Alexander asked in incredulity at the ludicrous demand.

"Has being defeated by me cooked your brain? Or did you conjure up an imaginary world where you won? " He then sneered at Manuk.

"Frankly I'm impressed by your shamelessness. I always knew were a slimeball, but this is a new low even for you, Manuk." Ptolomy opened his mouth for the first time, jeering at the priest.

To wage war against someone and then defend payment from when they defended themselves.

It took a special kind of shamelessness to demand such.

"Heh, if anyone is shameless and a slimeball, it's you people. Rebelling against the king, killing priests and stealing from the temple! You think we don't know how you got all that money?" Manuk sniggered in reply, not thinking there was anything wrong with his demands.

And then he pointed at Ptolomy and shouted, "Aren't you afraid of divine retribution for stealing from the gods and killing his messengers?"

Pasha Farzah quickly jumped in to defend his king, "Neither of these accusations are true. As said in the letter, which I'm sure you have read, the priests were killed under the orders of Amenheraft as witnessed by all the surviving priests. And the money was given as a show of loyalty by the temple in recognition of the king as the true son of god." He recited the memorized script.

"And I never killed or looted any nobles. This was done by a few rioting scoundrels and they have been identified and executed," Alexander had decided to pin the death of all nobles onto those unfortunate palace guards.

"Bullshit," Manuk spat out at this preposterous claim but didn't argue it as it had been tacitly agreed to by all.