“So let me understand. You’re saying if I wear that amulet underneath my clothes, I will be able to speak Elvish” the emperor said.

It was the morning of the first meet and Tushar had made his way to the emperor’s office to give me an amulet that held knowledge of elves, the knowledge they desperately needed to avoid being cheated by the elves in the very least.

“Not just that, it is sure to help with the negotiations, you don’t know nothing about their elves, so I got you a little something to help” He smiled “Consider it an apology for my misbehaviour and payment for your knife”

The two stared at each other for a moment in silence “I still want that back” The emperor said, taking the amulet. The spheroid green jewel resembles grass, at this time the sun hasn’t risen enough to reach through the windows, but it was beautiful.

“Make sure to put it under your clothes, it needs to touch your skin to work” Tushar said, that was a lie, the jewel is meant to be ingested for the knowledge to be fully absorbed but if you have it on your person, it can give you access to its expertise but temporary. If the elves find the jewel of the emperor, their outrage would start a war. Elves don’t see humans as equals, the meeting was just a formality, a last kindness before they came to take over their empire.

The meeting proceeded and using the jewel Rasputin was able to speak Elvish and surprise everyone. The elves could no longer hide behind their language, which they used to hide their intentions and information about their home. The emperor left that meeting feeling pleased.

Laughing loudly “Did you see their faces? How did he run to beg?” it was only Tushar and the emperor in the room, Rasputin quickly composed himself as he was Tushar chuckling. “This is going well. What is this? And what else can it do?” The emperor said.

“That would be an information gem, it’s one of the things we stole from them back in the day,” Tushar said.

The emperor's eyes shot open and broke a little bit of a cold sweat as he remembered how he promised to compensate for the things Tushar and his men stole. What would he give to compensate for the gem talk less about the other things they stole. He shivered in his seat as the cold sweat turned to a chill. “What else did you steal?” he asked.

“Just some grains and fruit seeds. The deep north is covered with snow, and the only thing that grows there are the trees of the north, the beasts of the north are much more vicious so there isn’t much to eat. It was wrong but it was the only way to feed the young” Tushar said, the room was serious for a bit.

“If nothing grows there, stealing seeds is pointless” said the emperor whilst admiring the gem trying to gauge its worth.

“No, those seeds could grow anywhere and really fast but the harvest doesn’t birth new seeds” Tushar said. He looked outside to give off a sad mood but spotted Wania and his son leaving, throughout the meet they didn’t have a chance to talk.

“If the queen visits, what would you do?” Agnius said.

“That mighty curious of you.” she said turning around slightly to look at him “I didn’t think of it, elves are new to the empire so I mostly just want to see what she’s truly like, and if possible, I want her as my ally”

“An ally? Against the emperor?!”

“Yes, he would want to remain on their good side, he can’t pressure them since they’re joining the empire as a federation. Free to make their own decisions under our rule” Her voice gradually became colder “It’s the only thing short of killing their leaders”

The two took a walk towards their carriage, before they entered, Tushar walked up to them. “Leaving already? Can’t take no time for your father?” he said.

Agnius turned to face him and Wania stared from her seat not acknowledging him “Greetings to the general, tough meeting we had.” She nodded to his greeting but replied to his words with silence “I would like to talk with my boy.” Agnius glanced at Wania,

“No, we must be on our way, lots to do. You understand, don’t you?” she said

“I see, well I bless your marriage,” he says then takes his leave. Agnius and Wania are further away from the palace “No offence Agnius but we can’t start taking chances. The palace has ears everywhere”

Tushar was left behind in the palace, he wanted to tell his son of what he did, but the boy could take care of himself. The rest of the day was uneventful on the human side, but within the elf residence, the queen was struggling to keep herself today. Her mind was hurting, she tried to treat it but couldn’t remember how, what happened to her memories? What did this to her? She tried to think to question her but as she searched for answers the pain would double.

She tried to enter her mind palace. A mental realm unaffected by time and space, like a state of extreme concentration, a skill taught to her by the previous queen as a right of succession; but it would not open. The shock from this discovery made her faint.

The skill involved moving your consciousness between the realms, having nowhere to go the body collapsed and stayed like that until the conscious returned. When she arose, she found herself how she left but much weaker, she looked around in the dark room, “night must have fallen, but why is it so dark?” she said, getting herself to her feet, slowly walking through the darkness until she reached the door to the terrace, she opened it to let the moonlight in, that was when she saw it, the way it looked in the mirror – the state of her clothes even her skin – the hair had tangled up in different areas, it was no longer the smooth texture that naturally aligned itself.

The clothes seemed a bit oversized and had ceased from rolling on the floor. And her skin had tried to catch up to her age but go up along the way – the wrinkles, and loose skin. What was that she spied around her eye. Are those crows feet?

“No, no, no, no, no, no. This can’t be happening” She panicked and rushed to fix this mess, but obstacles sprouted in her way. She couldn’t turn on the lights in the room – it was the signal for calling the guards, she couldn’t brush her hair for she never owned a comb, and for all her knowledge she did not know how to treat her skin – as the sun must raise so it is for her to be beauty. That doesn’t mean she did not try.

The next day, time had reached for negotiations, and the councilmen gathered outside waiting for the queen to arrive and lead the way, she was a tab late which was surprising, but when she came the attire to had on was even more surprising.

First off, unlike her usual appearance her hair was tied up in a bun with sides flowing out. A wooden crown around her head garnished with fireflies, morning dew droplets and simple pearls. Her face veiled past her chin, only her ears peeked out. The rest of her was covered with a form-fitting gown from her neck to her toes, the excess dragging behind. Golden armbands and bracelets, a corset around her waist, with a short white fur cape to cover the strings on the back. She had spent the night using magic to learn of fashion in the empire and used silk from spiders, hair from the bear, the horns of the elk and its fur even the curtains in her room to make this dress.

“Do not be so stunned councilmen, we are to join hands with the empire, I am simply putting a bold foot forward but imitating their fashion. It is as uncomfortable as expected but all is for the sake of our empire.” Leading the way with these words.

Everyone was in their seats when the elves arrived, only until the queen herself entered the room, were they at attention, to not see flesh but still blinded by lust – such as the elf queen's physique. Only the emperor who was scared Wania would break his neck looked down at paper work, Wania herself with a focus, glared at the emperor. Tushar and Agnius showed no reaction. The rest spent a good minute in silence.

“Shall we proceed?” The queen said – to break the silence.

“Ahem. Today we will be discussing what the elves have to offer to the empire. As part of imperial law, all regions of the empire must produce either goods, services or both. Or assist in the production of goods or services.” Truth Lawson said.

“That is to say, to boost the economy and provide work for the citizens.” Henry Heartfield said.

“And we aren’t just referring to any product, it must be something that even the lesser classes can get access to and make use of. For example, the general’s territory is the food basket of the empire, the only thing you can’t find in the west are exotic fish. Even here is the capital we produce lumber and stone for building” He continued

“We can produce high-quality silk enough for even the peasantry to use,” Corthas said.

“Silk from the elves would be great but the nobility would buy up every yard you produce” Miguel Oku said.

“I assure you, even fish would drown in deeper depths, The amount we can produce would be too much for them to use” Alara said.

Henry slammed his hand on the table “Preposterous, a large number of nobles and the common folks would surely overwhelm your workers, even if your forest has all the silkworms in the world” he shouts protesting against their claims.

“Do not speak of our capabilities” Councilman Thendil said

“Do not make claims as false as yourselves.” Henry turned to the emperor “Your majesty, we’ve yet to see a single town or even a village. All we have are their words, their tall tales not a single showing of trust.” Henry said while standing.

“How can a man of your age, throw tantrums louder than babies. I know you're used to lacking understanding of matter but at least try this time” Corthas said.

“You dare! You-”

“Ministry Henery!” Wania sternly called out “These are peaceful negotiations, I understand where your frustrations come from but mind your manners. And you stop provoking him” She stared them down. 

They both froze up, Henry sat back down but Thendil started shaking “How dear she, the weaker part of their species. Speaks to me like that. Looks at me like that” he thought to himself, Alfhild held his hand under the table to calm him down.

“If they say they can do it, let them try. If they fail, they must produce something else are pay for it” Wania said calmly.

“Let us carry on” Truth stood “Next we should discuss the format to use for book-keeping”

“I have seen your book-keeping methods and I believe them to be subpar” Thomae interrupts “We have a better recording system and yours is not trustworthy”

“Are you offering to train our staff to use your method? If it is easier and more efficient, we love to learn from you” Truth said.

“Once the town is built for us, send your people there, and I’ll teach them myself,” Thomae said. The empire appreciates your cooperation. As it is a way to better the empire, I will reduce the tax rate on your forests,” the emperor said.

“I appreciate your generosity, Emperor Rasputin” Thomae replied.

They went on to talk about the elven armies and how they would need to submit to the imperial customs, the elves thought that meant sending some soldiers to the empire but when they explained that the whole army needed to be submitted to the empire under the general’s rule they were outraged.

“That’s ridiculous!”

“Submitting the whole army. You want us to disarm ourselves so you can have an easier time burning down our homes”

“Your cowardice is showing. Too afraid to face us properly.”

“Even you must see how absurd it must be to forgo one’s whole army. You should reconsider”

“Your radiance, let us leave this place. The negotiations fell through” Nimue looked towards the queen, and although he couldn’t see her face he heard her breathing, it was haggard “Your radiance” he reached out but she slapped away his hand “How dare you! Who do you think you are” she raised her hand and to repel her with magic but it flickered so she stopped. The elf queen's magic flickered and Nimue noticed.