Herald of Steel



Morning came the next day and Alexander completely missed it.

The day was overcast and biting cold, which meant it was the perfect environment to laze on the bed the entire day.

So, he only managed to drag his body out of the warm quilt at around lunch.

And that too was only because Cambyses had poked and prodded him to get ready for the feast arranged for him.

So after having a warm bath and putting something decent on, Alexander finally joined the small gathering.

And found it consisting of him and the usual girls, and taking place inside the private dining room they always had their meals.

The only difference was that the meals and ingredients were much fancier, even for him.

There was egg benedict, jam and muffins, various pasta dishes, bird tongue soup, a whole roasted peacock, various cakes, puddings, and much more.

"We thought we would celebrate the whole day. So since you missed breakfast, here's your breakfast and lunch together." Cambyses explained the slightly weird menu, as Mean heaped the food on his place.

While Mikaya skipped all the savory dishes and got to eating her strawberry cake and pudding straightaway.

The girl had a surprising sweet tooth, and she had fallen in love with this 'cake' dish.

"Alex, I really missed your cooking these days. So delish,"

And it seemed that she had no problem equating Alexander with a cook, something he was gotten used to by now as he cut into the perfectly poached egg.

It appeared to be a harmonious table, as the guests all began to enjoy the various rich, flavorful dishes.

Until The Queen Mother spoke up.

"This feast is a great and luxurious one. Has Your Grace considered whether he might be able to have one again?" The thirty-two-year-old curtly asked across the table.

Her displeasure was clear to all.

In fact, she had been furious when she learned of the Jabel offensive a day after it was launched.

She had rudely barged into Cambyses's chamber and demanded to be escorted to Jabel, and when Cambyses declined saying, "I have no way to arrange that," the enraged woman wanted to send a letter to Ptolomy immediately, for which she wanted access to the messenger birds.

This too was declined, as instructed by Alexander who had foreseen this, with the words, "Alex, will be back in two to three days. And he will personally explain his action then. So, until then please trust us."

So now that Alexander had returned, Seelima was very eager to hear his excuse.

In fact, she was so eager that barely slept the night prior.

The matter of the treaty and what will be Amenheraft's reaction hearing about Alexander's attack kept her eyes from resting, as evidenced by the dark circles under her eyes.

So she spent the entire night coming up with the speech she would blast Alexander with if he could not provide her with a sufficient reason for razing and killing so many nobles so recent to the treaty.

And then, much to her chagrin, morning came but no Alexander.

She was told he was soundly sleeping, while she could not get a wink, which added to her sour mood.

And thus she was in no mood to make house around the dinner table.

"*Smile*," Alexander gave a light smile hearing this impatient tone for the first time.

He had assumed this woman to be rock solid.

'Should I tell her the truth? That I attacked only because I felt that Amenheraft would not dare break the truce and that she should trust me,' Alexander half-joked.

He knew that if he really said so, The Queen Mother might really annul their alliance then and there.

And so he decided not to poke this fuming tigress.

"The reason we attacked Jabel is a long one. Perhaps it would be better to wait after the feast," Alexander politely asked.

"I think now would be best. Because I'm unable to enjoy the feast otherwise," The Queen mother was truly impatient.

Worry had made everything she had eaten in the last few days taste like ash and she really needed the reason.

Because as an insider, she knew exactly how much Ptolomy needed that treaty and respite.

"Mmmm, we are not hungry. So tell us," And Mikaya too, in a rare show of solidarity supported her.

It appeared even she was worried about Alexander's little excursion, though the way she was stuffing her mouth with cake and cream went quite a long way to hide it.

So Alexander detailed, "We attacked Jable because we heard creditable talks of an impending attack against us prepared from there. And decided to launch a preemptive strike against it. But we were wrong in that…."

Alexander paused abruptly to see the reaction and was surprised and even a bit disappointed to see that The Queen mother had not lashed out at him.

"..." The veteran court woman only kept looking with a silent nonchalant facade, as if to say, 'Go on, tell me more. Because if that's all that you have to say, then we are done.'

It seemed that Seelima was storing all her rage to explode at once and she decided that if this was the only case, she would not only simply storm out of this dining room but even out of Zanzan.

'Patient woman,' Alexander praised seeing this and then deciding this was not the time to play such mind games, added.

"We were wrong in thinking that the attack was going to come from the Jabel. Or that its scale would be limited to the native nobles…"

"What!" The Queen Mother finally could not hold back her surprise.

If this was true, then it would be huge.

"Alex, why do yo usay that?" Even Mikaya was moved, as she asked for proof.

And Alexander was happy to provide them, as he brought up a stack of paper from his thick coat, and passed them to not only The Queen Mother, and Mikaya, but also the twins and Cambyses and the girls to review.

He knew this topic would come up sooner and later, and had come prepared as he introduced the paper, "When we attacked Jabel, by luck we managed to also capture Pasha Muazz's eldest son Maizdy along with the other nobles. And then under coercion, one of the nobles then let slip that this big fish was there to lead an army from Kuleef which would be later this month. It's all there."

Alexander's nonchalant way of delivering this bombastic news did not in any way detract from its potency.

Both the Queen Mother and Mikaya's hearts skipped a beat hearing the name Maizdy, and they were shocked to hear that an army from Kuleef would be coming in around twenty days.

So they read and carefully re-read the piece to confirm the news, while also looking for any obvious discrepancy that would reveal that this paper was forged.

Because oh, how they wished this was a forgery.

For the truth would really be too inconvenient.

".....where…where is Maizdy," This was the Queen mother's first concern, and she asked the question with a slight shake of the voice.

She knew very well how much Muazz spoiled his son, and had even met the rotten brat a few times.

Which was also why she was afraid of what would the Pasha's reaction be if he found his favorite son was killed.

"....Unfortunately he perished in a sudden freak fire that engulfed the mansion right after our talk. We had no time no save him. Or any of the nobles still trapped in there," Alexander gave the memorized shameless answer.

"....Your Azhak has gotten pretty good," Seelima could only spit this out through her clenched teeth in frustration.

She had guessed the answer even before she asked it.

Because if Alexander had captured such a high-profile target, he would be most likely be dining with them.

"Why did you kill a noble? Why did you not ransom him?" This innocent question was posed by Azira.

Who was joined by her Azura, who said, "That's right, that's right," with strong nods of her head, and piously adding, "Don't you believe in the teaching of Ramuh? It's clearly said, 'It is sinful for anyone to kill a noble outside of combat. One who does so, is as if he has turned himself from a man to a beast!"

'Should I say that I don't believe in Ramuh's faith? Or that this was written by the nobles to control the peasants?' Alexander jokingly commented in his heart looking at the somewhat angry twins, before actually saying,

"Ahh..hahaha, yes, yes, Your Highnesses are right. I'm still new to the teachings and seems I forgot. Would it be possible to forgive me?"

Alexander even placed his palms together as a sign of sincere apology.

And it worked, as Azira stammered out, "We..well if you are truly repentant.. then we guess it's alright..just once."

And Azura quickly emphasized this, "That's right! Remember it will be just this once. We won't forgive you again, hmm."

"Thank you, thank you," Alexander exaggeratedly praised, while the rest of the table watched this play with dispassionate gazes.

And as Alexander returned to his meal, he particularly felt The Queen Mother's gaze, which seemed to be smoldering.

It appeared Alexander was again being asked to explain his actions.

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