[center]
A chuckle escaped the general when hearing her old nickname. “[b]Madam Mousy the Undying[/b]” she muttered. “[b]I never asked for that...title. There probably was a time when I would have wanted something so…grandiose-sounding. Before I knew the cost…[/b]”her chuckle ended with a nod as he gently pulled herself away from Aleko’s grasp “[b]I know…sire. I know not to let my personal feelings get in the way of my duties.[/b]” Her tone implied a certain level of sobriety returned to her “[b]However…my past is my burden to bear and I choose how close I keep it. Meaning no disrespect, I cannot simply ‘let go’, at least not yet.[/b]” She clenched her fist, tightly enough to hear the popping of her knuckles “[b]Not until I fulfill the vow I made at the grave of my squad…[/b]” moments of silence passed as Pepper calmly and steadily walked towards the door, stopping just as she was about to leave “[b]I WILL find that bastard mage general…and avenge my comrades and friends…[/b]” for a brief moment Aleko noticed something…unsettling in the general’s eyes just before her gaze dropped out of view as she bowed her head, said a “[b]Good night, sir[/b]” and left, closing the door behind her. Leaving Aleko alone to process and chew on the information he had just assimilated. 
[/center]

[h3]DAY 9[/h3]

[center]
By the time morning came, the Dwarves were hard at work, mounting the defenses and cleaning up from last night…while the majority of the Anthro soldiers were trying to deal with their hangovers. Aleko even found some of them still passed out in the make-shift dining hall. He met with general Bulkwyn after a while, exchanging formal greetings. She appeared to be her usual self, perhaps hinting to the idea that last night’s conversation should not leave the room, yet it was hard to tell. Regardless, the general informed Aleko that they are simply waiting for general Ironfist to return to the fortress before they could leave. Turns out they didn’t have to wait long as the Dwarven general appeared before them only a couple of hours later. “[b]So, how are our new friends faring so far?[/b]” Pepper asked with a smirk, Bojor simply sighing before answering “[b]They’r in tha’ foucking cloud’ nine, wha’ d’you expect?[/b]” the sharp response was probably an indication to the fact that the citizens of Northspark were not as ‘thrilled’ as they were yesterday in their change of allegiance. The garrison that General Ironfist left at the town, however ought to be enough to mitigate whatever potential riots or would-be take-overs the people could be planning. If for some reason the Dwarves at the town would find themselves with more on their hands than they could handle, reinforcements could always be summoned from the castle, so there was no worry. 

“[b]So..You’ two enjoyin’ tha ‘ scenery o’ are we ‘bout ready tha’ leave?[/b]” General Ironfist asked while popping his neck from what one would assume would be a stiffness due to a rough night. Once ready, Aleko pulled the Homeward Stone that Pepper gave him at the behest of Cyrus. It seemed that to active it, all Aleko had to do was hold it in hand and simply ‘will it’ that it would take him to the Escalyber. Moreover, the teleportation extended to whomever was in direct contact with him, as determined by the fact that the Emperor found himself transported back to his Royal Study along with generals Bulkwyn and Ironfist whom held on to him. After the trio took a few moments to regain their balance from the spell, Bojor groaned roughly “[b]Hate tha’t shite…[/b]” he muttered just before he bowed his head and excused himself with Pepper following suit. Once the two generals left, Aleko found the time to retreat to his quarters and change to some more comfortable wear, finding a large metal plague with many names engraved on it, as per his instructions. Once Aleko was done and left, he met with the Imperial Wizard just outside the study, almost bumping into him as it appeared the old man was going to check on him. Cyrus was smiling “[b]Hello, sir. Welcome back. I heard that your mission was successful.[/b]” He removed one hand from gripping his staff and patted Aleko on the back “[b]Congratulations. Not only have we secured a new province under our allegiance but we also captured several enemy troops and even a general of the Old Empire. A sounding victory.[/b]” The wizard appeared quite proud of Aleko’s accomplishments, answering only with a simple “[b]News travel fast[/b]” when Aleko asked how he came to already know about all this before the heir had the chance to announce it. The Imperial Wizard steeped out of the way and accompanied Aleko for a bit, informing him that the generals Primelyt and Leafdancer have yet to return from their respective missions but one could expect news from them fairly soon. 

“[b]The whole of the Empire will soon know.[/b]” He spoke after a bit of silence, time in which the two entered the Throne Room. “[b]They news are bound to spread like wildfire. Already there were rumors and soon they will be all but confirmed..[/b]” the sun bathed the large room, bouncing off the white marble columns and floor, brining out the burning crimson from the drapes and carpet. Cyrus stood in the direction of a beam of sunlight, making his white robes seem all the more immaculate while it gave his gray hair and beard a more silvery hue, half of his face covered in a heavy shade due to the angle when he turned towards the heir, his pale white eyes meeting the sky-blue from Aleko’s . 

“[b]They will all know. That a true Emperor has finally returned.[/b]” 

Silence settled as the two simply gazed at eachother, their thoughts interrupted by a tug at Aleko’s coat. Scribe eagerly caught their attention and offered Aleko a piece of parchment in which he expressed his relief and joy of having the Emperor back as well as congratulating him on his latest victory. A chuckle escaped Cyrus “[b]We are all glad you have returned, sir. Please take a moment to rest, I doubt there are any particularly important issues that require your attention today, sir.[/b]” Aleko then made a request, which apparently has taken the Wizard by surprise. “[b]Your…mother?[/b]” Cyrus pondered for a brief moment before giving his answer “[b]Of course…She is welcome here. I will send word and arrange for her to be brought here as soon as possible. I assume she currently lives in one of the provinces from Freedom Isle, no?[/b]” his inquiry was confirmed by Aleko, even specifying the particular province where Cyrus should look into. “[b]Understood, sir.[/b]” The old man said with a faint smile and a bow of the head. The Wizard then excused himself and left, the tapping of his staff against the floor echoing through the room. However, he stopped in his tracks and turned around “[b]Oh, I almost forgot.[/b]” He said stretching his back “[b]You mentioned that you wished to know the general’s and envoy’s motivations for joining and fighting for our cause. That, sir, is something you yourself will have to discuss with them. I will not lie to you, their motivations are not purely ‘patriotic’, yet regardless their aid is greatly appreciated.[/b]” His gaze fell for a moment “[b]I shudder to think of what would happen should some of them decide that their personal goals no longer align with ours…Hmmm….[/b]” Cyrus dismissed the thought with a wave of the hand after a few brief moments of contemplation “[b]Let us not mention of such…distraughtly possibilities, yes sir?[/b]” A rather forced chuckle escaped him at the end, after which he once again excused himself and left.   

The rest of the day was rather peaceful and uneventful. 
[/center]

[h3]DAY 10[/h3]

[h2]Reports[/h2]
The province of Northspark was successfully annexed. The troops were filled with confidence after the Emperor secured this victory himself by marching on the field of battle alongside the men and women of the army. 

[i][Military Morale +] [Dwarven Esteem +] [Anthro Esteem +]

Territories : 69/520[/i]

[h2]Report End[/h2]
[center]

 Aleko met with the generals and envoys, receiving their reports. The meeting with the envoys, however, presented a few issues that required his attention. Aleko took his seat at the council table and listened carefuly.

[u]--Marcus Gwynpath—[/u]
The Human envoy cleared his throat before he spoke. “[b]Sire. In light of your recent annexation of the province of Northspark, I would like to confirm one thing : from what I hear, the region is rather rich in Mage-Tree forests, yes?[/b]” Marcus appeared quite pleased after Aleko gave his confirmation “[b]Wonderful. Their sap will prove rather valuable to us.[/b]” In spite of his positivity, some of the envoys did not share in it “[b]Why would this sap be so valuable for us?[/b]” Gymor Cloudkeeper asked, most probably speaking for some of the other more skeptical envoys. Marcus paired his gloved hands while answering “[b]The sap has some…interesting properties if used correctly in chemical practices.[/b]” The human turned his gaze to Aleko, a smile on his face “[b]Most noteworthy, the researchers from Winterpeak know how to create a particularly potent medical balm from it. Easy to apply and highly effective, it could make the difference between life and death for our troops and give us the edge over the opposition.[/b]” The Dwarven envoy nodded approvingly to the answer he received, yet one voice sounded its protest “[b]Pardon my interruption, master Gwynpath, but I happen to know that these…’Mage-Trees’ have been artificially created by some…unnatural magic and rituals by the human mages. Hence the name…[/b]” Ludwyn Groverunner had his glowing emerald eyes peering at the Human envoy, who simply confirmed his words with a nod. The Elven envoy turned his attention to Aleko “[b]Sire, these sort of…profane practices are the sort the Emerald Council of Syla’anee highly disapproves of. It is unethical, risky and highly insulting to the natural balance.[/b]” His gaze briefly shifted to Marcus before continuing “[b]My apologies, Marcus, but this is my solemn duty. Sire, I humbly request that you give the order to purge the Mage-Tree forests and eradicate them entirely.[/b]” Before anyone could answer, Marcus rose from his seat, his palms affixed to the surface of the table “[b]You have no right to make such requests! The forests are on Human territory, far out of the jurisdiction of the Emerald Council.[/b]” Ludwyg responded to the protest by simply crossing his arms “[b]True, but they are still a profane act, an artificially created species of trees as a result from your mage’s hubris. It simply cannot be left as it is. If we allow such acts to simply be swept under the rug then what is to stop future sorceress to attempt further…experiments?[/b]” His tone turned grave when he spoke “[b]What is to stop them from making a new ‘Burning Field’?[/b]” that obviously hit a nerve as Marcus’ expression contorted in a frown “[b]How dare you…[/b]” the human obviously wanted to say more yet the conversation was interrupted by a more…inquisitive envoy.

“[b]Pardon me, esteemed colleagues. But I believe I can present an alternative to our little conundrum.[/b]” Eamon Weissnout was tapping the fingers of his prosthetic arm until this point when he decided to speak up. “[b]Here is a proposition. Master Gwynpath, how about signing the rights over the Mage-Tree forests to the Anthros? Once done, I will send some of my finest workers to harvest both the sap and wood of the trees. The wood will be used for various utilities while we split the harvested sap.[/b]” The Elven envoy simply rose an eyebrow in suspicion “[b]How would that be a ‘solution’?[/b]” the Anthro responded with a grin “[b]The forests would be harvested to near depletion, a handful of saplings being saved and transported to one of the Anthro provinces where they would be planted and grown in a significantly smaller number.[/b]” Before the Elven envoy had a chance to protest, Eamon rose his mechanical hand to stop him and continued “[b]I know, I know. That does not sound satisfactory seeing as the Mage-Trees would not be FULLY purged, but even you, master Groverunner, surely understand the importance of the resource which is their sap. Particularly in these troubling times of war that we find ourselves in at the present.[/b]” The Elven envoy was silent and appeared to actually consider the proposal. “[b]Master Groverunner…[/b]” the Anthro removed his top-hat with his organic arm and placed it over his chest in a flamboyant fashion “[b]You have my word, as an entrepreneur, a fellow diplomat and as a gentleman, that once the war is over and we are victorious, I will personally see to it that the remainder of the Mage-Trees will be permanently destroyed. But only then, when their usefulness has been outlived.[/b]” His attention turned to the Human envoy who was still standing up “[b]IF you agree to this proposal and share this resource, ofcourse. What say you, master Gwynpath?[/b]” The Human envoy responded with a question “[b]Why would you be so interested in the sap? Surely the Anthro researchers cannot actually find a proper use for it, no?[/b]” the question appeared to please the Anthro, who smirked and placed the top-hat back on his head as he answered “[b]Quite the contrary! Trades with the Mage-Tree sap have been made in the past between our fair nations and we found a use for it. Albeit not as…humanitarian as the one you are proposing..[/b]”

The Human envoy narrowed his gaze and sat down as Eamon elaborated “[b]The Anthro researchers have discovered how to produce a rather powerful sedative in the form of a dense gas. Strong enough render a person unconscious in mere minutes. If you agree to the proposal and share the sap, your people can work on making the medical balms for our troops, while my people will work on creating special ‘gass-bombs’ for our enemies.[/b]” The Anthro concluded rather proudly, silence settling itself for a few moments while the rest of the envoys and the heir assimilated the information. Finally, the Dwarven envoy spoke “[b]The creation of this…weapon sounds rather ghastly. Won’t the people look down on us for creating such….ummm…means of slaying?[/b]” the Anthro simply shook his head “[b]The gas does not actually kill. Remember, I said it was a SEDATIVE. Those who inhale it will simply loose consciousness for the better part of the day in mere minutes.[/b]” After Eamon’s answer, Ethel Shroudmyr addressed the Dwarven envoy “[b]It may be ghastly but it Is also highly effective. The people will always fear what needs to be done during war-times, sometimes that is a casualty which simply cannot be avoided[/b]” This made the Dwarf stroke his beard in contemplation and respond with a meek “[b]Perhaps…[/b]” before the Dark Elven envoy turned her mismatched gaze to Aleko “[b]In the end it is your grace who has the final word. Considering everything that has been discussed here, what are your opinions, sire?[/b]”  The envoys all feel silent and their attentions were set on Aleko, waiting for his conclusion.”


[u]---Gymor Cloudkeeper---[/u]
The Dwarven envoy started by addressing Aleko “[b]Sire, I am afraid I have some…problematic news regarding one of our provinces in the Dwarven Lands. The small farms and villages close to the feet of the local mountain site have reported that their animal livestock, harvest and even some of the villages have been missing. Naturally, a military team has been dispatched to investigate this occurrence and the reports we received were….troubling.[/b]” Gymor paused for a moment, adjusting his position on his seat before continuing “[b]The squad, that is to say those who survived, have reported that the disappearances as well as the slaying of their comrades was the work of the local Arctic Trolls whom have grown increasingly aggressive for some reason. Needless to say, if left unchecked this problem could grow drastically, we already have enough to worry about with the Old and Stainless Empire.[/b]” Marcus Gwynpath reached for his glass of wine as he spoke “[b]I assume you already have come up with a solution, no?[/b]” The Dwarf nodded “[b]Indeed. As unfortunate as it may be, I am afraid I must request that we fund an extermination force to engage and eliminate the Arctic Trolls from the province entirely before they cause any more harm or, Gods forbid, spread to other places.[/b]” A loud tap on the table was heard as Ludwyg protested “[b]I am afraid I must protest to the idea, master Couldkeeper. The Arctic Trolls are dangerous yes, but they are not openly aggressive...[/b]” the Elf’s gaze upon Gymor narrowed “[b]..unless someone has been trespassing on their territory.[/b]” The Dwarf didn’t take kindly to what Ludwyg said “[b]What do you mean, master Groverunner?[/b]”  ;  “[b]What I mean is that, like most Dwarves, the people from your province have expanded to far and to greedily, thus disturbing the natural home of these beasts and incurring their wrath.[/b]” The Elven envoy turned to Aleko “[b]Sire, may I propose a counteroffer? The funds that would be used for the Troll’s extermination, I would like to invest it in creating a secure, protected habitat where none would disturb them and thus they will leave us in peace.[/b]” Gymor leaned over the table “[b]And where would this habitat be exactly?[/b]” ; “[b]Their original territory within the province, of course.[/b]” The Dwarf shook his head and waved his free hand in a dismissive manner “[b]No, that is unacceptable. It would mean that the local farmlands would have to be razed and people would loose their homes, not to mention we would loose valuable resources that we desperately need ![/b]” at the Dwarven envoy’s protest, Ludwyg rose from his seat “[b]They were not supposed to be there in the first place! If you invade the territory and home of a wild animal, ofcourse they would be aggressive and retaliate, be them Arctic Trolls, wolves or otherwise. Your proposal is to invest resources in the extermination of an endangered species after intruding on their territory ! THAT is unacceptable, Gymor.[/b]”

The conversation was interrupted by Marcus, who addressed the Dwarven envoy “[b]Gymor, your people have successfully tamed one wild species from your homeland, the great bears that you now use for the Dwarven cavalry. Could it not be possible to do the same with the Trolls?[/b]” To that question, the Dwarf chuckled “[b]You have clearly never encountered an Arctic Troll before, have you master Gwynpath? No, they are far to wild and aggressive for even the most skilled trainer to tame. I dare say that even the Dark Elven Beastmasters would find it a lost cause[/b]” A sigh escaped the old Dwarf “[b]No, there is but one solution. The Arctic Trolls must be eliminated before the situation gets out of hand. We simply cannot risk letting them loose or afford to loose our settlements in the area.[/b]” Ludwyg Groverunner sat down and crossed his arms, his gaze shifting to Aleko “[b]What do you believe is the best course of action, sire?[/b]”


Once the issues have been resoled and the orders given, Aleko had the rest of the day to himself. Upon inquiring to the Imperial Wizard about yesterday’s request, Cyrus informed him that he only recently sent word to the Anthro province, expecting a response sometime in the next 2-3 days along with news from generals Primelyt and Leafdancer about their respective missions. 

Sometime during the day, Aleko was approached by Annastasya Wayfinder in the Royal Study, appearing from a teleportation spell and her notebook in hand, as per usual. “[b]Your grace…Oh…[/b]” She stopped as if realizing she had just done something wrong.”[b]I should stop simply dropping by like this and actually knock from now on… right? My apologies, I will remember that from now on..[/b]” she bowed apologetically and then resumed to deliver her report, flipping through her notebook and showing Aleko a page filled with some statistics along with several green ‘check-marks’ next to most of them “[b]While you were on the field in the province of Northspark, we docked in a disclosed location and fully resupplied the fortress. I doubt we will need to restock again in at least 4 or 5 weeks.[/b]” After delivering her report she closed her notebook and concluded with “[b]Sire, Gudwyn Earthward has also requested your presence at the Research Chamber. He did not mention the exact reason though…[/b]” with that, Anny bowed her head and took her leave, this time walking out the door of the Royal Study before teleporting away. 

When Aleko had the time, he paid a visit to the Research Chamber, where he found the Dwarf Gudwyn Earthward tinkering over something on one of the large tables heavy with various mechanical parts and odd trinkets. Right next to him was Reginal Silvertail, the chief engineer appearing a bit out-of-place. Aleko was greeted by Gudwyn’s assistant, the lizardman T’chun whom invited him inside and announced his presence as they approached the Dwarf and Anthro. “[b]Master Earthward, Mister Silvertail. His grace has arrived.[/b]” The two turned around and the Dwarf proceeded to enthusiastically shake the heir’s hand “[b]Ah, sire. Thankyou for visiting on such short notice. I apologize if I interrupt any affairs but we have some exciting news![/b]” The Dwarf appeared quite ecstatic, his eyes gleaming behind the lenses of his spectacles while a smile was present on his face. He ushered Aleko to the work-table next to Reginal, who simply waved a hello as form of greeting. On the table was a peculiar device, a small wooden box about the size of one’s palm with many metallic studs on the side that seem to be connected by thin wires of multiple colors. On the back-side of the box, one could notice what appeared to be a small, flat, metallic spheroid engraved with various odd symbols, an electrical tingle passing through Aleko’s finger on contact. On the front side of the box was a hole, almost as large as the side itself. Inside one could see various tiny mechanical parts moving while thin surges of blue and purple were dancing between them. Aleko judged that these lights were most probably magical in origin. All in all, however, the box simply appeared odd and not impressive, the heir not capable of seeing why the researcher was so excited to present this to him. Upon inquiring for an explanation, Gudwyn produced a second box from nearby and explained that he and Reginal had been working this device for quite some time, even before Aleko was discovered by the Imperial Wizard. After a brief explanation of how Gudwyn made use of his scientific knowledge and worked together with Reginal’s engineering and mystical practices, the Dwarf rushed to the other side of the room, leaving a confused Aleko behind. All of a sudden, his voice could be heard “[b]With our combined methods, we managed to create this marvelous device![/b]” the voice was clearly Gudwyn’s but he was to far away for it to be heard so clearly. Aleko suddenly realized that the source of the voice came not from the far-away Dwarf but from the box he held in his had.

Upon noticing that the heir realized the function of the device, the Dwarf rushed back to him, pride shining in his tiny eyes. “[b]Amazing, isn’t it!?[/b]” He called out, his voice echoing throughout the Research Chamber “[b]We have successfully created a device that will allow long-distance communication! It is basically an enchanted object that one-hundred percent imitates the ‘Whisper’ spell that mages use to communicate between themselves.[/b]” The Dwarf raised his index finger, as if to point out an exception “[b]BUT, this can be used by virtually anyone, be them gifted with magic or not. Isn’t it marvelous!?[/b]” The Dwarf placed both boxes back on the work-table and pulled Reginal by the arm closer “[b]I could never have done this without the assistance of mister Silvertail. He came up with the intricate connections between the mechanics and the magical enchantments. A brilliant young man, if I ever saw one.[/b]” Reginal simply sighed deeply and shrugged, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his beige work-trousers while his tiered gaze avoided looking directly at Aleko. To his lack of enthusiasm, Gudwyn simply let out a short, loud laugh “[b]And modest to boot! Hah![/b]” After the Dwarf calmed his excitement, he proceeded to inquire something from Aleko “[b]So..sire. This device could prove invaluable to our cause. Imagine, being able to communicate orders and reports between a commanding general and a far-away force. Not to mention the many other non-military benefits for the common folk once the war is over![/b]” the Dwarf paired his hands together “ [b]I would humbly ask your grace to allow the funding of this project, so we may perfect this device and mass-produce it. We promise you sire, you will not regret this![/b]” To show his support, Reginal simply pulled one hand from his pocket and displayed a thumbs-up towards Aleko. The decision is ultimately his, after all, no doubt this device could prove highly useful yet funding it will also be quite costly. Aleko had to think if it was truly worth it.

After this issue was resolved, Aleko was able to enjoy a peaceful evening.

A visit to the library yielded something…odd. Aleko enjoyed an evening of light reading in the solitary and peaceful Royal Library, loosing track of time until he noticed it was dark outside, the light of the pale moon obscured by a dense wall of dark clouds. Once the heir closed the book he was currently reading and placed it back in its proper place, he noticed yet another book on the desk where he stood just a few moments ago. He was pretty sure that this book was not there earlier when he started reading, though perhaps he may have simply been inattentive. This tome was, however, different from the rest of the books on the shelves, for one it appeared quite uncared for, its corners dusty and worn and its cover looking rather raggedy, as if someone may have used it as a make-shift weapon. The cover of the tome was thick and leathery, of a faded black color with many cracks here and there, most probably due to age. The pages inside had a faded color and oddly enough, the vast majority of them were blank, save for the stains of decay smudging each and every page. The pages that weren’t blank, displayed nothing but a series of badly-drawn scribbles in varying types of ink. Upon inspection, Aleko saw that there was no title to be found or a name of an author or anything. The only thing that the cover displayed was a [url=https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PPHZ10g597A/sddefault.jpg]crimson symbol[/url] sprawled across, the very same that could be found in the scribbled pages inside. A most peculiar book. Aleko decided to simply leave it there…however…just before he could exit the room, he was suddenly overcame with a feeling that perhaps there was more to this tome than met the eye. Perhaps it was morbid curiosity, genuine fascination or something else entirely, but ultimately, Aleko decided to take the tome and bring it back to his personal chambers, deciding that he would study it for anything whenever he felt like it.   

The heir had trouble sleeping in that night. Not because of yet another nightmare but simply because he felt quite uncomfortable no matter how he stood in his bed. Every position felt…wrong, his limbs would feel numb if he leaned on them, his back hurt if he stood on it, his air would be cut-short if he lay on his stomach and no matter how much he tried, the blanket would be too warm yet it was too cold without it, there was always something or another bothering him, finding himself waking up in discomfort mere minutes after being able to doze off. 
[/center]

[h3]DAY 11[/h3]
[center]
 Due to his trouble sleeping, Aleko felt rather lethargic this day. Thankfuly, there was nothing particularly important that required his immediate attention, the day being peaceful. The Imperial Wizard delivered a few reports, finally receiving news from the generals on their missions. Apparently, general Primelyt has managed to secure the allegiance of Whealbee without any trouble. The forces at their fortress surrendered after a few days when they realized that the general’s troops could simply starve them out by waiting and impending any resources or messages for help. Once the fortress fell, the town followed suit, the mayor capitulating and pledging the province’s allegiance to the New Empire without so much as a spar between their respective forces. Duncan also reported that he will return to the Escalyber in the next 2-3 days and apologizes for the delay.

General Leafdancer’s report was not as happy. The Elf’s intuition was apparently correct, the Stainless Empire had indeed prepared an ambush for their forces. Luckily, by following Aleko’s instructions, the general and his forces managed to successfully repel the attack, albeit suffering some heavy casualties. More importantly, the people of Graw’aa were truthful in their intention of joining the New Empire, mounting a rebellion in the town the moment the Stainless ‘troops engaged the general’s. Marteen reports that although the suffered casualties, the Stainless suffered more by not only failing in their ambush but also loosing the province itself. He regrets to inform that they were unable to capture the enemy general in charge of the ambush, however. His return is to be expected sometime this week, though he did not give a precise time.

There was still no report from the Anthro province where Aleko’s mother lives. The Imperial Wizard assures the heir that it is still too soon to expect a response, considering the distance and the current state of the land. 
The people are also well and truly aware now that the war was never over. It is official, the War of the Three Empires has resumed from its ‘pause’ and Aleko ought to be more careful from now on and expect the Old and Stainless Empires to make their own  moves sooner or later.

Studying the odd tome would yield no results today. Aleko being completely unable to make heads-or-tails of the erratic scribbling and simply being unable to fathom why the gross majority of the pages were completely blank. Was he missing something? At the very least, he was able to sleep properly tonight, probably due to his tiered body giving up once he lay on the bed. 
[/center]

[h3]DAY 12[/h3]

[h2]Reports[/h2]

The provinces of Whealbee(Human Kingdom ; Eagleblade) and Graw’aa(Elven Lands) were successfully annexed. The peaceful victory at Whealbee has brought relief to the common folk, perhaps there are indeed ways to end this war without all-out bloodshed. The victory at Graw’aa is another step in the right direction for the campaign, yet the heavy losses dishearten the troops. 

[i][Human Esteem +] [Elven Esteem +] [Population Morale +] [Military Morale  - ] 

Territories : 71/520
[/i]
The nations are now fully aware of the existence of Aleko Sendrakon, the heir to the Imperial Throne. However, the vast majority don’t know what to make of this. Some doubt of his chances for success, other believe that maybe he is the beginning to an end to this war but are not particularly confident in him. Many have never heard of him outside of rumor, there being only speculations about what type of person he may be. More importantly, the common folk are more worried about their daily lives being affected by the resuming of the war. The military troops themselves do not relish the idea of an all-out combat once again against potential former comrades in days long past.

[i][Population Morale - ] [Military Morale - ][/i]

[h3]Report End[/h3]
[center]
Another day just as peaceful and uneventful as the one before. The generals are already planning their next military steps, staying on the defensive for now and observing the potential movements of the other two Empires. The envoys had no immediate issues to discuss, as such the meeting was quite brief. Perhaps this day was a chance for Aleko to interact with some of the envoys and generals outside of ‘business hours’.

He received two letters today. 

One was a report from a Dwarven captain from Paletower. Requesting permission to transport a ‘special prisoner’ to the Escalyber on the morrow. 

The second letter addressed to him bore a seal made of blue wax. Upon breaking the seal, Aleko could read the contents, the calligraphy being quite exquisite. 

[i]“Greetings to Aleko Farland Sendrakon, first of his name and leader of the New Empire faction. 
I write this letter in acknowledgement to your recent victory over the province of Northspark. While some may declare it an ‘underhanded’ approach, I personally feel obligated to praise your resourcefulness and courage for marching on the filed alongside the soldiers under your command.  It has come to my attention that during this skirmish, you have successfully captured a general of the New Empire and are holding him prisoner. I hereby humbly request that you release the aforementioned general, Asimov Dunngard, from your custody, without any further deterioration to his body, mind and spirit. In exchange, a generous ransom will be offered along with my personal gratitude and acknowledgement of your honor. I shall be awaiting your response.
Signed, Ser Allister Stormreaver. Leader of the Old Empire faction”[/i]

A signature as well as a second seal could be seen on the bottom right corner of the letter, confirming its authenticity. 
[/center]
   
[h3]DAY 13[/h3]
[center]
Aleko received a report today, stating that general Duncan Primelyt will be returning to the Escalyber and should be on board sometime this afternoon. General Leafdancer has yet to announce his return. 

There was still no response from the Anthro province or Aleko’s mother. Was it still to early to expect one?

Cyrus also announced Aleko that a small squadron of Dwarven soldiers have delivered a prisoner to the Escalyber. The report stated that they interrogated the man but were unable to learn anything of import no matter the methods applied. The prisoner was transported and placed in a holding cell within the Escalyber, Aleko being able to visit at his leisure.
[/center]