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Chapter 50 – Misery...

Teleporting back to headquarters, I talked with Luna, Queen Xristiana and King Daniel regarding my talk with Hakim. All of them were intrigued about how I managed to do it, mostly thinking that I will betray them at some point but nevertheless I stood firm without giving them an explicit reason to continue the battle.

Reality was that even if King Bartholomew joined the rest of the forces, human side would never be able to win over creatures. They were more powerful in strength, resistant to magic up to some point, and the most important of all was that they were under one rule and co-operating with each other. Everybody did understand it, but either ignorance or pride was not letting them swallow the idea of possible defeat.

I argued that they shouldn’t attack until Bartholomew arrived. We would have a round table regarding truce after Bartholomew’s arrival and flow of negotiations would be left to future deals.

As time passed, more and more nobles joined my side. Actually it was more like Duchess Luna von Raden’s side. Everyone thought that Luna was the one orchestrating everything behind the curtains and I was the main puppet on the stage following her each and every order. By the way, during this time Gorn has grown into an exceptional size. He was flying over to Cursed Lands, eating and crushing wild animals. Gorn was bigger than an average hill.

Luna was a smart girl. She would grow into a great woman. Nobles were siding with her, because most of the people knew that she had a role in stopping the possible massacre of humans by creatures of Cursed Lands without shedding a drop of human blood. This meant that she was the most notorious candidate to King Bartholomew’s throne as he had no kids to continue to rule after him.

It took a bit more than a month for Bartholomew to arrive with army. A new giant tent was constructed for him to stay and King Daniel followed by Queen Xristiana were invited into initial talks. Magic barrier was cast onto the tent as a result I couldn’t listen to details of the speech. It took few hours for the rest of the nobles to enter the tent. Nobody had raised any issue and Luna took the initiative...

[Luna]: Few months ago, we were thinking about conquering the Cursed Lands but as of now we are the ones being conquered. Their army has played around with human forces as if a kid playing with toys. Moreover a king has changed to their side. We are in a dire situation!

[Daniel]: We know that!

[Luna]: The question is: should we continue on fighting against an enemy who will massacre us?

[Daniel]: It’s better to live a day in freedom rather than to live 40 years as a slave!

I hated rhetorics but I didn’t want to butt in. It was Luna’s chance and if she was smart enough...

[Luna]: Not as slaves but as equals!

[Daniel]: Another kingdom?

[Luna]: Why not? Isn’t it best for future generations to live in peace in a world with just ONE more kingdom?

[Daniel]: We are talking about monsters!

[Luna]: King Daniel nobody is asking you take a cyclops as a wife! (loud laughs was everywhere) Intelligence wise, they are no less capable than any human.

[Bartholomew]: Enough!

[Bartholomew]: Arrange a meeting with Hakim. Me, Queen Xristiana, King Daniel, King Alexander of Artarian Kingdom, Duchess Luna and her familiar Aslan will be attending it.

King Bartholomew Beaumont decision was accepted with claps. Life is a precious thing and nobody wants to die if they can prolong it. Fortunately for me I was in spotlight, and was not going to miss the negotiations although I will have limited influence in them.

Everyone agreed on that the first and foremost point to be taken into account is making peace. From human perspective, Hakim alone couldn’t stand for whole Cursed Land inhabitants unless there is he is head of state and makes agreement in name of whole nation. The second problem was that even if they build a kingdom in Cursed Lands, every few decades they will still face dry seasons and will have to move to the rest of the world to survive. King Bartholomew, Queen Xristiana, King Daniel and King Alexander had to agree on cutting some lands of their kingdom’s to be given to newly build kingdom if the negotiations went smooth.

In the middle of battle zone a tent was build to accommodate attendee’s of the peace talks. Everything in it was simple, and there was a servant from human side to provide drinks during the conversations. Everyone was shocked seeing Hakim’s size. A small man with big ambitions deciding the new borders of the world was a sight to see. Erekiel and Hakim were the only attendee’s from the other side.

[Hakim]: Thank you for rationally thinking over the situation and coming together to talk about peace!

[Xristiana]: Thank you for being here!

Introductions were made, and everybody knew who they were facing. Top tier of the world was sitting around table to discuss the future of world.

[Alexander]: We should define what we mean by “peace” first?!

Discussions went on for 8 hours a day for the two weeks. Debates on issues as territory boundaries, citizenship(Hakim brought up new law terms which were alien to many), free customs, tax and so on were discussed during two weeks. The end result was that 5 kingdom would trade in territories between each other to give to Jormian and Artarian Kingdom’s so that Kingdom of Jahum could be created not just in Cursed Lands but could have lands in mainland too. Ex monarch of Kingdom of Jorm was protected by Hakim when King Daniel wanted him to be hanged for treason.

There were many differences but I think over time they could overcome them and maybe join into a single kingdom or divide into many and wars in between races and kingdom’s begin. For some it was end of trials and tribulations but in my thinking everything was beginning as of now. Hakim was planning to increase followers of Church of Jahum by making sure that humans could join it too.

At the end of two weeks, when drafts of many were brought up to one proper agreement were signed, I took my issue to Luna and we went to talk to Hakim.

[Me]: Hakim, you told me that you know about portal.

[Hakim]: I may! I said I “may”!

[Me]: Let’s get to it then...

[Hakim]: I will be in tight schedule for the next one year, after that we can talk about it.

I let out my mana to crawl the ground...

[Me]: I do not have that much time!

Erekiel came towards us. Hakim raised his left arm as if telling Erekiel to stop without talking.

[Hakim]: It’s in my interests... (He stopped)

[Hakim]: We should leave now to the monument!

I turned my face to Luna...

[Me]: Would you accompany me to portal? I am not sure if it’s the portal yet, but it seems that Hakim is the best choice what I have for now.

I gazed at her as if my words had not registered, as if she was caught up in her own misery...

Next: Chapter 51 - To Bed...