3. Chapter 3(2)

Outside, the dead attackers of the previous night were being picked up, and taken to a mass grave.

As the truck exited, he forced himself to not think about the images of the previous night. The blood and death, the gunfire and smoke, the sound of explosions, the heat of the fires, the screams of dying men... he didn't want to think about it ever again.

But he couldn't and he knew he couldn't.

All he could do was distract himself.

"You think Princess Blood Hair made it to the capital?" Tom finally asked him, giving the 18-year-old a much-needed distraction.

Dennis turned, happy to get his mind off all the death and destruction he had seen, and said "I think if she gallops full speed, she might get there tonight... wonder what's going through her mind."

En Route to the Imperial Capital

Beefeater E Caty did not consider herself someone who scared easily.

She was a soldier of the Empire, and not just a soldier, she was a member of the elite Rose Knights!

Sure, a recent order of knights who hadn't actually seen any combat, but an elite order nonetheless!

Their armor was much more developed than that of any soldier in the empire, specially designed to withstand even spear thrusts, their training under Gray Co Aldo had readied her and her sisters in arms for any and all situations... but not what met them there and then.

Pina Co Lada dismounted her horse and approached the camp their order had set up just the previous day.

The look of utter defeat made every woman there grow weary of what she was about to say.

She was the first to say "Your majesty, is... is everything alright?"

The 19-year-old princess only said "Gather Bozes and meet us in the main tent... everyone else, begin to dismantle the camp! We move back to the capital in no less than thirty minutes!"

A few confused murmurs spread through the camp, but the Rose Knights were quickly working on it.

"W-wait, your majesty, what is- Gray, what happened in Itálica?"

The older knight simply shook his head.

"It's complicated... better let her explain inside."

"Eh? I... ooh... damn it all... Bozes where the blazes are you?!"

She gathered Bozes, the blonde woman had been working on her hair when she found her, and they had all gathered inside the tent as the camp was torn down around them.

Pina stared at the map on the table, illustrating the route from the capital to Italica, to Alnus.

Not about to waste time, Pina said "They have taken Italica, they are called Americans, they intend to dismantle the empire, and we have a week to convince Father to negotiate."

Both Beefeater and Bozes took a step back in shock.

"What-?" Bozes began to ask when Pina continued.

"They have no intention of destroying the people, however. Their weapons are powerful enough to do just that, yet they restrained themselves... they made a point that they could have taken me hostage, yet they didn't. They went out of their way to protect Italica from an attack when it would have benefited the most to wait it out and then move in. They don't want needless bloodshed. If we can convince my father to begin negotiations, the war will end and no one else has to die."

"But... but princess, how did they take Italica so quickly?"

"They have flying metal birds that spit fire like a small flame dragon! They have weapons called guns that cut men down faster than any sword or arrow barrage! They say they have even more powerful metal birds that can destroy our capital city with ease and are to arrive from their side of the gate in seven days! What we need to do now is try and convince my father to negotiate!"

The two women nodded, shocked at how alien the situation was to them.

Normally it took many days to take a city, even one like Italica with an undermanned garrison!

But to take it in a day, one would need such an overwhelming force that would rival multiple combined armies, or...

Collaborators... are people willing to turn their back on us so easily?

Bozes shuddered.

Pina said, "So... how do we do that?"

Everyone else said "Shouldn't we be the ones asking you that?" in almost perfect unison.

Pina shouted back "Yes, but I have no idea what to tell him! And honestly, if these Americans hate the notion of empire, then they likely hate absolute leaders, so let's try to appease them by making this a group effort! What do we tell father?"

Bozes said "The truth?"

Beefeater interrupted her, saying "Her father did tell her to only scout for them, the princess openly spoke to them and seemingly negotiated with them all without his permission. Not the best situation to be fully truthful."

"Well, we could say she was captured, forced to negotiate?"

"Then he'll think they're barbarians out to kill us all, but... at this point, I'm willing to try anything."

"Are they going to destroy the capital should the emperor not attempt negotiating in a week's time?"

Pina was silent for a moment.

She said "Not exactly... it is a likely possibility, but they seem to prefer not destroying our city. They plan on sending soldiers tonight in secret. I'll give you two more details later today because we have to get moving. Now, they said that if we failed, then they will evacuate us in secret and begin mounting a campaign to take control of the lands surrounding the capital while the men who will arrive in the city try to manipulate things to keep them from escalating... they'll likely kill father if he refuses to negotiate, and try to manipulate Zorzal once he takes the throne."

"Such... brutality."

Pina quickly said "The brutality I saw came not from them but from the attacker we faced at Italica! These men, they... they had no regard for life. They threw themselves at death with a smile, they targeted civilians... it was a miracle we didn't lose more people."

She thought back to the maimed farmer who was the sole survivor of their raid on his home, the burned down houses, the dead militiamen, all volunteers who had fought valiantly against a sea of swords and magic arrows. Because of them, the Americans were able to hold Italica and match the strength of the deserters, despite barely having a hundredth of the manpower.

Her jaw clenched.

"If nothing else, I want peace between our worlds... that is our mission, and it does not leave this tent. We will speak nothing of it until the end of the week... we have seven days... let's not waste them."

United States of America, Washington D.C

12:15 PM

The American president stood in the room quietly, the television showing images of the previous day's battles.

"Yes, Walt, the road was literally covered in bodies from the attacking armies. American officers gave the attacking force multiple opportunities to avoid combat. According to several sources, the survivors of the attacking force then turned on their masters and decided to attack a nearby trading city, where several US troops had recently landed and begun peaceful negotiations with its rulers."

Images of UH-1 and CH-47 helicopters taking off in the morning light were switched for footage of them taking off during the night as the reporter continued narrating over the recorded footage.

"UH-1 Huey helicopters were actively coming and going throughout the day. Elements of the 7th Cavalry backed up a platoon of the United States Army 75th Rangers in a trading city only known as Italica."

Air footage of the damaged city, likely taken only hours after the battle.

"This footage was taken mere hours ago, showing the gruesome aftermath of the fighting. We do not have an exact number of casualties, but as you can see, the piles of bodies show a clear winner, in spite of the badly damaged outer wall of the city and several burned homes."

Back to the footage of the reporter at the main base.

"Sources were vague, but it seems that a breakthrough has been established, and with the coming arrival of American airpower later this month, the brass is confident of a quick victory to this pointless war. Reporting from Hill Alpha, for CBS News, I'm Andrew Creighton."

And back to the CBS studio, the calm anchor turning to the camera.

"Thank you, Andrew. Now on to the subject of much debate across the nation, the issue of Civil Rights."

The American president watched the midday news with some level of intrigue as a certain civil rights leader spoke of the importance of equality. The anchor spoke over the footage with a calm voice that had likely made many Americans feel relaxed despite the uncertainty of recent world events.

"Doctor King finished his speech in Dallas today to an enthusiastic crowd. His scathing criticism of Governor Wallace and the state of Alabama have-"

The president shut off the TV and began rubbing his eyes.

Damn it all, I don't need this division! Not now!

Upon the thought, several men entered the oval office, carrying several papers.

"Mister President, bad news, good news, and great news."

"Okay, bad news?"

"Seventy men were wounded in an engagement with hostile forces within the Gate. Of those, thirty will have to be sent home."

The president winced at the numbers.

"They... they have bows and arrows, how the hell-?"

"Our men were outnumbered and there was heavy use of ancient artillery, particularly the ballista... none of our men died, however."

"Ah yes, dying to a bunch of tactical idiots with bows and arrows is more embarrassing than getting maimed by tactical idiots with bows and arrows... sorry, gentlemen, I'm not entirely in the best mood right now. Why didn't we wait for reinforcements before fighting?"

"The city would have been overwhelmed by the time we brought reinforcements and we wanted to avoid having to retake the city."

"I see."

"Well, we hope this will turn things around, sir. Contact was made with a member of the royal family upon our successful taking of the Trade City of Italica."

The president did a mental double-take before asking "What? They send people to negotiate now?"

"No, not exactly... it seems she was sent to scout and decided to initiate negotiations herself."

The president frowned.

"They... they haven't sent people to negotiate after ALL we've done?"

"No, sir, they have not."

The American president was dumbfounded.

It was one thing to resist an invading army, regardless of who had started the war, and it was another thing to be stubborn about surrendering... but to actively avoid even speaking or negotiating with the enemy? He had to wonder if they were suicidal.

"Now, Princess Pina Co Lada-"

"Come again?" the president interjected.

"...Princess Pina Co Lada-"

"You're joking."

"No, mister president."

"N-none of the prisoners mentioned her!"

"No, she's apparently the third in line to the throne, and isn't entirely the legitimate daughter as her mother was a concubine... she is in charge of an order of knights called the Knights of Rose and was somewhat active in assisting our troops in the defense of the city. No one has asked about her name."

The president almost threw his arms in the air as a show of exasperation but restrained himself.

"Alright... princess Alcoholic Beverage... what about her?"

"She agreed to a plan that is going to buy our forces more time to prepare for an almost bloodless taking of the capital, if not an easy end to this war."

Now the president sat up.

"She agreed to try and get her father, the emperor, to negotiate a peace with us. For the next seven days, she will be working to do just that while we begin inserting special forces into the capital. By the end of the week, we should have a good idea of who wants to work with us and who doesn't, and the Army is already planning around it."

"Why not just take the capital at once?"

"We've realized how little we actually know about this enemy. Now, we could just push into the capital, but it could push us into a guerilla war if the emperor or a general manages to escape."

"No way! No way are we risking a guerilla war in a world we barely have any data on!"

"Which is why we want to avoid it. Another concern was brought to us by historians."

They placed the paper on the desk.

"Scorched earth... the Russians did it against the Germans, so..."

He read the paper slowly.

The way wars were fought in the ancient world was the embodiment of "might makes right". The more terror you could instill into your enemy the better. Fights were brutal, what we would consider crimes against humanity today were considered normal, and civilians often suffered the most. It is our recommendation American forces secure civilian centers before defeating the central leadership as failure to do so could result in mass deaths and a bloodier war.

He covered his mouth and continued reading.

"They're a medieval people, Mister President. It's just the way things are over there."

"Doesn't mean we can just watch it happen. Does the press know about these?"

"Photos arrived today; they should make the rounds tonight."

There was a pause.

"What exactly are our generals planning?"

Trading City of Italica

12:22 PM

Dennis stared at the map on the table, yawning.

Rhodes entered the small tent, and quickly said "Gentlemen, I hope you enjoyed your break because we have an actual mission at hand!"

Hastings seemed satisfied, the other rangers in the room clearly did not look satisfied.

Mentally, Dennis was debating if the images of horror and death he had seen in the battlefield, not eight hours prior disturbed him as much as the sounds he heard while in the Mansion's baths.

Internally, he wondered if some of the screams were of pain, enjoyment, or a perverse combination of both.

Apparently, catgirls didn't mind water all that much.

Which came off as an unfortunate reality for all the men who had hoped for a regular public bath.

Externally, Dennis said "No complaints here, captain."

Alex muttered, "Mister Whiskers over there probably has even fewer complaints than all of us."

"Jealous?" Hastings asked with a satisfied expression.

"Wondering if you'll get court-martialed for bestiality, so no."

"Hey! I'm gonna marry her, take her home, and-"

"And get arrested." Dennis sighed.

"I'd arrest you after the shower-" another Ranger began but was interrupted by Rhodes.

"No one will speak of what happened in the bath! Now focus, Rangers... this is the capital, and our mission relies heavily on understanding the local tongue, so Orville, we're going to rely on you a fair bit."

"Yes, captain."

"We'll also get some support from other units, particularly the 7th Cavalry. They have a few more interpreters than we do, and are willing to share them with us."

Men nodded in agreement.

"Now, as I said, this is the capital. Apparently, it has no name. The center of government is located at the top of several hills, with the main palace being a very nice target right here... it also apparently has a senate building here, several mansions around that, and a large urban area surrounding the city and its walls... there's apparently a forest near the palace we can use, too."

"How do we get into the city?" another Ranger asked.

Rhodes said "The princess agreed to have a few of her knights meet us in the very outskirts of the capital later tonight. We'll be given maps of the city, crude as they may be, and safe entry. Once inside, we will split off into different units and head to designated areas on each side of the city, preferable the urban areas around this outer wall."

The men eyed the map with mild indifference.

"Now, according to the princess, this area right here is where we want to be," he said, pointing at a large area painted in red.

Dennis read the small written otherworldly letters out loud.

"The slums, captain?"

"That's right. We will establish a base of operations within the capital and use it to begin spying on people of interest in the coming weeks. Princess Pina has her chance, but let's be honest... that isn't going to go very far."

Tom said, "Kid's too naïve, even if her heart is in the right place from what I hear."

Another Ranger said "She kept hounding what translators she could find. Kid's in way over her head."

"Unfortunately, now as I said, we'll set up a base of operations and commence intelligence gathering. We'll have to set up a radio antenna in secret over there, so Alex, Hastings... we need you."

The young men nodded.

"We will of course, also be gathering information of the local customs, figure out who's in power, who's angry at who... weapons we can use to our advantage. In order to distract from the evacuation, should it take place, we will selectively target individuals who heavily support the empire. Slavers, smiths... whatever arrogant members of their elite that think themselves too strong to touch, we'll touch."

A few nods, a few confident smirks, a few "Hoo-ah's", and a light chuckle.

"However, there's another element to this operation that relies solely on one of you and your ability to both speak their language and not stand out."

The Ranger unit collectively raised an eyebrow.

"Dennis... we need a man on the inside."

The 18-year-old nodded and said "Alright."

"We're thinking the princess can find you a spot you can work within the castle, maybe a janitor, maybe a butler... you can cook, right?"

"I... a bit, sir. My Ma, she... she had a diner and I'd take over for her sometimes in the kitchen... nothing fancy."

Please don't make me cook for these people...

"Well, say we provide you with some basic ingredients... could you cook up some hamburgers?"

"Yes, captain."

Damn it all...

Rhodes smiled.

"All we need! She'll get you the position, nothing fancy, but it's right in the kitchen. That way, if necessary, we can poison his royal pain's lunch."

Dennis considered the role he had just been handed.

Sure, he probably knew the language as well as one could under the circumstances, and hearing the locals speak it had made him a bit more proficient in it. But the job would be delicate, requiring a fair bit of deceit. Nothing he couldn't handle, but it was enough that the 18-year-old felt butterflies in his stomach.

"Will it just be me, captain?" he asked.

The captain grimaced.

"We're worried two newcomers so soon might raise some flags. Plus, we're already planning on keeping an eye on you from outside. The way the princess described it; the capital has plenty of hiding spots for us to help you out. If necessary, we'll reinforce you, but it's preferable to keep only one guy on the inside, lots on the outside."

Dennis only nodded.

If the Art of War was anything to go by, fighting with as little combat as possible was the key to victory.

"Aw, captain, are we really just supposed to abandon this kid with a bunch of savages?" Hastings asked, seemingly out of genuine concern.

"If we need to pull him out, we'll pull him out. Right now, we're under the assumption the Empire has no idea of our full capabilities, so they likely won't suspect any spies, at least not yet."

The man pursed his lips before saying "We're all tired after last night... this mission will hopefully be far more boring and mundane than the last twenty-four hours, but no less impactful. Cornered animals are far more dangerous than when they're running loose, and if this empire feels that it is cornered, we can only imagine the suffering that will come of it. Aerial assets arrive and once we rule the air, the war is practically won. Take a breather, pack your things, we leave at 0300."

…

"How the hell are we supposed to relax with her staring at us?" Tom asked in a shaky whisper.

Dennis kept his eyes level with the Bunny girl who was observing them.

They had only just exited the tent and the demi-human was eyeing them with her eerie smile that looked polite and innocent, but any soldier that had seen combat could recognize as fake.

Hastings raised a hand as the rangers exited and said "Salvo! Persia vid?"

Dennis frowned at his older colleague's valiant attempt at speaking the native tongue but ignored it as he approached the girl who also ignored the question.

"What?" he asked her, switching to the native tongue.

"Delilah and I were discussing things-"

"Who?"

"She's the other warrior bunny in the mansion."

"Oh... what were you discussing?"

"We know your leaders intend to use Tyuule as a tool to destroy the empire."

Dennis nodded, not sure where the young woman was going with the conversation, and he knew the surrounding Rangers certainly had no idea, most unable to fully understand the language.

"After you're done with her... please kill her."

Dennis didn't react to the request, though some of the Rangers noted how heavy the statement had sounded and turned their heads.

The girl continued.

"She betrayed us, noble reasons or not, she is the reason we were ultimately destroyed. Our people are few, scattered to the winds, and at the mercy of the Empire. Please, bring justice to us all and punish all those responsible for this."

Dennis didn't react, remaining as stoic as possible.

Hastings asked, "What's she saying?"

"Asking us to kill the captured queen once we're done with her," Dennis replied, eyes narrowing as he thought it over.

After a second he turned to the girl and spoke in her language, "I'm not in charge. My commanders have different plans, plans that will benefit your people in the end, dead queen, or not. Unless I'm ordered to kill her I'll have no reason to, so I won't."

The bunny girl sighed, seemingly disappointed, but not surprised.

"It was worth trying... I wouldn't kill an imperial soldier for no reason, either. Do be careful around her. I still believe she's a snake."

This got Dennis curious enough to ask.

"Do you not believe Princess Pina's account? What if she really tried to save your people and the empire agreed only to go back on its word? Surely that's not impossible."

Mamina considered it.

"Surrendering is a sign of weakness in this world. She was too young to understand that, perhaps... we stood a better chance of continuing to fight... naïve or not, the result is the same. She still chose the most cowardly option. And if she's truly enslaved to that prince, then that is only just punishment. She still betrayed her people, so we will consider her as such until proven otherwise."

Dennis didn't reply.

"Be careful, soldier Dennis," she said and turned to leave.

Silence hung in the air for a moment as the maid walked away, only one of the Americans fully understanding what she had said.

Again, Hastings asked, "So... what did she say?"

Dennis only said "She just confirmed these people are savages. The lot of them."

"Huh?"

"Said she didn't really care if her queen was innocent or not, being abused or not... says she thinks it's fair that she's suffering for the crime of surrendering to the enemy. As if doing so was treason."

Tom shook his head and walked on.

Hastings sighed.

"Well, who are we to judge?"

"We're the ones liberating them! I'd say we've got the right to judge them all we want! God damned aliens..."

He couldn't comprehend the medieval attitudes he was witnessing.

Suicidal charges.

Extermination wars, as in real extermination wars that were fought with sword and shield.

Genocide.

All apparently normal!

Trying to surrender was considered treason!

No wonder these Romans aren't negotiating...

The conversation left a bad taste in his mouth.

Imperial Capital

7:32 PM

"The biggest concern is that we have no way of knowing if their war machines were damaged or not."

Zorzal listened to the young general explain the report.

What a waste... none of this information is useful!

"What's worse, it seems they were able to destroy the Allied Armies, which combined, are much larger than the force we had at Alnus."

"Let's be fair, that wasn't so much an army as a group of armies that don't work well together." the older general added.

"Yes, General Tiberius, however, the results being the same is still a cause for concern."

The General nodded.

Emperor Molt Sol Augustus nodded.

Zorzal looked out the window.

"General Tiberius, how long would it take for us to evacuate the capital?" the emperor finally asked.

The old general rubbed his neck with uncertainty.

"Specifically, our military forces..."

Zorzal winced at the statement and whirled around to stare in shock at his father.

This was a retreat!

Worse, it was an admission of defeat and one that would surely destroy the Empire!

Tiberius was about to speak up when a ruckus was heard in the halls and a legionnaire entered the room.

"My apologies, your majesty, but Princess Pina-"

"OUT OF MY WAY!" the red-headed princess shouted, shoving the soldier aside.

She finished strapping her chest plate off and immediately bowed.

"Father, I bring important news from the front that I witnessed firsthand!"

Molt visibly winced at her presence.

He nodded slowly, keeping his surprise well hidden.

"Stand, daughter... what happened?"

Pina stood up, took a breath, and quickly said "I have made contact with the enemy from beyond the gate!"

At this, the generals and Zorzal gaped.

The idea that the princess had not only made contact with these seemingly invulnerable enemies given where she was supposed to be, let alone come back alive sounded ludicrous, and yet they all doubted she would lie about it.

"You... what?" Molt just barely managed to ask.

"I was... scouting ahead, and decided to visit the city of Italica... they have taken the city, father."

"Impossible." the prince whispered more to himself than to anyone else.

"They are currently occupying it after a long and difficult battle against forces that deserted both our army and the allied armies that we sent to attack them."

Realizing what she had said, she quickly added "However, they intend to negotiate! See? They didn't harm me!" Pina added quickly, making a point of showing how unharmed she was... horrors of the battle aside.

The second she uttered the word "negotiate" the atmosphere in the room switched from dread to interest.

"Negotiate?" General Tiberius asked.

"If they took Italica so quickly, why would they want to negotiate?" the younger general said.

Before Pina could play them up as men who sought peace, Zorzal spoke up.

"There is no way they got through both our army and the allied armies unscathed. Perhaps they took the city, but the cost was so great they were unable to push after it... their advance has been halted, yes, dear sister?"

Pina immediately said "N-not exactly... yes, they were halted, but it was to try and gather their forces and supplies. I saw no damage done to their war machines. Father, they wish to negotiate, I think we should-"

"You only negotiate when you are weak." the words came from the older man then.

Pina winced.

"They pushed too far, too fast... they're stuck without the supplies they need to push on..." the man said, almost exasperated, as he sat down.

"Father?" Pina asked.

Zorzal noted the exhausted look in the man's eyes.

Before anyone could ask, the emperor spoke.

"This... this can be considered a victory. A small one, but... a victory. We have halted the enemy, gentlemen!"

The generals awkwardly nodded and mumbled some form of hopeful words.

Zorzal observed Pina as she seemed to get a glow in her eyes.

His own narrowed involuntarily.

"Father, this... this is when we need to begin talks! We've lost many men, and now that they've been halted-"

"No." the emperor replied.

Pina froze in place.

"They know how far we are willing to go and the damage we can do... give them some more time and they'll come begging us for peace. They advanced quickly and were also stopped quickly. We only negotiate if we are the victors, Pina. That is tradition."

Pina felt the blood drain from her face as she tried to find the words to get through to her father.

They aren't halted! They just... stopped... voluntarily... somewhat...

Her older half-brother didn't give her the chance.

"Yes! The empire cowers to none! This may be our toughest battle so far, but I'm sure we will emerge as the victors of this conflict! We always have and we always will!"

At the bravado, the generals seemed to get a bit of inspiration.

Pina said, "Father... please reconsider-"

"Do not think of me as foolish. I have no doubt that once they get organized, they will march on the capital and all we are likely to do is annoy them, but if we were able to halt them, then there is hope to perhaps turn them back."

"But-"

"Daughter, you have been traveling all day... I assume you witnessed the battle in Italica as they took it... get some rest, come to me tomorrow. You can voice all your concerns."

Pina stared, still frozen.

"You did good, Pina. Go rest," he told her, gently rubbing the top of her head.

Feeling as if she had no choice, she stood up and exited the room.

The second she had gone, he turned to his generals.

"I trust her information, but just in case, gather what spies you can, Tiberius, see if they can corroborate her story. Woody, continue rearming the legions, we must prepare to hit the enemy while they are at their weakest."

Tiberius spoke then.

"Sir, I do recommend we focus on destroying the area between us and Italica. Even if they have been halted, if they begin to move out of Italica, they will have access to more farms and supporters. Italica has been depopulated, but the grain fields remain."

"Yes... continue the scorched earth policy... but try to keep it discrete. I don't want panic to spread amongst the citizens. If they find out an enemy army coming from Alnus took Italica in less than a week, then we won't have to burn the capital at all... Tiberius, we continue attacking them indirectly."

"I have plans to head out and lead such assaults myself soon. I have brought the northern legions and plan to lead them into battle. It may not be glorious, but they are more accustomed to this kind of... asymmetric warfare."

Zorzal blinked, confused.

"But father, would this not be the time for an all-out assault? Shatter them now that they have gone too far to push further?"

Molt only shook his head.

"It would take too much time to organize another sizeable force. We should focus on small attacks that weaken them, and I believe these attacks have been successful since they're halted now, at least according to Pina, and I don't think she's lying. We continue pressing them, hurting them at little cost to ourselves, keep them away from the capital by forcing them to hunt our men in forests. We know the lands, they do not. We will show them exactly how wrathful the Empire is!"

Zorzal did not agree with the tactics, but as long as they weren't surrendering, then he was happy to shrug and go along with the plan.

He stepped out of the room, somewhat pleased with the news when he stumbled into his half-sister.

"Brother." she acknowledged something clearly on her mind.

"Sister. I must say, the news certainly was welcome. We were planning on a catastrophic plan to abandon the capital and forbid these invaders from taking it."

Her eyes widened, seemingly with fear, but only for a moment.

"I... I see... brother, I have a question."

"What is it?" he asked, not particularly enthusiastic about dealing with the red-headed princess.

He didn't really hate her, but he always felt some degree of embarrassment as he saw her constantly trying to gain recognition and validation. Her "Rose Knights" weren't exactly much more than shiny street performers in his mind. The fact she had been pushing for it since childhood was admirable, but also quite sad as they had never seen combat in the entire time since they were made an official order in the Empire.

"The queen you defeated some time ago... is it alright if I speak with her?"

That confused him.

"What interest do you have in Tyuule?"

"Well... she... she was a queen... I was thinking I could get some advice. Clearly, I'm not made for the seats of power, but... if I can do anything to help..."

Zorzal observed her, shaking his head.

"Sister, you should just take some money and move away from the capital. Diabo has plenty of friends outside the empire, you should try the same... however, if it makes you feel better... she's in the fourth level, down below. Currently, she is the only inhabitant of the floor, guards notwithstanding. A shame, really... but if you want some real experience from those who have lost against the empire you may as well speak to her. Not like we have many survivors to interview."

Pina nodded.

"Thank you, brother."

"She does have an impressive amount of stamina; I should also say. If you ever get curious-"

"Thank you, Brother."

Zorzal shook his head.

He didn't understand his sister.

Pina, on the other hand, felt the pressure mounting as she walked with purpose towards the dungeon below the castle.

A part of her wondered if she should inform the former queen of the American's interests in her at all.

What if she talked?

She shut her eyes as she began to descend the stairway to the dungeon.

After what father said...

She opened her eyes, tired, and worried.

A part of her knew that her efforts of getting her father to surrender were slim.

But she still had to try!

It's just who she was.

…

Tyuule was trying to rest when her left ear twitched at the different sound now present in the dungeon.

She opened her eyes and began to focus.

The steps were quicker and lighter than any of the imperial guards stationed there, and it certainly wasn't Zorzal, he gladly announced his entrance by stepping confidently towards her cell, almost strutting if anything.

She wondered briefly it was a new prisoner when the glow reached her cell.

She sat up and was surprised to see the youngest daughter of the emperor who ruled the nation she hated.

"Leave us." the princess ordered the guard.

Tyuule eyed the girl with a degree of disgust, but also curiosity.

Why are you here, princess?

The second the guard was gone Pina dropped to her knees and pressed her head against the floor.

Tyuule didn't hide her surprise, though her expression didn't change much.

"I... I can't say anything to make up for what my empire has done to you or your people," she whispered.

Again, Tyuule was surprised, and now a little confused.

"I am deeply sorry, and I apologize for not doing anything to stop it as it happened."

Tyuule huffed, turning away from the princess but did not speak.

A clueless wench like yourself likely didn't even know it was happening...

"My brother is a barbarian, and my father isn't listening to me... your majesty, I... I have orders to talk to you."

At that, Tyuule turned her head, her ears perking up slightly.

Pina lifted her head slightly, looking less hopeful, more defeated.

Tyuule wanted to relish in the despair but found it difficult given how unsatisfying it was.

Pina said, "I made contact with the men from beyond the gate... they... they're out for war."

Good.

"They heard about you and... and would like to... to work with you."

"What?"

"They took Italica, and want to give my father a chance at surrendering... I'm working my hardest to get him to listen, but he... he isn't listening."

"And they aren't going to use you?"

Pina stood up, meeting her eye to eye.

"No. They intend for me and any senators that wish peace to evacuate the city... they wish for you to assist them in any way you can, given your status as a queen and your close proximity to my brother..."

"They intend to kill the rest of your family."

Pina stared at her before slowly replying "Only if they refuse to surrender... I hope I can avoid such an outcome, but... after tonight even I doubt that's possible."

Tyuule listened intently, realizing that there was a cunningly simple plan in the works.

Evacuate anyone in favor of peace.

Kill the smarter, more tactical members of the pro-war officials that remained.

And install a naïve idiot that can be lulled into a false sense of security.

It would allow these men from another world to conquer to their content, dismantle the empire, perhaps send false information to the capital, and even if they didn't, exterminating one faction while protecting the other would guarantee they have a puppet ready to take control once they annihilate The Empire.

They would be the puppet masters, never allowing the fight to get out of hand as they dismantled their enemy while their enemy thought it was succeeding!

A cruel smile manifested on her face.

"Ah, so the Empire finally gets its comeuppance and now you are reduced to begging of your slaves for mercy. How appropriate!" she said, letting out a mocking laugh.

Pina felt her jaw clench involuntarily at the spiteful comment.

"I intend to protect them all. If you wish to help me-"

"I have no intention of helping you," Tyuule replied, her laugh disappearing immediately and her face turning serious in an instant.

Again, Pina felt her jaw clench, but she forced herself to relax.

She couldn't blame her.

"I understand... it's... I understand."

Tyuule only huffed something akin to a reply.

Pina quickly added "I can trust this stays between us? The Americans would prefer if-"

"Oh, they're called Americans?"

"Y-yes..."

Tyuule said "Of course your secret is safe... you have my word for what it's worth. If it means destroying your empire, then I'm all for it."

She was trying to sound honest, and she did a decent enough job.

Pina only sighed in relief and disappointment.

A part of her expected the bunny girl to have been a touch less spiteful, but that was expected after all the unimaginable pain her brother likely put her through.

"You'll know if you will be needed soon, your majesty," Pina said.

Then she left.

Tyuule scoffed at her naivety.

Did she really just believe people so easily?

She laid back on her bed with a frown, weighing her options.

She could just tell Zorzal that his sister was working with the enemy and had requested her help, but in spite of his regular... use... of her, Zorzal saw her a little more than a trophy, a thing to show off his greatest achievement.

She highly doubted he would trust her word at the moment.

She began to consider what these "Americans" would do then.

If she was in their position, somehow able to beat the empire so easily, why hadn't they done so already?

Why seek the "help" of any locals?

And for that matter, why had they asked the princess to try and negotiate a peace?

Usually, countries sought negotiations only when one or multiple of the following were true:

The country had lost more than it had planned on losing and was willing to compromise.

The country was weak but knew its enemy was also weak and was willing to compromise.

The nation was losing and would like to survive so it was willing to compromise.

Tyuule did NOT want a compromise.

She considered another possibility.

Perhaps the negotiation was a ruse and these Americans actually planned on the Empire not surrendering.

Perhaps, by pretending to want to negotiate, they would fool the arrogant imperials into a false sense of security before the blade fell.

She arduously hoped for the latter.

April 3rd, 1964

Outskirts of the Capital

4:00 AM

Beefeater did not know exactly what to expect from these men from another world.

All she knew was that they were men with incredible technology that surpassed the empire with great ease.

Bozes seemed angry.

"What's eating at you?" she asked her as they waited.

"The princess went to speak with that rabbit wench the heir keeps as a toy. She seemed shaken after speaking to her."

"Seriously?"

"I asked her what happened and she told me she got her on our side... if these Americans are supposed to be some kind of kind and just people, what they've asked the princess to do hasn't convinced me."

The short-haired girl only sighed.

"Come now, if we got attacked by an army for no reason, we'd be pretty angry too. I'm surprised they haven't demanded the heads of our civilians or our women as retribution."

Bozes kept her eyes on the distant fields and frowned.

"Are those lights?"

Then she heard the strange noise.

The "helicopters" princess Pina had described flew and quickly just above the trees.

"Huh... flying chariots... Beefeater, light the torch."

The short-haired knight did as she was told, and the helicopters quickly began to approach them.

As they got closer, the noise got much louder.

Bozes said, "Pina said they were friendly, yes?"

"Yup..."

The first helicopter did an odd maneuver, landing, allowing the men to hop off, and quickly take off into the sky.

The second and third ones did exactly that, land, drop the men off, and fly back into the air.

The fourth one didn't drop off men, but boxes, which several men quickly ran to pick up.

A young man quickly ran up to them, wearing a large rag over his gear.

"You Rose Knights?" he asked.

They nodded.

"You're Americans?" Bozes asked.

He nodded, the men behind him approaching.

Bozes counted them.

Forty-eight men...

"So... you all intend to hide somewhere in the capital?"

"Effectively. There are a few teams here, and we're going to split off into groups of nine, and take a position in different parts of the capital. Plan on observing, mostly."

Bozes eyed the men, discretely hiding their loads under their cloaks.

Beefeater asked, "So, you're here to ensure a peaceful resolution, right?"

"We're here to try. Dennis, by the way."

"Ah, well... certainly not what we were expecting... this way, please."

Dennis made some hand signals and his captain stood up, following the two knights, the Americans moving on after him.

Rhodes spoke quietly.

"Whose the blonde?"

"No idea, captain, but she's with the Rose Knights."

"Well, as long as they get us inside... They have our maps?"

"Seems like it."

"Great... we're in business."

Imperial Capital

April 3rd, 1964

8:22 AM

Dennis opened his eyes and looked around the still very dusty home they had...

Found?

Been gifted by the empire?

Occupied?

Occupied.

Not like there was anyone else there to tell them to leave.

He sighed, noting that he had been allowed to sleep in.

The first guy he saw was working on cleaning an M60, the parts neatly laid out on the sheet they had set on the floor.

"Tom?" Dennis spoke.

"Yeah?"

"Anything happen?" he asked.

"Naw, you and Hastings got to sleep in, Alex and James are still setting up the antennae. Rhodes and the others are scouting around nearby, trying to get a sense of the place."

"They went out?!"

"What? Naw, man, they're upstairs with Sean, scoping things out."

"Ah, okay... the city is way bigger than we imagined."

"Aye..."

Dennis frowned at the red-headed young man.

"So, Tom, your parents are Irish?"

"Scottish."

"So... British?" he asked, half smirking as he rubbed his eyes.

The young man turned around and pointed a spring in his direction.

"Say that in front of my dad and he'll gut you, say that in front of my mom, she'll toss boiling water on your face. Say that in front of my girlfriend and... well... she may ask like The Beatles and I would thank you after I told her that yes... like the Beatles."

Dennis huffed.

He walked upstairs, finding his captain and their sniper, Sean, looking cautiously out the window.

He had to admire the M1903A4 Springfield sniper rifle the pale young man carried.

Sure, his M16 was futuristic, lighter, maybe even more intimidating, but Sean's wooden M1903, a rifle with two World Wars under its belt much like the standard American sidearm and heavy machine gun, was just too good not to appreciate.

"People keep eyeing us, captain. That wolf guy's over there again." Sean said coldly.

Rhodes sighed.

"That Basara gang the Rose Knights warned us about maybe suspicious of us, or maybe it's an entirely different gang of locals... well, Rules of Engagement are what they are. They don't bother us; we don't bother them... yet. Keep an eye out, okay, Sean?"

"Hoo-ah."

The captain turned, noticing Dennis.

"Kid, you ready for your big day?"

"As can be, captain."

"Good. Hastings, get him the Tunic!"

Hastings stopped working on the radio and grabbed a bag next to him, taking it to the 18-year-old before saying "I promise I won't make fun of you for wearing a skirt."

"Tunic!" Rhodes corrected; a touch frustrated.

Dennis didn't reply, taking off his undershirt and quickly tossing the ancient clothing over himself.

It wasn't a skirt, but he didn't exactly feel clothed.

"Hey, better to hide the Colt. Here." Rhodes said, handing Dennis an M1911A1.

"Seven shots, eight with one in the chamber, I get two magazines with it, emergencies only," Dennis repeated the instructions, making sure the American firearm already had a round in the chamber.

Rhodes nodded.

James Hastings quickly handed him a box.

"Radio's inside."

"We'll keep in touch, though the Green Berets will have a guy you can talk to at all times if necessary."

"Got it. This the frequency list?" Dennis asked, checking the paper taped to the side of the radio.

"Yes, sir! If you meet a nice girl and want to chat with her, just-Ah!"

Rhodes slapped the back of Hasting's head.

...

As this was happening Princess Pina Co Lada was preparing herself for a daunting task.

She had her "orders" ... orders! Her! A princess!

She was mature enough to know she had no choice, but she wasn't particularly happy about it, especially after all the carnage she had seen and been unable to do anything about.

Still, the American general had been clear.

One American would arrive at the capital and was to get a job at the palace, preferably, near the kitchen.

Pina had said she would get it done.

Now, same as with the captured queen, she had to do this herself.

She slowly opened the door to the head chef's room.

The man was in his fifties, fat, tired, stressed given the current crisis... but awake. Seemingly writing down some recipes.

"Excuse me?" Pina said.

"Ah, Princess! You are a sight for sore eyes! And after the news of the enemy being halted, everyone is in a cheerier mood! Ah, tell me, what can I do for you?"

Pina did not lower her guard for a second.

Head Chef Clef was a man of a short temper, some theorized he had changed his name to "Clef" in order to sound more professional somehow.

A rumor, of course, but still.

Pina could see in his eyes that she was wasting his time, better acknowledge it.

"I apologize for interrupting; I won't waste any more of your time. See, a new cook is going to apply for work in the Royal Kitchen, and I would like for you to approve him right away."

"What's his name?"

"Oh- Um... Den... son... of... something or other."

By the gods! Did I really forget the pseudonym they gave him?!

"Den son of something or other... alright, I'll see how well he cooks and-"

"Chef Clef, you misunderstand... he will be a-"

"I understand princess, I will see how well he cooks, and hire him. Now, I am very busy with a planned feast, so have a good day."

Pina straightened and sighed "Thank you, chef. He'll be here in an hour."

"Of course. Tell him he can wait."

Pina sighed once again.

They never said it would be easy, Pina. Just try... just try...

Imperial Capital

10:00 AM

Dennis stared at the old man with indifference.

The old man stared at him with an almost stupefied expression.

After a moment, the old man asked "So... Whose son are ye?"

"Pardon?" Dennis replied.

"Whose. Son. Are. Ye?"

Dennis sucked in some air and said "Well, my father was a low ranked soldier-"

"Where'd he serves?"

"Uh... fifth legion, western division. Died in an ambush on his way to transport some cargo towards-"

"Ah, yes, the Bunny Warrior raids?"

"No, the brigands."

Dennis worried his face flinching at the mental memories the word brought with it would be notable, but it apparently wasn't, or if it was the man did not comment.

"Oh, I heard of those. Tragedy... what was his name?"

"Tobias, son of Tobey, son of Antonious. My mother... died recently and I am looking to make a name for myself!"

Dennis forced himself to sound cheery and good-spirited.

Death was common in these lands, and pretending he was still affected by dead parents would at best make him come off as spoiled and sheltered, suspicious at worst.

"And... you decided to try and apply to the Royal Kitchen?"

"Well... back home we have a saying, sir. Go big or go home, right?"

"Never heard of it."

Dennis didn't reply.

"I assume that means you have no home to return to... better keep looking because I don't see any reason to accept you except for the fact a pathetic, scrawny nobody like you somehow managed to get an interview with me! So, allow me to ask you again... whose... son... are... ye?!"

"I-"

"Perhaps your country child mind misunderstands my questions... is there a senator in your family? A general? Somebody of importance?!"

"No, sir... I ain't no senator's son, or general's, or anybody import-"

"Distant cousin to the Emperor?"

"No, sir."

"Then how in the name of the gods did you get here?!"

Here we go...

"Well... I met this polite woman with red hair who liked my food and demanded I meet with you." Dennis said, hoping the man would leave it at that.

Surely once he brought up the royal recommendation the man would shut up and hire him.

At the description, the man paled.

"Princess Pina Co Lada sent for you?!"

"I... suppose? Was that the princess? She never introduced herself as such."

Yes, play the dubious idiot, Dennis, play the part!

"How dense are you, boy?!"

"Sorry, sir. I'm from the countryside, I haven't seen any of the royal members."

"You are dumber than I imagined then."

"I can't exactly disagree."

Kill me...

"You do seem to have impressed the princess if she demanded you come here... tell me, what can you cook?"

…

Pina Co Lada paced around her room, Hamilton watching her as she did.

Immediately, Pina said "Alright, how about... Members of the Senate! The enemy from beyond the Gate has offered us peace after all of the destruction they have inflicted! Shall we not take advantage of such an offer?"

A pause.

"Too forceful?" the princess asked.

Hamilton quickly said, "It sounded very rehearsed."

"I was thinking about it all night! Ugh... how am I going to get it through to my father that-?"

A knock on her door was followed by a loud pounding.

"Oh, what now?" she muttered and went to open it.

The Royal Chef shoved the secret American into the room and loudly demanded "Why the blazes did you recommend a child who can only cook variations of commoner's foods?!"

"E-excuse me?!"

"This kid knows nothing about the art of cooking! Here I was thinking he was some prodigy you discovered, but his meals are positively passable at best! Why do you waste my precious time-?"

This time Hamilton had enough.

"You are a servant of the Empire, and you are addressing a ROYAL MEMBER of the ROYAL FAMILY! Show some respect!" the brown-haired knight demanded loudly.

Dennis found himself somewhat amused as the Royal Cook simply scoffed.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but we've been in the middle of a crisis since those... invaders marched through that gate. I don't know what the Emperor is planning, but I don't have the time to look into every-"

"Good, I agree. Hire him." Pina said, too tired to continue arguing.

"E-excuse me?"

"Hire him. I like his food, I'm sure my father and my brothers will like it as well. We don't exactly have anyone here specifically for cooking the mediocre meals of commoners, which we may have to get used to eating if this city falls under a siege by the way, and you won't have to answer to my father for disobeying my request. Or would you prefer to trouble his majesty with trivial matters as simple as THIS?!" she finally exploded.

"Your father is too busy to-"

"Then we don't want to bother him, do we? Den, go to the kitchen and start familiarizing yourself, and Clef... do not bother me on the matter further. Hamilton, if you please."

Dennis remained stone-faced as the door was close on their faces.

The Royal Cook, Clef, turned to him with a frown.

"Did you sleep with her?"

"Sir, I am as confused as you are. I don't want to cause any troubles." Dennis said with a tired sigh.

Play the know-nothing moron, Dennis... play the part!

At that statement, the Royal Cook's features softened.

The older man simply said "Well, with that attitude you'll never get very far... I don't need you for anything other than what she wants. Maybe you can do some manual labor... as for sleeping quarters-"

"I don't really need much space to live in since this is all I've got. I'll be as out of the way as I can, sir." Dennis said, again, trying to sound cheerful and good spirited and naïve and totally civilian.

"Good... One of the servants died recently... you can take his room!"

Damn it all!

…

The room was bare, to say the least.

A tiny wooden table and chair, a single-window that exited into the streets outside the royal palace, and a large stone slab for a bed.

"Make yourself at home. You start tonight. Serve some commoner's foods, see what they think. Maybe you'll gain some favor with the nobility or the senate. Shows me that mediocrity always outlasts effort, why even bother? Regardless, you will work for me and the emperor. You will not question, you will not argue, you will most certainly not interrupt me, and you will most certainly know your place as the lowest of the low. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Dennis replied with the discipline the Rangers and the Army had taught him... although saying it in Latin made it sound... off somehow.

The older man took a step closer, patted the American on the back, and said "Make yourself at home, then go familiarize yourself in the kitchen. August will likely have something for you to work on."

"Yes, sir."

The cook left and Dennis quickly began to unpack his bags.

First things first, he made sure the M1911A1 and its two magazines of ammo were still safely concealed in the holster hidden under his tunic, the portable radio, an older AN/PRC-25, was well disguised as a wooden box and could be conspicuously placed so that it didn't draw attention, and assuming he had even a little bit of privacy, he would be able to communicate with his unit every night as the mission proceeded. That aside, he had some basic ingredients, which were mostly some spices he could use on the beef available in the kitchen, nothing fancy, but it would suffice.

He rubbed his clean-shaven chin and smirked.

Well, we're in business... all that's left is...

The Emperor would certainly be a problem.

Unless he comes to his senses...

His her was mostly an unknown, but to abuse a girl and exterminate a people... definitely, a problem to be dealt with.

Preferably with Napalm...

And there was that middle child the princes had mentioned... Diabo... he might be a problem, might be an issue.

Might even be a non-issue if we play our cards right...

The captured queen was certainly an issue.

That Bunny Warrior wants her dead... not my problem. As long as she works for us, we'll be golden.

At least according to the princess, this "Tyuule" was certainly interested in working for them, but it wasn't a guarantee.

The best option would be to evacuate her with the others... hell, the best option would be to just bomb this place to Kingdom Come and be done with it.

Dennis pushed those thoughts aside and looked around the room before walking up to the radio and lifting up the antenna. He fiddled with the controls before setting the proper frequency.

"Stalker One, how do you read?" he spoke quietly into the phone like radio.

"Read you ten by ten, Trojan." the voice of Hastings came over the other end.

"Outstanding. Proceeding as planned. Gonna familiarize myself with the area."

"Got it, watch your back. We're getting ourselves oriented, same as you."

"Copy."

With a sigh, he shut off the radio and angled it so that it was as out of the way as possible, hoping it wouldn't call attention to anyone who entered the room. He then turned and decided to begin familiarizing himself with the area he would live in for the next period of this "war".

It was quiet.

Quiet enough that the awful memories of the previous week shot right into his head.

Screaming men.

Smoke and gunpowder souring the air.

The endless roar of machine guns.

Screaming horses.

He pushed the thoughts aside, not about to dwell on them then.

The room seemed functional enough.

Alright, Dennis... let's get to work.

He turned and quickly exited the room.

A/N: Well, that's the Battle of Italica.

Really tried incorporating magic into it, because, let's be honest, they were going to lose no matter how many men they brought, but at least I could give the show some tactics from both sides, with the Americans using some mortars and illuminations rounds and the brigands using said illumination rounds to fire their arrows with greater effect... I don't know, despite being a historian, medieval history is not my strongest suit. I DO know enough medieval history to know how hellish it would be to live there after experiencing the modern world, and I want to get that point across.

I also don't see the US not shooting straight for the capital, even if they don't plan on bombing it back to the stone age... yet.

Now the story may slow down a bit here because the US is going to have to fight a war where they don't just shoot straight for the capital. I think the only reason Molt never did what he's doing here in the main canon is because the JSDF actually stayed around Alnus, never taking territory, something the US is actively avoiding by pushing past Alnus. So now the plan is to keep the capital thinking it's safe as either...

1) Pina convinces the Senate and Molt to negotiate.

Or...

2) Pina fails and America has to start assassinating heads of state.

And given how arrogant some leaders in the empire are, in spite of my trying to write them a bit more competent, I don't see them wanting to surrender. Heck, Japan had to be the one to make the first move in negotiations in canon, not Molt!

Anyway, thank you all for reading!

Reviews and advice are greatly appreciated, and if you have any suggestions, feel free to post them!

See you all soon!