[h2][center][b]High Kingdom of Itherae[/b][/center][/h2]

[h3][center]Officers and Mínbīng[/center][/h3]

When one joins the military, often times they expect to be served adequate food on their stay in the barracks, it was simply common courtesy back in Itherae. Yet, in the Confederacy of Hokkan-Shirito, the food was, simply put, rancid in almost all regard with a basic shred of any idea of what a man needs to eat in order to work properly. Rice and maggots was by no means what a civilized man was to be intended to eat, maybe the Faresian savages could live off such measly portions, but not a prideful and stronger Itheraen man, who was more used to eating a selection of bread, pork, and a side of greens. 

However, these men would do as they were told, after all, High Command was doing what it could and they were on the other side of the world, but why was their meeting point not specified? Why would they have to sit here in [i]kólasi[/i] with a bunch of men that had likely taken four of them while they were sleeping? None of the remaining thirty-two knew exactly, but at the very least they had a roof over their head and some shelter from the strange slums that they resided in. What was worse is that none of them really knew anything that these people would say, no customs knowledge, not even the basic culture was stated to them. 

Yet, in the little time they were there, the one translator that they had with them was able to bargain for some better arrangements, primarily in the way of food that was not maggot infested. That translator happened to be a Hokkan man who had studied some basic Itheraen, and while he did not know that basic nuances of the language, which likely would have gotten him laughed out of town back in the High Kingdom by her majesty and the paupers alike, he got them the standard rice but even better, some actual protein from the market, primarily cattle, or was it horse? None of them cared, they were simply happy to have actual meat rather than some bugs that would often cause men to shiver. 

That translator, Hong Daici, seemed to be very nice to them as well as eager to train under them as he was a part of [i]kólasi’s[/i] militia. While he was technically a civilian, he told the Itheraens that he had dreams of serving under the Mikkado and doing what he wished to be the very best soldier that he could possibly be for his nation. 

The Itheraen’s felt the man’s patriotism, in fact it actually brought out a tear from Lieutenant Georgious Draguomis, who had done little other than complain about their living conditions, as he was reminded of when he wanted to serve the kingdom proud in the name Her Majesty Queen Athena. Many of the men were also moved, and some even had questioned if they truly wished to leave and let this foreign man to whatever fate had in store for him. In fact, Hong had earned their respect, which was rare for Itheraens who viewed themselves as better than many Faresians, and was given the title of [i]”Mikrós aderfós”[/i] which translated to “Little Brother” in Itheraen as many of the men had grown fond of his presence, rather than just seeing him as some translator. 

Yet, many of the Itheraens, including one Artillery Officer, Jayr Mikos, grew worried of the four who had gone missing in the night, so much so that the men began to fight amongst one another to form a search party and find them, despite having been a few weeks since the incident and their trail likely having gone cold after their first attempt to find them by asking the people when they didn’t have Mikrós aderfós with them. However, there was also the argument that if they stayed then eventually the Confederacy would dispatch officials to go take them to their proper location so that they could fulfil orders. This quickly turned into a heated argument and somewhere down the line Jayr and Georgious had gotten into a scuffle after Jayr claimed Georgious did not care for his Itheraen brothers. This, in turn, led to a holy painting that had been hung in the militia barracks being destroyed.

Several Hokkan men were grievously offended by the act, throwing insults at the men, who had little clue as to what they were saying but one of them knew enough Itheraen, from having heard the officer’s incessant complaining, to say “Whore Queen Athena.” That was the last line drawn, Jayr challenged the man to a duel in the dawn out in the densest woodlands they could find, which none of the officers were sure if it was even legal. It had been accepted and all men, including Hong swore to secrecy. 

Jayr, being armed himself with a revolver, and the militia man who had been named as Chu were escorted into the jungle by some of the officers and other militia men, as well as Hong. The two men turned their backs to each other the moment that they had reached their destination, after both said prayers to their respective faiths, the countdown was commenced. Hong regarded it as the most tense feeling he has ever had when in the presence of the Itheraens, not knowing that they would be violent enough to take a life if someone insulted their Queen, which he viewed as lesser to the Mikkado. Once the countdown finished, only a single shot had been fired and a bullet had landed itself firmly in Chu’s chest, who had little time to draw up his own weapon. The shot had gone through the heart of the Hakkon and was lodged firmly in his spine, he bled out in seconds. 

Silently, all the officers were taken back to the barracks while some of the others took Chu to be buried. None of them uttered a word, everyone would comply to their promises. All the officers would remain silent that day, then the argument was settled, they would wait for Confederate officials to come to them.