Valor's Refusal

Claudia sat her chair sideways, trying her best to make her hangover go away. She rubbed her temples as she took another sip of wine, trying to cover it up with even more alcohol. Finding her headache still present, she leaned her head back, and reached out for a glass of water. The door to the room opened.

"My lady." Aeneas knelt before her, and stood back up.

Great, another headache had just entered the room.

"Aeneas." Claudia grasped her head. "I'm having a moment here. Can't you wait just a few hours?"

"Are we really abandoning Eldingenau?" 

"Eldingenau, Eldingenau, Eldingenau." Claudia shook her head. "Is that all you have on your mind, lately?"

"Is it not on yours?" Aeneas sighed, and looked up at the Regent, who was looking far less dignified than normal. "Your grace, I say that not diverting our soldiers to Eldingenau is a mistake. The city will not hold."

"And what makes you so sure of that? Eldingenau is the city that held during the War of Light and Dark against a much larger force. The walls are impregnable."

"150 years ago, not now. Times are different, the curtain walls may as well be made out of straw. We need to send reinforcements now. Before it's too late."

"It's harvest season, Aeneas. I have no doubt Empyrea's armies would need to return home. It's time for their rotations."

"Not with Eldingenau right in front of them. They obviously bring the newest bombards with them. Eldingenau will fall within a matter of days."

"So what do you suggest we do, interrupt our harvest to block out the Empyreans? Hopefully Regina will reach us in time before the capitol falls to rebels." Claudia massaged her throbbing head. Aeneas looked down.

"I can send in the capital legions. The men under my command would be willing to follow me, and I have no doubt that I would be able to gather some of the reserves as well."

"So, you'll try to capture a city with a thousand men." Claudia stretched. "A wonderful waste of lives, Aeneas, but I'm not interested in seeing pointless death."

"We can send in the imperial guards as well." Aeneas looked up at her face. "Valor 'Company' has around 20 battalions." Aeneas rolled his eyes at the word 'company', and continued. "Valor can spare eighteen battalions. If we add the Palatine Guard and Celerian Knights and we could scrape roughly ten thousand. That plus Eldingenau's fortifications would be enough to turn the tide. And that's not even counting the volunteers we can get from Valengenau, which we can stop by on the way there." Aeneas looked up.

"And who will keep me safe in the capitol then, hmm?" Claudia turned upwards and got off the chair, a slight wobble in her steps betraying her attempt at regal normality. "You don't possibly expect me to hold my own capitol with a thousand men. Besides, Valor Company won't move away from the city without the Glaive of Eados, so unless you're planning on taking the Glaive with you, there's no point." Claudia crossed her arms.

"My lady, I will take all the glaives in the world if I can stop the Empyrean from ravaging our lands. We cannot possibly be suggesting that Eldingenau stand on it's own. At least order Eldingenau to be burned and evacuated, not this trite!" Claudia slammed back down into her chair as she rubbed her forehead again.

"It's too late now, my dear Aeneas, and I am tired. No, Aeneas. My answer is no."

~~*~~

"I'm sorry." Aeneas shook his head. "I couldn't get anything."

"Huh? You promised me. Uncle!" Eliza looked at him, shaking her head. "My brother, the Bernice siblings...you're telling me that we abandon them all."

"I'm a commander of the Empire, I can't only focus on Iwen. The whole Empire comes first." Aeneas hated himself for saying that, but what choice did he have?

"That's Claudia speaking, not you uncle." Eliza crossed her arms. Several unicorn banners paraded beside them over the hedgerows as the marching of steel boots could be heard from the other side. "You're using the whole empire as an excuse, but in truth, you're just afraid, aren't you? Saving Eldingenau would be advantageous both for the empire and for Iwen, but here you are cowering behind excuses. You're treating this like defending Eldingenau wouldn't benefit both."

"I already told you. I'm sorry Eliza, I'm truly sorry." Aeneas looked down. "I...I don't know what else to say. I really don't. I can't sacrifice the capital for Eldingenau, let alone Iwen."

"Valor Company only serves the regent's chair, nothing more. When's the last time they've tried actually protecting the realm?" Eliza made a face. "I don't trust them. They're just Claudia's goons."

"They protect the shrines. And the sacred weapon. That's...an important task, you know." Aeneas couldn't believe he was saying what he said, but he continued. "Look Eliza, I don't know. I think the same way as you."

"There are thousands of possible volunteers in the city." A Eliza closed her eyes and shook her head. "You can't possibly be giving up before you've even tried, can you? We have many capable fighters here. I could join in as well." A sly smile appeared on her face.

Aeneas looked down at Eliza, and closed his eyes. Elysius, he thought. I sometimes see you in Eliza, you know?

"Alright, look. I know what your game is. If you want to join the volunteer relief forces evacuating the outer fortresses, I can't stop you." Aeneas sighed as he internally apologized to Kaleia. "But nothing more. Your mother may have already lost a son, and I don't want her to lose her daughter too. Is that clear?"

"Huh?" Eliza looked up at Aeneas, surprised.

"Don't play dumb. I know what you want." Aeneas sighed. "I'll ask regent Claudia again, if we can set forth a small relief force, to stop Empyrean skirmishers. But nothing more! I'm not going to end up like Generals Suvilis Amartan, Stoyas Vesara, or Irada Sevatus. We're skirmishers, not an offensive army being sent to crush them. Understood?" 

Another small smile crept up on Eliza's face.
"Of course, uncle. That's splendid, then." She gave him a little curtsy, a little habit Eliza had when she was feeling thankful.

"Alright." Aeneas put his hand on his chin. "But if that's the case, I'm coming with."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean 'what do you mean?' I'm coming with you. I'm not throwing you into danger without going with you." Aeneas sighed. "I'm going to have to kowtow to your mother after all this is said and done. As I've said, I'll try and ask Claudia again, if I can get her blessing for at least a small raiding party. I can already hear her though, asking me 'what's the point, wouldn't it just be a waste of lives?' Lord Dyeus, I'm going to hope she's not right."

"Thank you, uncle. I'll pack my things. And don't worry, I won't tell mother." The girl spun around as she tried her best to hide the smirk plastered on her face.

"Great." Aeneas said, gazing towards the palace as he usually did. "Alright Ely, I hope you're happy."