Fear.
Pure unadulterated fear.
That was what Aldric was feeling from the depths of his soul when he gazed back at the pair of grey eyes that looked at him in silence.
◇ ◇ ◇
As the Imperial Army swept through the state, banners of conquest unfurled and soldiers occupied strategic points in the main city and the towns that surrounded it.
Citizens watched in fear as the once-familiar streets were transformed by the presence of the invaders.
Yet, to their surprise, the Imperials refrained from wanton destruction or violence against civilians. In fact, it was as if they didn't care what the civilians thought of the change in government.
Regardless of their initial apprehension, life under occupation would soon settle into an uneasy routine.
The patrols they're so scared of would become a common sight, and so would the murmurs of discontent they elicited from the populace.
But in the end, that's all they'd be able to do. Just talk.