The Queen and her Council - An Unusual Strategy

The queen now wanted to know how they should deal with the traitors and citizens, since many nobles were involved and there had been some losses. It was important to act quickly, but not to be too radical in doing so, so as not to cause more resentment among the population and among the other nobles. They had to find a way to not weaken the empire too much without looking weak.

Mortis suggested a method where a noble would hold public negotiations where he would have the citizens and nobles all killed, while the queen would show kindness and try to get behind him to gain loyalty. Jasmine interjected and said, "So you mean a 'Good Cop, Bad Cop' kind of thing, only on a bigger stage." Mortis nodded with a smile. The Queen and the others didn't understand the term "cop," but they quickly saw the principle behind it.

But the queen refused to take the good part, saying, "Mortis, you were always there for the good of all, even on the battlefield you wanted to convince your opponents to surrender. I think you as a hero would be more suitable for the good noble." However, Mortis refused and said, "No, it should be a person from her people, and there could be none better than you, Queen. After all, you need their loyalty, not me."

But the queen shook her head and replied, "It doesn't matter, if they are loyal to the hero, it benefits me too." Helga couldn't watch the game anymore and said, "Queen, we women like to see our man in front in shining armor, and if they want to make Mortis theirs, then do it and don't beat around the bush. After all, we'd all like a bigger castle."

At this, the women of Mortis laughed, making the queen drop her mask and see her as a young, beautiful woman whose long ears began to glow with shyness. The situation loosened up, and the women joked and bantered with each other, while the queen smiled somewhat sheepishly.

Mortis rose and said, "Well, then, I will take the role of the good guy. But who will take the role of evil?" Then Elara rose and said, "If the new king plays the good guy, I'll take the role of the bad guy. After all, I don't have a good reputation, and it will be more believable that way."

Mortis, however, walked over to her, put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Who says you have to be the bad guy? Sit back down." He pointed instead to an old count and said, "I think it might be you. You have an interesting face anyway and seem like a stubborn old fart. Besides, it would seem more believable if someone like you took the role of the bad guy. And don't worry, if something happens to you, I won't care much."

Then Mortis laughed out loud, and the whole tent laughed with him. The old count stood up, a wicked smile on his lips, and said, "All right, boy, have it your way. This is going to be fun. Let's do it." The Margravine sat down in wonder and looked around, surprised at how quickly the stubborn Count was willing to replace her.

But before she could think any further, Mortis whispered in her ear, "I'm not going to let one of my beautiful women be the bad guy. After all, if anyone is going to be the target, it's going to be me. Now watch and enjoy the show."

The discussion continued and the plan to address the situation slowly took shape. Mortis and his women had made a significant contribution, and their presence was appreciated in the round. The queen was increasingly attracted to Mortis and his entourage, not only for their political skills, but also for their personalities.

Meanwhile, the people of Venice watched the arrests from the wall while the queen and her council managed the political intrigue in their camp. It was a time of change and challenges that would change the fate of the kingdom forever. And in the midst of all these events stood Mortis, the Champion of Primus, a true hero to the people of Venice and the Kingdom of Bayroma.

After the talk was over, the prisoners were to be taken to various prisons and castle cells until the trial would be held publicly in Rome in three days. The loyal followers and soldiers of Mortis divided the prisoners and set out to lock away the criminals and traitors. Meanwhile, Mortis, his wives and the queen were invited to Venice, where they were received by the advisors.

The commoners and minor soldiers were ordered by Margravine Elara to dispose of the bodies and collect the valuables such as weapons. They knew that it was important to dispose of the bodies quickly to prevent the appearance of riffraff and brigands and to avoid the spread of disease.

Victoriously, they marched into Venice, where they were cheered and celebrated by the citizens. Although it was Elara's city and territory, the queen and Mortis ran at the very front, shyly chipping in. Behind them ran Elara and Elysia, jostling each other lightly and exchanging small tips. The residents saw the pair and laughed, referring to Elysia as "another mother's twin" and celebrating the reunion with her and her Marrowess.

When Mortis noticed this, he briefly turned his head back and saw the two women snarling at each other. But when they noticed Mortis watching them, they quickly turned their heads the other way and exhaled heavily. Mortis thought it was cute and smiled kindly, which amused the citizens and Mortis' other women greatly. The mood was relaxed, and the return of Elysia to the city was joyfully celebrated.

Once in the castle, the friction between Elysia and Elara continued as they both walked towards their rooms. Lillia followed them along with Rose and Darius. As they did so, Darius could be heard meekly and contemptuously muttering, "Pah, those broads in this family are going to put me in my grave." Shortly after, when they were around the corner, a small cry was heard from him. The old margrave's wives just shook their heads at his behavior, and their children also laughed. It seemed that this family was known to be quarrelsome.

Mortis accompanied the queen to the throne room, where the servants were already busy putting everything away and setting up and laying tables in preparation for a feast. The head servant even offered the throne to the queen, but she denied with a shake of her head and sat down on the seat for the first wife, while she let Mortis sit on the throne.

As Mortis sat on it, he crossed his legs and assumed a composed yet graceful posture. The queen placed her arm on his, which to Mortis was little more than a hint or sign of her feelings for him. But when the servants and the other women saw this, they all went down on their knees, as did the others present in the throne room. This astonished Mortis, but he had to admit that he liked the gesture and thought that such a place would indeed befit his worthiness.

Mortis enjoyed the attention he was receiving, but he still felt uncomfortable when he saw everyone present kneel down as the queen sat down. He interrupted the silence and quickly said, "What about you? Stand up! Or is it normal for you to kneel when the queen sits down?"

The old count, scowling, stepped forward and explained, "Your Highness, it seems you have just been elevated to king of this land. After all, the queen has cleared her seat for you and publicly professed her love for you. This is like a vow of betrothal and shows that she is fully behind you." The count cleared his throat, and his serious look showed that he meant it.

Mortis nodded his understanding and turned to Queen Shiva. He took her hand in his and said, "If that is your wish, then I will not refuse this throne. But let us not be hasty. Let us await the negotiations in Rome and see how fate leads us."

The queen smiled fondly and nodded in agreement. She knew Mortis was a true hero with the good of the people in mind. Together they would overcome the challenges ahead and lead the kingdom to a better future. Those present rose again and began to prepare for the upcoming feast that would celebrate the future of the kingdom.