Imperator: Resurrection of an Empire
Chapter 150: The Last Grasp (4)

Chapter 150: The Last Grasp (4)

The days passed, and all the captured traitors had been killed.

The nobles though struggling for their lives finally succumbed to fatigue and slumped off their perch being strangled by the nooses attached to their necks.

Their servants meanwhile having survived a full day of being trapped in the chaos of the torture known as sacking, we easily finished off by another method that would allow them the ability to think about what they had done before death.

Impalement, each was hoisted up atop a wooden stake lining the top of the capital’s city walls.

Each screaming out for hours on end until gravity finally granted their deepest desire to be invited into the cold grasp of death’s embrace.

Volunteers from the populace streamed in to serve the home guard, as squads of these new recruits were formed and trained by each of Zeff’s mercenary slaves, while the liberation army took up position as the standard garrison.

Miri was busy with logistic work given to her by Julius to get a solid accounting of everything of worth within the city.

Julius himself was busy hard at work fabricating everything they would need in the coming days, next to him Serena likewise was hard at work, aiding him in his plans.

But while they were hard at work a steward entered the room to inform the pair that an emissary had arrived, or rather a number of them had arrived at the palace.

After informing him that they would meet these men in the throne room, the steward left.

"Emissary’s?" <Serena>

"I highly doubt they are from other countries, after all, if that were the case they’d have arrived via our harbour, more than likely these will be those sent representing the various factions in the civil war" <Julius>

"But the war is just speculation? Even with the capital back, the rebels will have lost their cause?" <Serena>

"Not quite so, sure some of them will have but all that we really did was split the rebel camp into greater factions, everyone wants power and none want to share it, the way I see it there are probably going to be 2-3 rebel factions, and 3-4 factions claiming to be royalists. We need to be careful with all of them, make sure not to promise anything in there, and above all take all the credit for retaking the capital, that glory is ours, not to be shared with these men and their lords." <Julius>

"It shall be done, Lord Julius" <Serena>

Having risen from the table the queen offered a light bow with her final words, before sticking her tongue out a bit in a mocking gesture.

Shaking his head at her, Julius likewise rose, taking her hand and escorting her to the throne room.

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"Her Majesty Queen Serena the first of her name, Queen of Carthage" <Steward>

We walked into the throne room after being announced by the steward, in the room were 7 men, only 3 of whom took a knee at our entrance the other stood defiantly glaring at the pair of us, as we walked.

After the queen took up the throne, she glared heavily back at the men who’d not kneeled.

Gave a quick wave of her hands at the royal guards standing by with their hands on their blades.

Having spared their lives she continued to scan the men before her, some she knew from her time as the king’s consort but some she had no knowledge of, at least not in person.

"Why have you come to our city?" <Queen Serena>

"Wah! Your city you insolent bit..." <Noble>

Wack!

The man who was standing and began to insult the queen hastily dropped to the floor mid-sentence hands clasping his face as he began to scream in pain.

The other 6 looked on with shocked expressions not understanding just what had happened to the man.

"We will ask again! Why have you come to our city!" <Queen Serena>

More force was put behind her tone the second time she had to ask.

One of the kneeling men was the next to speak.

"You Majesty, this humble Count Bygmore would like firstly to congratulate you on reclaiming" <Count Bygmore>

"Enough flattery and get to the point count there is much work still yet to be done, after all, the mess the rebellion has caused us" <Queen Serena>

Her biting remark shut down the count and the three remaining standing men bit their lips in frustration.

"My apologies, I can’t say for these men, but I and these two with me are here to aid Her Majesty in reestablishing the royal line, and rule over our country." <Count Bygmore>

"We thank you for your offer Count, but we feel in these trying times it is in our, and this city’s best interest to not accept help as this time, one cannot know where one’s true loyalties lie, can they not?" <Queen Serena>

The queen’s rejection of their assistance now caused the three kneeling men to scowl while the four others save the man still writhing on the ground to lighten their moods some.

Plainly put the Queen was declaring her neutrality, to stay out of the war in a way, and by way of neutrality let the victor come and claim the capital and herself as the spoils of victory.

But oh how they were wrong to assume this.

"Our people have suffered greatly, and it is our hope this conflict between houses can come to a swift end. Thank you Noble lords for coming here today, we must go now and tend to matters of the state" <Queen Serena>

The queen stood and walked off out of the room.

Julius opted to stay behind as he’d done before with the palace servants.

Using unit inspection he was able to identify that 4 of these men served separate lords, while only three were truly united in their cause.

Surprisingly these three were the standing nobles aside from the first man who’d been struck in the face by a slingshot, shattering the unsuspecting man’s nose.

Having taken her leave most of the guards likewise followed leaving only one guard per envoy and Julius himself left in the room.

The envoys began shouting at one another as a verbal battle broke out, each posturing and claiming the advantage their own sides had.

surprisingly none brought up the queen or the city itself, but Julius still gleamed a good amount of information from these men.

Throughout their posturing, he gathered that the 5 factions had all armies that were headed towards the capital, with the capital under their control support for their own faction would grow, but with the queen having declared her intent to stay out of it, the capital needed to be taken first.

Other armies existed fighting against the other factions but the true war would come to a head before the capital walls itself.

The men were sent off and ensured that they’d left the city.

Julius meanwhile set off to find the queen to begin their next phase.