There was, however, one exception to the Imperial Family’s broad debasement: the Duchy of Paradille still stood strong in its loyalty toward the throne. It was that loyalty that brought Mahkfa to Ansel, and that drove him to speak with the emperor in person.
“Tell me, Bamba…do you truly believe he’ll lend an ear to my words?” Mahkfa asked, a timid, fainthearted look upon his face.
“That, Milord, is a question with only one means to answer it: meet him and find out for yourself,” Bamba replied. He, as it happened, had been the one to suggest that Mahkfa seek an audience with the emperor. “I would think that he’ll be open to discussing the matter, though, circumstances being as they are,” he added. His reserved optimism did nothing to wipe the anxiety from Mahkfa’s expression.
Mahkfa and Bamba soon arrived at Castle Ranverth, which was situated within the Imperial Capital. They were quickly led to the audience chambers.
“Lord Mahkfa. A pleasure indeed to see you,” Shakhma, the empire’s chancellor, said as he stepped up to greet the duke. Just behind Shakhma, the emperor sat upon his throne. He was still a young boy, with a rather sickly look to his face.
“We are most honored by your willingness to grant us this audience, Your Majesty,” Mahkfa said, taking a knee a moment later.
“Rise, loyal Mahkfa,” the emperor, Charles, replied in a soft, somewhat feeble voice. “We shall always have time to spare for our most dedicated of subjects.”
“I thank you, Your Majesty,” Mahkfa said, standing once more.
“Now then,” said Shakhma, “I am to understand that you requested this audience out of a desire to bring a petition directly to His Majesty’s attention. I am afraid, however, that as pressing matters demand His Majesty’s attention, I will be hearing your request on his behalf.”
The emperor did little to no governing of his own. Everything was left in his chancellor’s hands instead, and this matter would be no exception. The emperor took his leave just moments later, rising from his throne and stepping out of the chamber. Mahkfa was unmoved as he watched him go. He’d been well aware that the meat of the conversation would occur between him and Shakhma.
“Let us discuss the matter at hand, then,” Shakhma said once the emperor had departed. “I understand that you wish to make a request regarding how Missian will be dealt with in the future?”
“Correct. Through use of a new form of weaponry known as an airship, Missian has forced the withdrawal of the Duchy of Seitz from the Summerforth Empire, pressing the territory into becoming Missian’s vassal state. It is my firm belief that Missian will go on to mass produce these weapons and use them in a bid to lay claim to all of Summerforth,” Mahkfa explained, doing his best to emphasize just how much of a threat Missian posed.
“The situation in Missian is indeed most regrettable,” said Shakhma. “However, it is somewhat difficult to believe that these so-called airships could enable such a feat. Are they truly that dangerous?”
“Though our forces have yet to engage one directly, we are aware that an airship proved capable of razing a Seitzan city in the blink of an eye. It was the airship’s power that forced Ashude to capitulate to Missian’s demands. I cannot overstate the terror that those vessels bring─they fly far above the battlefield, raining death down from beyond any conventional weapon’s reach. Worse still, explosive magic─which only Missian’s forces have access to─is well-suited to being used in that manner. There are precious few means by which it could be countered,” Bamba explained.
“Hmm… I suppose that Seitz’s capitulation is evidence enough that these weapons are not to be trifled with. What, then, would you ask of His Majesty in regard to them, Lord Mahkfa?” Shakhma asked.
“I would petition him to form a combined force for the sake of bringing Missian to heel, ordering the dukes of each duchy to contribute soldiers to the cause,” Mahkfa replied.
“A combined force with which to wage war on Missian…? Interesting. In short, you would hope to bring together every duchy other than Seitz to oppose them. I am sure you are aware, however, that with the exception of Paradille, those very duchies are controlled by disloyal fiends who often ignore His Majesty’s imperial word. Rofeille, our neighbor to the north, even starts skirmishes within our own Ansel on a regular basis. I question whether such spurious allies would be willing to join in the effort at all,” Shakhma replied. His words, Mahkfa knew, carried a great deal of truth.
However just a cause defeating Missian might be, the empire coming together to fight as one was difficult to imagine. And yet, Bamba had an answer ready for Shakhma’s skepticism.
“The threat posed by Missian is one felt by all duchies equally, Your Lordship. Seitz has already been forced into a position of subservience, and it’s plain to see that any duchy that engages Missian on its own will suffer the same fate. Even disregarding the airship factor, Missian’s army is far too mighty to overcome with a single duchy’s force. I believe we should first call together the remaining dukes for a council. That, at least, is an order they’ll be willing to heed, and once we’ve explained the grave threat that Missian poses, I’m certain that a number of duchies will choose to cooperate.”
“A council of dukes…?” Shakhma muttered.
“To further incentivise cooperation,” Bamba continued, “his Lordship Mahkfa will, in his capacity as Duke of Paradille, dispatch letters to the other dukes urging their participation. Paradille’s ties with the other duchies run deep, and I do not believe they will dismiss our word out of hand.”
Located in the center of the continent as it was, Paradille shared borders with all of the other duchies. Inconvenient terrain that made the duchy difficult to invade was part of how it had managed to maintain its existence in such perilous circumstances, but even more significant was Paradille’s skillful management of its relations with its neighbors. At the moment, Paradille was on good terms with all of the other duchies, excluding the obvious Missian. Diminished though their loyalty to the empire was, twin letters from the emperor and the Duke of Paradille could still carry enough weight to compel them to attend a conference─or at least, that was the gambit that Bamba had chosen to bet on.
“Hmm─a fair point. Summons from His Majesty and Lord Mahkfa would indeed be difficult for them to disregard,” Shakhma admitted. “Difficult, though not impossible by any means. Nevertheless, I can see the merit in making an attempt. Consider your request granted. I will see to it that letters are sent to the dukes at once.”