The Zenith of Madness

[Adwest]

Balfonheim, Adwest (23 Marth 1588)


A high-pitched giggle permeated the Amber Hall of Alcombey Palace, one of the most well-preserved historical palaces in the Adwestene capital. But the multitude of dining furniture were nowhere to be seen, signifying the absence of souls except for one. Even the chandeliers of gold and crystal which majestically lined up the hall shimmered only faintly in the solitary space. It was a couple of hours past the afternoon mark.

In the middle of the marble floor sat a young girl not more than ten years of age, her long hair untied and her right hand clutching a short crayon. To her immediate surroundings stood two sentries whose uniforms resembled the shade of the midnight skies. Her guards carried automatic guns - their attached bayonets sharpened rigorously - and kept their glance steady on the entrance to the Amber Hall.

The same way the sentries kept themselves focused, the girl had all her attention fixated on a page with a half-colored picture of a rose. She stopped from filling in the picture with her crayon every few seconds, sometimes to look at her picture and sometimes to echo another chortle of amusement. For her, life could be so simple and yet so satisfactory as this, even if she would outgrow her coloring books and crayons.

It was not to be.  

As the girl finished working on the rose bulb, her two sentries suddenly came alive, appearing as if shocked by a burst of electricity. They sprung to attention, gripping their rifles tightly and stiffening their postures, as the sight of an elderly yet robust man greeted them. The man entered the Amber Hall tailed by several others in the same age bracket and garbed in formal wear. Some of his companions were conversing silently, others still were completely mum as they followed.

The man who headed the group crossed the hall in a brisk fashion, uninterested in anything or anyone save for leaving. Yet he and his cohorts came to a standstill - the girl in the middle of the hall ran towards them with a jovial expression.

"Daddy!"

She came to the man and hugged him, her crayon still on her right hand and the torn page of the rose on the other.

The stoic expression already plastered across the man's face became even grimmer with this gesture. He took his daughter's torn page, looked at it without any words, then crumpled it and threw it to the floor. The girl was expressionless as she saw this, although the act did not deter her; she would pick up her coloring book and attempt to flip through its pages in a proud showcase to her father, her big and youthful grin returning almost immediately.

"While waiting for you, I did this....and this....and this rainbow over Stormwind is my favorite, daddy!"

The man sighed, regretful he had neither the will nor the time to appreciate what was before him. With one hand he silenced the company around him and bent on one knee so as to face his daughter closely. His round eyes, heavy with exhaustion, met his daughter's, and he gripped her lanky arm tightly. The girl stopped herself from wincing in pain at her father's hold, although by now her cheerful demeanor had been demolished.

"Why are you still here? You should be studying" remarked the man tersely.

His daughter looked to her feet as she answered. "It's spring break daddy...and I wanted to surprise you"

"You shouldn't be doing this, it's dangerous outside the palace! You should be at home with your brother and not putting yourself at risk and wasting my time!"

The yells which now came from the man caused tears to roll down the side of his daughter's pale cheeks, although she suppressed her urge to cry knowing that would only bring a hit from her father. Yet to conceal her wet face was futile now.

"You're crying again? you do nothing but cry and wet your bed and be a burden! Your mother....you already killed her, and now you are intent on killing me as well with your foolishness?"

The man forcefully cast her daughter aside, who ended up silent on the floor and with a visible bruise on her arms. She kept silent, afraid of her father - her father who was beloved by the Adwestene people for his kindness and humility but who placed all blame on her for his wife's death during childbirth. The girl cursed at that irony, that such a man committed to his people's welfare would easily hurt his own kin. She paid the price for that twist of fate, and despite believing that she indeed was the cause of her mother's demise, she still did her best to earn the affection of her father. At times like this, she would think he was too far gone.

"Bring her home and keep her there until further orders. If I see her outside Stormwind, you will both be dismissed" commanded the man to the two sentries. Collecting himself, he continued his march to the exit.

The girl glanced wearily at the grey backs of the group which followed to leave, all representative of a heartless and cruel world where her father was king.

She did not weep, unable to find her voice and any more tears. But while her guards struggle to lift her up, her sight began to fade into a sea of blood.

The sea of blood which was crowding her vision became clearer, and the girl found herself in front of a familiar and more recent scene in her life. Before her very eyes lay the lifeless figure of her father, clutched by the hands of her brother. All around her was chaos as people, some even looking like foreigners, struggled to come to safety, discover who murdered the king, or simply come to terms what was happening.

The girl blinked and raised her hands; they were filled with blood, and so was her dress. She stood alone in the chaos and in the death of her father, and she opened her mouth to scream. Nothing still came. She tried, exerting full force to release a sound someone, anyone could hear. But it was all for naught.

"No!" finally came her voice.

Sophia Bernadette Durnador woke up, cold sweat hugging her entire body beneath her nightgown. She was breathing heavily, looking around despite the darkness of her chambers for any sign of the scene which previously invaded her sleeping subconscious.

She relaxed a bit as she deciphered she was not reliving that day in Treiezen 1565 again, but her stir had caused the guards outside her door to come in. They were accompanied by Euram Redever, Prince-Consort of Adwest and father  to Sophia's children. He had a concerned look on his face as he approached. He made to address her, but the Queen came to words before he did.

"It is nothing. My father once again attempts to haunt me for being a failure for following in his footsteps. He is dead but remains trouble even in the afterlife of the damned." Sophia said as she got up her bed and went to fetch a drink.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" offered the Prince-Consort to her.

The two never sleep in one room, let alone in one bed, because of the Queen's own desires. They were not in a troubled spot in their relationship, but it sufficed to say that the romance between the two did not burn strongly as the first few years of their courtship and marriage. Sophia saw herself as a Queen and even moreso a Durnador whose right to rule absolutely rested not in his relationship with any man but by virtue of her bloodline and her enlightenment. For her, to marry and procreate was a utilitarian act necessary to preserve the royal line.

Sophia took a second, although as usual she rejected this offer. Yet she walked over to him, the father of her children, and tenderly grazed his cheek with her soft hand. She then looked to his arms; he was carrying their two year-old son, asleep. She managed a smile as she took the baby from Euram.

"We will build a better world for you, Edward. We will deliver you to your destiny as a God among men."

[Adwest]

Fort Jarrelton, Adwest (27 Marth 1588)


"Will this really be necessary, your majesty? I can proceed to Astratt without infringing on your family time, although to be with the royal family would be an honor nevertheless"

Sophia glanced dully at the Count of Pelleshaw and her Foreign Minister Oswald Callaghan from across the limousine they were both on. Despite her label as a conservative, changing the royal family's modes of transportation was one of the first acts she decided on early into her reign. No longer did the finely-crafted carriage of her father trot the streets of Balfonheim or anywhere else and look odd among the rest of the vehicles on the road whenever there were royal engagements to be had. Indeed, the carriage only made her appearances in the most formal ceremonies of the monarchy.

Without an answer from his liege, Oswald withdrew any further queries and returned to arranging his dossiers. Beside the Foreign Minister sat the Prince-Consort, who kept himself busy by watching the fields they passed on their journey. On a separate compartment of the vehicle were the two royal children, the four year-old Crown Princess Laura Jeanne and the two year-old Prince Edward, attended to by the ladies-in-waiting of the Queen. They were silent in their compartment, to the satisfaction of their mother who detested the meaningless noise of unruly children.

The entire royal family had left the capital some hours ago during the morning, travelling southwest to a military base in the Duchy of Pharamond - a region that covered more than three-fourths of Adwest's border with Taeunas.

Their journey to Fort Jarrelton this particular day had two purposes. The first was for the Queen to personally inspect the pace of fortification being undertaken near and in the border. Ever since the sharpening of regional tensions in Kvaenna since the Kolhari War and their continued rise due to the signing of the Kvaennan Treaty Organization, the Adwestene Crown had been on high alert.

It was in 1584 immediately upon the annexation of the Westenne Confederacy that Adwesene leaders knew it was time to commit down a path that they cannot go back from once begun. Preparation for regional conflict where Adwest was surrounded by a string of enemies was undertaken, beginning with the return of the draft and a drive to have two million soldiers in the Queen's Grand Army within three years. All this, of course, was implemented by royal decree of Sophia.

More than just serving defensive purposes, Sophia and her most trusted advisers on the Ducal Council knew that the war machine of Adwest would be employed sooner than later - and it had to be well-prepared when that time finally came like a bolt of lightning from a cloudless sky. It was only a matter of time, and Sophia was sure her neighbors knew it as well.

Although cross-border trade had not been restricted with anyone, extensive military fortifications spanning the Adwestene border with Taeunas and Goldecia have been setting up since at least 1586. The encirclement strategy spearheaded by the spineless Cynese in the west would inevitably bring Adwest to a two-front war, and no expense was to be spared to avoid the dilemma that could possibly arise from such a situation.

The royal family arrived at their destination by noon, and were greeted by the commander of the local garrison.

"Your majesty" exclaimed Major General Dalian Avery - a man whose loyalties and admiration were strictly bound to the late Edward III, but nonetheless remained stalwart in service of the Adwestene realm.

Two decades before today, Dalian had the pride of becoming a handpicked general of Edward III, in charge of one of the numbered armies of the military. But the forces of aristocracy which headed the new leadership, with their visions for expansion, demoted him due to the threat he posed to their ambitions. Dalian would never have engaged in such a dishonorable act, though he also never forgot such disrespect afforded to him

"Rise" responded Sophia, before they proceeded to be led by the Major General.

The convoy of vehicles which came from Balfonheim had proceeded immediately to the sizable airfield of the base. Contingents of fighter planes lay outside of their hangars, either in preparation for flight missions or just for show for the arrival of the Queen.

The entourage of Sophia walked in the direction of one of the farther airstrips, where an aircraft unlike any other in Jarrelton or in Adwest was to be seen.

This was their second and main purpose for visiting Jarrelton. To inspect and board the HMAS Zealous, which would then take flight with the royal family for the very first time and ferry them to the capital of Sindar-Astrasia

Sophia, her Prince-Consort, and her children were scheduled to visit her brother-in-law, the Grand Duke of Sindar-Astrasia, ostensibly so that the old man can feast his eyes upon children of his own blood before he departs Siora.

But the real purpose was to discuss matters of significance for the two heads of state. The Grand Duchy, a festering parliamentary democracy, had formally positioned itself some time ago in the anti-Adwest camp in the region, with her Prime Minister signing the KTO treaty. But Grand Duke Desmond, whose descendants were Adwestene high nobility, stood opposed to this, and was Sophia's key for reuniting the wayward state back into Adwestene arms.

And the two monarchs had decided that even if their purpose wasn't stated openly, then their common enemies could at least get an idea that their decision was unacceptable and something was to be done. Sophia disliked hiding, and what more an omen could she choose than to bring a 400-ton airship hovering over Astratt like a mass of rain clouds.

Of course, the HMAS Zealous, upon arriving in Sindar-Astrasia, would be unarmed. Yet it was built to be a military symbol and a weapon, and once returning back to Adwest it would have its weapons reinstalled immediately.

Cluster munitions were its primary weapon against ground targets, but it had considerable defense against aerial interception by way of about twenty CIWS mounted throughout the belly and the balloon of the airship. On its ventral, the airship boasted eight batteries which could be loaded with either long or medium-range anti-air missiles, some distance away from the massive bomb bay built into the balloon itself.

Weapons aside, the envelope of the balloon of over 230 meters was encased in a skeleton of titanium and carbon-fiber reinforced polymer. The same materials were used for the gondola and the batteries. It was capable of travelling at a maximum speed of 160 knots or up to 290 kph, and reaching an altitude of about 45,000 feet.

It was an impressive rigid airship, the pinnacle so far of decades of Adwestene research and development into what was considered an obsolete field of aviation.

"The finest work of aerial engineering throughout the grand kingdom, your majesty. May I welcome you to the HMAS Zealous"

Major General Dalian proudly proclaimed those words as the doors to the gondola opened. The gondola - which housed the airship's bridge, command center, quarters, mess hall, engine room, and other facilities for personnel - was significantly large and was composed of four levels extending from just below the nose cone all the way to the airship's ventral midsection.

The Queen and the Prince-Consort observed the beast's underside and its stabilizers, pleased that the markings of the Royal Adwestene Air Force were already painted. They then accepted Dalian's invitation and boarded.

"At what time are we going to depart for Astrasia?" inquired Sophia as she observed with her eyes the interior. The thumps of their boots and of other soldiers echoed throughout the cold metal hallways.

"Our maintenance crew are making final preparations - this will only be the fourth time the airship will fly for an extended period outside of its initial testing. We shall depart by two in the afternoon, your majesty."

"Bring me to the battery bay"

The command by his liege was unexpected, although Dalian did not flinch. He didn't leave himself to wonder, and immediately changed course to where he was commanded to. Sophia was pleased, uttering something else upon the resumption of the tour.

"I want them armed before our departure, major general"

[Adwest]

Astratt, Sindar-Astrasia (27 Marth 1588)


"Speak frankly my dear. We are within the confines of walls without ears."

"Are you not even going to ask about the welfare of your nephew and niece first, Lord Desmond?"

The Grand Duke of Sindar-Astrasia erupted with amused laughter at the retort of her sister-in-law. Desmond Redever, the fourth of his name, was a lumbering man whose status as a member of his country's ruling elite was reflected in his well-fed middle. Despite his great wealth, the difficulties of advanced age and excessive eating had already made an impact on his health. The Grand Duke was diabetic and had already lost the sight of his left eye due to retinopathy, although he kept his energy levels - especially in the presence of family - at the roof.

His mind also was still functioning well enough to the point of being able to discuss matters of state. The Grand Duke was a constitutional monarch, a chain on the legs of the House Redever and their parent line ever since the separation of Sindar and Astrasia from Adwest. This fact alone was deeply resented by every man who sat upon the throne of the country, although this source of their anger was the very reason which prevented them from doing anything about it.

A blatant power grab would be met with the end of more than five hundred years of monarchy in this part of Kvaenna, at the hands of the philistine masses. Those who reigned in Sindar-Astrasia remembered history very well, and took the tragedy of the Taeunas rebellion as a lesson to bear in mind.

Resurgence of the fatherland, however, presented the opportunity to change reality in more ways than one. And the Grand Duke saw this opportunity clearly.

"Cease with the formal address, Sophia. And yes, of course, forgive me for my straightforwardness. How are the young ones? it is a shame you have arrived at this hour. There was not much time for me to speak with Laura after supper."

Sophia smiled curtly at this. It was true after all. The HMAS Zealous had arrived in Astratt airport by eight in the evening.

"They are doing good, brother. Laura is a diligent pupil and has picked up the violin. While Edward, he is young, quiet. Maybe he will be like me and grow up studying and working on the enhancement of the land."

The answer to the Grand Duke's question came from Euram, his younger brother. The three were inside Desmond's personal library, where a fireplace with crackling embers provided warmth for the chilly Spring evening.

"My children will not be farmers, Euram."

The chide from Sophia solicited even more laughter from Desmond. The Prince-Consort went silent after this, serving the two others with tea and joining them in front of the fire. As courtesy and out of minor interest, Sophia inquired about his brother-in-law's own two children. Their small talk would extend for another ten minutes, although as the hour hand of the clock approached ten in the evening, they deciphered it was in order to get on with more important subjects.

The Grand Duke opened the discussion again after a sip off his cup.

"And now may I ask, does the fatherland still welcome the western territories? does it have anything in mind for such a reclamation? I am beginning to worry I will die rotting as a mere mascot and not the overlord of my subjects, Sophia."

The Adwestene Queen was slightly taken off-guard by this. She knew well that Desmond was an ally, but did not expect his eagerness for immediate action. Regardless, this was a benefit that she knew could be capitalized upon with what she had in mind. She was confident now, spurred on by the straightforwardness of this man to break free from the shackles on his power.

"Reunification with the western territories remains the primary thrust of my court, you can rest assured. But you and I both know this will not be easy, mostly due to the resistance of several jealous powers."

"Yes. That is unfortunate." concurred the Grand Duke depressingly.

Sophia continued, her eyes fixated on the fire as she did "Like a noose around the neck of the fatherland, our enemies gather and prepare to choke us when we make just one misplaced move, Desmond."

The Grand Duke looked at his sister-in-law in a stern manner. "And is the fatherland ready for such a war?"

"We are" came the response.

"My emissaries have been hard at work ever since my ascension to secure friends, both within and outside the region."

The Grand Duke remain unconvinced, manifesting perhaps his only similarity with his democratically-elected governments until recent years, which was lack of interest in foreign dealings. He would question further the Queen on who these friends were and how willing they would be to fight side-by-side with Adwest.

Such complexities were also of nuisance to the Queen who, although recognizing the value of alliances, placed more importance on the improvement of her country's war-readiness in all aspects. Her response came some moments after, giving thought to the second question more.

"We have at least one nearby state that is treaty-bound to defend us against our enemies. The rest....they are either across the oceans or simply disinterested in assisting us. The collapse of the fatherland could be the only relevant factor, and even that would not be enough. That is why as much as possible, our army is trained and equipped to deal with all threats simultaneously. That is one area I could commend my predecessors for."

The Grand Duke nodded solemnly at this assessment, and Sophia went on speaking.

"Our enemies believe strength lies in their numbers. We, unfortunately, do not have that luxury. A conflict with one will be a conflict with all. But we have been preparing for this for a long time, arguably more than a century ago upon the re-establishment of Adwest as a united country under my house. Now it is my turn to ask you, Desmond, a question."

Sophia's thin-lipped smile returned as she posed her inquiry. "What does the Grand Duchy plan to do to assist us?"

"You know we can't, Sophia. We will not fight your war."

Silence and the crisp sound of burning logs filled the gap of conversation after those. Sophia shifted her glance to challenge those of her brother-in-law, who knew well what the Queen's expectations of him were. He held her look for a full five seconds, although eventually broke away and stood up from his armchair.

The Grand Duke took a few steps away from them and towards a space in the walls that was beneath two bookshelves. On that part of the wall hung a portrait of Cauis II, an ancestor of the House Redever. The man, painted in complete armor and with an air of nobility about him, was the last real monarch of Sindar-Astrasia. He was a victim of murder by forces which wanted to seize his power for their own, but nevertheless remained a figure that the Grand Duke never failed to aspire to become. Or a figure to return to. He stared at the portrait, as if looking for an answer from his ancestor.

Behind him, Euram spoke up again, addressing Sophia. "Perhaps it is too early to convince Desmond. It would be very dangerous for him to engage in such an act, especially if he is unable to muster the necessary support. And our support does not guarantee the success of this."

While the Prince-Consort uttered his words in hushed tones, the Queen went the opposite direction, speaking loudly and firmly.

"We have waited long enough and discussed plans long enough. The time for talk and deliberation is past. Every day, the people of Sindar-Astrasia, Adwestenes by blood, stray further away from the path of reunification. My subjects and vassals. Lord Desmond, a truly deserving leader is one who possesses the iron will to steer the course of his ship through difficult and rocky waters. Are you one? or have you resigned yourself to a life of being a symbol of days gone by?"

The final words of his sister-in-law resonated strongly in the Grand Duke's mind. He felt a sense of powerlessness with his position throughout the years, constrained by the political system in place in most of his affairs. Even recently, his Prime Minister had attempted to dissuade him from meeting the Adwestene royal family - it took him the last remaining ounces of his political capital to allow his family into Astrasian soil. The world had turned, and he found himself caged.

But he knew this was not the natural and correct way of things. Resentment coupled with weakness was what led to the decay of the strong traditional order which once held sway over these lands long ago. And Desmond had no wish to see himself desecrated continuing that weakness. He would rectify the errors of his predecessors and now was the time to do so.

The Grand Duke turned on his heel with a solemn yet steely demeanor, then spoke with the same firmness carried in the voice of the Queen.

"I have not"

He then knelt on one leg, head bowed to Sophia.

"I fear nothing, and I will do what I must for the eternal glory of the fatherland, your majesty."

[Adwest]

Astratt, Sindar-Astrasia (9 Quartyr 1588)


It was a downcast evening in the capital of Sindar-Astrasia. The sinking sun was barely noticeable as it slid beneath the horizon, hidden behind a veil of thick clouds. Coupled with this, the ringing of the bells of the local Messanic Church for the evening prayer seemed more ominous than usual as it resounded throughout the streets.

The people of Astratt, perhaps noticing the darkening skies, began opening their umbrellas. It was another Monday, and the well-kept sidewalks of Astratt's main boulevards were now being filled by throngs eager to wrap up the day and go back to their homes. The roads reflected this, with more and more vehicles filing in in the slowly increasing traffic.

Still, the wide avenues of the old city - constructed centuries ago - managed the larger volume of vehicles well enough. Movement along Astratt remained smooth, allowing a particular and peculiar convoy to travel to its destination unabated. A black SUV was at its head, tailed by a similarly-hued sedan and another SUV of the same type. At their tail were six covered army trucks.

The sight of a military vehicle in the downtown caught the eye of many passersby. It was certainly unexpected, considering there were no large-scale security issues which threatened the capital at this time. Curious but exhausted people shrugged of the sight after a second glance, although the consistent and imaginative watchers had already formed an idea where such a convoy could possibly be heading to.

-

It was half an hour past six, yet passionate voices debating matters of state could still be heard quite easily inside the chambers of Astratt's capitol.

The Sindarese-Astrasian lower house of parliament, the House of Commons, was an assembly of more or less two hundred elected representatives. It was the lifeblood of the country's democratic system, having legislative primacy compared to the largely symbolic and remedial functions held by the upper house. The Sindarese-Astrasian Parliament altogether was a product of political transformations in the country more than a century ago, being borne in 1461 - one year after the secession of Sindar-Astrasia from the United Provinces of Adwest and one year before the United Provinces fell into civil conflict.

The nature and process of how the institution replaced aristocracy as the center of Sindarese-Astrasian politics, however, was also bitter, and began with the union of two formerly independent and powerful dukedoms.

The westernmost duchy, Sindar, was ruled by the House Ferros - liberal-minded, Brigidnan-educated, and generally uninterested in what they saw as the throes of absolute power. Their reformist attitudes were unsurprising mostly because of their origins; the Ferros clan were extremely wealthy merchants who were prominent in the sea lanes of Western Kvaenna. They usurped control over Sindar in the late 14th century from the already-forgotten and extinct Sindarese noble line which had been ruling for centuries, exploiting dynastic rivalries already cemented in the then confederate Adwest to ensure the stability of their position. Another factor which aided their success was their promise to uplift tyranny - to provide the growing middle class a voice in political affairs and the large working class social reforms. That they did and more. By the time of the 15th century, the House Ferros had turned Sindar into a constitutional state which did not suffer the same extent of social upheaval brewing in other parts of Adwest.

On the other end of the spectrum was the Duchy of Astrasia - rural and traditional. The rulers of Astrasia - from the House Redever - lived detached and content from the rest of the country. But like other parts of Adwest then, kept a tight fist over dissent in their domains and was weary of the intentions of other nobles interested in their land or imposing some form of control over them. To extend their security, the rulers of Astrasia pursued a strategy of covert territorial expansion, in the form of strategic alliances through marriages. The task was simple and somewhat easy, as their ancient dynastic line already held considerable prestige among most Adwestene noble magnates. The House Redever had ingrained itself with the likes of the Dohlbergs, Falsens, and eventually the Ferros of Sindar.

The marriage of Lord Caius II Redever of Astrasia to Lady Maud Ferros of Sindar in 1449 appeared a strategic success for the former, but would ultimately have unseen ramifications in the coming years. Such misfortunes began two years later, with the birth of their first child and the heir to both the thrones of Astrasia and Sindar, and would reach its apex six years after with the death of Cauis II. His child, Desmond I, had not yet reached legal age to succeed him, and so power would be relegated to other figures. A Regency Council whose composition were selected members of the Sindarese parliament and selected vassals of the Astrasian ruler was established, and Lady Ferros was initially nominated to stand as regent and duchess of the two domains until Desmond I became legal. But the vassals of the deceased Caius II were loathe to accept what they saw as a non-noble as their liege. A struggle then burst forth, as accusations that Caius II was murdered by the Lady Ferros for Sindar's gain began to arise.

In a span of three years, the Lady Ferros emerged victorious in the game of intrigue, subduing the Astrasian lords who opposed her regency. As the absolute ruler of Astrasia, and with support from Sindar, she would turn the duchy upside down just as her predecessors did before. All other lords but she were stripped of their titles, and the greatest irony came about; the Lady Ferros used her limitless powers in Astrasia to bring about the institutions and values of Sindarese democracy there. She then severed her newly-expanded domains from the rest of Adwest, with the warring factions remaining the United Provinces too caught up in their own struggles to challenge the Lady Ferros.

By the time the House Redever retook the throne in 1469, their power had all but disappeared. Desmond I resented what his mother had left her; a geographically larger domain and near-absolute shackles constraining him. During those times, Desmond I had been the recipient of an offer by Gregory III - the first monarch of a newly-unified Adwest - to help take back what he lost, in exchange for returning to Adwest. Yet the young ruler declined this, and accepted his position as a national symbol with merely grumbles. This pivotal decision was one reason why his successors disliked him relative to his father; he had failed to take the opportunity to restore things as they were when the situation still presented a chance.

Today, Desmond IV was intent on not only taking up the cudgels but also correcting that historical error.

Rain had already descended upon Astratt as the Grand Duke disembarked from his sedan, which bore no markings whatsoever. He glared at the entrance to the Sindarese-Astrasian capitol, moving his vision slowly upward up to the towers of the building. An aide in a suit held an umbrella over his head, and with a vocal gesture, he and the Grand Duke began taking steps to the stairs leading to the entrance. Behind him, a large contingent of troops from Desmond IV's personal retinue disembarked from their trucks. Most of the platoons followed their monarch inside the capitol, while others took positions outside and around the building.

The Astrasian Retinue was the personal guard of the ruler of Astrasia, and is perhaps the only thing the Lady Ferros decided to keep intact in the course of changes she instituted upon being appointed regent. Their loyalty was unquestionable after all, and although since then they have been assigned merely a ceremonial role alongside the liege they serve, the Grand Duke found good use of them for his plans today and in the upcoming months.

Desmond IV, having sensed the possibility to make use of his retinue ever since the marriage of his brother to Sophia, had approached the deceased Garithos Ashford several years ago; the Lord Protector then offered assistance to secretly rearm and enlarge the guard from the size of a regiment to that of a bloated brigade. From 1577 onwards, he recruited and sent loyal men to be trained and to stay in Adwest until the time was right, all the while keeping the rest of the ceremonial retinue in his palace. What he had brought with him today were the troops who have spent the last ten years preparing in Adwest and ready to serve him - they were only flown in the previous week upon the conclusion of his meeting with Sophia.

The Grand Duke took bold strides, completely ignoring the stares and mutters he and his company were being thrown with. They reached the entrance to the chambers of the House of Commons, and for once noticed acutely the coat of arms of the House Redever carved into the large wooden doors. He almost spat at this insult.

The Grand Duke craned his head to who looked like the captain of his guards, giving a terse nod.

The captain understood this and took a position in front of his liege. He then began banging on the wooden doors with his clenched fist. At the first instance of this, the clamor which could previously be heard behind the doors immediately disappeared. It did not give way however, and the captain reengaged more forcefully.

It was in the third instance when the wooden doors finally opened from the inside, and the Grand Duke wasted no minute marching in - his attention and direction were on the elevated platform behind the balustrades were the house speaker and the parliamentary clerks were seated. Yells began to echo from both sides of the chamber upon the sight of armed men entering, leading to the Sindarese-Astrasian Prime Minister to immediately stand up and approach the Grand Duke.

Eustace Cosgrave, a sinewy and mustached man nineteen years the junior of Desmond IV, was visibly alarmed as he came near his liege. He prevented himself from physically yanking the elderly Grand Duke by the arm, almost completely certain of the monarch's intentions today. He instead took a quick step and obstructed the Grand Duke's route, arms folded. With his best efforts to remain calm, Cosgrave addressed the Grand Duke.

"Your majesty, what is the meaning of this?"

The Grand Duke was nettled by this abrupt obstruction. He took the accusatory glance of his Prime Minister for a second, before gesturing again to his contingent of troops. The captain of the guard then walked up and furiously hit Cosgrave's midsection with the butt of his rifle, who growled in pain and fell to his legs. The first arrest of the night was conducted as the captain placed handcuffs on Cosgrave and escorted him out of the chamber. Fear replaced the anger of many MPs at that display of force, and many had returned to their benches awaiting what was to come.

The Grand Duke then ascended to the platform and occupied the place of the house speaker, who by now had also been arrested. With one gloved hand, he adjusted the small mic meant to amplify the speaker's voice, and then spoke with resolute spirit.

"Representatives of the state. You are gathered here to fulfill the will of the people of Sindar-Astrasia, my people, and I thank you all for your service."

The MPs, already disdained by the incarceration of two of their own, watched on with worry. The Grand Duke's regiment did the same, stiff as they stood guard over all exits and entrances to the chamber.

"The Grand Duchy of Sindar-Astrasia has seen great peace and prosperity in the recent years, all because of your contributions. However, our nation has now reached a state of visceral decay and decadence. Moreover, our nation has been led down a path which threatens to undermine the great peace and prosperity I have made mention of. It is through no fault of you individually, but rather is a byproduct of the misguided ideas which have plagued the minds of my people, and by extension, the minds of all of you. Our once proud nation has lost the foundations it was built upon, and our so-called 'leaders', yourselves included, have only eroded these foundations even more instead of choosing to restore them. Again, this is through no individual fault of all of you, but to reverse this unfortunate course of self-destruction, it is imperative that I now make this important decision."

The Grand Duke observed the reactions of the MPs. Many were aghast by their expressions, while others still kept their silence while simultaneously recording the moment through their phones. He raised his hand upon noticing this, pointing a finger at one of those recording him who was particularly close. Within seconds, the offender had his phone seized and himself forced to kneel by one of the Grand Duke's footmen. Desmond IV continued.

"With the powers vested in me by ancient rite, written and preserved by the provisions of the constitution of 1460, I, Desmond Redever, fourth of my name, Grand Duke of Sindar and Astrasia, hereby dissolve this parliament and dismiss all members of parliament from their duties until further notice. I and my duly-appointed council will inherit lawmaking power and will guide the nation away from the abyss it has fallen into - in line with this, I will hereby suspend the constitution of 1460 as a prerequisite to the creation of a new national and royal charter for the nation. You will all be kept in detention until the political transition is over."

The final pronouncement sent the more riled up MPs into a frenzy, shouting obscenities and demands at the Grand Duke. All of these would be met with the same way as all the others, and it wasn't long before the Astrasian Regiment began the mass arrests.

[Father Wi11iam]

Astratt, Sindar-Astrasia (9 Quartyr 1588)

Unfortunately for the Astrasian regiment, three complications occurred during said mass arrests that would further complicate the future of Sindar and Astrasia:

Firstly, the MPs that weren't frenzying, the cowards that they were, had already begun there exodus like rats leaving a sinking ship, the PM in tow. And whilst from an outside perceptive it may mistaken that the MPs were mobbing the Astrasian regiment in some form of heroic last stand, the truth of the matter was that they were just trying to get through. The sheer speed of this retreat from parliament was unexpected by the guard, trained to deal with much braver 'enemies of the state' such as foreign militants or rioters, caught them off guard allowing an unknown quantity of MPs to make there escape into the surrounding city.  

Secondly, there main target the PM, despite his best wishes, could not keep himself within the craven horde due to his physical weakness and was forced out of it's depths to the forefront before the Duke. With fellow MPs being tackled either side of him by the guards his options were limited to say the least, the situation was not at all helped by one of the guards grabbing him rather violently by the arm, causing him to drop the mock leather driving gloves, he was planning to put on, rather forcedly and some would later say dramatically. The effect was sudden and had inadvertently caught the attention of all present, and in a moment of unexpected bravado, which the PM would later regret for all the hassle it would cause him, the PM doubled down on the situation. There was the slight issue that the PM didn't write his own speeches, but he would make due with just butchering the dukes:

"Ohhh F*** me, I,Eustace Cosgrave second of my name, Prime minster of Sindar and Astrasia, hereby reject the dissolve meant of this parliament and....erm... I with the powers vested in me by ancient rite, written and preserved by the provisions of the constitution of 1460, reject the suspension of the constitution of 1460 with...the formal challenge of a duel...ahh...yes...good sir....please don't kill me."

The PM had never fully read the constitution, amendments included, it was rather heavy reading and he had people for that after all. He had no idea if what he said was true, and he expected the Duke probably had about as much idea, but the important part the PM could at least hold onto as he was slammed into the ground, braking his jaw, was that it sounded official and he had said it with just enough conviction for it too sound true.

And thirdly and finally, only this morning a camera had been installed in parliament for the purposes of creating a live feed of parliamentary debates to the SABC (Sindar Astrasis Broadcasting service), and it had recorded and broadcasted the entire 'debate'. With the exception of a unknown number of  the members of lower parliament who had escaped, the duke was now in total control of the fate of parliament with only a few...'minor complications'.

Things would remain calm in the country until the following morning, when the recordings went pubic on the 9:00 morning news. By that time most of the MPs that escaped had already escaped the country to friendly territories, the MP's that had not were securely imprisoned, an edited (and improved) version of the PM's speech had become a meme on the nation's various social media sites and the current fate of the PM was unknown. The world held it's breath as utter anarchy was unleashed upon the nation.

[BrumBrum]

10 Quartyr 1588

Prime Minister Joseph Smith was told by the Secret services of the nature of the threat as intelligence passed to Goldecia via neighbouring countries. The intelligence services had noted the visit by Sophia just a short time ago and did not believe in coincidence. Prime Minister Joseph Smith upon hearing about the events in Sindar immediately had phoned the leaders of Taenus, Cynas and Falsea among others to discuss the issue on a secure line. After talking with other leaders he also talked to the King himself, Edmund III who like him showed great concern. This was a true threat, Adwest had crossed the line this time, they'd been told to stop after Westenne, the PM would not let them push Goldecia again.Immediately afterwards he called Deputy PM Yusuf Sultan , foreign minister Shannon Hart, Home office minister Alex Sharp, Kvaennan Minister Morgan Wilson and Defence minister Maxwell Mutton to discuss their course of action. All pretty much agreed no action was not a course that could be took, negotiation in a friendly manner would look weak. They decided they would release a warning to restore parliament to the Grand Duke and Queen Sophia or face the consequences. They would then meet with foreign allies in Kvaenna and countries close by the discuss military options and plan a potential military operation, something most countries would most likely consider right now. They did not want to do this but sadly the time had come where Adwest could no longer be appeased , that conflict with Adwest and also South Kolhar may be necessary in order to remove fascism from the region for good.Democracy was at stake.

[DeSchaine]

10 Quartyr, 1588

"He did what?"

"Disolved their parliment and arrested some of the MP's."

"You're kidding." Gerry Adams was slightly incredulous at the news.

"No, Minister. I wish I was." replied Deputy Foreign Minister for Kvaennan Affairs Amhra Ó Manacháin.

"Bollicks." Adams sighed. "So, what is the state of affairs in SA currently?"

"Not good probably. We'd only just started to put more assets into place to get a feel for the attitude of the people after Sophias visit last month."

"Well, gee, isn't that a coincidence."

"Yes sir, that was the general consensus down in my section. We'd all be very surprised if she wasn't running this from the back door."

"Well, she would be an expert on back doors."

Ó Manacháin coughed a laugh. "As you say, Minister."

"Ok, head back to your section. Keep me informed. I have to take this to the Taoiseach."

Ten minutes later, Adams walked into the outter office of the Taoiseach. "Is he in? We may have a situation."

"He is, but he's on the phone with the Goldecian PM." a secretary said. She got up and opened the door to the inner office for the minister.

"Probably about the same issue." he said as he walked though the door. Taoiseach DeSchaine, with a phone to his ear, motioned for him to take a seat.

"Yeah Joe... I'm about to have a meeting too... Well, I doubt any of us can actually prove she's the one behind it... Yeah, I know it. Anyone with half a brain can connect the dots... Our commitment to Kvaenna is unchanged... Yeah, if it gets to that point, we'll have to conference everyone in... Right, see ya Joe." He shook his head as he hung up the phone. "Let me guess Gerry, SA."

"Yep. My K section people took a little time to go over the footage and some previous information."

"Their conclusions?"

"Not much more than an 'oh shit.' You had it right with the PM. We can't actually prove anything, but we'll take it as truth that Adwest planned this and put it into motion."

"So what's our exposure on this?"

"Politically? None. Everyone knows where we stand on the issues involved. A petty wannabe despot unilaterally takes power? Not going to sit well."

"Good. I'll have Mulcahy in here in a bit. It'll be good to have a line for options."

"Right. Let me know when we need to set up that conference." Adams stood. "This whole thing stinks from the head down." he said as he walked back to his office.