[b][i]Draknoz mo Rarahl - The Road to Yunkai[/i][/b]

"You may pass," said the Astapori commander in charge of their southern border's defenses. "Yunkai is as much our enemy as they are yours'."

Despite the honeyed words, Draknoz mo Rarahl, General of the army sent to take Yunkai, knew that the Astapori were getting suspicious of his intentions, which made it more imperative that he get through their territory as soon as possible. Despite the Astapori military being small, Draknoz did not want to fight the Unsullied in the mountain passses leading to their territory - Even in the plains beyond, the Unsullied were terrifying. There will be time to deal with them once Yunkai was completely taken.

There were no incidents in the first weeks of the march. Provisions were brought out in each Astapori village, to be bought at a fair price, while still more were brought in from the south. Every time they made camp, Draknoz made sure that the troops trained and drilled for two hours before they were given time to eat and sleep - Then in the mornings, the men were allowed to amuse themselves with bed slaves and eat a quick breakfast, before the march began again. But it was clear that the Astapori were shadowing the larger force with cavalry and camelry, waiting for this army to depart from their lands.

As the march continued, Draknoz's feeling of resentment towards the weakness of the Astapori grew - Were the Unsullied thier only point of pride? Why did they cling on to their independence, when the unity of the Ghiscari and the revival of their Empire was more important? He couldn't wait to reach Yunkai's territory, to begin the raiding and pillaging that all strong men were entitled to. Even with the strange orders given by the King to enslave those who were free and free those enslaved if they pledged alleginace to him - Draknoz was probably one of the few people who saw the practical dimension in the King's orders...

[b][i]King Grazdan the Chainbringer - New Ghis[/i][/b]

King Grazdan oversaw the departure of the fleet sent to blockade Yunkai, all the while thinking about his household matters. He regarded himself lucky that he was the dominant figure in his own court, that no one, not even his own children by his wives, concubines, and lowborn women were able to even conceive of going against him. He had cemented a reputation for brutality long before, a requirement to present a strong front. However, such brutality had to be tempered with reason - meaningless brutality will just alienate his supporters and leave opponents with nothing to lose. That cannot be allowed.

As he looked at the docks of New Ghis, his Queen, Dizmano Zhao, walked beside him. A beautiful woman he had married for political reasons, Dizmano was one of the few people he regarded with any softness. As she leaned against him affectionately, the King patted her oiled and curled hair, before saying, "My Queen, I long for the day I can call you Empress." 

She smiled, her smooth brown face free of even the slightest blemish. "Our sons and daugthers will be heirs of the true glory of the Ghiscari. You will conquer Slaver's Bay for them, and they will conquer the World as your legacy."