Fireflight

Chapter Eight

Early morning come to the Goetia estate. Along with came an early day, and the lordship and mercenaries alike woke and eat breakfast in the pre-sun dawn. Despite Stella's misgivings, Stolas invited the members of I.M.P to their table. 

"So we're going where again?" Blitzo asked. 

"To the town of Huros on the border of the Silver Legion and the principality of Tartarisia." Stolas explained. "There we will have diplomatic meetings to decide the fate of our current issue." 

"So what are we supposed to do?" the imp asked. 

"Stand guard over us and protect us in the case of things going sour." the prince answered. 

After a quick breakfast the group went into the main hall, where Stolas opened a portal. As the group prepared to leave, Stella pulled aside Octavia. 

"Now, your father and I have decided that you will come with us." she said. 

"Do I have to?" Octavia asked. "I hate all of this stuff." 

"I know Via," her mother said, kindly. "But you will eventually take the throne. You will need to know what to do when we are gone. You know we won't be here forever." 

"I know." Octavia nodded. 

"Come now, chin up, act like royalty." Stella said with a small smile. Then turning to go, she stepped through the portal. 

One by one, the group filed through the portal and into a large courtyard in front of a large administrative building. The building was an octagonal capitol building with a large white and gold dome that rose over a hundred feet up into the sky. Around it, buildings rising up to six to eight stories stretched out to a rocky lakeshore coast on the upper Kaniatario lake. The city was on the smaller side, with a population of roughly 175,000 thousand. It was a thriving fishing, shipping and industrial metal mining center that lay just five miles from the border of the Principality of Tartarisia. 

Throngs of people stood in the middle of the courtyard, holding aloft signs and chanting. They wore traditional clothing, made up of red and gold wool. Jewelry made from bone and semi-precious stones adorned their necks and wrist, and a strong sense of tension and anger emanated from the mass of people. 

"What's up with them?" Millie asked, taking a step away from the angry crowd. 

"Local Macota people," Octavia said softly to her. "They're the ones that live across the border, the ones being oppressed. 

"Why?" Moxxie asked. 

"They've wanted more autonomy and independence from Tartarisia and few of the other states." Octavia explained. "They don't want that of course, and so all the tension has led to skirmishes and genocides. Its a big fucking mess." she hissed. 

With that information, the imps followed the princess and her parents into the building. There they found themselves before a crowd of nobility and officials. While some met each other across the hall and greeted each other, many ignored the foreign lordship or officials standing on the other side of the hall. It was clear that animosity was at play and the tension was thick in the air. Stolas and Stella immediately approached the numerous lords and ladies on the left side of the hall. 

Greetings were exchanged and Octavia was begrudgingly introduced to many of them, who had not seen the young woman since she was a girl in her teens. The crew of I.M.P stood off the side and out of they way, watching the situation unfold with mild interest. 

"Wow! I never thought I'd be invited to a political gathering." Millie said. "Kind of interesting, right Mox?" 

"I mean, sure." her husband said. "That is if you don't mind all of the snobbery and backstabbing.