Queen Azelia, accompanied by Minister Adrog and First General Hemlocke on her sides, were walking on their way to the throne room. The sounds of shoes hitting the marble floors were noticeable for everyone inside the palace, especially Queen Azelia's heels.
"How long has he been waiting?", asked Queen Azelia to Minister Adrog with a serious face and laced with serious tone. Her voice is firm.
"In about 10 minutes, Your Majesty", he replied.
"10 minutes? Really? How come we weren't notified earlier, Adrog?", Hemlocke asked with a surprised tone. His legs nearly slowed down the walking pace.
"I tried searching you guys for that long, you know. Now quick, he's very serious and looked mad last I saw him", Adrog answered.
Soon, the throne room doors opened and the trio arrived on the throne room. At the end of the room, laid the throne where Queen Azelia sits and discuss serious issues and matters with her assistants. On the floor, a black man wearing a redcoat was standing, his face against the throne while waiting the Queen to arrive. Soon as they entered, the redcoat man turned back and faced them.
"Good Evening, Queen Azelia, 7th Ruler of Khatardak.. Daughter of King Azherm", the man said mischievously. Clearly making the trio as shocked as they can be.
"How the-how did you know those infos?!", First General Hemlocke shouted angrily before pulling out his sword out of its sheathe on his left. Then, he immediately aim the sword to the man's forehead.
"Tell me how did you know that info.... Tha-"
"Don't be so shocked. I study about you guys for like... 3 days before this meeting. Not so much known, but still, wisdom is wisdom",the man replied. His voice is stern yet it sounds like he's really testing the heck out of Queen Azelia.
At this point, Queen Azelia was shaken hard by the words coming out from the man's mouth. She now understood that the man right in front of them is none other than a threat to them.
"I am Captain Oufouni Djabu, representing War Sergeant Cayden Haig in this issue... Ehem. My question is simple, why did you kill our soldier? In the Karlian Forest", he asked with a firm and serious tone, his Zambian accent thick. His gaze penetrating the very sheer confidence of Queen Azelia.
Azelia gulped. Never once in her lifetime had she met such a bold gaze on her, never even once. And the first time she faced it, her legs tremble, shaking obviously before Minister Adrog stepped in front of her, to cover her shakiness from the very own Captain Oufouni's sight.
"You're a rude guest. You didn't seem to give us even a pinch of respect, and you're here blaming us for your soldier's death on us", Adrog claimed but his words are far from truth.
Hemlocke felt a bit guilty, as he himself knew that Oufouni's soldier was killed by Knight Eldah, one of the four Elite Warriors of Khatardak Empire. He bit hit lips before stepping in front of Captain Oufouni, easily towering him with his horse part.
"The truth is-", the throne door suddenly opened wide shocking everyone in the room. The door then revealed the Elite Warriors, who are Eldah, Alwien, Syansh and Hais. The group barged into the room without permission and Eldah, who lead them instantly walked right next to Hemlocke.
Eldah cleared her throat before saying aggressively.
"I kill your soldier. It was me, Knight Eldah of the Elves. You want to know why? Why is your soldier somehow inside the Karlian Forest, which are nowhere near any border of ours. This meant you're trespassing first. That's one. And to add shit on, your soldier killed my partner, Elduy! ", she stopped a bit when saying Elduy's name.
But she suppressed her sorrow with a pinch on her right thigh before continuing.
" He's the first one who kill one of us. So that's two! And now you're here, threatening us over something we aren't in the wrong in the first place!", she pulled out her sword before aiming the tip to Oufoundi face. He stepped back a bit, clearly trying not to get himself hurt.
But deep down, this is all according to War Sergeant Cayden Haig's plan. To spark a war so the operation can be done without an issue.
"I see. I don't care. You could have told my soldier to get out from there. Or even jailed him for a while. Yet you chose the most unconventional option, to kill. Don't you have shame for yourself?", he said so great that made Eldah realised what he's talking about, and her eyes opemed big, her sword slowly faced the ground.
" You're still in the wrong. Eldah, you said right? I'll bring you to my base so it will be even between our two sides", he said with his confidence tone. He tried reaching for Eldah's right wrist but he was stopped. By who? Queen Azelia. She put her left palm on top of his wrist, gripping it firm.
"I won't let you do anything here just like however you want. You're in MY kingdom, MY territory! So ask ME first before doing any shit you want here!", she said angrily while gripping his wrist with more force each sentence she said.
However, he didn't take her seriously. He smirked and easily ungripped her grip on his wrist." It won't be yours for long", he said confidently while showing off his confidence to her.
Once she heard that sentence, her anger could not be contained. She tried punching him in the face, but before she could throw one, Hemlocke stopped her by pulling her hand back. "Your majesty, calm down! He's just making a threat, no more than that! He's not going to really go to war against us!", he said with a firm and a bit angered tone. He's also angered by the words said by Oufouni.
"Going to war against you guys? Hrmm.. I would go to war against you guys. Even right now and right here if you want. But.... Would you sacrifice years of peace just for a simple issue? After all, I only ask for my soldier's killer to turned down, no more than that", Captain Oufouni said with a sly tone, trying to spark a war.
"As much as I hate war, it's not me who will start the war. This war had already started the moment your soldier put their feet on our land. YOU are going pay for what you did", Hemlocke declared to Oufouni.
Azelia now locked eyes with Oufouni before stepping up to him.
"I, Queen Azelia, Ruler of Khatardak Empire, hereby, declared war upon you! Upon your so called War Sergeant Cayden Haig! Let everyone inside this room know what I said! And I swear to you were not going down easily!", she shouted in front of his face, her saliva even splurted out a bit to his face, yet he remained composed and unfazed.
"As a representative for War Sergeant Cayden Haig, I also hereby declared war upon Khatardak Empire. May the winner survives and thrives", Captain Oufouni said with full of ego while smirking to Queen Azelia. He then turned away and left the throne room.
Once outside, he rode on his brown horse before leaving the palace. His departure was seen by the Elite Warriors.
"He's too full of himself. Too egoistic, too full of himself", Mage Hais while staring intently to the disappearing sight of Oufouni.
Alwien took a deep breath before preparing himself to talk.
"Even if he did, he's not scared of even any of us. His eyes... Seems to tell the truth.. This war had begun. And I had a bad feeling about it... You guys.. Just don't die please", he said shakily before turning away and leaving them.