Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene LXI

Having stabled his horse, King Brijsk entered Castle Tori, and began the climb up the steps to meet King Kaspria. In his heavy armour he felt out of breath as he made the march. The sky above his head a turbid grey. Finally, reaching the top, he found Kaspria stood with his arms behind his back, staring out to sea. As the clunk of armour signalled his presence Kaspria turned around, startled, even though he'd been informed of the northern king's arrival barely a moment earlier. Seeing the large neighbouring monarch, right there before him, on his castle battlements, discomforted him somewhat. It was an out-of-place omen. Reminding him of his former weakness, whilst standing in his current lordship.

Brijsk instantly noted the change in the king since the last time they'd met. Leaner, yet larger, and darker in soul. A steeliness in his eyes. A brooding weight to his demeanour, replacing the former passive tone of appeasement. The openness of the castle roof, and the darkening sky, bringing an air of duel and confrontation.

"It's strange that you've come," uttered Kaspria, still startled, "Could you have not just sent a messenger?"

"The message I'm bringing is too important."

Kaspria didn't respond and looked on, waiting for further words.

"I think it's time for peace," stated Brijsk, bluntly, "Things are going too far. Far too far. It's getting out of hand."

"But we're winning.. ," replied Kaspria, visibly affronted at the suggestion. He then paced around in a circle looking downwards, before locking his steely eyes back onto the distant sea.

"I think we should both implement a ceasefire," continued Brijsk, boldly, though now he adopted a slightly passive edge, "I already have in my territory. Then, after that, we should head to Caster, to persuade Mizmeam to tack things back too."

The Eastern King stood astonished at the statement. He simply couldn't understand the desire to cease now. In his mind he conjured visions of his current successes - the Maiden Lands almost buckling to complete submission. An entire sea dominated by his ships. He then contrasted it to the relatively easy task that the Northern Kingdom had to contend with. Putting down a few feral half-tails; supplying the docks with wood. He instantly assumed madness on the part of the bounding king, though he sensed fear was the greater driver of his crazed dash across the mainland. He looked over his rival trying to gauge him further. The huge stomach and shoulders and legs of the man. The domineering size. There was no tell of dissemblance, though he understood only too well that Brijsk was more intelligent than his straight language gave impression to. Perhaps he felt concern that once all the other kingdoms had fallen his would be next? What need would a northern king be once all the world was ruled from a single throne? Of course, the same could be said of his own eastern crown too, though surely things were different here. The possibility had never thus far occurred to him, but now, as it did, it troubled him a little. Still, his inner monologue quickly dismissed it as absurd. "Look at the sheer size of the forces under my control," he reminded himself internally - the cannons and the guns and the black powder. In months, perhaps weeks, he would have full domain over the entire Maiden Lands. How could such a vast territory be managed by King Mizmeam alone, without his acquiescence?

"What will be left to rule if things continue on like this?" interrupted Brijsk, in his natural bellow, oblivious to the reflections that raced through his counterpart's mind. The basic stark sense of the question hanging in contrast to the grandiose concerns of King Kaspria,

"..And this infernal weather too?"

This last observation sounded nonsequential, but Brijsk couldn't hold it from the conversation, hoping it was not just himself that felt the discord and foreboding. He stood like an unmoveable rock atop the castle as he raised the point; the black night above him like the inky dot of a monumental exclamation mark, infinitely greater than the world it stood in.

"Weather?" asked King Kaspria, grimly.

"Look how your lake floods. It's rained in my own kingdom for sixty days."

"It's just a flood," noted Kaspria, matter-of-factly.

As he heard this response Brijsk regretted bringing it up, realising it only undermined his pleas. In contrast, it emboldened Kaspria, and he returned to his assessment that a drop of madness had touched the rotund ruler before him. As he looked again at him he seemed somewhat weaker. A wet, fat warlord from a rainy kingdom, who'd travelled so far to beg for peace. He turned this thought over in his mind, and wondered what King Mizmeam would think; or even do. He then paused with adult consideration before speaking,

"Our kingdoms will both be at the mercy of King Mizmeam if he does end Tunidan rule," he conceded with note. "Over half the men I have here come from Caster, so, in reality, I myself am only half in control. Maybe a pause to the war would be wise. I must admit, I share your worries. Nevertheless, I'd like to complete the conquest of the Maiden Lands. A few more weeks may do it - we're very close. Then I can begin to return Mizmean's troops back across the icy mountains. When that has begun I could send word to you, and we could then both head to Caster, with proposals for a resolution. I need to have confidence in you too though."

King Brijsk was pleased, yet slightly surprised at this speech.

"First, however," continued Kaspria, his eyes looking distinctly less steely, "You should stay a few nights and enjoy my hospitality. Castle Tori is a beautiful building, even in a flooding kingdom that's waging a violent war. I can show you the advances we're making, and we'll be able to discuss our plans further before you travel back north."