Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene XLVII

King Brijsk's mind was troubled as the late evening quiet set in. His tent had been prepared, and as he headed back through the trees the day's toll grew in appearance. To cap it off the half-tails were now burning the forest in their retreat. They too resorting to a scorched earth terror. The floods of fire that once chased them now walls of fire holding back the king's men. It was a foolish policy in the long run, allowing the Northern Kingdom forces to more easily sweep across the land once the forest had been diminished, but for now, as the slaughter was in its swing, it stood as a blazing shield. King Brijsk looked down at the rivers of blood that now mingled with the heavy rain as he walked, stepping over the muddied bodies. Most of which were half-tails - young and not so young, male and female. Though occasionally one of his own men, armoured and heavy, lay gory in the soil. He turned back and briefly watched the billowing fires and smoke that cackled through the dark skies before he entered his tent. The increasing rain unable to duly quench it.

"Perhaps it's time to offer truce," he said in exhaustion as he entered. He then thudded himself down in his chair, thinking little of drying off his soaked figure. His wet armour shining in the candlelit space. An attendant quickly poured him a drink, surprised to hear the words that fell from his mouth. The day's campaign had been a glorious success. Just another week, perhaps even days, and the entire woodland would be fully under control.

"Send a messenger out to reiterate my terms," Brijsk continued, "They can have free passage to leave. Or they can continue living here in my kingdom - providing they pay fealty. Or they can be wiped out, as they have been today."

"But they weren't your terms," countered one of the king's knights, politely, "The original terms stated that they must live in settlements and cities, not out in these backwards forests."

The normally boisterous king felt mildly grated by this truthful utterance, but restrained his irritation.

"I think today we've put down a marker stronger than any statement. It should be clear to them now that our jurisdiction extends to the very ends of the forest. Send out the new terms. When we receive a response we'll then decide the next course of action."

With that a messenger headed out into the pelting rain, under the flag of parley.