Intervention

January 21st, Imperial Year 880
Fort Abellanum, County of Grabouie

A parade of carriages, knights, and soldiers marched around the castle grounds, Galerian banners flying alongside Aranbari ones. A young man gazed out at the military parade, his hand on his forehead.

"Your highness." A white robed archbishop approached the man, and bowed before him.

"I don't like this at all Father Simos." Alex shook his head as he sat down on a plush chair, in front of an oak table. "I can't see anything good about having Aranbari soldiers within Galerian territory long term."

"Your highness, my correspondent in the Aranbari court assured me that they do not hold any irredentist views towards Ekuna County." The bishop took a few slow steps towards Alex. "With the Caermor backing the Red Rose Banner of Crown Princess Calli, I believe it is about time you let go of this pointless stubbornness and accept Aranbari intervention, or accept eventual defeat."

"Perhaps so." Alex looked to the side, trying to keep a calm demeanor. "All of Andoria has had their eyes on Galeria for the past ten months, Father. And only now that there appears to be no end in sight do they start sending in support." Alex hung his head. "Calli is no fool. She may be our enemy, but I will admit that she is intelligent. There's no doubt she knew exactly what she was doing." He gave Simos a sideeye. "And no doubt, what we are doing as well."

There was a knock on the door.

"Your majesty, the Duke of Enko is ready for the final confirmation."

"So, the ceremony comes to a close." Alex said, getting up. "Allow him in."

An elderly man with a long beard entered the room, his head bowed. Several nobles, of Aranbari and Galerian origin entered the room, filling into the seats that flanked the throne. After a few minutes, the elderly man raised his head, and walked up to Alex, a scroll in hand.

"Your highness." The man lowered his head.

"You may gaze upon me, Lord Enko. I, Alexander Aureol, order you to lift your head and speak to me." Alex replied, and Lord Enko stood up, looking straight into Alex's face. He unfurled the scroll.

"I Luken Enko, Duke of Enko, servant of the Lord of the Aranbari , come before you, with the treaty of friendship between Aranbar and rightful Galerian monarch. May we finalize this decision with haste."

"Thank you for your duty, Lord Enko. I, Alex Aureol of Galeria, accept this alliance! Henceforth, Aranbar and Galeria are united in cause -" Alex spoke, as he motioned a few servants to bring wax over - "and we shall drive the rebel pretenders, and their foreign mercenaries from our lands."

The servant dripped wax onto the seal parchment, making sure to create a broad circle shape. Alex stood up, and pressed his ring onto the wax parchment, creating a small imprint of the Aureol stamp onto the paper. 

Simos watched carefully, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Your highness, may we see you upon the throne of Galeria someday." Lord Enko bowed his head as the treaty was taken. The other nobles applauded, and began to file out of their benches. "Ah, your highness, may I ask a personal question?" 

"You may proceed." Alex said, as he gave another look at Simos, who was gazing at the plates of food that were currently being wheeled in. The archbishop broke his sightlines from the oncoming banquet, rapidly focusing on Lord Enko, eyes narrowed.

"My grandchildren, Marco and Viola, are a part of your army. I have yet to see my daughter in fifteen years, and I may ask, if you will grant me an extension to my stay, so that I may see my daughter and her children. It has not been easy to see her after her marriage to a foreign noble."

"You may. If the King of Aranbar asks, I will assure him that it was my idea to keep you here longer."

"Thank you, your highness. I believe Marco and Viola were your friends during your academy days? They wrote me many letters..."

"Yes, they certainly were. Thank you, Lord Enko. It has been a while since I too have talked to them."

Simos turned back around as Lord Enko took his leave and headed for the platters, a look of relief and contempt etched onto the archbishop's face.

***

"How do you feel?"

"Conflicted, perhaps."

"Hmph." 

Aeneas crossed his legs, causing the scrycast to crackle. A plume of dust shot into the air, causing Simos to cough. 

"This is not a good idea, Aeneas. Foreign intervention in Galeria will only weaken our position. More eyes on Galeria can not be a good thing."

"It was inevitable, Father Simos. Besides...I can't deny, it opens a lot of new opportunities."

"Tell me, how did Calli react to the suggestion of Caermorian...assistance?"

"Much the same."

"A keen lot, these Aureols. I maintain my belief that Alex and the Blue Banner will provide a more optimal outcome in victory."

"There is no need to worry about who wins, Father. I have managed to induct a few...allies into my orbit."

"So your little cult grows. Tell me, which nobles have you managed to corrupt into your cause?"

"Can I say the entire Red Rose Banner?" Aeneas joked, quite uncharacteristically, a strange smile forming on his face.

Simos rolled his eyes.

"Who have you inducted into your orbit, and how much do they know, you fool?" Simos snarled as Aeneas chuckled.

"Houses Spaletti, Fiorenzo, and Lascarini are economically intertwined within our trade network." Aeneas paused. "I've had quite a few philosophical debates with a few of their scions. The most interesting was the Fiorenzo boy, Rayne."

Simos put his hand on his chin, a look of intrigue on his face.

"Rayne Fiorenzo himself? Quite the rising star in the Red Banner, I've heard."

"He seemed rather opposed to my ideals, but he respected them all the same."

"Can he be used?"

"Absolutely." Aeneas's lip curled upwards. "Like a fiddle."

"I must say, Aeneas," Simos said with a laugh, "Well done. Well done, Aeneas." The two men looked at each other through the scrycast, with an amused look on each other's faces.

"With Rayne, and by that extent, House Fiorenzo on the Cordelia payroll, I believe I can say the Red Rose faction is effectively ours as well."

"How did you do it? I suppose, I can vaguely see the vision, but I do plead the details, Aeneas."

"Rayne met me early on, to talk about the Cordelia silver mines. I sense some intelligence from the boy, so I'm pretending to take him under my wing."

"So he isn't one of us, I assume. I presume he is clueless to...all this."

"I suspect he might know something due to my request to retrieve the old experimental logs of Caliros in the Thame estate under the guise of recruiting them three months back, but I assured him it was simply for security reasons."

"So you needed it after all." Simos smirked. "Did you find anything good?"

Aeneas produced a few sheets of paper from his side.

"Only fragments. The Thames barely seemed to understand what they were sitting on."

"Shame, shame. By the way Aeneas, how does Phoebe do? Our former star student has been rather quiet these days. Do her classmates not ask?"

"That, is none of your business, Simos. Well, 'ta-ta' Archbishop." Aeneas smirked, then with a puff, his image disappeared from the room.

Simos's smile faded from his face as soon as the scrycast shut off. 

"Is anyone outside?"

"Yes, your holiness." A young deacon with long brown hair approached Simos. "I am here."

"Lanius, my good man. I have a special mission for you."

"Anything you ask Father, in the name of the saints." Simos leaned over to the man's ear.

"I want you to fake a defection to the Red Rose Banner, and find the Count of Cordelia. I want details of his every move." Phocas looked up at Simos, surprise in his eyes.

"Your holiness, the count is one of our allies, he-"

"I need information. Or it will be your neck."