“Better nations have risen in the ashes. The Emperor of the Sands leads his armies across the deserts even now! The other nations break their armies upon his forces as he rises in the west. Nerrhavia sits fat and indolent to the south, and Medain pushes ever southwards against Jecrass and Belchan. While our people starve, Germina’s agents flit about, and the Quarass and Hellios test our borders. I have told you this time and time again, Lord! If you will not take the throne, why do you ask it of me?”
To the north, nations like the realm of Belchan which was a parliamentary government who elected a [Minister], and the Republic of Jecrass, who had a [King], ruled. Minor powers, but powers nonetheless. West of Germina was the land of Kheltha, of course, and no one threatened them. They had stayed out of the war with Flos.
“Perhaps. It need not come to that. But I wish to secure Hellios. If we do, we’ll have ample time to react to any threat coming from the north. There are a trio of nations bordering our lands at the moment to the north and east. Of them, the realm of Belchan and the Jecrass Republic are closest. Even so, Belchan is eight days north of Hellios’ capital even with a marching Skill for any army. No danger—unless we’re attacked from multiple spots at once.”
“All the countries that could threaten Reim, at least in the short term. You see this nation to our west? Khelt. And these two northern countries north of Hellios and Germina? Those are the Republic of Belchan, to the west, and the Realm of Jecrass, respectively.”
Trey peered at all three nations. Khelt bordered Reim, at least, according to Flos’ map. And Belchan and Jecrass were both around Germina and Hellios in size.
“Belchan is home to one of the [Mage] schools in Chandrar, not nearly as famous as Wistram, but still important. Moreover, it is a fruitful place—you see, it gets more water, as do the nations on the coasts. Jecrass is known for its fine horses, and I know their [King], Raelt, of old. But he was ‘only’ on the level of the Quarass, so I suppose both nations are ‘only’ as militarily powerful as Germina and Hellios.”
The King of Destruction had kept on outlining countries as he spoke, taking time to make them properly squiggly, as Trey saw it. Two nations appeared north of Belchan and Jecrass, and a very large kingdom appeared south of Reim, only separated by the tiny strips of no-man’s land. To the left, Flos drew a few other states, a long strip of a country, a weird, tiny circle, and two more nations. Then the King of Destruction flexed his hand and grimaced.
He tapped the map. Trey stared. Four nations north of Hellios and Germina, including Belchan and Jecrass, the huge nation to the south of Reim, and four smaller countries to the southwest.
And there had been some adversity. And strife. And just a smidgen of cataclysm. But King Raelt had led his nation, the Realm of Jecrass through it all and he could look at himself in the mirror and not blink. Those were enviable qualities in a leader of people. So Raelt was a decent [King] if viewed from that lens.
On the other hand, Raelt was no monarch to sing songs about, at least in his mind. He was no Siren of Savere or Quarass with countless years of history and a unique country to manage and culture to draw upon. Jecrass had its quirks, but it was no Pomle.
So, he was not famous. He was a decent [King]. And Raelt had been content to live that way. He would have spun out his entire reign as [King] of Jecrass, a small country north of Hellios and Germina and just south of the big players on Chandrar’s northeastern coast quietly trying to improve his realm. Arguing with his court, practicing his hobbies (of which he only had one he was truly good at), and worrying over his daughter as she grew up.
“But sire, please, let us at least gather a few more figures of note. Jecrass should be united as its most important figures hear out the King of Destruction’s words.”
The King of the Jecrass eyed their apprehensive faces. Why did they hesitate? As if not hearing the letter’s contents would delay the worst? Raelt sighed loudly.
The man shut up. Raelt kept speaking, looking around the room. He was vaguely pleased to see more than a few faces had paled. Men and women looked up at him. Humans of various shades of skin, but all Human. In Chandrar, a few races accounted for most of the population. String People. Garuda. But Humans most of all. Jecrass was a land of Humans, and sometimes Raelt wondered, if he had been a String Person and ruled the Stitch People, whether his life would have been easier. He spoke into the silence, curtly.
